Acton Academy Santa Cruz
7979 Soquel Drive, Aptos
[email protected]
actonsantacruz.org

At Acton Academy Santa Cruz, we combine Montessori principles with mixed-age studios to create a learner-driven environment where children explore their passions, develop essential skills, and grow into confident, independent thinkers. Through hands-on projects, Socratic discussions, and real-world challenges, we foster creativity, critical thinking, and character development. Our unique approach emphasizes collaboration, personal responsibility, and self-paced learning, helping each child discover their unique gifts and potential. Rooted in a strong community and inspired by the natural beauty of Santa Cruz, we invite families to join us in reimagining education and unlocking a brighter future for every learner.

Chartwell School
2511 Numa Watson Road, Seaside
831.394.3468
Chartwell.org

Chartwell School, located on 60 acres in Seaside, CA, serves students with dyslexia and associated learning differences who are not currently reaching their full potential. We do this in grades 1-12 by providing targeted and direct instruction to empower learners with the skills, strategies, tools, and social-emotional mindset they need to thrive in college and beyond.

“For us, Chartwell represents unlimited possibilities. It no longer feels like our son’s story will be about constant struggle, but about his journey to reach his full potential.” – Chartwell parent

Coastal Community Preschool
Lic. #444408854 & Lic.#444415615
900 High Street, Santa Cruz
831.264.5437
coastalcommunitypreschool.org

Coastal Community Preschool (CCP) serves children ages 2.3 years through 5 years with a safe, stimulating, and caring learning atmosphere. We have a curriculum that encourages development at each child’s own pace. Among our program highlights, we offer flexible year-round schedules, a highly experienced teaching staff, and a bright, secure West side location overlooking Monterey Bay. We also offer an after-school program for TK-1st grade. Join us as we continue working with parents and caregivers to raise a community of strong, confident and happy children.

Delta High School
at Cabrillo College
6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos
831.477.5212
deltaschool.org

Delta serves students whose needs have not been met by a traditional school model. Through strong relationships, Delta builds a safe, inclusive, and caring academic community. Delta offers small classes, varied programs, and an engaging curriculum. Delta offers dual enrollment through Cabrillo College and career preparation through our Grad Skills. We are located on the Cabrillo College Campus next to the track, soccer fields, and Sheriff’s Station.

“Going to Delta was the greatest decision I have ever made in my life.” ~Trevor

Gateway School K-8
255 Swift Street, Santa Cruz
831.423.0341
www.gatewaysc.org
[email protected]

Gateway School provides students in grades Kindergarten through Middle School with an exemplary education. Small class sizes and programs in Art and Technology, Music, Spanish, and Life Lab Science complement an academic curriculum grounded in Social Emotional Learning. Gateway students are collaborative, creative, love learning, and become compassionate and responsible citizens. Children’s innate curiosity and sense of wonder are nurtured through exploration, discovery, and hands-on experiences. Our graduates have an inquiring spirit, are confident, and stand up for those who need help. To learn more about the difference a K-8 school model provides, visit www.gatewaysc.org and schedule a tour to experience all that Gateway has to offer!

Holy Cross School
150 Emmet Street, Santa Cruz
[email protected]
holycsc.org
831.423.4447

Holy Cross Catholic School, established in 1862, provides a nurturing education for all students. Strong academics blended with a commitment to service for others, student driven events, athletics, music and the arts, create a robust, challenging and kind learning environment. Holy Cross School provides the opportunity to build supportive, enduring friendships based on common values and enriched through our diverse community. Come visit us and experience the Holy Cross advantage

Kirby School
425 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz
[email protected]
kirby.org

Kirby School is dedicated to nurturing academic excellence and personal growth in each student. With a legacy Kirby School demonstrates the potential of adolescents when they are trusted, respected, and joyfully engaged. With an average class size of just 12 students, every student can be met with individualized challenges, pushing them to grow and inspiring curiosity. Kirby is full of students who love to learn and lift up those around them in their desire to be successful. Success at Kirby includes academic mastery and the capacity to express and learn about themselves through arts and athletics. Our program equips students to navigate complex problems with confidence and resilience.

Moreland Notre Dame School, TK-8
133 Brennan Street, Watsonville
831.728.2051
mndschool.org

Moreland Notre Dame School is a TK through 8th grade Catholic School founded in 1899 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. We are a school community committed to providing quality academic preparedness while educating students for life. MND seeks to express the goodness of God by fostering a sense of family, a safe environment where each child is treated as sacred, justice and service to others is expected, and diversity is welcomed and celebrated. Located in the heart of Watsonville, Moreland Notre Dame has been educating students for life for over 120 years.

Mount Madonna School
Preschool-12th Grade
491 Summit Road, Mount Madonna
408.847.2717
MountMadonnaSchool.org

In their classrooms and beyond, Mount Madonna School students are part of a diverse, inspired, creative, and academically vibrant learning community. We strive to prepare well-rounded human beings for college and beyond, who value collaboration, form meaningful relationships and engage with their local communities, nation, and the world. Imagine ONE school, where your preschooler can move through to kindergarten and elementary, be part of a close-knit middle school community, and graduate from high school! Featuring Montessori-influenced preschool and kindergarten programs, environmental education, performing and visual arts, life skills, and excellent academics. Transportation available, with bus stops throughout Santa Cruz County.

“Mount Madonna School helped me raise my child to be a well-rounded, academically strong, compassionate human, while surrounding him with a community of the same.” -Robyn Pearson, alumni parent

Orchard School K-6
2288 Trout Gulch Road, Aptos
831.688.1074
orchardschoolaptos.org

Orchard School, established over 30 years ago, provides a unique, yet comprehensive K-6 education. At Orchard, we weave together the magic of an extraordinary faculty, a 14-acre campus and a down to earth philosophy that nourishes and honors the natural growth and development of children. Small class sizes, an organic garden and an animal farm create enriching “whole child” learning experiences that are hands-on and individualized. We provide Strong Core Academics, Lab-Based Science Curriculum, Art, Music, Physical Theater/Circus Arts, Electives, Ceramics, Archery, Swimming, Leadership, Field Trips, Drama Productions and more.

Pacific Collegiate School
3004 Mission st. Santa Cruz
831.479.7785
pacificcollegiate.com

Learning at PCS is an adventure where the journey is as important as the successful outcome. We are a free, public charter school in Santa Cruz serving students in grades 7-12. We nurture the whole person—body, mind, and spirit – by providing opportunities for students to explore their interests, celebrate their identities, and find what fuels their curiosity. Applicants to 7th grade under free or reduced price meal programs or 1st generation to college are 30% more likely to get in! Visit www.pacificcollegiate.com to learn more, attend an informational session and make sure to apply for the lottery by Feb 13, 2025.

Pacific Elementary School
50 Ocean Street, Davenport
831.425.7002
pacificesd.org

Pacific Elementary School in Davenport is a public school serving ~180 students. Families throughout the county choose Pacific for our: High-Quality Preschool; Traditional TK-6 Classrooms; Independent Study Program with 3 classroom days and 2 home study days each week. Students enjoy our award-winning garden and lunch programs in which students grow, cook, study, and eat healthy food. We emphasize experiential learning, including hands-on science, field trips, tech and media literacy, music, drama. We offer gifted and talented education and accelerated math. Culturally diverse close-knit community,LGBTQ+ friendly. After school programs and bus service to and from Santa Cruz. Visit: pacificesd.org/new-family-enrollment.

Salesian Elementary and Junior High School TK-8
605 Enos Lane, Corralitos
831.728.5518
[email protected]
salesianschool.org

For almost 50 years, Salesian Elementary and Junior High has been “Empowering Youth with Knowledge, Faith, and Love!” Located five miles from Highway 1, our beautiful hillside campus has the spirit of a home where every child feels loved. Rooted in the Catholic faith, we are a school that celebrates childhood, fosters a passion for learning, and develops moral depth through acts of service. Credentialed teachers and staff educate the whole child with a comprehensive curriculum. Our 50-acre campus also provides endless opportunities for students to learn from the natural environment. Personal tours are available! For more information: [email protected]

Santa Catalina School
1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey
831.655.9356
santacatalina.org

Santa Catalina School is an all-girls day and boarding high school that prepares students to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Guided by expert faculty, girls take ownership of their academics, including an award-winning marine ecology research program. Students pursue their passions in athletics, the arts, and beyond. And they learn from one another in a global community where lifelong friendships are forged—and where true sisterhood fuels a culture of curiosity, kindness, and confidence.

Santa Cruz City Schools
Sam Rolens
[email protected]
831.419.2927
sccs.net/enroll

Santa Cruz City Schools is proud to offer alternative education programs to our community. In addition to comprehensive TK-12 programs where students are welcomed into education with a play-centric, curiosity-driven experience, we are also happy to offer an Alternative Elementary program at Monarch Community School and at the hybrid homeschool Alternative Family Education (AFE) Program. At Monarch, students in blended-age classrooms explore thematic learning with parent partnership. At AFE, families are supported by credentialed teachers to create individualized homeschool experience with daily access to in-person enrichment courses to build a cohort through your homeschool experience running from Kinder to College! learn more about all our Small Schools programs at bssc.sccs.net!

Santa Cruz Montessori
Ages 18 months – 14 years
Main Campus (Primary and Elementary)
6230 Soquel Drive, Aptos
Winston Campus (Young Children’s Community and Jr. High)
244 Cabrillo College Drive, Soquel
831.476.1646
scms.org

Established in 1964, Santa Cruz Montessori is a non-profit school serving children 18 months to 14 years, celebrating our 60th anniversary this year! Based on a deep understanding of child through adolescent development, our programs meet the interests and needs of our students, engaging and challenging them to do their best. Our community of teachers and parents works together to support our learners and provide an engaging Montessori curriculum including humanities, math, sciences and arts. Our mission: as a Montessori learning community, we inspire life-long learning and a more peaceful world by nurturing the natural development of the whole child.

Santa Cruz Waldorf School, PreK-8
2190 Empire Grade, Santa Cruz
831.425.0519
[email protected]
santacruzwaldorf.org

Santa Cruz Waldorf School nurtures the whole human being in every individual, cultivating the capacity of head, heart, and hands. We offer a rich and balanced curriculum in which intellectual and artistic development are both vital and fully integrated. Specialty teachers work alongside class teachers to provide students with diverse experiences in language, movement, music, arts, games, and gardening. Our magical, rural campus is nestled in the redwoods above USCS. Our community is warm and joyful. We are committed to protecting childhood, supporting each individual, respecting nature and all life. Santa Cruz Waldorf School cultivates self-directed, empathetic, and free-thinking individuals with the courage and capacities to serve an ever-evolving humanity.

SLVUSD Charter School
325 Marion Ave, Ben Lomond
831.335.0932
charter.slvusd.org

Since 1993, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District’s SLV Charter School has offered a range of programs that support a variety of learners. Active learning, parent involvement, and student voice are key components of our programs. In addition to supporting all academic areas, charter programs foster student creativity, social-emotional development, and the pursuit of individual student passions. Built on a foundation of strong ongoing teacher, student, and parent collaboration, SLV Charter boasts a wide variety of program structures including: Nature Academy’s 5-day week program (6-8), five 2-4 day a week homeschool-hybrid programs (TK-12), and an independent studies program (TK-12).

Spring Hill School
250 California Street, Santa Cruz
831.427.2641
springhillschool.org

At Spring Hill your student will love school from day one! We inspire curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning through small class sizes, tailored lesson plans and responsive teaching designed to meet each student where they are. With a strong emphasis on social emotional growth, children learn to seamlessly work together as a team and engage in their individual learning. They learn to appreciate their strengths and support each other when things are challenging. Students leave Spring Hill with a strong academic and social foundation ready to take on the world and make a difference in their communities.

Tara Redwood School
5810 Prescott Road, Soquel
831.462.9632
[email protected]
tararedwoodschool.org

Tara Redwood School offers an academic foundation, rich in the sciences, emotional intelligence, and the arts. Our global curriculum is a blend of Montessori and Creating Compassionate Cultures (CCC), a framework known as the 7 Steps to Knowledge, Strength and Compassion. The CCC pedagogy is a unique approach that nurtures kids’ positive qualities through critical thinking and contemplative practices that helps to empower them to have a positive impact on the world with mindfulness practice. Our integrated approach to learning focuses on environmental studies and exploration of the natural world. Our classrooms extend into the outdoors on 108 acres of redwood forest and creeks of Soquel.