• Live Oak Dual Immersion Parent Info Night

    Will your child be entering Kindergarten in the 2024/2025 school year? Would you like your child to grow up speaking two languages? Come learn about the Dual Language Immersion program at Live Oak Elementary School! We are a tight-knit small school community with amazing teachers and staff. If you are interested in enrolling and/or learning more about our exciting Dual Immersion Program, please attend one of our remaining two parent information nights. ¿Entrará su hijo en el kindergarten en el curso 2024/2025? ¿Le gustaría que su hijo creciera hablando dos idiomas? ¡Venga a aprender sobre el programa de Inmersión en Dos Idiomas en la Escuela Primaria Live Oak! Somos una…

  • Gateway School Tour

    Visit us on one of our monthly Tuesday tours. Hang with our kindergarteners on Kindy Island, see what’s growing in our Life Lab outdoor classroom, join our middle schoolers for a science experiment, and see first hand the unique benefits of a K – 8 education.

  • Live Oak Jack Rabbit 1-Mile Run & Student Art Contest FUNdraiser

    The 3rd annual Live Oak Jack Rabbit 1-Mile Run and Student Art Contest FUNdraiser will take place on Sunday, April 14th, at Shoreline Middle School on 17th Avenue in Santa Cruz, CA. Opening ceremonies begin at 8:00 AM. Registration for the 1-mile races on the USATF-certified track are open to the public online at: http://tinyurl.com/LOJR2024 The first wave of runners takes off at 9:00 AM and races continue every 15 minutes through 11:45 AM. Race registration fee is $10 per runner with the funds raised going to support the art program for the Live Oak School District students. All are invited to join this community fun run for the 1-mile…

  • Alternative Family Education Prospective Family Meeting

    Join us for a 2024 Perspective Families Meeting to learn about how you can create an individualized learning experience with your child in this inclusive community! We are a vibrant homeschool community that includes teacher-led classes in core subjects, community-led learning/field trips/events/clubs, and an abundant resource center with a staffed resource specialist. We provide enrichment offerings such as arts, theater, sports and more. Our program includes school district support services and allows for concurrent enrollment in other schools and colleges. *Childcare provided When: Tuesday, February 6 or Monday, March 11 , 6:30pm – 7:30pm Where: 185 Benito Ave. Email us at: [email protected] Or visit our website: https://www.bssc.sccs.net/afe

  • Homeschool Day at the Seymour Center

    Homeschool Day at the Seymour Center Friday, February 2, 10 AM – 12:30 PM Receive $1 off each admission when you RSVP. Spark your curiosity and inner scientist at homeschool day––a morning of special activities designed for families. Kids discover the fascinating world of ocean science and how it helps protect nature and spur local solutions. Special programming from 10 AM-12:30 PM • Hands-on lab investigations • Live marine creature explorations • Microscopes • Crafts • Behind-the-scenes tours • Scenic outdoor trails Activities included with Seymour Center admission. Members are always free! Info and RSVP at https://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/calendar_event/homeschool-day-seymour-center/

  • Gateway School Tour

    Visit Gateway on one of our monthly Tuesday tours. Hang with our kindergarteners on Kindy Island, see what’s growing in our Life Lab outdoor classroom, join our middle schoolers for a science experiment, and see first hand the unique benefits of a K-8 education.

  • January 2024

    High School Chemistry Students Conduct Seasonal Experiment

    Recently, Mount Madonna School 10th grade students explored “redox reactions” – a high school chemistry class version of holiday crafting – during a lab activity. A redox reaction, also known as oxidation reduction, is a reaction that involves the transfer of electrons between “chemical species” or the atoms, ions or molecules involved in the reaction. The students were transitioning between studying ionic compounds and chemical reactions and teacher Lisa Catterall offered them a “perfect experiment” to reinforce their learning and to prepare them for the next unit. “As students performed a four-step reaction inside a glass ball, the result of the final reaction is that silver ions are deposited on…

  • January 2024

    Considering a Faith-Based School for Your Kids?

    If you’re thinking about sending your child to a faith-based school, there are many factors to consider, just like shopping for any private school. You’ll want to weigh out academics, enrichment opportunities, location, and price, to name a few. But with faith-based schools, there are additional factors you’ll want to consider. This guide will help you to make an informed decision, so you can choose the school that best fits your family’s values and meets your objectives for your child’s education. Why do parents choose faith-based education? Many parents of various faiths and even of no faith contemplate the idea of sending their kids to a faith-based school. For those…

  • January 2024

    Which Type of Education is Best for Your Child?

    One of the most significant decisions parents make for their kids is where to send them to school. A child’s educational path influences them in so many ways. Not only is it the starting point of their learning career. It’s also where they spend most of their time, engage in multiple relationships, and have formative experiences. There are many types of schools to consider. Each offers different experiences and resources for students. To choose the best school experience for your child, consider your child’s personality and individual needs as well as what’s best for your family as a whole. Keep in mind that what works for one child doesn’t necessarily…

  • Santa Catalina School Admission Open House

    Curious about Santa Catalina School? Come learn more about our signature programs, meet faculty, sample our academic and co-curricular offerings, and talk to students about clubs, activities, leadership, and campus life. Lunch is provided and complimentary admission to our theatre production of Puffs is available following the open house. The production will run from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

  • Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School Open House

    Truly Major: Middle School Open House! Learn more about how middle school students develop essential skills, explore new interests, and deepen friendships—all at the heart of their journey at Santa Catalina. Our students and faculty will provide a unique and immersive experience for student visitors while also offering invaluable insights to parents.

  • Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic

    For seven years, a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs … who just happened to be there too. Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic is for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. As the New York Times declared, “For Potterphiliacs who grew up alongside Potter and are eager to revisit that world, Puffs exudes a jovial, winking fondness for all things Harry!”

  • Gateway School Tour

    Visit us on one of our monthly Tuesday tours. Hang with our kindergartens on Kindy Island, see what’s growing in our Life Lab outdoor classroom, join our middle schoolers for a science experiment, and see first hand the unique benefits of a K-8 education.

  • November 2023

    Watsonville Teen is County’s First Student Trustee

    The Santa Cruz County Board of Education has for decades made innumerable decisions that affect the lives of students.Oscar Alvarez-Delgado, a 17-year-old senior from Pajaro Valley High School, was chosen from five applicants.Santa Cruz County Office of Education Board President Bruce Van Allen said the new appointment reflects the board’s mission of putting students first.“We care so much about the lives and the health and the learning and the futures of the students of this county,” he said.County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah, who swore in Alvarez-Delgado, agreed.“The why of education and the why of the County Office of Education is students, and having a voice as part of the…

  • August 2023

    Top University and College Options in California

    California is home to many higher education institutions. A 2022 Statista report indicates that it had 384 institutions in 2021, the most of any state that year. California also has the most college students, with 2,637,722 enrolled in 2022. This is mainly attributed to the number of universities in the state and the high-quality education they offer. Given this, high school seniors and soon-to-be university students may be attracted to studying in California. Still, they must first decide what type of institution to attend and which one. To this end, this article lists the top private universities and colleges, state universities, universities of California, and community colleges to consider. Private…

  • August 2023

    Santa Cruz Turns Out to Stuff the Bus

    When word got out that hundreds—no, thousands—of students didn’t have the money for school supplies, Santa Cruz residents, businesses and charity groups got in gear. They came up with a program called “Stuff the Bus,” which literally filled a giant yellow school bus with backpacks stuffed with the needed supplies, including pens, pencils, notebooks, crayons, erasers, glue, highlighters, staplers and index cards. The good news is that the project has gathered some 2,000 backpacks so far. The bad news is that so many kids truly need them and they are struggling through homelessness and poverty. Among the groups sponsoring the program, which got going some 14 years ago, are United…

  • July 2023

    Students Receive Scholarships

    Santa Cruz Community Credit Union is thrilled to announce the winners of its three inaugural scholarship recipients for 2023. Each scholarship is for $1,000 and was available to graduating seniors in the Pajaro Valley School District.The following are the recipients of the SCCCU scholarships: “This is the first of many years that Santa Cruz Community Credit Union will provide scholarships to exceptional graduating seniors in our community. We were privileged to attend the three ceremonies and present these outstanding students with a scholarship to help them further their educational journey,” stated Beth Carr, President/CEO of SCCCU. The Credit Union scholarships were awarded to deserving students who did not have a…

  • June 2023

    COE Announces Educator of the Year Awards

    The Santa Cruz County Office of Education announced the recipients of the 2023 Santa Cruz County Educator of the Year Awards, honors awarded to staff from across the county who exemplify educational excellence and embody the values of our school community. Honorees received a plaque recognizing their service to Santa Cruz County and their names will be engraved in the Educators of the Year perpetual plaque hanging in the foyer of the Santa Cruz COE.A selection committee reviewed nominations using the California Standards for the Teaching Profession, the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, and the following criteria: 2023 Teacher of the Year Recipient: Maria Ferreira, Special Education Teacher, Post…

  • May 2023

    Drawing Guns in the Classroom?

    What began as a simple weigh-in from Bay Area parents on whether kids should be allowed to draw guns with historical figures in schools, exploded into much larger topics on what is deemed inappropriate, policy consistency, societal dysfunction and personal expression in and outside of the classroom. There is no blanket law in the state of California on what is and what is not allowed to be drawn in schools, rather, it’s up to the discretion of the individual teacher. This is just a preliminary discussion on this topic, let’s keep it going… CONSISTENCY IN THE CLASSROOM“School districts are not given standards on what age can be drawing guns; there’s…