Holy Cross

Have had a great experience with the school for our child since a young age, starting with TK and the after-school program. Great teachers, librarians, and parent community. Has had renovation of some of the school buildings, and lots of active families that bike commute and participate in extracurriculars. Very diverse student population, and overall a great community-based institution for families.

We have been so happy with the quality of teachers at Gault, the wealth of supports for students and families, and the workshop model that allows students to progress far beyond grade level based entirely on their aptitude. Far more than that though, we feel so fortunate to be part of this tight-knit and welcoming community. We've forged incredible relationships and met so many families in our neighborhood through Gault.

Students enjoy learning at Westlake Elementary in a cross section of learning domains as evidenced by their test scores.Schools are about teaching and learning. This school is located near the UCSC campus.

What a sweet, small school with a great big heart. This school focuses on the social and emotional development of all students. Its unique thematic curriculum and students' bill of rights sets it apart, allowing all students to reach their own personal best potential. The school focuses on growth and learning leaps over traditional grades, project-based work over nightly monotonous homework, and highly integrative, multi-age learning to allow for students to be leaders and learn to work together. The teachers and staff work hard to create safe environments that allow students to focus on myriad ways they can bring their best selves to school each day. The sense of community that is built and ingrained into the ethos of the school is beautiful and genuine and feels like a family. A gorgeous library and thriving garden that serves all of the alternative education schools housed within Branciforte Small Schools Campus are used for hands on learning and discovery.

This is an amazing community and my son has been given the flexibility in his education to redefine his experience of learning. There is an incredible staff who genuinely go the extra mile to make a real connection with not just my son but me as his parent/educator too. Being able to tap into clubs, classes and activities provides social connection and support. My son was doing worse every year in the comprehensive school setting. Coming to AFE has changed his life for the better a thousand times over.

This is my sons second year at SCCS and we are all very pleased with the education and support he has received there. The staff are all very supportive and communicative. We were at Santa Cruz Montessori for 2 years and it just wasn't a good fit for us. Not only is the tuition a third of the price, the class sizes are much smaller at SCCS. SCMS had 21 children in the class with two guides and SCCS has only 12 for one guide. My son has received so much support with his ADHD here and has really flourished academically and emotionally. The children and parents are all so kind. My only complaint is the sand on the campus playground, it ends up everywhere in the house at the end of the day. 10/10 recommend, its a great school!