PRESCHOOL & CHILDCARE GUIDE

Preschools

Coastal Community Preschool

Lic. #444408854 & Lic.#444415615

900 High Street, Santa Cruz 831.264.543 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 yearround 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.

Community Bridges

Early Education Division

831.400.1110 communitybridges.org/eed/

Community Based Universal Preschool

Programs:

• Fairgrounds: 2667 East Lake Avenue, Watsonville

• Vista Verde: 1936 Freedom Boulevard, Freedom

• Sycamore Street: 121 Sycamore Street, Santa Cruz

• Nuevo Dia: 135 Leibrandt Avenue, Santa Cruz

• Redwood Mountain: 7103 Highway 9, Felton

• Highlands Park: 8500 Highway 9, Ben Lomond

Providing FREE (California State Preschool Program) & tuitionbased early education, from the redwood mountains in the San Lorenzo Valley to the vibrant fields of Watsonville. We serve infants through TK with the guidance of highly experienced, bilingual/bicultural staff who understand the importance of play and social emotional learning as the key foundation for academic success and ignite a love of lifelong learning. We honor the rich cultural backgrounds that have given Santa Cruz County its historical place as a changemaking community, with core values to provide access to quality early care and learning to create empowered futures. Together we’re better.

Community Bridges

Highlands Park

Early Education Center 8500 Highway 9, Ben Lomond 831.400.1170 communitybridges.org/eed/

Nestled in the magnificent redwoods and adjacent to the San Lorenzo River, our center serves infants through TK. Built from the foundational dreams of local early childhood legends, we extend our vision with an emphasis on the importance of play, equity and social emotional learning as key foundations for academic skill and the development of a lifelong love of learning. As the only Quality Counts program in SLV, we are dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing space to ensure access to outstanding early learning opportunities for all. Like the redwoods that surround, we invite you to stand tall and thrive with us!

Holy Cross Preschool

Lic #444403570

170 High St # A, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831.425.4447 holycsc.org

For nearly 25 years, Holy Cross Preschool has educated children in the heart of Santa Cruz. Our school is located in a spacious, scenic and secure location, and our play-based program enables children ages 2-5 to develop strong social and emotional skills which fosters a love of learning, develops creativity and promotes self-expression. Our nurturing environment respects each child as an individual and fosters spiritual, educational, and physical development in accordance with individual needs and talents. Our whole-child education includes language arts, science, art, math, and physical education, and programs are separate (preschool and pre-kindergarten) to ensure that they are developmentally appropriate. Full-time and part-time schedules are available.

Live Oak School District- Child Development

Del Mar Lic #444400352

Green Acres Lic #444403585

Live Oak Lic #440710379

984-5 Bostwick Lane, Santa Cruz 831.462.1116 losd.ca (click on departments and then Extended Learning)

The Live Oak School District- Child Development Program offers families Free or Low Cost Quality State-Funded Preschool program for 3-4-year-olds at the Del Mar, Green Acres and Live Oak

Natural Bridges Children’s Center

Elementary School sites. We provide morning (8:45-11:45) and afternoon (12:453:45) preschool classes to approximately 110 children districtwide, 186 days per year plus a 4 week summer session. The State’s new higher-income guidelines allow so many more families to qualify. You may come by our office or call us to begin the process for enrollment. If space is still available we enroll year-round. We are following all Covid-19 safety guidance.

Mount Madonna School

Lic #440709549

491 Summit Rd, Mount Madonna 408.847.2717

MountMadonnaSchool.org

Our Montessori and play-based program provides a loving, safe, and stimulating learning environment where children, three to five years old, are encouraged to develop at their own pace. We strive to nurture a child’s innate sense of trust, goodness, and wonder. At Mount Madonna School, we focus on developing kindness and respect towards ourselves and others. We offer a developmentally appropriate indoor environment fostering curiosity, confidence, and creativity in all aspects of the learning process. This, combined with our 375-acre outdoor classroom, invites and empowers children to fully engage in their education. By including abundant time for imaginative free play, children are inspired in all areas of their development.

Natural Bridges Children’s Center #444415467

255 Swift St, Santa Cruz 831.429.6222

NaturalBridgesCC.org

Natural Bridges Children’s Center is a child centered, play & inquiry based program founded in brain research & neuroscience. Our caring NBCC teachers are degreed early childhood educators who are passionate about their work and understand the importance of how strong connections and daily intentional teaching relate to children’s successful transition into kindergarten and to their academic success. Everyday is filled with fun conversations, lengthy play, and engaged learning. Children deepen their understanding of themselves and of others and acquire social skills that will help them in life. It is NBCC’s mission to ‘Inspire Children’s Learning~Create Community~Build Bridges. Come check out the magic! Call to schedule your tour @ 831.429.NBCC ! We look forward to talking to you.

Pacific Preschool at Pacific Elementary School in Davenport

Lic #440702049

50 Ocean St, Davenport 831.425.7002 pacificesd.org/preschool

Pacific Preschool is a child- and familycentered program for ages 3-5, focusing on outside activities – creative play, social development, gardening, practical skills, art, and pre-K skills. 4-hour morning program, extended care or TK option in the afternoons. Flexible 3-, 4-, or 5-day schedules. FREE tuition for incomequalified families. Highly experienced staff and bilingual aides. Fresh, nutritious breakfast and lunch daily. Excellent COVID safety record. Beautiful 10-minute drive from Santa Cruz. Preschoolers have priority for enrollment in Pacific Elementary School. Start your child at a small public school with quality programs and a close, diverse community from around the county.

Rocking Horse Ranch Preschool Lic #444400117 4134 Fairway Dr, Soquel 831.462.2702

We offer morning, afternoon, and full day sessions. Our three beautiful acres offer room to explore, including swings, slides, trees to climb, a ninja course, zipline, bike track and a giant sandbox! Kids also enjoy our farm animals and grazing on food from our organic garden and orchards.

Santa Cruz City Schools

Sam Rolens samuelrolens@sccs.net 831.419.2927 sccs.net/enroll

Here at the start of a great adventure, students need belonging, encouragement & room to explore. In TK/K at Santa Cruz City Schools, students are given a playcentric, social and curiosity-driven welcome into education to help them develop a lifelong love of learning. Our students enjoy hands-on learning, from growing and cooking in our Life Lab garden to exploring computer science in off-screen algorithms; they are nurtured with individualized educational supports, and the guidance of our licensed counselors. We offer a supportive environment where students discover the height of their potential as learners and as human beings.

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. Our beautiful classrooms and outdoor environments engage the children’s senses as they learn. 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. We offer a supportive community of learners and an exciting 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 enrollment@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.

Simcha Preschool

Lic #440710119

3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos 831.479.3449 simchapreschool.org

Come experience our thriving, nurturing, play-based program that features an emergent, anti-bias curriculum tailored to your children’s passions and interests!

Simcha (meaning “joy” in Hebrew)

Preschool is known for its dedicated and knowledgeable teachers who foster children’s social-emotional skills, independence, and creative ideas. Everyone loves our beautiful outdoor and indoor facilities. Fully vaccinated against Covid-19, full-day and half-day schedules, low child/teacher ratios, and 3, 4 or 5-day schedules are offered for children ages 2-6. Ask about our K/1 class while we still have space! Welcoming to all, we are proud of our over 40-year tradition of sharing Jewish values. Come join our Simcha Preschool family! Open year-round, 7:30 am-5:20 pm. Call 831-479-3449 or email Director Caitlin Clancy at caitlin@tbeaptos. org to learn more!

Tara Redwood School

Lic#444417000

Preschool to Elementary

5810 Prescott Road, Soquel 831.462.9632

Tararedwoodschool.org

Tara Redwood School curriculum is a blend of Montessori and Creating Compassionate Cultures (CCC). We have a global focus that follows an original framework known as the 7 Steps to Knowledge, Strength and Compassion developed over 30 years. Our curriculum for the preschool years primarily focuses on how to be a ‘good friend’ by supporting the development of the students’ emotional intelligence through mindfulness, discussion, and practice in real life situations. We value the importance of daily outdoor learning experience and the children visit the Redwood Campus at Land of Medicine Buddha, located in the Soquel forest, just minutes from Soquel Village. The Preschool Campus is in a sunny and convenient location in Soquel. Preschool–Ages 24 MO–4YRS.