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Old 06-09-2015, 12:40 AM
 
4 posts, read 6,037 times
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I'm taking what Kindhearted10 said up there 2 1/2 years ago with a large grain of salt. Is there anybody out there who can give me an update on life in Santa Cruz in 2015?

We're contemplating moving to the area--my husband, me, and our 12 yr old son. Our other kids are all in college or working now, and my husband and I are both retiring from our university teaching careers and will pursue our own projects, for fun. We're considering settling in the Santa Cruz area, if we can find a good school for our son. So that's what I'd love to find out about: the schools.

I notice there's a Montessori school in Santa Cruz--maybe a good bet for our 12 year old, who's finally had it with the public school system and its endless worksheets and busywork and testing. So we called them today, wondering if school was out for the year already; but apparently they're still around, and they do rolling admissions--and there might be a place for our son. We're not into the whole Catholic or Christian school thing; so that seems to leave just Gateway and the Montessori school. Gateway looked kind of college-prep online, which we want to steer away from for the moment; but my impression could have been wrong. Oh, and there's a Waldorf school; but I feel like 12 isn't the age to suddenly start a boy who likes to play video games in a Waldorf School. If we'd had a Waldorf school near us when he was younger we'd have jumped at the opportunity; but no such luck. So can anybody comment on Gateway or the K-8 Montessori, looking specifically at the 7th grade?

And then there's the public school system of either Santa Cruz, or the Scotts Valley schools, or the San Lorenzo Valley schools. On other boards, like Berkeley Parents, people are recommending the San Lorenzo Valley schools--Felton, Boulder Creek, etc, over Santa Cruz public schools. What's the deal? It doesn't matter to us if there are kids at the school who bring the scores down; what matters to us, for our son, is the teachers. The 7th grade teachers, and especially the band teachers. Are they dedicated, imaginative, patient, able to really engage the kids, and work with the kids' strengths without belittling the kids for making mistakes? If we can get this at a public school, we might consider living in Scotts Valley district, or nearby in the San Lorenzo Valley middle school.

Ugh, it's really late here in CT, and I barely got to describe my family's ridiculous predicament; but perhaps that's for the best. I'd love to hear from anyone who's a parent who's put their kids through middle school in any of the private schools I mentioned, and all the public schools. Thanks a lot, and good luck to me, please, in reviving this thread. I may be beating a dead horse, but there's always hope. Thanks in advance! -Kathleen

Last edited by ke3bunnies; 06-09-2015 at 12:49 AM.. Reason: punctuation
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Old 06-09-2015, 12:45 AM
 
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And now I see that they didn't publish the thread I'm trying to revive along with my post; so my reference to Kindhearted 10 appears to drop right out of the blue.
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Old 06-09-2015, 01:04 AM
 
Location: State of Transition
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Some of those posts contradict themselves. For example, people are saying there's nothing for teens to do in SC, so they get into trouble. Then they say the teens in Scotts Valley, Felton, Ben Lomond don't get into trouble, much. Yet, there's even less for kids to do, there. So whether or not kids get bored and do drugs has a lot less to do with whether there's a lot for kids to do, and a lot more to do with parental involvement in kids' lives.

I'm not a parent, 3bunnies, but I've heard good things about the schools in those mountain communities, so there must be something to it. You did the right thing by contacting Berkeley Parents Network. Good job!
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Old 06-09-2015, 01:37 PM
 
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Thanks, Ruth4Truth! Yes, I noticed the contradictions in the thread--I guess to be expected, since one man's dream is another's nightmare; and as for kids, it's almost impossible to judge what your own kid is going to experience in any given school with any given teacher, especially as they get older, more self-aware, more critical. I also now see that the whole thread is here after all. I'm losing hope that many people will respond, though--even on the Berkeley Parents Network, it seems like most of the threads about living situations and schools are 4-5 years old.

We have a possible place to live in Berkeley, and a possible school for our son, as well; but as the next school year approaches, I'm having grave misgivings about living there--thus my post about Santa Cruz. I really need to make one more scouting trip, to Santa Cruz, this time. My family, including our adult kids, love the idea of living in Berkeley, but I, personally, can't bear urban environments; and it's hard to find a good compromise when what I hate is exactly what everyone else loves. I'd be coming up from the Ventura area, and it's a long trip; but there's no substitute for seeing a place, and meeting with school principals or admissions officers. Unfortunately, even a scouting trip is no substitute for the actual experience of living somewhere, and going to school there.

We could scout a lot more easily from Berkeley, obviously, than from Ventura, or certainly from the East Coast, where we've spent this past year, for my husband's sabbatical. But it would be so great to not have to move again in two years, when our son would be done with the private middle school in Berkeley. Santa Cruz and the surrounding towns seem much more affordable, and quieter. Pardon me, I meant "slightly less ridiculously, impossibly overpriced," not "more affordable."

I'll just wait and see if anyone else weighs in!
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Old 11-03-2015, 06:57 PM
 
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Default It's hard to raise kids, it's harder in Santa Cruz

I raised my daughters here in Santa Cruz. You can raise decent kids anywhere. But truth be told community influence can be strong when there is a lack of diversity, and homogenous thinking like in Santa Cruz. I hate to say it, but Santa Cruz holds some pretty bad values: greed, racism, arrogance, phoniness, gossip, theft, drugs and ignorance at the core of this town. This town does not value education despite UCSC in their backyard. In fact, locals resent the UC. I wonder if my daughters would have been better in a city or suburb that encouraged more out of life. My friends who raised their kids in Los Gatos seemed to have better outcomes. We do have a great charter school and the Kirby School is well regarded, but forget about the public schools unless you like gangs, stoned teachers, and general feeling of delinquency among most students regardless of economic background.

Topics of conversations here boring and gossip based, or constant phoney self-congratulating the city of Santa Cruz and it's "special" people . It's bred a culture of narcissism and snarkiness that I can no longer stand to be around. After decades I haven't been able to meet many friends who are themselves, if they don't maintain this false hippie image they will be rejected by their neighbors. It's not a very accepting place unless you try to act a certain way, but boy is that exhausting and you never make true friendships. Remember, these are the people that rioted and vandalized a Borders Bookstore. Priorities are a bit screwed huh It has crushed the ambitious drive of my oldest daughter, who in an effort to "fit in" went down some very dark paths. Affairs are considered normal because there are no family values, and stealing is considered OK if you have the right excuses. Bad behavior is excused if it's done by a "local" and I just never got that!

Denial is strong here. Everyone talks like traffic is a problem in other "cities", even though the traffic in Santa Cruz is pretty horrendous. Santa Cruz defines itself by mocking other places, cultures, religions, people, etc. Santa Cruzians think they are so great that it has contributed to not addressing the rising crime.

People like to think of Santa Cruz as a small town, and in the worst ways it is, without any of the benefits. What I mean by this is, you don't ever really get to know your local grocercy store clerk, they could care less about you. It's not that safe. But it sure has that small town small mindedness that gets me, people here gossip in mean ways and think they know about the world when they've never left the Bay Area. It's part of the local culture. The other post about high divorce rates is no joke, I can't think of many couples who have made it and I think it has to do with the selfish vibe around here.

I'll be moving as soon as my youngest graduates (barely) from our underperforming Santa Cruz HIGH. It is a beautiful place, but lack of cultural activities makes this place ignorant and boring. Bay Area is at your fingertips if you can stand the traffic. Most likely Santa Cruz's beautiful outdoors will merely lend a nice outdoor space to do drugs, since that is what all their friends (along with their parents) will be doing.

Last edited by TreneesP; 11-03-2015 at 07:19 PM..
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Old 11-03-2015, 07:10 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,532 times
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One quick word about the mountain community schools like SLV--Scott's Valley is a much better place for families, it's right in Santa Cruz's backyard. The mountain communities are home to some serious drug trafficking culture, and there is a strong "backwards" mentality you wouldn't believe that thrives in 2015. Blatant racism, teasing kids of mixed ethnicities, is that what you want for your kids? Please drive around the area. Try the schools OVER the hill. Consider Los Gatos, Saratoga, even Cupertino. I guess it really depends on what you are looking for.

Last edited by TreneesP; 11-03-2015 at 07:43 PM..
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Old 11-03-2015, 07:27 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,532 times
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Default The kind of JUDGEMENTAL crap you hear

Quote:
Originally Posted by steel7 View Post
Alot of the parents spoil their kids in rancho santa fe & la jolla so im not surprised. Those are upper class communities. Even the adults are snobs...UGH!
This is the exact kind of jealous ignorance that I am talking about that is so prevalent in Santa Cruz, most who hold these attitudes have never even left SC. It permeates into daily life and makes Santa Cruz an intolerant and horribly negative place. And again with the denial. Santa Cruz is very expensive, who the heck can afford to live there? Upper class, but of course doesn't apply to them as if it's a bad thing anyways. Prejudice towards hardworking folks that earned their money - makes for a progressive community I guess? If these are the adults being harsh, imagine this mentality of hatred of others (especially those who strive high) in a high school setting. Wears you down day after day.

Last edited by TreneesP; 11-03-2015 at 08:34 PM..
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Old 11-03-2015, 09:34 PM
 
8,364 posts, read 7,553,732 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lrmsd View Post
I live in carmel valley,and I find many areas of san diego county quite refreshing myself...so one cannot rule out the whole area. and i have nieces and other friend's kids in la jolla-who are neither snarky nor vain. I would pick san diego county over santa cruz county for raising my kids hands-down, and I never even wanted to live in SD! (ie, am more of a nor cal sonoma type of gal....but here were are; and still, i would not choose SC. We here in san diego who are earthy, crunchy types arealso primarily pragmatic and get along with others, b/c we have to...and not as prone, perhaps, to stereotyping entire regions of a state/country/county, as those who perhaps are insular in their environments. Perhaps??? It's actually nice to NOT be only with folks who look/vote/think like oneself.

Anyway, San Diego is a far nicer place to raise a family than is being given credit....and SD is very different from OC or LA.

So there! and Na Na Na NA boo boo....LOL just kidding.
Good luck to OP in decision making!!!(:
I agree. San Diego has lots of great places to raise kids. We raised two very happy kids in Jamul, in east county. It's a very family oriented area with room to spread out. My kids grew up riding horses in the mountains. They are the most down to earth people I know (when my daughter went off to college in the midwest, no one believed she was from California because she was so different than the California-stereotype). And, all of the museums, cultural offerings, and, yes, beaches of San Diego were just a quick drive away.

Other great areas in San Diego to raise well-adjusted kids: Poway, La Mesa, Otay Ranch, Solana Beach...and on and on.

In the end, though, it's not where you live that matters in how your kids turn out. It's how you parent.
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