Best elementary schools in Santa Cruz area? (Watsonville, Capitola: houses, purchase)

[jaynetarzana]

We are trying to figure out where in the Santa Cruz area to settle with our family and purchase a home. We need to utilize public schools so we've been going to the local elementary school open houses and reading everything on greatschools.net, but we're not impressed by what we are seeing. The schools themselves are old, dingy, dirty and most of them have those trailer park looking add on rooms which look terrible. The physical security of the schools is another major issue. Perhaps there are security measures in place that the we cannot see.

The other issue is that you can find some elementary schools that are rated well, but then the middle and high schools that they feed into are not. We're looking to settle into a place where our kids can go to school from K-12 and get a really great education that will prepare them for college.

We can't understand how a place that is so expensive to live could be providing such dramatically subpar schools for the children.

If anyone has any insight into the school situation here I would really appreciate it.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

We are trying to figure out where in the Santa Cruz area to settle with our family and purchase a home. We need to utilize public schools so we've been going to the local elementary school open houses and reading everything on greatschools.net, but we're not impressed by what we are seeing. The schools themselves are old, dingy, dirty and most of them have those trailer park looking add on rooms which look terrible. The physical security of the schools is another major issue. Perhaps there are security measures in place that the we cannot see.

The other issue is that you can find some elementary schools that are rated well, but then the middle and high schools that they feed into are not. We're looking to settle into a place where our kids can go to school from K-12 and get a really great education that will prepare them for college.

We can't understand how a place that is so expensive to live could be providing such dramatically subpar schools for the children.

If anyone has any insight into the school situation here I would really appreciate it.

I'm in S.C. county but don't have children but i have heard that the Soquel elementary school is a good one. I drive by it almost every day and from the outside it looks nice (for what that's worth) and the playground seems like a happy place. I don't know about the high-school although i drive past it everyday as well and from the road, the grounds look nice and it's well situated. Again, from the outside it looks good but that doesn't say much i suppose.
I've lived all over the county and it's my sense that Soquel is the most family / children friendly community. There are good parks and often family friendly community events throughout the year.
Out of all the towns in the county Soquel is the most mellow. Santa Cruz and Capitola are much more frenetic and there are many parts of Watsonville where you probably don't want to raise a family if you have better options.
I love Aptos as much as Soquel (Aptos has much more fog though) and it too is more easy going and i imagine kid friendly too.
So that's just my child-less impression.
Good luck. I'd sure like to grow up in Soquel if i were a kid!

[jaynetarzana]

Doesn't anyone in the Santa Cruz area share my concerns about the schools here?

[coolwaves]

I've raised two kids in Santa Cruz. You are correct in your assessment of good elementary schools but the junior high and high schools are subpar. We sent our two kids to private schools after elementary. I don't know what to say, but if you are diligent about advocating for you child, she/he can get a good public education.

[jaynetarzana]

Thanks coolwaves, that is what we were afraid of. Did you try to get your kids into the charter schools before sending them to private? The lottery system is a bit discouraging. You can't really count on your kids being able to get in there so you need a plan B and that is either moving out of the area or sending them to private schools.