Carden El Encanto School

I have to agree with most of the reviewers below. This is a very good school. My kids were in a public school with an API of 10, but they were just so lost in the shuffle. Carden of SC is a very nurturing environment and academically strong. This year, they have more extracurricular activites, esp., in after care. Schools like Carden are ever more valuable these days since local public schools are brimming with more kids than ever (bad economy!). But if you can put your kids through private school and hang in there during the bad economic downturn, I would look into Carden of SC. This is a good investment in your child's future. I'm going to keep my kids in there hopefully until they are ready to move onto the higher grades.
--Submitted by a parent

I love this school. Small classes and many classes like drama, art, p.e, music, french, chess. The staff and parents are awsome! After school activties are Spanish, Cooking classes, soccer, and there was a martial art offering.
--Submitted by a parent

Good small school. Not a lot of after school activities, but a solid education. Good stepping stone to good high schools. Kids are 'sheltered' here, but that's probabably a good thing since kids seem to be growing up faster these days.

This school has very high academic expectations without the pressure. Kids are very well adjusted and the staff is amazing. Trust me, I would not travel through the 'fish-hook' mess that is HWY 17/1 interchange twice a day if it wasn't worth it. There are students that come from Ben Lomond/Felton to attend this school. It's small and growing, but great parental and teacher support. Kids graduate to attend prestigious schools like Pacific Collegiate, Kirby, RLS in Carmel, and Bay Area schools.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a great school in the Santa Cruz Area. It is very small, so there are not a lot of extracurricular activities. But they sure make up for it by their dedication and affection for all the kids. If your child learns better in a small class/school environment, this is the school for them.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved to the Santa Cruz from the Bay Area and were glad we found a quality private school for our kids. Even though it's a small school, it's academic enough to compete with the best Bay Area schools, nd we love the small, social environment. Parents are down to earth and all the kids are happy and respectful. This school is comparable to Pinewood in Los Altos--but smaller and more down to earth. Great school for smart kids who enjoy a more intimate learning enironment. Principal and teachers are amazing and parents are very supportive.
--Submitted by a parent

Very good, small private school. Education is great, teachers are dedicated, and parents are very nice and involved.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is very disappointing. Parents are overinvolved and there is no consistent leadership. Do you research on this school before enrolling. There are many healthy alternatives available in Santa Cruz.
--Submitted by a parent

My kindergartner absolutely loves this school! I love that she has a different teacher for the specialty classes such as : drama, art, p.e, music, french, chess. Wonderful & caring staff here. I am grateful to have found this school for her, and feel confident that she will succeed beyond my highest expectations
--Submitted by a parent