Holy Cross School

Generations of my family have attended Holy Cross School. This institution is such exceptional part of Santa Cruz. Wonderful community. Excellent education. Strong moral values. I can't say enough positive things about Holy Cross, which provides a great foundation for learning and respect.

Our child has been attending Holy Cross School for 3 years now and the community of educators and parents is incredibly supporting. From the first day when we went to the open house, we were met with non-judgmental So Very Friendly parents and teachers. Go to an Open House and you’ll see for yourself!

As a working mom I greatly appreciate the Extended Care hours, which allow our child to stay at school and complete his homework and play with his friends, until we can pick him up.

The buddy system where an older child (8th grader or 7th grader) is a buddy to a little kindergartener or a 1st grader is a great way to integrate the value of compassion, and the little kids feel Very Important when they have activities with their big buddies.

The anual ‘Cookies for Courage’ event where the entire school provides large platters of cookies for first responders is such a beautiful event, and it’s a lovely way of thanking those who put their lives at risk every day. It’s a really special event in our community.

I had never considered parochial school for our children, and only did so when the pandemic happened- when public schools went remote. We have been so incredibly thankful for this change. We LOVE this school, and our children, ages 9 and 7 years old, LOVE it. And my children are challenged academically and step up to it, and love the structure of their day. This is our second year. Growing up, even though I did well in school, I never actually wanted to go, and it's strange to see our children accountable, even asking to go to school when they are sick?!? It is seriously a wonderful and supportive community, with the staff, the principle who knows everyone's name, and all the parents within the school. It's evident how happy the children are, when they break out for lunch, and they are running around in recess. For a school that is smaller than public, the resources are amazing, and the spirit is incredible. A visit will make you believe, and you will feel the charm and the pride. It's also quite honestly much cheaper than other private schools in Santa Cruz, and I quite honestly do feel like I am paying for a better eduction than in public. My 4th grader is being given extra math homework, because he accepts it, and in turn, he is not bored, understands that he is "not good at everything, " and well, continues to try even when he gets things wrong. And in terms of the Catholicism. Whatever the religion, hopefully, it comes with faith. And I am thankful that my children are learning about that right now. That even when their lives feel hard, they are ultimately not alone, and they are always loved. They are learning about Love. It's a lesson that many adults have forgotten or never learned.

There is a lot of good things about the school,one of them is the support you get from the faculty and staff, the teachers always go the extra mile to make sure that your children are learning, the parents community is very welcoming

Amazing School! The children are taught peace and loving kindness. The academics are first rate. The safety of the school is top notch.

We had two daughters study at Holy Cross, one pre-school through 8th, and the older 3rd through 8th. Principals and teachers came and went in the 14 years they studied there. In general, we found that we had great collaborators to work with in the education of our children and a consistent, rich sense of community throughout the experience. Both girls developed a strong moral sense and a excellent academic preparation for high school. The eldest is flying through a highly rated Catholic university with excellent grades and having a a great experience. I know her strong foundation at Holy Cross was instrumental.

This together with Mission Santa Cruz, Mission Park, Holy Cross Church, and the other buildings associated with the church make this a very interesting place to visit. Also there are some large, beautiful, very historic homes in this area.