Welcome to Coastal Community Preschool (CCP), an independent, private, incorporated, non-profit organization that serves preschool children from the age of 2.3 years until entry into kindergarten. We also offer an after-school program for ages TK-7 years. The school is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of Coastal Community Preschool parents, members from the Santa Cruz community, and teachers at the School.
Our Mission
What We Stand For
Coastal Community Preschool seeks to provide a safe, accessible, family-centered environment that nurtures children as individuals, fosters social understanding, and serves as a vital part of its local community. In this setting, we will celebrate the unique spirit of each child and strive to cultivate Good People who recognize and respect their own precious worth and that of others.
Our Goals
Cultivating Good People
- To create a sanctuary for learning that honors and protects each child’s interests and ideas, and encourages development at each child’s own pace;
- To sustain a talented, experienced and highly skilled faculty by ensuring respectable salary levels and benefits and maintaining a comfortable, stimulating workplace that encourages participation in organizational development;
- To provide a diverse and inclusive environment in which children learn to appreciate different lifestyles and cultures;
- To prepare children for school through emotional readiness, and through cultivation of each child’s unique strengths and interests;
- To encourage a family-centric, team-approach among parents and teachers who share a mutual goal of raising a community of strong, confident, and happy children;
- To serve as an integral part of the local community by providing a variety of resources in support of strong families, successful parenting and learning readiness.
Our Pilosophy
Fostering a sense of community
At Coastal Community Preschool, we believe children learn best in a warm, welcoming, safe and vibrant community where their ideas are respected, their motives trusted, and their needs are met to the fullest extent possible. In addition to creating and maintaining this environment, we are committed to fostering a sense of community by facilitating shared experiences that engage intellect, emotion, and senses, encouraging children to reflect on these together.
By focusing on the child as both an individual and a vital community member, our goal is to help develop a sense of belonging and self-respect, as well as respect and compassion for others. We believe children have to develop socially in order to be prepared for school academically.
We are committed to providing developmentally appropriate experiences for all students. To do this, we must consider each child’s developmental readiness and learning style. We also strive to create excitement for learning by encouraging children to recognize and appreciate their own interests and talents. To this end, Coastal Community teachers provide a large palette of rich and varied experiences, enabling children to explore many different avenues of creativity and learning.
Teachers offer positive guidance to help children navigate the many possibilities, and hone in on those that build their self-esteem, enhance problem-solving skills, and create an enthusiasm for further discovery.
Testimonials
What Parents are Saying
“Our older son had 3 wonderful years at CCP and he had a more enriched kindergarten experience thanks to all the skills he acquired at this preschool. He still talks about his teachers, how butterflies evolve, and circle time experiences though he graduated preschool 2 years ago. Now our younger son, who was adopted internationally, attends CCP and in less than half a year, he has exceeded our expectations in language acquisition and social skills. His teachers have been extremely attentive to his special needs and have created a safe and happy environment for him.”
“The staff at Coastal Community Preschool has provided a tremendously supportive learning environment for my child, and they do it with insight, humor, and love. Our family could not be happier with our experience.”
“When we moved, we never thought we’d find a preschool as special as the one our older child attended. What a wonderful surprise. We truly appreciate the tireless love, guidance and attention our daughter receives and we marvel at the staff’s consistency and humor. Add to this wonderful environment a genuine community of caring parents and teachers unified by a belief in quality childcare, and we can truthfully say that CCP rivals any other preschool that we have seen.”