Preschool in Santa Cruz, CA 95065
A lifelong passion for children and education coupled with a mothers instinct to be with her children is what led me to the Secret Garden. My journey was filled with opportunities to develop and share my commitment to childcare. I first came to Santa Cruz in 1981 after accepting a position as director of the local chapter of the Santa Cruz Special Olympics. After having my two sons Tyler and Garret in 1983 and 1984 (yes you can get pregnant breast feeding) I felt compelled to have them with me while still contributing to the household income. It was during this time that I turned to my degree in early childhood education. I became a teacher at the Secret Garden initially owned by Sylvia Gerbl where I was able to work full time and could have both boys with me. After dedicating ten years to the program I made the leap to purchase the school in 1995. I truly believed in the the excellent curriculum and high standards initially developed by Sylvia in 1977. I chose to carry on her philosophy that the healthiest way for a child to be nurtured and cared for is to let them be a child. More than 30 years later I am proud to say we are still providing a rich environment where children can grow in a loving a safe environment.
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Through a literature based curriculum we nurture the childs development with emphasis on communication and celebration of life by exploring the wonders of our world and its cultures and traditions. Our daily emphasis is on the childs developmental stages and encouragement of age appropriate activities. Our goal is to provide a safe and stimulating atmosphere while meeting the individual needs of each child.