Parents and students love to talk about SBCS

Having our son start Kindergarten at SBCS in the middle of the pandemic brought on a number of new challenges. The support and attention he received was amazing. His teacher went above and beyond to connect with him, support him and help our family navigate this new school, even from afar. We are truly grateful to the experiences we have had in our short two years. We look forward to many more years and memories to come!

The values and principles at the heart of SBCS most closely align to those of our family’s. Beyond academics, they prioritize inclusion, social emotional health and development, and conflict resolution. We especially appreciate their holistic and tailored approach to our children and meeting their specific learning needs.  We also appreciate the staff’s commitment to professional development and staying current with best practice, and their incorporation of parent input. SBCS is more than just a school, it is a community. We are so grateful to SBCS and rest easy knowing the village we have chosen has our children’s best interest at heart.

Santa Barbara Charter is a true gem. As both a parent and a substitute teacher, I have been repeatedly impressed with the life skills that the teachers incorporate into the curriculum. Through project-based learning, teachers at SBCS regularly provide opportunities for students to brainstorm solutions, experiment with a wide variety of materials, and persevere through challenges. Through many partner and group projects, both of my boys have learned how to express their ideas and emotions clearly, compromise, resolve conflicts peacefully, focus on solutions, and take responsibility for their own part. They have been incredibly fortunate to have this type of instruction that teaches life-long skills, both academic and social. I am confident that they will be better friends, partners, and colleagues because of their time at SBCS.

Our entire family is so grateful to be a part of SBCS! Here there is an emphasis on the whole child – so not only are they met at their academic level, they are also equipped with social/emotional skills that will serve them their entire lives. My children often talk about the strong bonds they have with other students (I believe some will be friends for life!) and their connections with their teachers. The teachers are some of the best I have ever encountered and routinely go above and beyond; it truly feels like they are invested in deeply seeing my children and supporting them in every way. Even during challenging times, I feel like the entire staff has been incredibly supportive and kind. It’s worth a commute knowing how lucky we are to be in such a wonderful school!

Santa Barbara Charter School was our family’s second home from 1st through 6th grade. My child was provided a well-rounded, child-focused education and a variety of extracurricular activities that allowed her to develop her strengths as an individual, all the while helping her become a kinder, more compassionate, and empathic person. Being at Charter School completely changed our lives and to see my child, now a 2022 high school graduate, having turned into an amazing young woman who is fully prepared for life as an adult, gives me immense joy and gratitude for everything Santa Barbara Charter School gave us. I wish all families would be so lucky! Thank you, SBCS!

You will not be disappointed with your decision to send your child to Santa Barbara Charter School.  From the moment we stepped on to campus for the tour we knew this was the right school for our family. And we are deliberate in  saying this for our family, not just our daughter, because we all learned and grew throughout our seven years at SBCS.  The teachers, the staff, the kids and the Charter families made us all better people!  Our daughter benefited greatly from smaller class sizes and being with the same teacher through two grade levels.  They were able to understand how she learned, what made her tick and what motivated her by the end of  year one and we saw tremendous growth in year two with the same teacher.  To state the SBCS cares about their students is an understatement, they treat our kids like their own, they care deeply for all of their students.  They care about their physical, mental and emotional well being, this was highlighted even more as we all dealt with the pandemic the last couple of years.  We will forever be grateful for our time at SBCS

Amazingly committed, loving teachers. I have been move to tears during classes, observing the respect and attention to each child. This school helps children retain their love of learning and develop into confident individuals.

As a former teacher with over a decade in experience and a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard University, and as a parent who has spent countless hours in the classroom, I can testify that Santa Barbara Charter School provides a quality education following the best research based practices. Throughout the country schools are beginning to recognize the importance of providing social and emotional instruction and are struggling to implement approaches. SBCS has a long-standing and successful program in this area that could be a model for other schools.

We couldn’t be happier with our choice of Santa Barbara Charter School. They teach the whole child, not just the skills found on a standardized test.

We are at Santa Barbara Charter School because of:

• The teachers: they are fabulous, dedicated to the students, and providing a wonderful and rich environment for the kids to come and learn in.
• The academic program: we appreciate the focus of the school, and the approach to the curriculum. It is clear that students develop a love of learning while going to SBCS.
• The community of parents: it is clear that SBCS parents are very invested in the education of their children. Their participation in the running of the school reflects that commitment. The support they provide to the teachers is second to none, and the overall feeling of community is felt at so many levels.