Educating for Peace

“After experiencing high school, I can look back on my Santa Cruz Montessori experience, and see that I couldn’t have been better prepared for attending an intensive, college preparatory high school. I feel that I was not only prepared for high school, but I’m prepared for life, whichever direction it may take me.” SCM Alum

Junior High

Ages 12 – 15 Years/Grades 7-9

The Santa Cruz Montessori Junior High program (named "Wavecrest") is located in beautiful facilities at our Winston Campus. The curriculum, classrooms, seminar rooms, science and art lab, computer resource center, gardens, and playing field were specially designed to create a nurturing environment where adolescents are respected and cared for; where they can work hard, be challenged, be responsible; and where they have ample opportunities to test themselves.

Designed to foster self-discipline, confidence, and to build personal vision of the self working in society, the Santa Cruz Montessori Junior High program encourages students to be active participants in the educational process. Guides work closely with parents during this crucial stage of development to support our students as they make a major separation from their past as children and move forward toward adulthood.

Our Wavecrest staff is comprised of a Montessori-credentialed director, subject teachers, specialty instructors, and resource specialists, working closely with one another, with the students, and with the families, to coordinate curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Wavecrest offers a challenging academic experience that is an integrated and developmentally based approach to educating adolescent students:

Humanities — Literature, writing, history, global studies, ethics.
Mathematics — Arithmetic, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, algebra II, and trigonometry.
Sciences — Physical and biological.
World Languages — Spanish and French.
Art — Fine art, art history, and performing arts.
Independent Studies
Specialty Teachers work with the students on a regular basis in the areas of music, physical education and team sports. Students study drama and put on a play during the school year.

In addition to their studies on campus, Wavecrest students explore the Monterey Bay Area and the Central Coast, take a bi-annual trip to Washington, D.C., and visited France and Spain in spring 2007. Wavecrest students study drama and perform a play, have the opportunity to participate in the Santa Cruz Montessori after-school intermural sports program, and are actively involved in community service projects. Wavecrest students work at Live Earth Farm Organic Farm every Thursday in three areas of interest: Field Studies, Health & Wellness, and Farm Economy.

Hours: 8:15 am - 3:15 pm

Live Earth Farm

The Santa Cruz Montessori Junior High students work at Live Earth Organic Farm every week in three areas of interest: Field Studies, Health & Wellness, and Farm Economy. The students took 100% of these photos.

Washington DC

Santa Cruz Montessori's Jr. High students travel to Washington D.C. and visit Mt. Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg, the Jamestown Settlement, Monticello, Arlington Cemetery, the Air Force Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Supreme Court, the White House, and the U.S. Capital.

Santa Cruz Montessori • 6230 Soquel Drive • Aptos, CA 95003 • Ph: 831-476-1646 • Fax: 831-476-2703 •