Gateway School, founded in 1970, is an independent, co-ed day school in Santa Cruz, CA for students in grades Kindergarten through Middle School. Our mission is to inspire children to lead lives of purpose and compassion through scholarship and citizenship. We nurture academic success and intellectual curiosity, personal character and integrity, individual agency and engagement. Our program is rooted in play, creativity, and critical thinking. Our students develop communication and collaboration skills while becoming compassionate and responsible citizens. We feature Art, Music, Spanish, Mindfulness, Life Lab School Garden Education, and a Makerspace as integral parts of our program, along with small classes, a gorgeous nine-acre campus, and a loving community of progressive families. Gateway is the only K-8 school in Santa Cruz accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). We invite all families to visit our website or schedule a tour, and get to know our community!