A Very Special First Day for a Very Unique PVUSD School

What comes to your mind when you think of ? Well, what if I said for me it brings up images of a park, playground, food, talking, enjoyment, laughter, Frisbee, kids playing in a pile of leaves, barbecue, families, socializing and of course bubbles too. I think of an afternoon filled with fun, fun and more fun. You probably think I made a mistake in what day I was talking about, and that I must be thinking it was the Fourth of July. This can’t possibly be the first day of school, or can it be?

Actually, that is exactly what the first day of school was like at in Watsonville this past Wednesday.

We spent our first day of school enjoying a potluck picnic at . We talked with teachers and staff, met with other families, brought food, barbecued and enjoyed an afternoon of fun and games. We met new families, connected with returning families, and shared our summer stories while the kids played together on the playground, ran in the grassy field, and took great pleasure playing in huge pile of leaves. During this event, our principal, Suzanne Smith, as well as the PCCS teachers, shared information for the new school year. We set up appointments with our supervising teachers, and then continued to enjoy the day.

is a very unique school. It is a K-12 Public Charter School in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District with . It is a homeschool/independent study program. Also, you don’t have to live in the immediate vicinity to go to PCCS, and the enrollment is open to all, though there could be a waiting list at times. We actually travel quite a distance from our home to go there, and it is worth it for us.

The K-8 program is a homeschool-based program that offers enrichment workshops two or three days per week (depending on grade level). There are supervising teachers who help with curriculum and assignments. You can follow your own homeschool style, but yet benefit from the guidance of a credentialed teacher, workshops and a variety of curriculum. They can even help you in working with your own choice of curriculum. The high school program is a combination of independent study and/or homeschool and offers high school classes on-site, three days per week. On the other days, students work from home on independent study assignments that are given by their supervising teacher as well as homework.

I have been a mom for 31 years. For 26 of those years, at least one of my children has been attending a public school. We have tried different schools over that span, but then we happened to find PCCS through the recommendation of a friend. My first thought was that I couldn’t homeschool. No way. How could I possibly teach my elementary-age children? I wouldn’t know what to do, where to start. What about socializing? You always hear about that. Well, here’s the thing. You really can homeschool your child if that is what you want, and you won’t be doing it alone.  Homeschooling is not for everyone, but if you have the time and the desire to take it on and you are willing to put in the effort, you can do this, too. We started at PCCS in 2003. This is the beginning of our ninth year at this school. Three of my children have attended the school, and one of them graduated last year, while the other two are still going strong. This was a completely new experience for me, but it was also one of the best choices I could have made, and it works well for us.

And as for socializing, well, I will now refer you back to my very first paragraph! There are a lot of excellent opportunities for good, healthy socializing. There are enrichment classes, field trips, parent-sponsored play groups for younger kids, school events, celebrations and more. This year we even have a wonderful parent-led world music class for K-5 students. The social component has been a very positive experience, and not just for the kids, but for the parents as well.

I will end this with a very wonderful quote from my daughter as we were getting ready to leave the picnic. "This was officially the very best day of my entire life!" I just can’t beat that for a first day of school!

Information:

• Who:  Pacific Coast Charter School
• What: K-12 Public Charter School
• Where: 294 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville (In "The Towers" office building where PVUSD is located, 2nd Floor Eiskamp Building)
• Contact Information: Office: 786-2180 or check out their website.