When classes started on Tuesday for Watsonville Prep School, 180 middle-school students had their own space, a newly renovated building at 18 West Beach Street.
The new space is adjacent to the school’s original location in the old Gottshalks building at 407 Main Street, which houses transitional kindergarten through fifth grade.
Both buildings are owned by Pacific Coast Development.
Watsonville Prep, run by Hollister-based Navigator Schools, opened its doors in 2019 with 180 kindergarten through second-grade students. The school planned to add one grade every year until fully operational with 10 grades.
That has finally come to pass, with the school’s first 8th-grade class set to graduate next spring.
Because the school didn’t yet have its own space, classes started in a handful of portable classrooms on the campus of E.A. Hall Middle School.
The school moved to the old Gottshalks department store building two years later.
Future plans call for connecting the two buildings, and hopefully creating an outdoor play space, says Chief Communication and Engagement Officer Kirsten Carr.
But for now, the new building gives the school a reason to celebrate, Carr said.
She added that plans also include a food bank for the students and their families, and will link with Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance for counseling services.
“It feels incredibly special just thinking that it was six years ago we first opened the doors of WPS,” she said. “Just to see the transition growth of both our scholars and our staff has been pretty special. We have a lot of people who are now able to use this as what is truly what a community school is supposed to be.”
Please add a big shout out to the staff of the City of Watsonville who made sure everything was reviewed and approved by the start of school!
PVUSD is going to close schools down and Watsonville Prep is on a buying spree. No one thinks this is strange? How much money are they bringing in? Watsonville Prep would save a lot if they just requested a site from PVUSD (like Ceiba tried to do) which they have a legal right to do. Unless this is really about real estate and not about creating the best environment for students.