History

Sea Crest School was founded by the Williamson and Mazer families, who enlisted the expertise of Ginger Girvin, an educator and tutor on the coast, with the vision to provide “an independent, well-rounded education option” for the San Mateo County coastal communities.

Plans came together quickly, with the school opening on September 9th, 1996. Despite the fact that the original building wasn’t complete, it didn’t prevent classes from starting with 22 students who met at staff members’ homes. In record time, the building with 7 classrooms opened on Monte Vista Lane.  

In January 2001, Sea Crest moved to its present site, and a new gymnasium and multi-purpose building (with a multi-sport court, a stage for performances, and classrooms for music, drama and extended day) opened in December 2001.

In September 2005, an additional six Middle School classrooms were added to the main building; two of those rooms have since been retrofitted as an art room and a science laboratory.

In 2013-14, the school embarked on a capital campaign called The Next Level Project. This project added second-floor Middle School classrooms as well as the Joswiak & Ramsey Innovation Lab maker space. During the summer of 2015, the Extended Day Program space was completely renovated to include a living room and professional kitchen.

In 2018-19, Sea Crest completed a new capital campaign and renovated the Outdoor Space, including a sports field, playground, free play area, running trail, creative play space, mindfulness garden, and an amphitheater for learning and performance. This project framed and unified our campus by providing outdoor areas designed for imagination, exploration, adventure and wonder.

From an initial enrollment of 22 students, the school has progressed steadily during the past two and a half decades, now enrolls 300 students in 2023-24 and is embarking on many new and exciting projects under the leadership of its new Head of School, Lauren Miller.