Dear Cold Spring Families,

I hope you are having a wonderful week.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend time at the State Capitol and reconnect with Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón. It was especially meaningful to reconnect with someone I had the privilege of working alongside years ago during her time as a Santa Barbara Unified School Board member, when I was serving as a principal and interim assistant superintendent. It is always inspiring to see leaders who continue to keep students at the center of their work, and I am grateful for the opportunity to advocate on behalf of public education.

During my time at the Capitol, I joined colleagues in speaking up for several important priorities that directly support schools and students, including:

• Fully funding Proposition 98

• Protecting classroom continuity through substitute flexibility

• Streamlining accountability plans so educators can spend less time on outdated reporting requirements and more time focused on students

I am grateful for leaders like Senator Limón who continue to champion students and public education.

Tonight, we are excited to host our Cold Spring Science Fair from 6:00–7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. A very special thank you goes to Mrs. Edwards, our sixth grade teacher, for coordinating this wonderful event, and to our sixth grade students for their outstanding leadership. We are looking forward to seeing our students proudly present their learning and creativity.

We also want to wish all of our families a joyful Earth Day and Arbor Day. This Friday, April 24, we will celebrate Arbor Day in a special way. Thanks to the generous support of Santa Barbara Beautiful, our TK and Kindergarten students will plant an orange tree in the garden at 8:30 a.m. with the support of Santa Barbara arborist Nathan Slack. We are grateful for this meaningful opportunity to help our youngest learners connect with nature and care for our environment.

Looking ahead to next week, we are excited for our Spring Sings. Please be sure to check the dates and times below, along with information about our upcoming book club and book exchanges. We have also highlighted several other events for families to explore, including the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo, which kicks off on April 23. In addition, our after-school sewing club and fourth grade class will be showcasing their creative work, which will be a wonderful celebration of student talent and imagination.

Finally, today is Administrative Professionals Day, and I want to extend heartfelt thanks to our exceptional office team. They are the face of our school and do so much each day to support our students, staff, and families with kindness, care, and professionalism. We are deeply grateful for all they do for Cold Spring.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support.

With gratitude,

Dr. Alzina