Dear Cold Spring Families,
We have another exciting achievement to celebrate! Cold Spring Elementary School has climbed from #14 to #2 overall in California in the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Elementary Schools rankings, making us the highest-ranked non-charter public elementary school in the state!
You may notice that the test scores on the U.S. News website differ from those we recently shared. The ranking I shared a few days ago reflects our most recent student achievement from the 2025–26 school year, while the U.S. News ranking uses earlier data from 2024–25. Each ranking also uses its own criteria, so they provide different snapshots of our school’s success. With our latest results even stronger, we have much to look forward to when those achievements are reflected in future rankings!
Most of all, this is a celebration of the people who make Cold Spring extraordinary: our exceptional teachers and staff, our hardworking students, and our supportive families. Behind every ranking are the daily efforts, caring relationships, and shared commitment that help our children thrive.
I could not be prouder of our Cold Spring community. Thank you for your partnership and for making our neighborhood school such a remarkable place to learn and grow.
With gratitude and pride,
Dr. Alzina
I am incredibly proud to share that, with today’s release of California’s assessment results, Cold Spring is ranked the #1 public elementary school and #1 school district in California!
Our students achieved 100% Proficient or Advanced in English language arts, 98.97% in mathematics, and 96.67% in science. These extraordinary results reflect our students’ hard work, our teachers’ thoughtful and dedicated instruction, and the care our staff brings to school every day.
To our parents and families: thank you for your trust in our leadership and the direction of our school. Your encouragement, involvement, and support help us create a school where children feel known, challenged, and inspired.
I am especially grateful for your commitment to regular attendance. Our chronic absenteeism rate dropped from 6% to 3.1%! Thank you for prioritizing time in the classroom and scheduling family vacations outside of school days. Every day at school gives children opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. Your efforts help make achievements like these possible.
Members of the news media are already on their way from Los Angeles to tell our story, but I wanted you, our Cold Spring families, to hear this exciting news directly from me first.
This is a tremendous achievement for our small school and a proud moment for our entire community. Please join me in celebrating our remarkable students, teachers, and staff! I am deeply grateful for your partnership and the opportunity to serve your children.
With immense pride and gratitude,
Dr. Alzina
Source: EdSource Search Database
Congratulations Cold Spring Teachers, Staff and Students!
Cold Spring School has been recognized as a Common Sense Media Recognized School for our commitment to digital citizenship, digital literacy, and student well-being.
I am deeply grateful to our teachers for the care, thoughtfulness, and dedication they bring to helping our children use technology responsibly. Their work goes beyond teaching students how to use a device. They help students think critically about information, protect their privacy, practice kindness online, and understand when to put technology away. These lessons support our children in becoming thoughtful, confident, and responsible decision-makers.
I am pleased to share the below press release that Common Sense Media sent me to share with our community. Thank you for your continued partnership as we help our children develop the knowledge, judgment, and habits they need to navigate the digital world with confidence and care.
With appreciation,
Dr. Alzina
Cold Spring School earns Common Sense Media Recognition
Montecito, California —Common Sense Media, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology, has recognized Cold Spring School as a Common Sense Media Recognized School.
Students today have more possibilities at their fingertips than any previous generation. But making the most of it—knowing what to trust, who to credit, and when to close the laptop—is something students need to be taught. Cold Spring School has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach to that work: helping students take ownership of their digital lives, look at a social feed and see the algorithm behind it, tell reporting from opinion from advertising, and understand the difference between using AI to think harder and using it to avoid thinking. This recognition acknowledges the school's commitment to creating a culture of digital literacy and well-being among its students.
"Digital literacy and well-being aren't separate subjects; they're woven into how students research, create, and make decisions every day, including how they use AI. We applaud the faculty and staff of Cold Spring School for treating those skills as essential. They're giving students the judgment to participate thoughtfully in a world where the tools keep changing,” Merve Lapus, VP of Education and Engagement, Common Sense Media.
Cold Spring School has been using Common Sense Media's research-based digital literacy resources. Grounded in the real issues that students and teachers face, the program teaches students, educators, and families tangible skills in media literacy, digital citizenship, AI literacy, privacy, online kindness, and digital well-being. The free K–12 curriculum is used in classrooms across all 50 states, in more than 70% of U.S. schools, and by more than a million educators worldwide.
"We're honored to be recognized as a Common Sense School," said Dr. Amy Alzina, Superintendent. "Our students deserve to move through the digital world with confidence and care, today and for whatever comes next. This recognition reflects the work our whole community has put into making that happen."
For more information about Cold Spring School, go to https://www.coldspringschool.net/. To learn more about Common Sense Media, visit https://www.commonsense.org
About Common Sense Media:
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year.
We are incredibly proud to share that Cold Spring School kindergarten teacher Becki Naranjo-Gonzales has been named a 2027 Distinguished Mentor by the Santa Barbara County Education Office! This countywide recognition honors experienced educators who demonstrate exceptional instructional practices, leadership, and meaningful support of new teachers through mentorship.
Becki will be formally recognized this November at the 13th annual A Salute to Teachers gala, alongside other outstanding educators from across Santa Barbara County.
We are so grateful for Becki’s years of service, her dedication to our students, and the care and leadership she brings to our school community each day. She is truly one of the bright lights of Cold Spring School, and this recognition is so well deserved.
What an exciting start to the 2026–27 school year!
Our fourth graders jumped right into hands-on learning in the STEAM Lab, putting physics, math, engineering, and problem-solving into action. Students designed and tested stagecoaches, calculated speed, analyzed their results, and refined their designs through multiple iterations.
Click below to check out this highlight of our fourth graders learning, creating, and innovating with Mr. Francisco!
Fourth Grade STEAM in Action: Physics, AI & Vibe Coding at Cold Spring School
What a wonderful first day of school! It was such a joy to welcome our students back to campus and feel the excitement, connection, and energy throughout our school.
Below is a short video that captures the heartbeat of what makes Cold Spring so special: our fantastic parents, incredible students, dedicated teachers, and exceptional staff. Together, we create a community where everyone supports one another and every child is known, valued, and inspired. Thank you for helping us begin the 2026–27 school year with so much joy.
We're Hiring! Join the Cold Spring Team Today!
Learn more and apply at: https://www.edjoin.org/ColdSpring
A new school year brings fresh routines, new teachers, and sometimes a few new worries too. You know your child better than anyone, and we see how you show up for them every single day. Parenting comes with its own pressure, and we want to make sure you have support that lasts all year long.
That's why we want to remind you about a free resource available to every family in our district: ParentGuidance.org, a trusted online platform offering free, confidential mental health support and education for parents and caregivers. No insurance, referral, or diagnosis required. Just visit https://parentguidance.org/mhsindex/ and start exploring.
Here's what your family has access to:
On-Demand Courses If the start of school has brought out new anxiety, big feelings, or battles over screens and routines, there's a course for that. Video content led by licensed therapists and mental health experts covers topics like anxiety, depression, social media, grief, and parenting challenges, all available on your own time, at your own pace.
Ask a Therapist Sometimes you don't need a full course, just an answer. Browse more than 200 questions submitted anonymously by parents and answered by licensed clinicians, because chances are someone has already wondered the same thing you're wondering right now. You can also submit your own question and join a live monthly Q&A where ParentGuidance.org's clinical director, Dr. Kevin Skinner, answers questions in real time. No camera or mic required.
Parent Coaching For support that's personal to your family, connect virtually with a certified cognitive behavioral coach for one-on-one guidance, including confidential video-based calls and 24/7 messaging with responses within 48 hours. Coaches help you set goals, track progress, and stay encouraged. Coaching is HIPAA compliant, and nothing discussed is ever shared with the school. https://app.noble.health/auth/parent-guidance/signup/cold-spring-school-district-ca?lang=en
Mental Health Series Join live sessions offered twice a night, Monday through Thursday, to talk through the topics families are navigating right now, from bullying to emotional regulation to anxiety. Each session is built on teaching from licensed clinicians and guided by a trained facilitator, so it feels like a conversation, not a lecture. Cameras and mics stay off, and you can share thoughts and answer questions anonymously through an interactive tool called Menti, so you can participate as much or as little as feels comfortable. Can't make it live? The full catalog of 30+ topics also includes on-demand videos, articles, and quick takeaways, so the support is there whenever you are.
We believe healthy students begin with healthy families. This partnership is part of our continued commitment to the whole child, academically, socially, and emotionally, from the first day of school through the last.
My best,
Dr. Alzina
Superintendents, school administrators, and teachers are invited to join us at Cold Spring School District in Santa Barbara for a dynamic two-day AI Summit focused on the future of education.
This interactive event will bring together nationally recognized speakers and innovative educators to explore practical ways artificial intelligence can support teaching, learning, leadership, and productivity in schools. Participants will leave with real tools, strategies, and ideas they can immediately bring back to their districts and classrooms.
If you are interested in learning how AI can help amplify educator voice, enhance student learning, and transform school systems, we would love to have you join us.
📅 July 8–9, 2026
📍 Cold Spring School District | Santa Barbara, CA
For more information and to register, click here:
https://coldspringaisummit.lovable.app/
Looking forward to bringing together educators from across California and beyond for two inspiring days of learning and collaboration.
Join us this Thursday for our Cold Spring School Variety Show!
A beautiful example comes from today's music lesson with our music teacher, Sara DiSalvo, who used Gemini’s storybook (AI) to craft an engaging story as an anticipatory set for her first graders. To make the learning come alive, she then introduced a real five-week-old baby goat 🐐 as part of their new farm unit. Students not only fed the goat but also connected the experience to music, storytelling, kindness, and the sounds of the farm.
This is what makes Cold Spring so special, blending AI innovation with authentic, hands-on learning to grow both minds and hearts. 💙🐬
🎥 Lean Thinking, Big Impact: Growing Minds and Hearts at Cold Spring
👉 https://lnkd.in/ga7kRNqv
Parent Guidance: Coaching for Parents is available!
Join us for the Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten Orientation - August 14th at 10:00 AM!
