PARENT PARTICIPATION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROGRAM
Starr King's parent education class, in affiliation with Santa Barbara City College's School of Extended Learning, is hosted every Tuesday from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. In addition, families participate at the preschool at least one morning a week.
STARR KING PCW IS A 501(c)(3) NON-PROFIT
Starr King's Board of Directors, composed of our currently enrolled members, ensures the school remains funded and maintains strong leadership.
All members contribute to the non-profit’s various focus groups and committees, sharing cooperatively in all work. Such contributions include the use of a variety of talents for both childrens’ and members’ curriculum. The community shares the work of focus groups, maintenance, social events, and fundraising activities of our school.
"Our flexibility and willingness to follow a child's lead will allow remarkable things to happen, if we let them."
-Bev Bos
MEET OUR LEADERS
Starr King is a Parent-Child Workshop, which means parents and primary caregivers assist in running the program and are involved every day. In addition, a highly-trained team oversees the preschool, adult education classes and more.
Director & Parent Education Instructor
Calais Storey
For the past 17 years, Calais has dedicated her heart and soul to supporting young children, families, and the students of Santa Barbara City College’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. With a rich and diverse background as an ECE professional, we are honored that she now shares her passion with us as the Director of Starr King Parent-Child Workshop. With a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development & Education from Antioch University Santa Barbara and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College, Calais combines her academic knowledge with practical experience.
Calais treasures the connections she’s built with a diverse range of families, and her approach to teaching and caregiving is deeply rooted in the belief that family partnership and education are essential. She wholeheartedly embraces the value of play-based learning, recognizing its importance in nurturing young minds.
As a proud Santa Barbara local, she loves the unique beauty of this community and feels grateful to raise her two young children here alongside her husband.
Assistant Director
Lourdes Ackerman
Lourdes Ackerman is a dedicated early childhood education professional who brings warmth, creativity, and a strong commitment to supporting children and families in a collaborative learning environment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Studies with an emphasis in Education from Sonoma State University, as well as Associate degrees in both Arts and Science from Santa Barbara City College.
Now in her ninth year of teaching, Lourdes is passionate about creating nurturing spaces where children can explore, grow, and develop a sense of belonging within their communities. She values fostering environments that are fun, safe, and inclusive for both children and parents.
Lourdes enjoys integrating creative expression into the classroom, including baking, ceramics, journaling, and painting. Outside of work, she loves camping, biking, and spending time with family and friends.
Office & Operations Manager
Kristina Prout
Kristina joined the Starr King community in 2020 as a parent and board member and now serves as our Office & Operations Manager. With a background in business and marketing, she supports the Starr King staff, board, and community with tasks ranging from enrollment and fundraising to managing supplies and establishing procedures.
Originally from Massachusetts, Kristina has happily called Santa Barbara home for the past 11 years. She enjoys this beautiful city with her husband and son, who are her greatest joys.
Lead Teacher
Jessica Soto
Jessica has been working in Early Childhood Education for the past five years and brings a deep passion for helping young children grow, learn, and thrive. As our Lead Teacher, she finds it incredibly rewarding to guide children as they explore the world around them through play-based learning.
When she isn’t teaching, Jessica enjoys spending time outdoors, staying active, and connecting with friends and family.
Teacher
Sarah Giamoni
Sarah is a Santa Barbara native with a strong passion for Early Childhood Education (ECE). She studied ECE at Santa Barbara City College and brings both professional knowledge and personal experience, as a parent to two young children (ages six and four) to her role.
In her free time, Sarah enjoys crafting, baking, sipping coffee, and spending time outdoors with her family, especially going on beach walks and camping adventures.
Teacher
Jordin Fry
Jordin has been teaching in the education field for three years and is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Studies at CSU Channel Islands. Her passion for Early Childhood Education stems from her desire to make a meaningful, positive impact in the lives of young learners.
Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading, crafting, and spending quality time with her family.
OUR
VISION
We envision generations of confident, compassionate, capable children and adults responsible to themselves, each other and the world around them.
OUR VALUES
-
We believe that cultivating parenting skills supports positive family development.
-
We maintain that developing leadership skills allows us to better advocate for and serve our children and our community.
-
We value the family as the key influence in a child’s life.
-
We honor diversity, accessibility and affordability with inclusive attitudes and practices.
-
We believe that parents and children learn best through active participation.
-
We emphasize open, respectful communication as a foundation for strong relationships, personal development and conflict resolution.
-
We value responsibility to the self and to the group.
-
We support child centered, creative, play-based, exploratory learning.
-
We believe that building a strong community allows families to better learn with, and from, one another.
-
We are intentionally frugal and resourceful with our donor and tuition dollars.
-
We adopt healthful and environmentally sustainable practices and foster a connection to the natural world.