Founded in 1949
STARR KING PARENT-CHILD WORKSHOP
Starr King was founded in 1949 at the request of Santa Barbara Unitarian Society Minister, Dr. Berkeley Blake. Sarah Foot, an experienced nursery teacher and parent educator, established the school to foster both child development and parent involvement. Selmer O. Wake, director of the Santa Barbara Adult Education Program, was instrumental in the foundation of the school alongside Foot, who became its first Director. Rachel Johansen subsequently joined as the program’s first Assistant Director.
Starr King Parent-Child Workshop was incorporated and organized as a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, nonprofit, diverse and inclusive group. The school was named after Thomas Starr King, a Unitarian minister from Boston, who was credited by Abraham Lincoln as instrumental in preventing California from becoming a separate republic during the Civil War.
Over 75 years later, Starr King has served over 2,000 families and remains a guiding light of early childhood education in the Santa Barbara Community. Starr King continues to be grateful to the Santa Barbara Unitarian Society for providing a wonderful space for our preschool.
SARAH FOOT
Founder of Starr King
Director 1949-1974
A pioneer of parent participation in schools, Sarah Foot’s vision for Starr King centered on a natural learning environment where trained professionals would work alongside parents, guiding them in the best practices for early childhood education. The key to this brilliant model is the community-based, cooperative environment, where parents work side-by-side with staff and children.
Her blueprint for the school continues to thrive today, with play-based learning, hands-on experiences, and a child-centered curriculum. Starr King has grown in numbers since it began with only eight children, but remains a thriving community that fosters and expands on Sarah Foot’s legacy.
SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE SCHOOL OF EXTENDED LEARNING
Starr King Parent-Child Workshop offers parent education classes, as an extension of Santa Barbara City College's School of Extended Learning. These classes provide information on positive communication, child guidance, and community resources.
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Parents and primary caregivers register with SBCC's School of Extended Learning to gain access to these classes, Starr King's preschool program, and many other SBCC resources, including the Basic Needs Center.
