About Us

Starr King Parent-Child Workshop is a cooperative parent education and early childhood program serving the Santa Barbara community.

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

Calais Storey

For the past 16 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

Elisabeth "Lili" Smith

Over her twenty-year career in education, Lili Smith has had the joy of working with children in all age groups, from infants to young adults. Lili is committed to fostering a connection with nature in her students and believes outdoor experiences are essential for nurturing hearts and minds at every stage of life.

As a guide with the National Outdoor Leadership School, she led teens on backpacking trips in New Zealand, emphasizing teamwork and personal growth. During the pandemic, she established an outdoor program for young children in Santa Barbara, with a curriculum that emphasized self-regulation, the creative use of natural found objects for art, and the magic of storytelling and performances.

Lili holds a degree in Art History and Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is a credentialed Early Childhood Education teacher through Santa Barbara City College. In her free time, she enjoys camping, spending time at the beach, hiking, and enjoying moments with family and friends.

Afternoon Teacher

Mary Cusimano

Mary Cusimano brings her passion for teaching Preschool to her role as a Teacher in our Afternoon program. A Santa Barbara native, Mary began her career 10 years ago in the Early Childhood Education Program at Santa Barbara City College. After completing the program, she continued to work at SBCC’s Lab School for many years, while also teaching at different local preschools in town during summer breaks, including Starr King. Mary believes in the importance of children’s learning and development through play, and loves creating new experiences for children that spark their curiosity, creativity, and imagination. When she is not teaching, you can find her spending time with her family, working on creative art projects, or gardening on her patio.

Administrative Assistant

Kristina Prout

Kristina Prout joined the Starr King community in 2020 as a parent and board member and now serves as our Administrative Assistant. 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.

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.