Montecito Union Renovation Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The completion of several anticipated renovation projects – some a decade in the making – brought together Montecito Union School students, parents, and educators for a ribbon-cutting celebration. 

Using a set of giant ceremonial scissors, MUS Principal Nick Bruski cut the ribbon leading to the school’s newly refurbished Towbes Library and Innovation Laboratory – a combined $250,000 project 100% funded by contributions made by school parents and donors through the MUS Foundation. The new library features front-facing shelving to entice early readers; mobile furniture to help transform the space for spelling bees, parent meetings, and author visits; and book nooks and other soft seating areas for creating cozy comfort. New carpet with pops of color transforms the space into a magical forest sprouting from the floor. The addition of a whimsical tree at the library’s front entrance denotes imagination and discovery as it greets young readers entering the refreshed space. 

Marshall Miller, a father of two MUS students who donated to the project agreed that the refresh was much needed and is enthusiastic about the results of the library’s remodel. “The space had been built 20 plus years ago through the generosity of the Towbes Family and the space had been worn and loved … I think they did an excellent job incorporating the contemporary education and understanding of how kids learn to read, how they interact with material, and how to make the space conducive to what we know about reading and learning to read today.”

Superintendent Anthony Ranii said 60% of the money raised supported the library enhancements. By comparison, 40% transformed the school’s former computer lab into an Innovation Lab known as the “I-Lab” – a place where kids can experience hands-on building and creating using drills, hammers and screwdrivers in a safe space designed for learning and creating. Additions to the I-Lab include custom furniture perfect for tinkering and designing, a slat system for proper tool storage and custom furniture to store materials like wood and cardboard. Racks were purchased to display student work, and the ceiling was exposed and painted so students could view the mechanics of the infrastructure of the building. 

The renovations came out of necessity to meet the state’s “Next Generation Science Standards,” or NGSS – referring to a set of K-12 science requirements designed to provide students with a deep understanding of science through hands-on learning, aimed at a more practical and inquiry-based approach to science education. School Science Specialist Vanessa Scarlett says they were finding that the science lab wasn’t the right space to do the kind of engineering that was needed, so when they first attempted to set up the space, they did it on a dime in the old computer lab. Soon enough they realized more was needed to achieve the desired results.

“As much as it is about the hands-on building and creating, it’s also about the critical thinking that comes with that, the collaboration, the teamwork, the opportunity to learn from failure and that process of repeated testing that goes into that.” 

Three additional projects that stemmed from “Measure Q” – a multi-million-dollar 2014 bond initiative that failed at the polls – culminated at the end of the school’s more recent construction phase which began two years ago. These enhancement projects are part of a re-imagined large-scale improvement plan; one whittled down from the earlier proposed budget of over $27 million to the current $15 million improvements, these funded through a mix of district reserves, state grants, and a bridge loan. Numerous enhancements to the more than 100-year-old building’s main structure, and the kindergarten and first-grade buildings included a new electrical system, replacement of water pipes, and sewer lines where terra cotta pipes still existed, new modern and efficient lighting with wireless connections, air conditioning, paint, carpet, and new whiteboards. The school’s auditorium received minor updates to the wood flooring, and new light fixtures. 

School Superintendent Anthony Ranii, who was hired two years after the defeated 2014 bond measure, helped spearhead the new vision for the school’s revitalization projects. 

“I’m proud that we were able to complete all of these projects without raising taxes. I am grateful to our Trustees for their creativity and diligence, and hope that the community is proud of the way that MUS is using our funds wisely to give all of our students of today the best education possible while also preparing these buildings to serve the students of tomorrow.”

The multiple projects were done in phases over the course of two years and are now fully operational.