Montecito Schools & YMCA Aid Children of L.A. Fire Evacuees

Cold Spring School, Montecito Union School and the Montecito YMCA preschool at the time of this report have initiated their educational response for the L.A. fire evacuee children who are staying with Montecito friends and families, at Montecito hotels, and temporarily renting Montecito housing. 

Over the weekend through Monday, I started an email thread with CSS Superintendent/Principal Amy Alzina, MUS Superintendent Anthony Ranii, and Montecito YMCA Executive Director Ryan Power on school updates for these children. 

Leading the path to educational classes, wellness, and trauma care for children was Alzina, who set up a “Cold Spring School Fire Evacuees Kids Camp” on Friday, January 10, for 35 students, and on Monday, January 13, and Tuesday January 14, for 70 kids, with 50 on a waitlist. 

I went to the camp on Monday, January 13. There I met with Alzina, General Manager of the San Ysidro Ranch Ian Williams, MOXI education leaders Kristen Denton, Jasmine Thompson, and Leah Forester; Director of Advocacy at the Cook Center for Human Connection Amy Yamamoto Callahan, owner of Kismet Montecito Lindsay Eckardt – who organized the funding and distribution of tote bags with pjs, water bottles and more for the kids – with CSS parent volunteers Monique Otero and Allison Lipps,and Village Coffee van owner Katie Osumi – a CSS parent giving free coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries.

Alzina explained how the camp started: “The Cold Spring School District is grateful to have the opportunity to provide a safe, engaging, supportive, and fun place for evacuated children. The idea came when the General Manager at the San Ysidro Ranch and Cold Spring parent, Ian Williams, reached out to me last Wednesday for mental health support for kids that were staying at his hotel. I immediately called Suzanne Grimmesey from SB County Behavioral Wellness [SBBW]. That’s where we brainstormed the idea of a camp for kids. Knowing I would have a large number, I enlisted help from the Small School Districts Association where I serve as a Board member and where my former CBO, Yuri Calderon, is the Executive Director. Yuri and his staff flew in from Sacramento to lend a helping hand with my specialist teachers serving as teachers. The MOXI Museum also brought over staff. I created a flier and sent it out to the General Managers at the Montecito Inn, the Rosewood Miramar Beach, and the San Ysidro Ranch. Suzanne worked with Kelly Huber and created a press release that went out on the radio and news outlets. We are also working with Project Camp L.A. and the Cook Center for Human Connection. And yes, many CSS families took in friends from Los Angeles.” 

I asked Ian Williams for his thoughts, and he shared, “Please know that we are far from spearheading this community effort. We are here to support our communities to the South and our local community. Dr. Alzina and Yuri Calderon – and everyone she has assembled to work with the unfortunate families affected by this tragedy – have been nothing short of miraculous. We are fortunate to have an amazing and engaging team at Cold Spring School that created the type of environment where parents can feel free to communicate and bounce around both concerns and ideas that benefit the children of our community. As soon as I witnessed my first interaction with a child exposed to the message that their home was lost it became very apparent that we needed to create a safe and nurturing environment for children. It was devastating to see children exposed to their parents’ grief and inability to control an environment they had created for their children. I quickly called Dr. Alzina and asked for guidance on how we could reduce the exposure to the children and allow parents the free time to gather themselves and determine a path forward amongst all the chaos. We are honored to work with our local schools, local support organizations, and the community to help foster a safe environment for these families to start the healing and recovery process.”

The entrance gate to the school was secured for parents with their children to check in at the welcome desk manned by the SBBW team and volunteers. Children were given a name tag, CSS t-shirt, and the tote bag. Children were divided into two groups, the Dolphins and the Sharks. They attended STEAM, physical ed, lunch, and Hearts Equestrian Therapy provided a mini therapy pony. The San Ysidro Ranch provided lunch for camp staff. Children were gifted with a choice of a free basketball, soccer ball or stuffed animal, in addition to a book.

From CSS, I went to MUS to meet with Superintendent of Montecito Union School Anthony Ranii at his office. He shared, “First and foremost what we are doing is enrolling kids. We had a family start today, one tomorrow and potentially seven additional families that are joining us. These are families that are residing in the Montecito Union School District’s boundaries. Even if they are only here for a few weeks, as long as they are residing in the district’s boundaries, we are taking them. Secondarily, we are working with the MUS Foundation to send out “Cozy Kits” with stuffed animals, $20 gift cards to Amazon and Target, crayons, coloring books, water bottles, sweatshirts, and socks. We’re trying to provide from one school district to another school district’s kids a cozy touch. Thirdly, we have a lot of MUS families taking other families in, and that is what is creating the co-residency here, giving of their time, resources, and materials. We have enrolled these kids, some for the long term, or simply as a way station as they figure out their new permanent home. And we’re working with Suzanne Grimmesey from SBC Behavioral Wellness and Project Camp do determine if the children want more camp time.” 

Next, I met with Executive Director of the Montecito YMCA Ryan Power,who lived and worked in Malibuas the GM at Malibu’s La Costa Beach & Tennis Club, and with the City of Malibu. Power has been busy communicating with L.A. fire evacuee families, as well as receiving countless incoming requests for housing and schools. He opened up the Montecito Y preschool for emergency placements which started Monday, January 13. His statement to the community is: “In the wake of the devastating fires in Los Angeles County, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has stepped up to support those affected. Your generosity and compassion are a powerful reminder of the strength of our community. We are committed to being flexible and responsive as the needs of our community continue to change. We’d like to share an update on how we’re working to help those displaced into our area:

– Free Preschool Services: We are now offering free preschool services to families impacted by the fires. Our first group of preschoolers has already joined us, and we still have 12 spots available in Montecito for children aged 2.5 to 5 years old. These spots are being offered on scholarship for an initial two-week period, and we will reassess the need for extended care as the situation evolves.

– After-School Program for Elementary-Aged Children: To support young learners, we are providing an enriching and safe after-school program at Montecito Union School. This program is open to students from any local school and runs Monday to Friday from 2 pm for Kindergarten, 2:30 pm for First Grade, and 3:00 pm for Second to Sixth Grade until 6 pm.

– YMCA Guest Passes: For individuals impacted by the fires, we are offering two-week guest passes to the Montecito Family YMCA. Our facilities include gym equipment, group fitness classes, personal training, swimming, and swim lessons, providing a space to find solace and recharge during this difficult time.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the fires, please don’t hesitate to reach out: mo.info@ciymca.org.

The Head of the Laguna Blanca School Brooke Green shared, “Our student-led Community Service Club is organizing a donation drive to support victims of the L.A. fires. Donation boxes have been placed on both the Montecito and Hope Ranch campuses, where students, parents, and teachers can contribute items. These donations will be forwarded to the larger “L.A. Fire Donation Drive,” which coordinates aid for families in need throughout the L.A. area. In addition, for families who have relocated to our community, we are offering immediate enrollment opportunities for students in grades 5 to 12 at our Hope Ranch campus. We warmly welcome applications and are here to support new members as they settle into the area.”