Superintendent's Weekly Newsletter

Dear Cold Spring School Families,

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a refreshing Spring Break. I love seeing our students back on campus, re-energized and ready for the exciting learning opportunities ahead.

April is in full swing at Cold Spring! Next week is packed with exciting spring field trips—our 1st graders are off to the Natural History Museum and a nature walk, while our 4th graders will explore Lotusland and hike Montecito Peak. Plus, we’ve got a Parent Club Meeting, School Site Council, and the much-anticipated Move-A-Thon on the schedule.

Other fun headed our way:

Alpha School is bringing its innovative, AI-supported education to Santa Barbara in Fall 2025. RSVP for the info session next Wednesday, April 9th at 5pm.
Spring Into Kindness all next week in our school community! Each day will feature a way to be kind to each other. Check out our flyer below.
To help celebrate our Move-A-Thon, a group picture will be taken on Thursday, April 10th—your child can wear the grade-level rainbow color listed on our flyer to help us create the colors of the rainbow.

This past week, I had the privilege of touring Alpha School in Texas, a forward-thinking K-12 school pioneering AI-driven, student-led learning. Their approach reaffirms that Cold Spring School is already at the forefront of integrating technology in meaningful ways. While Alpha leverages AI to personalize instruction, our philosophy at Cold Spring remains focused on maximizing technology’s benefits while balancing it with rich, hands-on learning experiences that foster creativity, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving. Our students continue to thrive with a blend of cutting-edge digital tools and engaging, experiential education, ensuring they are well-prepared for the future.

At the end of this week, I’ll have the opportunity to attend the SSDA State Conference and connect with Superintendents and Board members from across California to discuss innovative ways to enhance student learning. As a SSDA Board member, I will be connecting with our California Department of Finance and Legislative advocates after the conference to ensure equitable funding and access for small school districts. It’s always inspiring to share ideas and bring back new insights that help strengthen our incredible school community.

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, I’m excited for all that’s ahead. Thank you for your continued partnership in making Cold Spring such a special place to learn and grow.

Warmly,
Dr. Amy Alzina
Superintendent/Principal

KSBY Visits Cold Spring School–Our Story Airs Tonight!

I’m thrilled to share that Juliet Lemar, a news reporter from KSBY, visited Cold Spring School yesterday to highlight how we are integrating Artificial Intelligence to support personalized learning and our project-based approach to teaching and learning.

Be sure to tune in—her story will air tonight on KSBY!

During her visit, our second-grade young innovators truly shined. They impressed us all as they dove into research using Khanmigo and brought their creativity to life through Adobe Express. From becoming time-traveling journalists to designing engaging presentations about national parks, our students are harnessing the power of AI to explore, learn, and create in impactful and meaningful ways.

Whether it’s collaborative writing, investigating historical figures, or producing digital visuals, these future-ready learners are developing critical thinking and technology skills that will serve them well for years to come.

Below are a few snapshots I captured during Juliet's visit, highlighting the remarkable work happening in our classrooms each day. Thank you for your continued support as we lead the way in innovative, student-centered education.

Explore a New Junior High & High School Option – Alpha School Santa Barbara Info Night

We’re excited to share an upcoming opportunity to explore a new educational option coming to our community! Alpha School is opening a new K–12 campus in Santa Barbara in Fall 2025, and they’re hosting an Information Session right here at Cold Spring School. This is a great chance for families of current and future junior high and high school students to learn more about Alpha’s innovative, AI-supported approach to learning.

Location: Cold Spring School Auditorium
Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

You'll hear directly from Alpha co-founder MacKenzie Price and enjoy light bites while learning about the school’s unique philosophy and programming.

If you're interested in exploring what Alpha has to offer, we encourage you to RSVP today using the following link: https://alpha.school/event/sb-info-night/

Please see the flyer for more details. We hope to see you there!