Editor’s note: Michael Marino is the president of the Cold Spring School District board.
Cold Spring School has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the best public elementary schools in California.
Year after year, we have earned high honors for student achievement, family engagement, innovative instruction and effective administration. Our students are given an exceptional foundation for life-long learning, and they excel in junior high, high school and beyond.
Cold Spring School is a strong community asset that enhances the quality of life and economic vitality in our neighborhoods and brings tremendous value to the residents and property owners it serves. Cold Spring is a small school with a big reputation.
This pattern of success is being impugned by a few community critics whose attacks on district leaders rely on unsubstantiated allegations and misrepresentation of facts.
These individuals are using false information to malign the integrity of district administrators, cast doubts about the fiscal practices of CSS and disrupt the educational focus of the district.
Oversight and implementation of the Cold Spring School Measure C facilities bond has complied with management best practices, all state laws and regulations, and generally accepted accounting principles. To falsely claim, without a shred of evidence, that a forensic audit is needed to “uncover” alleged mistakes and errors is insulting, unnecessary and an affront to the many community leaders who have worked tirelessly over the years to enhance our excellent school district.
All Measure C funds and developer fees have been used appropriately with transparency to advance the educational quality of the CSS learning experience. But please don’t just take my word for it. The facts are posted on our district website (www.coldspringschool.net) for everyone to see. These critics have had full access to this information all along. They just choose to disregard it.
Cold Spring School’s teachers, staff and administration work tirelessly to ensure that our children are receiving the highest quality education in a safe and secure environment.
However, what truly makes a Cold Spring education so special is the promotion of respect and kindness toward one another above all else.
As we reflect recent national events and the three-year anniversary of the Jan. 9 debris flow right here in Montecito, I hope that our community can learn a lesson from our children and renew our unity of purpose and start treating each other with more respect and kindness.
Michael Marino
