The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Brett Larsen to its Board of Directors as a Teacher Representative. A dedicated music educator in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Larsen brings both experience and passion to his new role as a voice for teachers and students across the district.
Larsen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from UC Santa Barbara and a Master’s in Education from California Lutheran University. As a longtime music teacher, he has seen firsthand the impact of SBEF’s support for arts education. “As a music teacher, SBEF has been a vital partner in my ability to serve our students’ needs,” said Larsen. “Having served SB Unified for 15 years now, I’m well acquainted with the arts teachers in our district, and I hope to be their conduit to help SBEF address the unmet needs of our students.”
Outside of the classroom, Larsen has been a member of Santa Barbara Running and Racing since 2009, participating in numerous marathons and ultra-marathons. He is also a member of the local band Paper Moon and frequently performs as a guest musician with Spencer the Gardener.
His commitment to community and education is at the heart of his teaching philosophy. “Public education builds community,” Larsen shared. “Students from a variety of backgrounds get the opportunity to work together, learn different ways of processing, and most crucially, learn how to find common ground.”
Founded in 1985, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving nearly 12,000 students in 21 schools. For more information, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.
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