Meet Peabody Principal Demien Barnett

Chaucer's Fundraising Night Date: 9/27/2012  Time: 7:00 PM–9:00 PM

Watching families walk to Peabody Charter School every morning brings back fond memories of our years there.  Many of you will remember principals Pat Morales and Kate Ford, fantastic women who were instrumental in making Peabody one of the most sought after schools in our city. Which makes San Roque one of the most sought after communities in Santa Barbara!  Not only is it a beautiful place with a state of the art Exploration/Community Center, but it ranks consistently high academically compared to other schools state wide. 

Meet the new principal at Peabody Mr Demien Barnett

Mr Barnett comes to Peabody from Washington Elementary School on the Mesa where he was principal for five years.  Prior to that he was Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the San Luis Obispo Coastal District.  He grew up in Capitola, Ca. and attended University of California Santa Cruz.  He and his wife have been together for 23 years, she is a professor of computer science, together they have two sons, ages eight and five.  

Mr Barnett says he always knew he wanted to be an educator and calls himself a "life-long learner in a profession that is grounded in a strong sense of moral purpose", which he says is important to him. 

He is a passionate educator and wakes up each day on a mission, and with a core set of values that drive his commitment to educate and prepare children for success in the 21st century.  It sounds like the kids at Peabody are in great hands!

He agreed that there are concerns about traffic and safety around Peabody before and after school and Mr Barnett would like to remind all of us to exercise caution and watch our speed.  SLOW DOWN please when driving through the school zone.  

Peabody is very well know for the annual Jog-a-Thon, that last year raised over $145,000.00 to fund Drama & Music, Ceramics, PE, Sports Day and the annual Track Meet.  The Jog-a-Thon, held  in March each year, is the biggest annual fundraiser for Peabody. So keep an eye out for when the Peabody Panthers come around the neighborhood, and please be generous when asked to sponsor them in the jog-a thon!

For more information about our beloved neighborhood school please see 

www.peabodycharter.org

Who's Got Your Back?

Meet Officer Jonathan Reyes, our beat coordinator for San Roque also known as beat 5.  Ofc Reyes has been in law enforcement for 12 years.  He comes to Santa Barbara via UCLA PD.  Born and raised in Santa Maria he and his wife currently live in Buellton.  His first experience in law enforcement was at a department store in Santa Maria, chasing down shoplifters armed with a radio and youthful determination.  He attended Allan Hancock College Police Academy right after high school, from there he was hired by the Santa Maria Police Dept.  

Before coming to Santa Barbara he was a field training officer, a use of force instructor and a detective.  He says this is the most satisfying so far because much of his time is spent on "feel good" and positive interactions with the public.  As beat coordinator here in San Roque, which is the largest of the 6 beats in Santa Barbara, he is responsible for the patrol efforts in the area and bringing additional resources to address problems as they arise in the community.  He can implement "extra patrol" if there is an increase in criminal activity reported to the police department.  Knowing what's happening in the community definitely becomes important whether it is tagging, vandalism, theft, or suspicious activity, all of these incidents should be reported immediately and if necessary the "extra patrol" will be put in place.  

Officer Reyes says that the very best thing to do to make and keep a community safe is to get out and meet your neighbor.  A strong sense of community is key in preventing crimes.  Criminals know when people are not engaged and do not care about each other.  They know if people aren't talking and don't know each other it's much easier to break into cars, and homes and wreak all kinds of havoc and get away with it.

The best way to reach Officer Reyes for a non-emergency is by email jreyes@sbpd.com or office phone 805-897-3748.  Everyone should put the SBPD dispatch number in their cell phones as well.  805-897-2410, this is a direct line to police dispatch 24/7 & 365. It is often faster than using 911.  Cell phone 911 calls do not tell dispatch where you are, so it is very important to give that information if you are in need of help.

If you get a chance to chat with Officer Reyes, ask him about his cooking and BBQ skills.  He is an avid photographer, inventor and "shade tree" mechanic.  His favorite place to go is Mammoth Mountain to snowboard. Be sure to wave hello if you see Officer Reyes in the neighborhood.

Would you like to be in the Spotlight?

We live in a fantastic community we all seem to wholeheartedly agree on that.  I have spoken to many of you in the neighborhood who have asked how we can improve upon our current efforts to become better acquainted with each other.  How can we go one step further to continue the wonderful connections happening through our Nextdoor community?

Here is a plan and if it is well received we'll do it.  My intention is to profile a community member who would like to be in the spotlight.  Maybe you have a restaurant in town, or design jewelry, rescue basset hounds, plan events.  Are you a plumber, painter, a tutor, do you sew?  Please step forward and allow us to know who, what, where, when & how.  The hope is to profile exceptional students, athletes, public safety personalities and other interesting characters in our midst, in addition to spotlighting local service professionals and local businesses.

Watch for the first San Roque Spotlight here on this blog in the coming week.  I look forward to your thoughts and comments on this forum.