Our Lady of Mount Carmel School was founded in 1944 by Reverend John Meehan, the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Montecito, along with dedicated local parents. The first classes were held in a humble old bungalow (a small cottage) located on the parish grounds behind the Spanish-style church. In that inaugural year, the school enrolled about 30 students, taught in a single makeshift classroom by the pioneering staff. Reverend Meehan invited the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary – a teaching order often called the Immaculate Heart Sisters – to administer and teach at the new school. Under the sisters’ religious leadership, the little school grew and flourished for the next 24 years, establishing a strong foundation in faith-based education. The Immaculate Heart Sisters instilled a love of learning and devotion to Catholic values that would become the bedrock of Mount Carmel’s identity.

As enrollment grew in the postwar years, space quickly became an issue. The original bungalow classroom could not accommodate the increasing number of students seeking a Catholic education. To address this, the parish undertook its first major expansion of the campus in the 1950s. By 1953, construction of a permanent school building had begun, marking the start of a new era of facilities growth. 

This first wing of classrooms, built in a simple Mission style to complement the adjacent church, allowed the school to serve multiple grade levels more comfortably. Over the next decade, additional phases of construction added more classrooms and amenities as needed, keeping pace with the demand. By the early 1960s, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School was a well-established elementary school with several classrooms (instead of just one) and a steadily growing student body. The faculty at that time consisted largely of Immaculate Heart Sisters and a few lay (non-clergy) teachers, all committed to providing quality education. What had begun with just a handful of children in a one-room cottage had expanded into a thriving school community serving the families of Montecito and Santa Barbara . In 1964, the school proudly celebrated 20 years, and a few years later it reached the milestone of its 25th anniversary in 1969, a testament to its success and endurance. The late 1960s, however, would bring significant changes to the school’s leadership and staffing as the era of the Immaculate Heart Sisters came to a close

In 1968, a leadership transition took place as the Immaculate Heart Sisters, who had guided the school since its founding, departed. That fall, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose were welcomed to Our Lady of Mount Carmel to carry on the administration of the school. The Dominican Sisters – part of a teaching order known for their motto Veritas (“Truth”) – continued the tradition of rigorous academics infused with Catholic faith. Under their guidance, the school navigated the social changes of the late 1960s and 1970s while maintaining high academic standards and a close-knit, spiritual environment. 

The Dominicans oversaw curriculum updates in line with modern educational practices and ensured that religious instruction remained integral, including preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation for the students each year. During this era, the school community continued to expand its facilities and programs. For example, additional classrooms and resources were added in phases through the 1970s to accommodate growing class sizes and new activities. By the 1980s, students at Mount Carmel enjoyed a well-rounded program, including not only the core subjects but also art, music, physical education, and even emerging computer literacy offerings, all taught within a faith-centered framework. The campus by then included a library and access to the parish hall for assemblies and events, reflecting a maturation of the school’s infrastructure since the humble bungalow days. 

Crucially, the Dominican Sisters also fostered a strong sense of community and tradition. Annual events became part of the school’s culture – from Christmas pageants and spring festivals to participation in CYO sports leagues and academic competitions with other Catholic schools in the region. The late 1970s and 1980s saw Mount Carmel students competing in local academic decathlons and athletics, developing school spirit as the “Lancers,” all under the supportive eye of the Dominican Sisters. In 1984, the school marked its 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades of continuous Catholic education in Montecito. By this time, many alumni of the 1950s and ’60s were now parents themselves, sending a second generation of children to Mount Carmel, which speaks to the school’s enduring reputation. One notable development during the Dominican Sisters’ tenure was the gradual increase in lay faculty. While the principals and several teachers were nuns, Mount Carmel began hiring more lay teachers (Catholic men and women who were not in religious orders) especially by the 1980s. In fact, for a brief period in the early 1980s, a lay principal served at the helm of the school – the first time a non-nun had led Mount Carmel – during a transition when a Dominican Sister had stepped aside. This two-year experiment with lay leadership in the ’80s was an early sign of the broader shifts happening in Catholic education, but at the time the Dominicans soon resumed leadership. They continued to administer the school through the rest of the 1980s, maintaining stability and continuity. 

Under the Dominicans, Mount Carmel reached new generations and even weathered challenges like changing demographics and economic ups and downs, always keeping its focus on educating the “whole child” – academically, spiritually, and morally. By the end of the 1980s, the school had a well-established reputation for academic excellence and faith formation, and it had truly become a pillar of the Montecito community. After nearly 25 years of dedicated service, the Mission San Jose Dominican Sisters concluded their administration of the school in 1992, paving the way for another transition in leadership.

The new millennium brought another significant transition: since 2000, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School has been administered by lay principals and staffed entirely by lay faculty. This change, however, was a natural evolution that had been preparing in the decades prior. The first lay principal took charge in 2000, and from that point onward, dedicated Catholic lay educators have carried on the mission of the school. These lay principals – beginning in 2000 with the pioneering first lay leader, and continuing through today – have all been committed to preserving Mount Carmel’s Catholic identity and excellence in education. One key figure in recent years is Mrs. Tracie Simolon, the current principal, who has led the school since the mid-2010s. 

A former teacher at the school, Mrs. Simolon represents the new generation of leadership: she is a layperson who deeply values the spiritual and academic traditions established by her religious predecessors. Under her guidance, and that of the principals immediately before her, the school has not only maintained its standards but in many ways expanded its offerings and modernized its approach. Today, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School serves approximately 200–225 students from Pre-K through 8th grade, drawing families from Montecito, Santa Barbara, and the surrounding communities

The school remains on its original property on Hot Springs Road, but the campus looks quite different from the one-room cottage of 1944. It now consists of nine classrooms, a preschool center, an office wing, an art studio, a parish hall, and ample play areas and athletic fields for the children. Over the course of its history, the school’s enrollment grew from just 25–30 students in the 1940s to around 225 students in 2024. 

Similarly, the faculty has expanded from a handful of Immaculate Heart Sisters and parish helpers to a professional staff of about 22–25 teachers and aides in the present day. All teachers are credentialed lay educators, many of whom have served the school for a decade or more, bringing stability and experience to the classrooms. The curriculum is comprehensive and continually updated. In addition to core subjects (religion, math, language arts, science, and social studies), the school offers a balanced program including art, music, physical education, and technology. 

Students enjoy specialist-taught classes in these areas – for instance, a dedicated art studio allows creative expression, and a technology integration program ensures that even the youngest students become comfortable with computers and iPads. In fact, the campus is equipped with modern educational technology: interactive SMART Boards, tablets, and computers have replaced the old chalkboards of yesteryear. 

Despite these advancements, class sizes remain small, preserving the intimate, family-like learning environment that has always been a hallmark of Mount Carmel. The current facilities include multiple classroom wings and a spacious blacktop for sports and play, a far cry from the single bungalow that housed the school in 1944. Continuous upgrades and expansions have kept the campus functional and welcoming. 

Beyond academics, Mount Carmel continues to offer a rich array of extracurricular activities and community involvement opportunities, honoring the school’s long-held belief in educating the whole child. Student Council is an active part of student life, giving children leadership experience in organizing school events and service projects (a tradition that likely dates back to the 1970s). The school also fields teams in local interscholastic sports – through the Christian Athletic League, Mount Carmel’s boys and girls in grades 4–8 compete in sports like basketball, volleyball, and flag football, learning teamwork and sportsmanship. 

Likewise, performing arts have their place: school Christmas plays and spring musicals are put on with enthusiastic participation, a continuation of creative expression encouraged since the Immaculate Heart Sisters’ days (the IHMs were known to foster music and drama). Perhaps most distinctive is the school’s strong emphasis on community service, which has deep roots in its history. Each year, every student completes community service hours in school, church, or local community projects. The entire student body takes part in initiatives such as beach clean-ups to care for the local environment, outreach visits to retirement homes to bring joy to seniors, and preparing bag lunches for the homeless in Santa Barbara. The school also observes an annual “Day of Service” when families, faculty, and students join together in volunteer work, embodying the Carondelet sisters’ spirit of serving the dear neighbor. These acts of service are often tied to the liturgical calendar – for example, during Thanksgiving the school runs a canned food drive, and at Christmas they contribute to the parish “Giving Tree” charity program. 

Such activities not only help those in need but also teach students compassion and social responsibility, lessons that have been core to Mount Carmel’s values across the decades. School traditions have also endured and evolved: the Feast of St. Francis is marked each October by a Blessing of the Animals on campus, where children’s pets (from dogs and cats to the occasional horse or goat) are blessed by the pastor – a charming custom that nods to Montecito’s rural past when, as legend has it, some students rode horses to school in the 1940s! The annual fundraiser gala and auction, which began as a simple parish dinner over 35 years ago, is now a major event each year that brings together current families, alumni, and parishioners to support the school’s tuition assistance program. In 2018, for instance, the “Evening of Gratitude” auction honored a longtime local journalist and raised crucial funds for the school’s programs. 

All these activities reflect a vibrant school community that extends well beyond the classroom. Throughout the 2010s, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School faced some unprecedented challenges along with the rest of the Montecito community. Notably, the school lived through the Thomas Fire of December 2017 and the devastating Montecito debris flow (mudslide) of January 9, 2018 – disasters that struck the area and tested the resilience of all local institutions. Several school families were directly impacted by these events, and classes were disrupted for a time by evacuations and recovery efforts. Yet, true to its spirit, Mount Carmel emerged from these trials even stronger. Principal Tracie Simolon later reflected, “The events of last school year were unlike anything we could have imagined. However, out of the tragedy we saw the greater community stand together and lift up one another. This was reflected in our school community as well. Our strength of purpose and sense of family carried us through many trials. Our students learned lessons in compassion and resilience that cannot be learned from a textbook”. 

Indeed, in the aftermath, the school became a gathering place for support and healing – the parish and school organized relief drives for affected neighbors, counseling for students, and special prayer services for the community. The experience underscored Mount Carmel’s identity as not just a school, but a family bound together by faith. In recent years, the school has continued to garner recognition for its quality. It is fully accredited by both the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a mark of excellence that it has maintained through every accreditation cycle. The rigorous accreditation process affirms that Mount Carmel meets high standards in curriculum, teacher credentials, school governance, and continuous improvement. 

The school has also received various local accolades – for example, individual students often earn awards in community contests (science fairs, art competitions, and essay contests), and the school’s academic test scores typically rank among the top in the region for elementary education. Teachers regularly pursue professional development, ensuring that the instructional methods at Mount Carmel stay current with 21st-century educational best practices. At the same time, the Catholic character of the school remains ever-present: the student body attends Mass together at least twice a month, and each school day begins with prayer. Sacramental preparation is integrated into second grade (for First Reconciliation and First Communion) and in older grades for Confirmation. In total, over 5,000 children have received their First Holy Communion through Mount Carmel School and Parish in the course of its history – a remarkable contribution to the faith life of the community. Each graduating class of 8th graders (usually around 20–30 students) moves on to excel in high school, often attending local Catholic high schools like Bishop Garcia Diego or moving on to esteemed public and private high schools in the area. 

Mount Carmel alumni frequently credit the strong academic foundation and values they learned in grade school for their later success. Many alumni remain active in the parish or even return to the school as parents of the next generation. It’s not uncommon to find that a Mount Carmel kindergartener today is the grandchild or great-grandchild of one of the school’s early graduates – a true legacy of faith and learning. One shining example of the school’s enduring influence is Mr. Eustacchio Guadagnini, an alumnus from the class of 1956. Eustacchio attended Mount Carmel in the 1950s when the school was just a decade old, and he went on to remain a lifelong supporter. He and his wife Merle sent their own two sons to Mount Carmel years later, and now even have grandchildren at the school. Over the decades, Mr. Guadagnini has volunteered countless hours and has been deeply involved in both the school and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church – from serving on advisory boards to helping with maintenance and events. Described by those who know him as a humble, generous man, he became a living link between the school’s past and present. In 2019, at the school’s 75th anniversary gala, Eustacchio Guadagnini was honored as the special guest of the evening in recognition of his extraordinary commitment and decades of service. 

Alumni like Eustacchio highlight how Mount Carmel fosters not only educated students, but faithful citizens and community leaders who carry its values into the world. The 75th anniversary celebration in November 2019 was itself a landmark event and a highlight of the school’s recent history. Held in the grand ballroom of a local resort, the gala dinner brought together alumni from as far back as the 1940s, current and former teachers, parents, and many benefactors. It was a joyous reunion across generations. Attendees marveled at memorabilia on display: black-and-white photos of the original bungalow classroom, decades of class portraits, and even some hand-written report cards from the 1940s. Speeches throughout the night paid tribute to the founders – Father Meehan and the Immaculate Heart Sisters – and all the succeeding religious orders and lay educators who nurtured the school. The sense of continuity was palpable. As Principal Tracie Simolon addressed the crowd, she noted how much had changed since 1944, from “students riding their horses to school” in Montecito’s ranchland days to now “SMART boards, iPads, and computers” in the classrooms – yet she emphasized that “many things have changed in 75 years, but the purpose of our school has remained the same: to be a family-centered school where students not only learn reading, writing and arithmetic but also how to live out their faith values.”

Her words rang true, capturing Mount Carmel’s unique blend of academic learning and character formation that has persisted through the years. As Our Lady of Mount Carmel School moves beyond its 75th year and into the future, it stands on the shoulders of a rich history. The school’s story is one of humble beginnings and steady growth, guided by the strong hands of three religious sisterhoods and then confidently passed on to lay leaders. Each era left an indelible mark: the Immaculate Heart Sisters imbued the school with a deep love of God and education, the Dominican Sisters of San Jose reinforced intellectual pursuit and doctrinal faith, and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet emphasized compassionate service and respect for all of God’s creation – values which the school still cherishes. These charisms have been woven into the fabric of Mount Carmel’s philosophy. 

Today’s lay teachers and administrators carry that legacy forward, ensuring that respect for every person and stewardship of God’s creation remain core values in daily school life. The bond between school, church, and community that was first forged in 1944 is as strong as ever. Generations of students have passed through Mount Carmel’s doors – over 75 graduating classes to date – and have gone on to thrive academically and live out the virtues learned in their formative years. From its bungalow classroom to a modern accredited institution, from nuns in full habit teaching penmanship to children coding on laptops, the essence of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School endures. It is a place where faith, family, and knowledge come together. With gratitude for the past and enthusiasm for the future, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School continues its mission of promoting Catholic faith values and high academic standards in a prayerful, family-centered community – a mission that has truly stood the test of time.