Two SMJUHSD Board of Education members were sworn in during a school board meeting on
December 17th.
Alma Hernandez was provisionally appointed in September 2023, replacing Trustee Amy Lopez. Ms. Hernandez recently ran a campaign and won the seat. Her Trustee Area 3 term will expire in December 2028. Dr. Tammie Castillo-Shiffer, who ran unopposed, will replace Dr. Jack Garvin’s Trustee Area 1 seat. Dr. Garvin retired after 20 years as a Trustee. Dr. Castillo-Shiffer’s term will expire in December 2028.
Ms. Hernandez is employed as a field representative for Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann. Prior to that position, she was the Healthy Start Family Service Center Director for the Guadalupe Union School District. She has lived in the district for 24 years.
“I am deeply grateful to the voters and teachers I’ve met over the past months for their support and commitment to our students,’’ Hernandez said. “I am honored to serve as an elected board member and remain hopeful for another opportunity to build trust and foster collaboration with any teachers who have yet to get to know me and understand my unwavering support for them and their invaluable work. I take this role seriously and will continue to listen, serve and be a fierce advocate for our students, families, and District staff.”
Ms. Castillo-Shiffer is employed as a Coordinator for Family and Community Engagement at the Santa Maria Bonita School District. Before that, she was an EL Coordinator and Science Teacher for the SMJUHSD. She has lived in the district for 37 years.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to join the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board,’’ Castillo-Shiffer said. “I am deeply committed to advancing the District’s mission of delivering an exemplary education that equips all students for success in higher education, career pathways, and life’s broader endeavors. As I step into this role, I look forward to engaging in meaningful collaboration with my fellow board members, educators, and families to create transformative change and foster a lasting, positive impact on the lives of our students.”
SMJUHSD Media Contact: Public Information Officer Kenny Klein
805-709-1454 or kklein@smjuhsd.org
