SMMS Staff
At Santa Maria Middle School, our caring, compassionate, highly qualified teachers and our experienced support staff are committed to providing an outstanding middle school experience for your child and to helping our students achieve to the best of their ability.
Administration

Dr. Desiree Castillo
Principal
P: (623) 707.1100
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Biography
About Dr.Desiree Castillo
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Christopher Gooden
Assistant Principal
P: (623) 707.1100
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About Christopher Gooden
Education
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Why I Teach

Claudia Serrano
Counselor
P: (623) 707.1100
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About Claudia Serrano
Education
Experience
Why I Teach
Office Staff

Isaura Bencomo
Secretary
P: (623) 707.1100
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About Isaura Bencomo
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Adriana Cardenas
Social Worker
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Biography
About Adriana Cardenas
Education
I graduated from ASU with my Master’s in Social Work (MSW) and became a licensed social worker this year.
Experience
This is my first year working as a school social worker. However, I have five years of experience working in mental health services for youth.
Why I Teach
I decided to become a school social worker because I believe education is important, and by providing services to students to enhance their emotional well-being they will also be able to improve their academic performance and feel better.

Maria Carroll
Attendance Clerk
P: (623) 707.1052
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About Maria Carroll
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Maria Contreras
RTC Monitor
P: (623) 707.1100
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About Maria Contreras
Education
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Why I Teach

Odalis Gonzalez
Health Aide
P: (623) 707.1055
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About Odalis Gonzalez
Education
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Why I Teach

Anthony Lozoya
ELL Tester
P: (623) 707.1081
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About Anthony Lozoya
Education
Experience
Why I Teach
Sixth Grade

Lory Banuelos
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1085
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Biography
About Lory Banuelos
Education
Hello! My name is Lory Banuelos, and I am the 6th grade ELA teacher. I graduated from GCU in April of 2020 with a bachelors in psychology.
Experience
This is my first year teaching at Santa Maria, however, I was previously the media specialist for five years.
Why I Teach
I knew I wanted to work with kids but never knew what route my life would take. I have been working at Santa Maria for six years before I saw myself in a teaching position. I love to read and would love to nurture and encourage that with my students. I also I wanted to create a space of safety and creativity for the kids and a place where I can encourage them to be themselves.

Edward Caro
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1123
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About Edward Caro
Education
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Why I Teach

Ismael Gonzales
Math
P: (623) 707.1124
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About Ismael Gonzales
Education
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Why I Teach

Jennifer Hodges
Math
P: (623) 707.1129
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About Jennifer Hodges
Education
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Why I Teach

Janice Irby
Science
P: (623) 707.1132
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About Janice Irby
Education
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Why I Teach

Kamila Jelani
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1128
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About Kamila Jelani
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Amelia Sanchez
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1126
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About Amelia Sanchez
Education
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Why I Teach

Dori Steinkamp
Science
P: (623) 707.1131
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About Dori Steinkamp
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Why I Teach
Seventh Grade

Lindsey Comandini
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1068
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About Lindsey Comandini
Education
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Why I Teach

Juan Jimenez
Math
P: (623) 707.1130
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About Juan Jimenez
Education
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Why I Teach

Jason Kibsey
Science
P: (623) 707.1077
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About Jason Kibsey
Education
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Nicole Orton
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1078
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About Nicole Orton
Education
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Why I Teach

Donald Seago
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1080
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About Donald Seago
Education
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Why I Teach

William Van Liew
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1091
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About William Van Liew
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Theresa Webber
Math
P: (623) 707.1083
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Biography
About Theresa Webber
Education
BS Elementary Education - Emphasis in Mathematics - Grand Canyon University
Experience
The fall of 2020 began my third year as a classroom teacher after two years as a substitute. During school, I worked for four years as an educational assistant in grades K through 8. Prior to that, I spent many years volunteering for local elementary schools that my nieces and nephew attended.
Why I Teach
I teach because I believe all children deserve a quality education. I had a couple of incredible teachers during my education whose patience and understanding have had an effect on my life to this day. I hope to be that for my students as well.

Caleb Willow
Science
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Biography
About Caleb Willow
Education
Experience
Why I Teach
Caleb Willow comes from a long line of educators and has always had a passion for educating the youth to better prepare them for their future. He believes that all his students are valuable for the continued success of our society and approaches every class with the mindset that if you are in his class, you should be learning. A firm believer in peer-to-peer mediation, he manages his classroom by holding students accountable for their actions and expects that their conflicts with each other can be resolved if they learn how to communicate, apologize, and work together for future successes. Mr. Willow has managed small businesses before entering the education field and feels that his real-world experiences and his interactions with people from all walks of life has prepared him for working with the young adults in his classroom. He has found a strong support system at Santa Maria Middle School and looks forward to many more years at the school. He is excited about working with your child on how they can be a better student and an even better human.
Eighth Grade

Jerry Borunda
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1072
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About Jerry Borunda
Education
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Why I Teach

Mark Cable
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1065
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About Mark Cable
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Clay Dawson
Science
P: (623) 707.1092
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About Clay Dawson
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Justin Evans
Language Arts
P: (623) 707.1071
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Biography
About Justin Evans
Education
BA Liberal Studies - ASU; Masters' in Secondary Education - ASU
Experience
Three years
Why I Teach
After spending six and a half years as a national sales manager for an electric guitar and bass manufacturer in Los Angeles, I realized I wanted to do something that was more invigorating, more challenging, and more helpful to the future generation. I pursued my Master's Degree in Secondary Education and started teaching eighth grade English in the Cartwright School District, and quickly found education to be something I was incredibly passionate about. I loved watching students grow both academically and socially. It's my hope that every student walks out of my class not just academically stronger than they were at the beginning of the year, but more confident in handling their growing responsibilities as they progress through life.

Tristan Hutchenson
Math
P: (623) 707.1074
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About Tristan Hutchenson
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Why I Teach

Don McClintock
Science
P: (623) 707.1063
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About Don McClintock
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Bill Stewart
Social Studies
P: (623) 707.1075
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About Bill Stewart
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Karen Yanez
Math
P: (623) 707.1064
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About Karen Yanez
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Educational Resource Teachers

Helen Nance
Reading Interventionist
P: (623) 707.1093
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About Helen Nance
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Dolores Perea
ELD
P: (623) 707.1094
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About Dolores Perea
Education
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Why I Teach
Exploratory

Daisy Amaro
Media Center
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About Daisy Amaro
Education
Experience
Why I Teach

Rene Contreras
PE
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About Rene Contreras
Education
Texas A&M International University
Experience
One year
Why I Teach
I teach because I want to positively impact students' lives by helping them reach their fullest potential both inside and outside of the classroom. Since high school, I knew I wanted to be a PE teacher because of my passion for sports, and I wanted to be able to help shape the lives of others just like many of my past teachers have done for me.

Jay Harrison
PE / Athletics Director
P: (623) 707.1099
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Biography
About Jay Harrison
Education
MPE in Physical Education - Arizona State University
BA in Marketing with Minors in Portuguese and Economics - Utah State University
Experience
Eight years
Why I Teach
After I left business, I wanted to do something that I was passionate about: teaching physical education (PE). Throughout my life, I either participated in athletics or took PE courses to help alleviate the stress in my life and to push myself physically and mentally. As an educator, I want my students to have that same passion - that anything is possible if they do their best and never give up!

Natalie LeVan
Chorus / Music
P: (623) 707.1087
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About Natalie LeVan
Education
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Why I Teach

Lisa Padilla
Art Teacher
P: (623) 707.1076
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About Lisa Padilla
Education
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Xavier Yanez
Band
P: (623) 707.1096
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About Xavier Yanez
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Why I Teach
Special Education

Nicole Bourgeois Horne
Self-Contained
P: (623) 707.1121
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About Nicole Bourgeois Horne
Education
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Lauren Lemanski
Resource
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About Lauren Lemanski
Education
Bradley University - Learning Behavior Specialist 2016
Experience
Four years teaching, first year at FESD
Why I Teach
I've known I wanted to go into teaching since I was a sophomore in high school. At an early age, I started volunteering at camp working with children ages seven to 19 with special needs. After volunteering a few of my summers, I recognized my passion for those who need those additional supports. Over 14 years of working with children with special needs, I have learned new experiences and strategies which I now adapt to my teaching. I model patience and understanding in my classroom for my students to learn and apply in the classroom and their daily lives.

Lindsay Sattler
Self-Contained Cross Category
P: (623) 707.1127
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About Lindsay Sattler
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Why I Teach

Gary Willow
Resource
P: (623) 707.1073
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