At a special meeting May 17, the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board of Education selected Santa Maria native and retired teacher Vedamarie Alvarez Flores as a new board member to fill a vacant seat.
Alvarez Flores taught elementary grades in the district for 39 years and also coordinated the Santa Maria-Bonita School District’s (SMBSD) mentor program for beginning teachers for 15 years. She is currently an adjunct professor with the Cal Poly Teacher Education Program, and she has continued to provide training to teachers and work as a substitute teacher after her retirement from the district in 2013.
The new board member was born and raised in Santa Maria and attended SMBSD schools. One of her daughters teaches at El Camino Junior High, and Alvarez Flores’ grandchildren attend a SMBSD school. She is active in the community, primarily working with events and organizations that assist children.
The school board interviewed four candidates to fill the position vacated by longtime board member Fidenzio “Bruno” Brunello when he retired from the board in April to spend more time with his family.
Alvarez Flores will serve on the board through Dec. 7. Her seat will be one of four SMBSD board seats on the ballot in November. Newly elected board members will be sworn in on Dec. 7.
