When mid-August rolls around, a new group will lead after-school activities at 13 schools—nine elementary schools and four middle schools—in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD).
The new arrangement for the 2026-27 school year marks Think Together’s first time serving schools in Santa Barbara County. But the statewide nonprofit’s local ties don’t start there.
Longtime Lompoc resident Katy Wallace worked on local school campuses—in positions ranging from special education teacher to school principal—years before taking on her role as Think Together’s director of district partnerships for the Central Coast and Central Valley areas in 2024.
“My focus right now is truly on Santa Maria-Bonita and making sure things are running smoothly there before we branch out any further on the Central Coast,” said Wallace, who previously helped spearhead Think Together’s partnership with the Rio School District in Oxnard.
Back to school
To find out more about Think Together and its upcoming no-cost after-school offerings at 13 different school campuses across the Santa Maria Valley, visit thinktogether.org. For additional details about the nonprofit’s new partnership with the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, visit smbsd.org.
Earlier this year, Santa-Maria Bonita sifted through more than a dozen bids from after-school program providers in and outside of California. It narrowed down its top picks to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Central Coast, the Santa Maria Valley YMCA, and Think Together.
Of those three providers—who all won contracts from the district—Think Together earned the highest marks during the evaluation period. During that process, district leaders visited schools in other parts of the state, including Compton, to observe Think Together’s after-school offerings firsthand.
“I think what resonated with them was seeing that it’s not just another after-school program where the kids come, and sit, and are expected to do their homework, and nobody’s really making a connection with them,” Wallace said. “They were able to actually see us in action … and the great enrichment programs that we have.
“We [offer] college and career-type clubs that students get really interested in,” she explained. “Clubs like cosmetology, … robotics, videography—things they might not have available to them yet in middle school or even upper elementary grades. We’re giving kids an opportunity to see that they are capable of doing these things at a very young age.”
For SMBSD Superintendent Darren McDuffie, the district’s new partnership with Think Together reflects a commitment to supporting students’ “academic and social-emotional well-being through a whole-child approach,” while finding new ways for students to benefit from fulfilling learning experiences outside of regular school hours.
“Through extending learning and engagement beyond the school day, we are creating dynamic, safe after-school environments where SMBSD students can explore new interests, build confidence, and thrive,” McDuffie told the Sun via email. “We are excited to partner with Think Together on this endeavor.”
During the 2026-27 school year, Think Together will lead no-cost after-school offerings at Arellanes, Jiménez, Libbon, Liberty, Sanchez, Ontiveros, Rice, Taylor, and Tunnel elementary schools, and at Arellanes, El Camino, Fesler, and Tommie Kunst junior high schools.
Think Together recently set out to connect with SMBSD families, as well as community members interested in applying for part-time after-school program jobs, by hosting informational booths at public gatherings, including a community fair at Arellanes Junior High School and hiring events at the Santa Maria Inn.
Hiring managers were there in person at the latter in late July to collect résumés and hold immediate on-the-spot interviews.
“Once we get school started, we’ll continue our hiring efforts throughout the year,” Think Together Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Organizational Development Holly Perry told the Sun.
“Our highest need right now is our program leader position, and it’s an entry-level role, so you don’t have to come into it with any experience,” Perry said. “A lot of people that take this role are generally college age, [with] changing school schedules and things like that, so we kind of stay hiring year-round.”
Once hired, entry level program leaders go through several days of training, Perry added, as part of an onboarding orientation.
“Then they do what we call a site shadow, where they can actually watch others in the role, and ask questions, and observe,” Perry said. “Honestly, any [college] major tends to thrive in this role if you love working for kids. … We’re looking for somebody who really wants to tie their work to a deeper purpose, because they make the biggest impact. They’re the ones working directly with the students.”
Reach Senior Staff Writer Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in August 6 – August 13, 2026.
