New unified superintendent wants to live and be involved in community
June 21, 2013
By Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula News
The first superintendent of the Santa Paula Unified School District said he wants to work and live in Santa Paula.
The SPUSD Board selected Alfonso Gamino to be the superintendent. He has been the assistant superintendent for human resources and business in the Tulare Joint Union High School District since 2007. Gamino will start officially on July 1, the day the SPUSD takes over the former elementary and high school districts.
Gamino received his preliminary multiple teaching credential from Fresno State in 1991 and completed a bilingual, cross-cultural, language and academic development credential in 1994 from Fresno Pacific. He completed a preliminary school administration services credential from Fresno State in 1996, and completed the clear school administrative services credential at California State University, Bakersfield. He recently completed a School Business Management Certificate from University of Southern California.
He said one of the factors in his decision to seek the Santa Paula position was that his oldest daughter will be attending Long Beach State in the fall. As he was considering relocating here, Gamino came to Santa Paula a couple of times with his family to see how they felt about making the move.
“They were actually very pleased with the area,” he said. Besides his daughter, he has a 7th grade student going into 8th grade, a 3rd grader going into 4th grade, and one on the way. He noted, “The kids were very excited about moving out here and that’s what prompted me to apply.” He added the makeup of the community reminded him of the farming community where he grew up.
Gamino said he’s always had a long-term goal of being a superintendent. “And when the opportunity came and I looked at all those factors... I knew that this was a place where I wanted to work.”
He said it’s a good opportunity to be the first superintendent of a unified district, “because when it comes down to it we have two great districts that have been here for over a hundred years.... It’s going to be a lot of work getting through the unification process, but it will be very rewarding. As a superintendent I’m very privileged not only to work here, but to live here. My goal is not only to work in my community, and I have the opportunity to live where I work.”
Gamino said living here will also allow him to be a community member. He added, “You’ll see me not just at work, but out there in the community because I want to be a community member of Santa Paula. My goal is to be a member at least two clubs.”
He said we will see him at every home football game. “You’d be amazed at how productive that can be.... You’ll get to see a couple of teachers, a couple of classified folks, a couple of parents.”
He also plans on attending games of other sports as much as he can. In addition, he said he plans on attending special events at the elementary schools as well.
