The Santa Barbara Unified School District has named Elise Simmons, alumna of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, as the next principal of Santa Barbara High School. Simmons earned her single subject teaching credential and M.Ed. from the Teacher Education Program in 1999. Simmons also has a BA in psychology and religious studies from UCSB and a Ph.D. from Concordia University.
Simmons joined the Santa Barbara Unified School District in 1999 as a social science teacher at La Cumbre Junior High School. In 2002, she joined the Santa Barbara Junior High staff, teaching social science and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). During her time at Santa Barbara Junior High, she served as a teacher on special assignment as well as the district-wide coordinator for AVID. In school year 2011-2012 she became an assistant principal at Santa Barbara High School. From 2015 to this most recent appointment she served as principal of La Cuesta Continuation School and Alta Vista Alternative High School.
Simmons will be the second woman to lead Santa Barbara High School in its more than 140 year history.