WHITTIER – Three Whittier Union High School District administrators who demonstrate exceptional leadership by being visionaries in their respective roles, fostering safe and effective school cultures, and using creativity and innovation to solve problems have been named Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 15 Administrators of the Year.

La Serna High School Principal Ann Fitzgerald, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Dr. Monica Oviedo and Director of Accountability, Staff Development, Curriculum and Instructional Materials Dr. Carlye Marousek will be recognized at a Region 15 leadership conference and awards banquet April 29.

“This trio of influential, dedicated and committed educators are true professionals who put the needs of our students, teachers and staff ahead of everything else,” Superintendent Martin Plourde said. “They roll up their sleeves and tackle any task at hand with ease and poise. I am proud of the successes our District has achieved under their leadership. They are all deserving recipients of this incredible honor.”

Region 15 – the largest charter in ACSA – is composed of 25 charter districts across Los Angeles County, from the Antelope Valley to Claremont. ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the nation and advocates for equitable world-class education for students in kindergarten through grade 12, bolstered by the support of inspirational educational leaders.

Fitzgerald, a 25-year educator in Whittier Union, has been instrumental to the success of La Serna’s exemplary bell schedule, which provides intervention support for students during the school day. The structured program has led to a 96 percent daily attendance rate, 98 percent graduation rate and nearly 70 percent of all graduates meeting college entrance requirements.

A former principal of two WUHSD high schools, Oviedo oversees the District’s budget and led the creation of a new transportation department, understanding the nuances of business services and understanding the role it plays in student academic success. She has been with the District 22 years.

Marousek’s wizardry at data analysis and staff development strategies has played a significant role in Whittier Union’s success. Her effectiveness in interpreting data for others has helped improve program outcomes and optimized instruction, not only in Whittier Union, but surrounding districts as well. She has been with the District 22 years and will retire at the end of the 2018-19 school year.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

042619_WUHSD_ACSAADMIN1: Whittier Union Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Dr. Monica Oviedo, left, and La Serna High School Principal Ann Fitzgerald were recently named Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 15 Administrators of the Year. They will be honored at an awards banquet on April. 29.

042619_WUHSD_ACSAADMIN2: Whittier Union Director of Accountability, Staff Development, Curriculum and Instructional Materials Dr. Carlye Marousek is one of three District administrators to be named an ACSA Region 15 Administrator of the Year. She has been with the District 22 years and is set to retire at the end of the school year.