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Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union Welcomes New Administrators Ahead of 2024-25 School Year

    Whittier Union High School District is gearing up for the 2024-25 school year with new leadership changes, recently announcing the hiring of two new principals for Whittier High School and California High School. The new administrators, who were appointed during a Board meeting on June 11, are Shana Jones, California High School principal, and Andres Favela, Whittier High School principal. Jones has served as Cal High’s assistant principal of curriculum and instruction for the last two years, after six years as assistant principal of guidance and counseling. Prior to that role, Jones spent a decade as a biology teacher at La Serna High School, where she was recognized as the Delta Kappa Gamma Teacher of the Year in 2011 and La Serna Teacher of the Year in 2016.

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  • Whittier Union Class of 2024 Graduates Honored During Memorable Commencement Ceremonies

    More than 2,700 graduates from Whittier Union High School District’s Class of 2024 celebrated the culmination of their high school journeys and their milestone achievements during energetic commencement ceremonies held June 3 to 5. Graduating students from Whittier Union's five comprehensive schools, two alternative high schools, and adult school celebrated with family and friends as they took the stage to receive their diplomas, marking the end of an era. During this year’s ceremonies, the District's Board of Trustees honored outstanding students from each comprehensive high school with the esteemed 2024 Trustee Award. Whittier Union’s Class of 2024 graduates have been awarded prestigious state and national scholarships, including the 2024 full-ride Gates Scholarship, $50,000 Edison Scholarship, $20,000 Dell Scholarship, and full-ride Posse Foundation Scholarship.

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  • Whittier Union Moves to Rename Board Room in Honor of Longtime Trustee Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco

    The Whittier Union Board of Trustees will move to rename its Board Room to honor one of its most cherished and longstanding members, the late Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco, during its Tuesday, June 11 Board meeting. Board President Gary Mendez brought a letter of intent to the Board asking it to consider honoring the legacy of Pacheco’s 32 years as a Trustee. The Board requests community attendance at the June 11 meeting to weigh in on the action item and share their memories of Pacheco during the public comment period. Pacheco died in October 2023 after a long illness.

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Whittier Union High School Hosts Parent Education Day

Whittier Union High School District’s Santa Fe High School held a Parent Education Day on Oct. 23, providing parents the opportunity to better understand the world of their children by learning more about the issues they face today. Since the launch of the program in 2003, approximately 300 parents have attended Parent Education Day annually. This year, parents chose three of 15 workshops to attend, which discussed relevant topics such as social media, college and careers, substance abuse and more. Parent Education Day, offered at no cost to families, aims to help parents gain knowledge on important topics relating to teens, as well as equip parents with the resources to help their students persevere through the challenges they are facing.

Whittier Union Adult School Introduces New Plumbing Course, Teaches Workforce Skills

Whittier Union Adult School students are learning the fundamentals of residential plumbing as part of the school’s newly launched plumbing course, which provides students with the opportunity to become apprentices and graduate with work-ready skills. Under the guidance of instructor Giovanni Masia – and with a newly built plumbing model classroom – students are learning the fundamentals of residential plumbing such as measuring, cutting and installation of pipe in accordance with the California Plumbing Code guidelines. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to gain apprenticeships through their local plumbers’ union, enabling them to hone their knowledge and apply their skills while working for local companies.

Whittier Union Senior Recognized with Award of Merit for Courage and Academic Excellence

In the span of two years, California High School senior Elizabeth “Lizzie” Guzman lost both of her parents as her mother succumbed to pancreatic cancer and her father was incarcerated. With help from her maternal grandparents and aunt – who became her caretakers – Guzman found the motivation to work through her grief and excel in school, becoming a star student at Cal High. Guzman has thrived academically, earning a 4.19 GPA, and challenging herself with Advanced Placement (AP) classes. To acknowledge her unwavering courage and perseverance, Guzman was honored with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during an Oct. 12 board meeting.

Whittier Union Student Athlete Receives Scholarship, Recognition from Spectrum News 1

La Serna High School senior Annabella Rapp’s excellence in the classroom and in the pool has earned her recognition from the Spectrum News 1 Scholar Athlete Program, an honor that comes with a $1,000 scholarship and a feature story on Spectrum News. Rapp, one of Spectrum’s Student Athlete honorees for October, was featured in a segment on Oct. 12. She was chosen based on an excellent academic record – which has earned her a place among La Serna’s top 25 performing students – as well as her community involvement and contribution to La Serna’s varsity swimming and water polo teams.

Whittier Union High School District Hosts Weekly Vaccine Clinics

Whittier Union High School District, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, will host weekly vaccine clinics for the community. The clinics will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday until December at the District Board Room, 9401 Painter Ave., Whittier, on the Mulberry Drive side. The next scheduled clinic is Wednesday, Dec. 22. Parent consent is required for students under 18 years of age, and those under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Whittier Union High School District Hosts Weekly Vaccination Clinics in Effort to Combat COVID-19

As part of the District’s commitment to providing healthy and safe learning environments, Whittier Union High School District is encouraging students, teachers, staff and community members to get vaccinated against COVID-19 – an effort supported by its recently launched weekly clinics. The free weekly clinics, hosted at the District office in partnership with Paramount Family Pharmacy under the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH), were established following a successful series of vaccination clinics hosted on WUHSD campuses in late August. Since the launch of the weekly clinics in late September, more than 100 vaccines have been administered to the community.

Whittier Union High School Student Uses Coding Skills to Build Interactive Game

California High School senior Justin Toyoshiba was struck with inspiration as he watched shopping shift online and home deliveries increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. Equipped with coding skills developed in Cal High’s Advanced Placement computer science class, Toyoshiba designed Delivery Blitz, an interactive game that challenges players to complete an abundance of deliveries while overcoming obstacles along the way. The app, which was brainstormed and developed over the course of six months, has become a hit amongst Toyoshiba’s peers. Delivery Blitz is available for download through the app store for iOS devices.

Whittier Union High Schools Host Homecoming Celebrations

Pioneer High School and Whittier High School staged spirited celebrations honoring students, community, and alumni, hosting Homecoming dances on Sept. 10 and Sept. 18, respectively. Students dressed in formal attire for the dances, where they enjoyed entertainment from local DJs, photo opportunities and dinner meals.

Whittier Union High School District to Host Weekly Vaccine Clinics

Whittier Union High School District, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, will host weekly vaccine clinics for the community. The clinics will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday until December at the District Board Room, 9401 Painter Ave., Whittier, on the Mulberry Drive side. The next scheduled clinic is Wednesday, Oct. 6. Parent consent is required for students under 18 years of age, and those under 14 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Whittier Union to Host COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for Community

The clinics will be followed by a weekly vaccine clinic, to be held every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. in the WUHSD board room, 9401 Painter Ave., Whittier. The weekly clinics will run through December. To register, visit myturn.ca.gov. Those interested in receiving the vaccine may also email covid19vaccine@wuhsd.org with questions or to make a reservation.