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Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union High Schools Ranked Among Nation’s Best by U.S. News & World Report

    Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools have been ranked in the top 20% of public high schools nationwide and the top third in California by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting the District’s commitment to doing Whatever It Takes to prepare students for college, careers, and life. The rankings are based on six factors: college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates.

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  • Whittier Union Ushers in New School Year with Celebration, Commitment to Excellence

    Whittier Union High School District kicked off the 2025-26 school year with three days of vibrant back-to-school events that culminated in the first day of school on Aug. 13, when more than 9,582 students returned to campuses across the District ready to learn, grow, and thrive.

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  • Whittier Union Marks Significant Progress with Districtwide Performing Arts Center

    Whittier Union High School District (WUHSD) is taking a significant step forward in its efforts to expand and celebrate arts education, moving ahead with plans for its new Performing Arts Center (PAC) – a state-of-the-art facility that will serve visual and performing arts (VAPA) students from across the District. The PAC, set to be built on the northwest side of the United Sierra Education Center, recently received final approval from the Division of the State Architect. With this milestone complete, the District’s general contractor is moving forward with bidding out the work, which will then be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9. Construction is slated to begin shortly thereafter.

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Whittier Union Recognizes Frontier High School History Educator as 2022-23 Teacher of the Year

Whittier Union High School District has named Frontier High School social studies teacher Mary Ann Fajardo as its 2022-23 teacher of the year, honoring the instructor who is beloved and respected by students and peers for her humility, love of learning and willingness to share her knowledge and research. Fajardo has proven to be an indispensable member of the Frontier High faculty, promoting diversity and inclusion in her curriculum and engaging her students with rich experiences. Fajardo, who teaches U.S. and World History, Career Studies and Chicano Studies, is part of the Whittier Union team that developed the District’s Ethnic Studies curriculum. She is in her ninth year at Frontier High.

Santa Fe High School Stages ‘Every 15 Minutes,’ Displays Dangers of Impaired Driving

Students from Santa Fe High School witnessed the real-life consequences of driving under the influence during the school’s “Every 15 Minutes” program, which featured a simulated car crash that claimed the lives of their peers, an overnight retreat, and a mock funeral. The event, held April 6-7, included a pre-recorded 9-1-1 call that triggered an emergency response by local law enforcement agencies, firefighters and paramedics. “Every 15 Minutes” is a national campaign which focuses on high school junior and seniors, with a goal of challenging students to consider the dangers of drunk driving. The two-day program was held in partnership with the City of Santa Fe Springs; participants included the Whittier Police Department, Santa Fe Springs Fire Rescue, Mercy Air and the California Highway Patrol.

‘Every 15 Minutes’ Program to Highlight Dangers of Drunk Driving to Whittier Union High School Students

Santa Fe High School will host the “Every 15 Minutes” program, a two-day event featuring a simulated car crash, rescue efforts and the dramatized deaths of students, as well as a mock funeral to emphasize the dangers of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 6 and Thursday, April 7 at 11 a.m. at Santa Fe High School, 10400 S. Orr & Day Road, Santa Fe Springs. The program will include a simulated live-action auto crash in front of the school, along with a pre-recorded 911 call which will trigger emergency response by local law enforcement agencies, firefighters, paramedics and the coroner. The event will conclude with a mock funeral school assembly the following day, featuring a video of the previous day’s event. Media contact: Andrea Garcia, 909-447-2403

Whittier Union Senior Named 2022 Dell Scholar, Receives $20,000 Scholarship

Pioneer High School senior Oscar Antonio has been honored as a 2022 Dell Scholar by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an award that comes with a $20,000 scholarship spread over four years, textbook credit, and a laptop to support Antonio as he pursues his post-secondary education goals. Antonio, a high-achieving student with a 4.3 GPA and Summa Cum Laude honor, will also have access to Dell Scholars Connect, a mentoring program that offers academic support from other scholarship recipients. Upon graduating high school, Antonio hopes to attend either California State University, Los Angeles, the University of La Verne or California State University, Long Beach and obtain a degree in accounting.

Whittier Union Adult School ESL Students Organize Relief Drive

Whittier Union Adult School ESL students have responded to the humanitarian crisis in Europe by organizing a Ukrainian Relief drive, collecting socks, clothes, blankets, toys, personal hygiene items, baby items, disposable tableware and non-perishable food to assist the millions of refugees displaced from their homes. The donation drive has set in motion a passionate response among the adult school students, who have thus far amassed enough supplies to fill five truckloads. In addition to adult school students, donations have come from Frontier and Sierra Vista high school students, as well as District office employees who share the United Sierra Education Center complex.

Whittier Union Adult School Graduate Lands Position at District

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Renan Mota da Silva enrolled in Whittier Union Adult School’s English as a Second Language (ESL) online program, hoping to improve his language skills. A former special education teacher in Brazil, Mota de Silva longed to become a credentialed teacher in the U.S. Today, Mota de Silva is employed as an Instructional Vocational Specialist in the Transition Program at Whittier Union. His new position allows him to apply his experience as a special education teacher in Brazil and help Whittier Union transition students prepare for careers, find potential job sites, and learn to live independently.

Whittier Union Independent Study Student Recognized by Board of Trustees for Resilience, Determination

Sierra Vista High School Class of 2022 graduate Julio Zermeno has been recognized with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees for his resolve, effective use of time and determination. When Zermeno was a junior at Pioneer High School, he was reeling academically due to COVID-related school closures and the additional responsibilities of caring for his ailing father. Behind in school credits, Zermeno transferred to Sierra Vista High School, finding its independent study program ideal for dealing with the peaks and valleys of his life. As a mid-year graduate, Zermeno remains connected to Sierra Vista, taking advantage of the school’s new College and Career Center and exploring the variety of career pathways at local community colleges.

Whittier Union Names New Administrators to Superintendent Executive Cabinet

The Whittier Union Board of Trustees has announced that two longtime administrators will advance into new positions in the Superintendent’s Executive Cabinet. Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Kevin Jamero will also serve as Deputy Superintendent and Pioneer High School Principal Lilia Bozigian will become Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services. The Board of Trustees announced the advancements during its March 8 Board meeting. In February, the Board appointed Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Monica Oviedo to replace Superintendent Martin J. Plourde, who is retiring in June. Dr. Oviedo, Jamero and Bozigian will step into their new roles at the end of the school year.

Whittier Union Senior Receives Award of Merit for Academic Excellence and Resilience

La Serna High School senior Carmela Claytor never lost her love for learning, even through the most trying times. From being placed in foster care as a freshman to struggling through distance learning as a junior, Claytor remained focused on academic achievement and emerged as one of La Serna’s top-performing scholars and student leaders. Going from intervention student to academic mentor, Claytor was recognized with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its Feb. 27 board meeting.

Whittier Union Intervention Students, Academic Mentors Build Trust Through Ropes Course Challenge

Testing their capacities for endurance and perseverance, nearly 150 La Serna High School Oasis/HAVEN/Guided Studies students and their academic mentors worked to build their leadership skills and bond with one another during the intervention program’s annual Spring Reward Field Trip, held at the Orange County Ropes Course on Feb. 9. At a height of more than 60 feet and clasped securely to an overhead zip line, students navigated the challenging course, climbing up ropes, stepping precariously on ramps and boards, then repelling back down, all the while being cheered on by their classmates.