To ensure the continued health and safety of students, Whittier Union High School District is now offering free rapid COVID-19 testing to students. Tests are voluntary and administered on each Whittier Union campus once a week through a partnership with the California Department of Public Health.
Whittier Union’s Pioneer High School and La Serna High School have been recognized as 2021 California Distinguished Schools, earning the designation from the California Department of Education (CDE). Pioneer received the honor for the first time in school history, while La Serna received the designation for the fifth time. Pioneer and La Serna boast graduation rates of 94.6% and 93.2%, respectively, and serve their students through rigorous college and career readiness programs and robust intervention policies. The award is the state’s top honor for high-achieving schools, celebrating successes in boosting student achievement, attaining strong graduation rates, and fostering college and career resources.
Eight students from La Serna High School’s Organized Academic Support in School (OASIS) and HAVEN program received $500 scholarships from Lions Club of Whittier and Credit Union of Southern California for their academic achievements. The scholarship winners were announced during a Celebration of Learning virtual event on April 23, which acknowledged the students’ efforts in overcoming obstacles in their education and achieving the necessary credits to graduate from high school.
Pioneer High School began the celebrations for the Class of 2021 with a drive-thru senior rally on April 28. During the rally, seniors picked up celebratory yard signs, received senior goodies such as T-shirts and Pioneer High masks, shared their college commitments and plans after high school, and received yearbook, prom and graduation information. Students, families and staff who participated in the event wore masks and remained socially distant during the event. Photos are available.
Whittier Union High School District moved into Stage Three of its reopening plan – with students receiving in-person instruction two days a week – on April 27. Under Stage Three, students are divided into Cohort A and Cohort B, and attend school on Tuesday/Wednesday and Thursday/Fridays, respectively. Students and teachers continue to follow strict health and safety protocols such as participating in a daily health screening, wearing face coverings, social distancing from one another, and following directional signs and floor markers throughout campuses.
Aspiring to attend an elite university, Pioneer High School senior Genessa Frondarina never dreamed she would continue her education alongside her older sisters – Pioneer High Class of 2019 graduate Alyssa Suarez and Pioneer High Class of 2020 graduate Lanessa Frondarina – who are both attending UCLA. Frondarina, who has a 4.41 GPA, will become the third member of her family to wear the blue and gold after being accepted to UCLA. Frondarina plans to major in international affairs.
School Psychology Club students organized the Gratitude Project, distributing goodie bags full of snacks and a handwritten letter of appreciation to nurses at Kaiser Permanente in Downey. Santa Fe’s Psychology Club, led by Santa Fe seniors Elizabeth Serna and Jessika Suos and guided by AP Psychology teacher Michele Jones, has flourished into a community for students who have a passion for serving others, providing a fun environment where they can talk about a broad range of psychology-related matters.
Whittier Union High School District’s Class of 2021 will be celebrated during in-person commencement ceremonies at District stadiums, held from Tuesday, June 1 to Thursday June 3. Capacity will be limited, and health and safety measures will be enforced. Face coverings and social distancing will be required during the duration of the ceremonies, and directional signs and floor markers will be in place to ensure proper management of movement in the stadiums. The District will share more information regarding capacity and ceremony logistics as it becomes available.
The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees approved a move to Stage Three reopening – with students receiving in-person instruction two days a week – beginning Monday, April 27. Under Stage Three, students in Cohorts A1 and A2 will be combined and attend school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Students in Cohorts B1 and B2 will be combined and attend school on Thursdays and Fridays. Families have the option of continuing 100% remote learning for the remainder of the school year. Students and staff will continue participating in daily health screenings and temperature checks.
California High School senior Bryant Mendez Melchor is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of attending an elite university after receiving a $40,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship, awarded to just 25 students from across the country. Bryant Mendez, a high-achieving scholar with a 4.55 GPA, will attend Stanford University and major in computer science. As a first-generation American, Mendez’s determination to succeed is inspired by his family and a deep compassion for helping others.
