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Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union Students Receive Powerful Lesson During DUI Car Crash Simulation

    Pioneer High School students received an opportunity to see how the real-life consequences of driving drunk, distracted, or impaired can have devastating and tragic results for their friends, family, and community during an “Every 15 Minutes” demonstration held in front of the school on March 18. The staged simulation for Pioneer High juniors and seniors – featuring the participation of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Los Angeles County Sheriff, City of Whittier Police Dept., Los Angeles County Fire Dept., first responders, and Funeraria de Angel Pico Rivera mortuary – took the students through an entire DUI car crash scenario – the initial 911 call, the rescue of victims, a sobriety test, and the subsequent arrest of the driver.

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  • California High School Senior Recovers from Debilitating Illness, Receives Award of Merit

    As an incoming freshman, California High School senior Viridian “Viv” Gonzalez got off to a flying start, earning straight A’s in her first semester, with a challenging schedule that included several Honors classes. Her future looked bright; then calamity struck. Gonzalez fell ill during her second semester and was hospitalized for months, missing a considerable amount of school. When Gonzalez returned to Cal High for her sophomore year, she was still very weak and wheelchair bound but determined to pick up where she left off. Enrolling in Cal High’s Health Academy pathway and with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to guide her, Gonzalez persevered despite her limited mobility, excelling in all her classes and slowly regaining her health. As a senior with a 3.5 GPA and improved health, Gonzalez said she is looking forward to taking the Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) exam this spring.

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  • Pioneer High Football Makes History with CIF Titles, Launches Fundraiser for Championship Rings

    The Pioneer High School football team made history in the fall 2024 season, taking home the school’s first-ever CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) title, followed by a regional title – an achievement that has ignited school spirit and set the stage for future generations of athletic excellence. While the team fell to Balboa High School in the CIF State Championship game on Dec. 14, their journey united the school and community in a milestone season. To commemorate this achievement, Pioneer High’s football team is raising funds for championship rings, a lasting tribute to their historic season. Contributions can be made through the school’s dedicated fundraising page or directly at Pioneer’s Business & Activities Office.

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Whittier Union to Celebrate Music and Cheer at Annual Band Jamboree

The talented marching bands, color guards, pep and cheer squads and a drill team from the Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools will give rousing performances for the annual Band Jamboree celebration, which will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4 at the Sandra Thorstenson Stadium at California High School, 9800 Mills Ave., Whittier. Tickets are $8 at the gate or $7 if purchased from a band member.

Whittier Union Leaders Take on New Roles to Steer Student Achievement

Familiar faces have taken on new roles at Whittier Union, continuing a history of strong leadership that has led to rising student academic achievement. Frontier High School Principal Dr. Margie Moriarty will also lead the Whittier Adult School. Richard Rodriguez will serve as assistant principal of Frontier High School. Allison Huntley will serve as assistant principal of guidance at Whittier High School. Craig Fox will serve as Pioneer High School’s assistant principal of business and activities. Together, the four have served Whittier Union for nearly 60 years.

Santa Fe High to Host Parent Education Day to Ensure Student Success

Santa Fe High School will offer parents the opportunity to attend a variety of workshops on topics ranging from teens’ social media use to college and career information during its annual Parent Education Day from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 10400 Orr and Day Road, Santa Fe Springs. Launched in 2003, the program is an informal and free way to gain knowledge on topics and issues that impact teens today.

Whittier High Senior Honored for Balancing Academics with Community Service

Whittier High School senior Ava Sanchez is determined to make a difference – whether its empowering her peers to give back to the local community or inspiring younger students to achieve academic success. Recognized for her leadership skills, integrity and work ethic, Sanchez – a straight-A student who is on track to be one of Whittier High’s class of 2019 valedictorians – has found a way to balance academics with community service.

Whittier Union Student-Athletes Enjoy New Athletic Fields at La Serna

La Serna High School student-athletes are enjoying newly renovated athletic fields, including a nine-lane synthetic athletic track, new high jump, long jump, pole vault, discus and shotput areas. The $9.8 million project was completed with Measure W funds. Playing fields will serve a variety of sports, including football, soccer, and track and field.

Whittier Union Releases 3 Initial Draft Trustee Area Maps

Whittier Union High School District has released three initial draft trustee area maps as it shifts from at-large elections to by-trustee area elections, effective November 2020. The District is seeking public input on the initial draft maps – NDC Green Map, NDC Orange Map and NDC Purple Map – which were developed by professional demographers based on comments from previous public hearings. The public may submit input regarding how the trustee areas are divided through comment boxes available at the five comprehensive high schools, District office and WUHSD District Formation Process website, www.elections.wuhsd.org. The District will host two rounds of community open houses during which attendees may provide structured input on the maps. The first round will take place 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26 at Whittier High School; 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 at Santa Fe High School; and 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28. A second round will be held in December.

Whittier Union Lauds National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

Whittier Union High School District is celebrating several students who were named Commended Students in the National Merit Scholarship Program. They are Cole Acedo, Ian Brennan, Kelvin Chong and Katelyn Nye from La Serna High School and Julia Casas from Whittier High School. National Merit Scholarship participants are selected based on how they score on their Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores, taken in junior year. Of the 1.6 million students who took the exam for a chance to win the prestigious $2,500 scholarship, 34,000 top scorers received a commendation and 16,000 were selected as semifinalists.

Whittier Union Selected as a ‘Bright Spot’ District for Advancing Equity, Closing Achievement Gap

Whittier Union High School District has been selected as one of three “Bright Spot” honorees – along with Pasadena City College and Chula Vista Elementary School – by Education Trust-West for advancing equity and strengthening the pipeline to college. Bright Spot districts and college campuses demonstrate a commitment to excellence and implement strategies and practices that have led to positive outcomes for students of color, low-income students and English learners.

La Serna English Teacher Named a Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year

La Serna High School English teacher Shelly DeSimone was named a top 16 Los Angeles County public school teacher for 2018-19 by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) during the organization’s annual banquet on Sept. 21. DeSimone was selected to represent the profession’s “best of the best” from among 72,000 L.A. County teachers. DeSimone will advance, along with other county teachers of the year from around the state, to the California Teachers of the Year competition.

Whittier Union English Learner Overcomes Adversity to Become Straight-A Student

California High School senior Avigahy Garcia’s childhood included moving from California to Mexico and back, challenging her to learn and re-learn the different languages and cultures. Garcia returned to California in her sophomore year and enrolled at Cal High, leaving her parents behind in Mexico, but working arduously to excel in her studies with the help of the school’s support program, Expanded Horizons. She was honored with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees on Sept. 11.