Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier High Senior Champions Student Belonging, Earns Award of Merit

    When Whittier High School senior Marle Shafer first began her high school journey as a freshman, she felt isolated and overwhelmed, questioning whether Whittier High was the right school for her and even considering transferring. With encouragement from her dad, a Whittier High graduate, Shafer poured her experiences into founding and leading the Future Cardinal Middle School Program, helping ensure middle school students feel a sense of belonging on campus. Over the past three years, the program has introduced 900 eighth-graders from Edwards Middle School, Shafer’s alma mater, to campus life through visits showcasing the school’s programs, opportunities, and people.

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  • Whittier High School Seniors Explore College, Career Options at FutureReady Fair

    Whittier High School seniors got a head start on their post-secondary journeys, filling out college and employment applications, speaking with recruiters, and exploring career options during the school’s annual FutureReady Day, held early October. Nearly 350 students, representing more than 90% of Whittier High’s senior class, submitted applications to community colleges, Cal State and University of California colleges, private colleges, trade schools, and military branches. The event was coordinated by Whittier High’s New Horizons office and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) as part of FutureReady CA, the California initiative of the American College Application Campaign.

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  • Whittier Union State of the District Shines Spotlight on Curriculum, Academic Successes

    Whittier Union High School District welcomed the communities of Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk, La Mirada, and Downey to its second annual State of the District address, held at Pioneer High School on Oct. 7, highlighting the District’s many academic achievements and award-winning curriculum. More than 200 community members, elected officials, students, families, and staff attended the event, which included a catered dinner and a live performance by Santa Fe High School’s Mariachi Los Dorados, under the leadership of choir director David Kwon. 

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Whittier Union Approves 2019-20 Spending Plan

Whittier Union will continue to offer an after-school credit recovery program and provide additional support classes during the school day as part of its 2019-20 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and budget. The LCAP aims to ensure students master the standards and content the first time they take a course to successfully meet college entrance requirements. For 2019-20, Whittier Union will invest $24 million to develop programs specifically targeting its high-needs groups: economically disadvantaged students, foster youth and English learners.

Whittier High School to Honor Alumnus with Memorial Service

Whittier High School will host a Celebration of Life at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29 for Class of 1955 graduate William C. Gordon, who died in March at age 82. A renowned author and attorney, Gordon donated more than $230,000 to the school. The event will be in the William C. Gordon Library at Whittier High, 12417 Philadelphia St., Whittier.

Whittier Union to Name New Softball Field after 30-year Athletic Coach

Whittier Union High School District’s Board of Trustees recognized the lifetime contributions of La Serna High School physical education teacher and former varsity softball coach Ginger Larsin, approving the dedication of the school’s new softball field in her honor. Larsin – who retired in June after serving in the District almost four decades – developed into one of the most acclaimed high school athletic coaches in the nation during her tenure at La Serna. Her legacy includes more than 500 victories, 14 league titles and three CIF championships. Larsin was also a three-time CIF Coach of the Year and nurtured the talents of more than 400 scholar athletes. A dedication is planned for next year.

Whittier Union Celebrates Achievements of Class of 2019

Whittier Union High School District celebrated the Class of 2019 during commencement ceremonies that featured poignant speeches, tears of joy and cheers of excitement from families and staff, and close to 2,800 seniors ready to pursue the next step of their academic and professional careers. Frontier and Sierra Vista high schools, the Whittier Adult School and the District’s Transition program held ceremonies on June 3. California and Santa Fe high schools held celebrations on June 4. La Serna, Pioneer and Whittier high schools held commencements on June 5.