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.
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.
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.
Follow-up Story: To kick off Women's History Month, Rio Hondo hosted its annual Women's History Conference on March 7. About 300 students and visitors attended the conference, themed “Women Inspiring Hope and Possibility,” which was a joint venture with the Whittier Union High School District and Soroptomist International of Whittier. Photos are available. Contact: Christina Esparza, 909-445-1001 (office) or 626-383-6367 (cell)
Local eighth-grade students and their parents are invited to attend the Whittier Union High School District's Future Frosh Night on Thursday, March 13, when counselors, administrators and students will provide valuable information about the classes and programs available to all freshmen. The open houses will take place at 6 p.m. at each of the District's five comprehensive high school sites: California High School, Santa Fe High School, Whittier High School, Pioneer High School and La Serna High School. Contact: Laura Flores, (562) 668-7833 (office)
Whittier Union High School District has a reputation for providing high-quality instruction. Whittier High School recently earned a coveted six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an endorsement that in recent years has only been awarded to 2 percent of schools. WHS' high marks follow La Serna and Sierra Vista high schools, which also received six-year accreditations in 2013. Contact: Laura Flores, (562) 668-7833
Cal-Hi Auto Academy students Hunter Nolasco and James Chairez recently participated in the Automotive Technology Competition at Cerritos College and are one of only two teams in the state that qualified to attend a national competition in New York in April. Photos are available. Contact: Laura Flores, 562-668-7833 (office)
Whittier Union’s Santa Fe High School has been re-selected as one of only 140 AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) National Demonstration Schools in the nation. AVID is a K-12 through postsecondary college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. Santa Fe High serves as a model for schools that are implementing or refining AVID programs. Photos are available. Contact: Laura Flores, 562-668-7833 (office)
The State Board of Education (SBE) will hear a final debate and then vote on the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) regulations and Local Control Accountability Plan template at its Jan. 16 meeting. The Whittier Union High School District has been asked to present to the State Board on the importance of providing local control to school districts in the allocation of new state funding in order to better serve all students. Whittier Union is committed to furthering its successful efforts in narrowing the achievement gap through local control and flexibility and will demonstrate that the missions are not mutually exclusive. Contact: Laura Flores, 562-668-7833 (office)
The new Local Control Funding Formula gives local school boards control over how to use state funds. Whittier Union is seeking input from parents and interested community members on its Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) that will guide the expenditure of these funds. Meetings will be held at 6 p.m. in the Board of Trustees meeting room on Thursday, Jan. 23; Thursday, Feb. 13; Thursday, March 20; and Wednesday, April 9. Contact: Laura Flores, 562-668-7833 (office)
Santa Fe High School students will be making and donating blankets to Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital. PIH officials will be on hand to accept the hand-made blankets at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11. Contact: Laura Flores (562) 668-7833 (office)
Pioneer High School’s Leo Club will hold its annual tamale-making event to raise money to purchase food for Holiday Food Baskets to be given to local families in need on Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14. Food Baskets will be distributed privately to the families. Contact: Laura Flores (562) 668-7833 (office)
Santa Fe High will receive a Golden Bell Award this weekend for its cutting-edge mental health services to students. Photos of the ceremony will be available. Contact: Laura Flores (562) 668-7833 (office)