 July 2021
 Dear Whittier Union High School Community,
In just a few short weeks we will begin the 2021-22 school year and welcome back our students for in-person instruction, five days a week. We are thrilled to see our students and have been working hard all summer to ensure a smooth transition back to campus for students, teachers and staff.
Whittier Union High School District is committed to providing a safe, secure learning environment for our students and staff. Our District will continue to follow guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) related to COVID-19 safety, prioritizing the health of our school communities.
As always, we will keep our families updated on COVID-19 safety protocols as they continue to evolve.
Though this school year will still feel slightly different due to certain protocols, we are confident that we are on the right track to a school year that feels more traditional – one that allows students to participate in sports year-round, theater shows, class events, school dances and more.
I encourage you all to remain vigilant in keeping yourself and your loved ones healthy and safe throughout this very fluid situation. Whittier Union will do its part to ensure our students continue to receive a high-quality education while having a memorable school year.
As we prepare for the start of school on Aug. 12, I would like to remind you all that at Whittier Union our motto is “To Achieve and Maintain Excellence,” and we have no doubt this year, we will do just that.
See you in August!
Sincerely,
Martin J. Plourde
Superintendent
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Whittier Union High School District Receives $13.7 Million in Relief Funds
The Whittier Union High School District will benefit from $13.7 million in relief funds, presented by Congresswoman Linda Sánchez during a July 8 distribution event at Pioneer High School.
The financial relief stems from the American Rescue Plan, which allotted funding for public education through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds. The plan, supported by Congresswoman Sánchez, will help ensure the District’s recovery out of the pandemic.
Whittier Union will collaborate with each of its schools to allocate the funds in a manner that supports the needs of all students.
Tentative plans for the funding include: increasing the focus on students’ social-emotional learning, reducing class sizes to support learning recovery, adding additional social workers to campuses, upgrading technology to address student and staff needs, assisting with college application fees, increasing parent outreach efforts, funding extracurricular activities, enhancing positive learning environments across all sites, and supporting staff with professional learning.
Click HERE to read more! |
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Whittier Union Receives $45,000 to Benefit Sports Programs
During Whittier Union’s Board Meeting on July 13, Credit Union of Southern California presented the District with $45,000 to benefit sports programs at each school. Thank you to Credit Union of Southern California for supporting Whittier Union and our students!
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California High School Girls Swim Team Captures CIF-SS Division IV Championship
California High School girls swim team members were recognized for their achievements and presented with certificates of recognition from the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its July 13 board meeting.
When California High School girls swim team members Hanna LaBrada and Kai Izquierdo first entered the world of competitive swimming, the two prodigies often found themselves battling against each other. Today, LaBrada and Izquierdo are part of an extraordinary group of young swimmers who are leading Cal High’s swim program back to championship levels.
After a season of dominating their Del Rio League opponents, The Cal High Lady Condors won the CIF Southern Section Division IV girls swimming championship with a scintillating performance that saw the team scoring nearly double the points as the second-place finisher, Riverside North. The team was recognized by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its July 13 meeting.
“It seemed like Hanna and I were always in the finals together, but now we are teammates,” Izquierdo said. “It’s fun to look back at the videos when we were kids, not wanting to practice. It’s different now, and we look forward to training as a team. The CIF championship is amazing, but we look forward to moving up to Division III and showing them, we are ready to compete.”
The championship caps a stunning turnaround for the swim team, which finished last in league play just two years ago. Cal High’s fortunes turned for the better after hiring veteran coach Todd Jacobsen in 2020. As head coach for the Whittier Aquatics Club since 2014, Jacobsen has been instrumental in the progress of Cal High’s young swimmers, including LaBrada and Izquierdo.
Click HERE to read more. |
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La Serna High School Staff Prepares for Transition Back to School
La Serna High School teachers, administrators, instructional aides, office managers, maintenance staff and more participated in summer training days during July, which trained staff to help students reconnect with La Serna High School upon their return for the 2021-22 school year.
The staff development days focused on the importance of continuing to build a school culture that is caring, inclusive, compassionate, student-centered, and revolves around the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships.
During the first development day, Capturing Kids’ Hearts 1, teachers, staff, and administrators learned and practiced skills they will use and model in their classrooms and campuses. Those skills included how to develop safe and effective learning environments, how to deal with conflict, and how to develop high-performing classrooms using team-building skills.
The second development day, Winning Culture, staff practiced skills and models to use in their respective environments. The day’s training focused on developing skills that increase communication and cooperation, cultivating leadership skills, discovering and addressing an individual’s needs, and more.
Overall, the training also helped La Serna staff prepare for the transition back to school in August.
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Pioneer High School Introduces New Assistant Principal
Pioneer High School Assistant Principal of Business and Activities Marvin Jacobo with his wife Jeannette, son Matthew and daughters Jayleen and Mia.
Whittier Union has welcomed Mr. Marvin Jacobo to the administration team at Pioneer High School, where he will serve as the new Assistant Principal of Business and Activities.
Jacobo is student-centered and passionate about supporting the entire school community. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal State Long Beach and began his teaching career as a high school Spanish Advanced Placement via Individual Determination (AVID) teacher.
As a former AVID student and teacher, Jacobo understands the importance of a college education. The last eight years of his educational career include educational leadership experience at the middle and high school levels.
“I am really excited about joining the Whittier Union High School District family and I look forward to serving the Titan community,” Jacobo said.
Jacobo has been married to his wife Jeannette for 11 years, and they have three children together. During his free time, he loves to grill and host family gatherings, watch sports and continue his dream of visiting every baseball stadium in the country.
Welcome to the Titan Family!
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Whittier High School Hosts Parent Support Groups During Summer Months
Whittier High School’s New Horizons Director Lou Muñoz (top), New Horizons College Advisor Heather Field (middle) and Mental Health Counselor Elizabeth Leal (bottom) lead a parent support group session for parents of incoming seniors.
This summer, Whittier High School hosted a series of Parent Support Groups aimed at helping parents understand how to guide their children through high school, better explain their academic and post-secondary options, and manage daily stressors induced by the pandemic.
At Whittier High, parent engagement and collaboration are key to ensuring students reach their full potential.
Whittier High offered a support group for the parents of incoming freshmen, which focused on helping them transition their student into high school. A support group was also offered for parents of seniors, helping them better understand how to manage the final year of high school.
“Senior year is the most stressful for students and their families with the various deadlines, applications and assignments that are due while students prepare for their post-secondary journeys,” New Horizons Director Lou Muñoz said. “Our goal this year is to help not only students, but their families as well feel supported and have access to resources.”
Whittier High will have Parent Support Groups throughout the school year, giving parents the opportunity to ask questions or express concerns that they may have as a parent.
“We want all of our parents to know that we are here to support them in their journey as high school parents,” Muñoz said. “There are many workshops, support groups, and learning opportunities for our parents and students this upcoming school year. The well-being of our students is important to us and we truly value working with our parents in order to ensure our students receive the necessary support.”
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Santa Fe High School Students Prepare for Start of 2021-22 School Year
Students from Santa Fe High School assist with the school’s Program Verification process in July.
Thrilled to be back on campus and see their peers, Santa Fe High School students prepared for the new school year by taking part in the school’s Program Verification process.
The Program Verification process, which occurred during the last week of July, gave students of all grades the opportunity to go to campus and pick up their books, technology and class schedules for the upcoming school year. Students also met their administrators and other Santa Fe staff!
“It has been really exciting to see so many of our students and get to meet them in-person as we prepare to return to school in August,” Principal Craig Campbell said.
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United Sierra Education Center Provides Summer Opportunities for More Than 400 Students
More than 400 students engaged in summer sessions and programs within the United Sierra Education Center, tackling new subjects and recovering credits ahead of the 2021-22 year.
At Frontier High School, students had a focused opportunity for credit recovery to ensure they could begin the 2021-22 school year on a strong note. Frontier students were able to take up to three classes in a traditional, in-person setting.
At Sierra Vista High School, students participated either in-person or virtually within the Independent Study setting, beginning new classes or recovering credits for their previously enrolled courses. Sierra Vista also saw the reopening of the Testing Center for live, in-person testing opportunities that had not been available since March 2020.
Whittier Union Adult School (WUAS) enjoyed a three-week session in July, with offerings that included targeted instruction in high school diploma and equivalency, as well as the successful electrician program. WUAS also introduced a brand-new vocational pathway class, Introduction to Construction.
The Transition Program welcomed more than 100 students and was excited to resume community-based experiences with its students.
The summer program ended on July 23 and in total, Sierra Vista celebrated 34 summer graduates, Frontier High School graduated 20 and Whittier Adult School yielded five summer graduates.
The United Sierra Education Center is eager to begin the 2021-22 school year after the very fruitful summer session!
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