South Whittier Elementary School District

South Whittier School District held its monthly board meeting on Tuesday, September 9th. The board and attendees heard four presentations. Presentations included the Teacher of the Year award, Classified Employee of the Year award, PBK Facilities Master Plan presentation, and the 2024-2025 Unaudited Actuals presentation.

 

2025-2026 Teacher of the Year

 

South Whittier School District’s Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, Dr. Ayala, presented this year’s Teacher of Year, Mr. James Lee, to the board.

 

Mr. Lee is the district’s music teacher. Dr. Ayala shared that Mr. Lee is a remarkable music educator whose enthusiasm for the arts has motivated and influenced many students. By combining creativity with dedication and a strong belief in his students’ abilities, he has created programs that not only teach musical skills but also build confidence, self-discipline, and a passion for learning. His classroom is a welcoming environment where students are encouraged, supported, and given the opportunity to grow with every lesson and performance.

 

Congratulations, Mr. Lee!

 

2025-2026 CSEA Classified Employee of the Year

 

South Whittier School District’s Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, Dr. Ayala, presented this year’s Classified Employee of the Year, Ms. Olivia Morquecho, to the board.

 

Dr. Ayala shared that as an attendance clerk, Ms. Morquecho is recognized throughout her school and the district for her professionalism, kindness, and dedication to both students and families. Her role extends well beyond keeping accurate records, she is often the first friendly face to greet families, provides support to staff, and helps keep daily operations running seamlessly. Her spirit of service reflects the best of our district and strengthens the sense of community we value.

 

Congratulations, Ms Morquecho!

 

PBK Facilities Master Plan

 

South Whittier School District Board received a presentation from consulting firm PBK outlining a proposed Facilities Master Plan. The comprehensive plan was developed using data collected earlier this year through a community-wide survey, as well as feedback gathered during leadership focus groups.

PBK’s assessment also included a detailed review of the condition of existing school facilities across the district. The study identified areas in need of upgrades, modernization, and potential new projects to better support student learning environments.

The board and district administration will begin evaluating project priorities. Decisions will be made with consideration of available funds from Bond Measure K to ensure the most impactful projects are addressed first.

The Facilities Master Plan will serve as a roadmap for guiding improvements across South Whittier schools, aligning resources with the community’s educational needs and long-term goals.

 

2024-2025 Unaudited Actuals

 

Associate Superintendent of Business Services, Aubrey Craig, presented the district’s 2024–2025 unaudited actuals to the board.

His presentation included an overview of general fund revenues and expenditures, as well as a comparison between estimated and unaudited actuals. He also reported on the district’s unrestricted general fund balance.

Looking ahead, Mr. Craig outlined the next steps which includes closely monitoring class sizes and enrollment, updating the budget and multi-year projections throughout the year, and completing an independent audit by December 15, 2025.

South Whittier School District will hold its next board meeting on Tuesday, October, 21, 2025.