South Whittier School District held its monthly board meeting on Tuesday, September 8. During the meeting the Board and attendees heard three presentations: the announcement of the 2026–2027 Teacher of the Year, the announcement of the 2026–2027 Classified Employee of the Year, and the presentation of the 2025–2026 Unaudited Actuals.

 

2026-2027 Teacher of the Year

 

South Whittier School District announced Los Altos Teacher, Olegario Acosta, as its Teacher of the Year for the 2026–2027 school year, honoring more than two decades of dedication to the district's students and families.

Associate Superintendent of Human Resources, Dr. Marti Ayala, honored Mr. Acosta sharing his teaching style is marked by versatility and warmth — one moment he might be leading an engaging classroom lesson, and the next he can be found outside on the field, playing soccer alongside his students during recess.

Read more about Mr. Acosta’s recognition here.

 

2026-2027 CSEA Classified Employee of the Year

 

South Whittier School District has named Rochelle Morris, of Loma Vista, as its Classified Employee of the Year for the 2026–2027 school year, recognizing her steadfast dedication to students, staff, and the broader school community.

In presenting the award, Dr. Ayala expressed her gratitude for Morris's contributions, calling her a truly deserving representative of South Whittier's values. "We are very lucky to have you," she shared, "and I can't think of a more deserving person to represent South Whittier as our Classified Employee of the Year. Congratulations!"

Read more about Ms. Rochelle Morris’ recognition here.

 

2025-2026 Unaudited Actuals

 

Associate Superintendent of Business Services, Joanne Chan, gave a presentation on 2025-2026 unaudited actuals.

The presentation covered the financial data reflecting the District’s fiscal position as of June 30, 2026. This data must be approved by the board before it is sent to LACOE and goes through an independent audit process.

The presentation shared the data and numbers in the general fund balance including restricted and revenues and expenditures. The presentation then showed the comparison between the estimated budget and actuals for both revenues and expenditures. Lastly, Ms. Chan showed trends that can impact the district budget.

Next steps would be to monitor and update multi-year projections, monitor expenditures, and have an independent audit.

 

Unless otherwise posted, the next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.