South Whittier School District held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, November 5, to commemorate the grand opening of their new Family Resource Center at Monte Vista that will provide support services to South Whittier families.
The event began with an opening from South Whittier Superintendent, Dr. Gonzales. He welcomed attendees and shared, “Our goal in South Whittier is to have happy smart kids, and we know by working with families and the community, we can make that happen.”
Dr. Reanna Mendoza, the Director of Assessment, Accountability and Parent Engagement, then address attendees sharing the vision for the Center.
“The district has had a vision for providing support services for the whole child for several years. They have been strategic by adding additional personnel like district, site liaisons, a wellness manager and licensed clinical social workers. Knowing that the family is the first teacher we are leveraging these personnel to provide a space where families may come for educational growth, resources and connection to the community.”
The Center has a variety of rooms with specific purposes that are available to all South Whittier School District families. The Center has three Parent Education Rooms that will be used for free ESL and literacy classes, mental health workshops, and more. The Center also has a Computer Room that will be used to teach basic computer skills and will be available for open use for those who do not have access to a computer at home. There is a Conference Center for large group learning, a Homeless/Foster Resource Room that will provide resources like clothing, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, backpacks and other school supplies, and lastly, a Childcare Room so that parents can be free to utilize the learning resources.
Senator Archuleta and a representative from Supervisor Janice Hahn’s office, Ivan Sulic, both attended the ceremony and shared their excitement and enthusiasm for the Center and the resources that it will be offering to the community.
“We are so pleased at the resources this Center will offer, particularly to those families in need,” Ivan Sulic shared. “So we really want to congratulate the District.”
After the ribbon cutting, attendees were able to enjoy refreshments, tour the Center, and hear about the purposes for each space from the District’s Community Liaisons.