South Whittier School District is stepping into the new school year with four new principals, a new vice principal, and a new director.
Meet our new administrators and learn more about them!
Graves Middle School — Principal: Jason Hernandez
Mr. Jason Hernandez is the new principal of Richard L. Graves Middle School bringing 21 years of experience as an educator.
Mr. Hernandez’s experience as an educator has primarily been in the southeast Los Angeles area. He has held various leadership roles, including Dean of Students, Principal, and Director of Student Services. He is dedicated to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where all students thrive.
As a dedicated leader focused on the success and well-being of every student at GMS, Mr. Hernandez believes in the power of education to transform lives. As the school principal, he is committed to building a supportive and inclusive environment and values collaboration with all educational partners. His goal is to ensure the community's needs are met and that students receive an education that prepares them to be college—and workforce-ready for the challenges of the future.
Graves Middle School — Vice Principal: Myra Torres
Ms. Myra Torres is the new Vice Principal at Richard L Graves Middle School. She joins GMS having dedicated the past 24 years of her life to the field of Education working with socially and economically disadvantaged students and multilinguals.
Ms. Torres grew up in East Los Angeles and Guadalajara, Mexico, and is proud to be bilingual, bicultural, and bi-literate in Spanish and English. She was the first to graduate high school and college in her family. Ms. Torres has two older sons and one teenage daughter.
Ms. Torres obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from Cal State Dominguez Hills and a Master’s Degree in Education from Loyola Marymount University in 2003. She has experience teaching students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade and served as a TOSA, teacher on special assignment, and an induction mentor for new teachers trying to obtain their teaching credential.
In addition, Ms. Torres made remarkable contributions towards the dual language immersion programs at Daniel Phelan Language Academy and Katherine Edwards Middle School STEAM and Dual Language Immersion Academy, and was the recipient of the Outstanding Bilingual Educator from Los Angeles County award in 2016.
“I have developed a deep passion for fostering academic excellence, collaboration, and nurturing a strong environment where students can thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. I look forward to growing as a leader and serving the school community of Richard L. Graves Middle School.”
Carmela Elementary — Principal: Dr. Patricia Magaña
Dr. Patricia Magaña is the new principal at Carmela Elementary. She is an experienced educator and dedicated leader passionate about student success and community engagement.
Dr. Magaña grew up in Bell Gardens, a community much like South Whittier, and knows firsthand the impact a great school experience can have. She earned her doctoral degree in Latino Parent Engagement, highlighting her commitment to strong family-school partnerships.
With a background in innovative teaching and strategic educational leadership, Dr. Magaña has served as an educator, and school leader in Chula Vista and now leads Carmela Elementary. She focuses on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where every student can thrive.
By working closely with teachers, parents, and the community, Dr. Magaña aims to give students the support they need to reach their full potential, achieve their hopes, and follow their dreams.
Lake Marie Elementary — Principal: Linda Eazor
Ms. Linda Eazor is the new principal at Lake Marie Elementary and brings 18 years of education experience. Her previous role was as an Instructional Coach in South Whittier School District.
Ms. Eazor grew up in Pico Rivera, and experienced a close-knit community where she attended elementary school with many of the same friends through high school. Her own education in public schools was enjoyable and rewarding and it prepared her to be able to make choices about her future. As an educator, she firmly believes that every student deserves a high-quality, rigorous, and relevant education that prepares them for college, careers, and active citizenship.
She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Whittier College, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, and a Master's Degree in Education with a focus on Bilingual Education. She also obtained her Administrative Services credential from Cal Poly Pomona.
Ms. Eazor has experience as a classroom teacher, teaching kindergarten, fourth, and sixth grades. She utilized this classroom experience as an English Learner Coordinator, AVID Coordinator, and most recently as an Instructional Coach. Her administrative roles at South Whittier elementary and middle schools allowed her to support students, families, and community. She is proud to be bilingual and bicultural as it has helped her foster meaningful connections through direct conversations in Spanish with South Whittier students and families.
“Lake Marie Elementary is dedicated to sustaining an excellent learning environment, as demonstrated by their PBIS Gold recognition. The professional team at Lake Marie is uniquely talented and gifted in ways that can make a positive life changing impact for our scholars everyday. I am proud to join this team.
As we embark on this new journey together, I am excited to work with you in partnership to prepare our scholars for college and career, and to celebrate the achievements and efforts of our school. I am eager to learn about our students and families and to contribute to achieving our school's Mission and Vision. I am thrilled to be a Leopard, and together we will ROARS!”
McKibben Elementary — Principal: Christian Alcalá
Mr. Christian Alcalá is the new principal at Howard J. McKibben Elementary. He comes to McKibben in his 20th year in education, and is proud to be at a dual language school where he can use his bilingual skills to connect with students and families.
Mr. Alcalá was born and raised in East Los Angeles. He started his work in education as an instructional assistant for four years in an LAUSD elementary school, supporting first and second-grade classrooms and leading reading intervention groups with fourth-grade special education students.
He graduated from California State University with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Elementary School Education as well as his multiple subject teaching credential in 2009. He received his master's in Educational Administration and administrative credential from Concordia University, Irvine. Before becoming an administrator in 2019, Mr. Alcalá was a classroom teacher for ten years teaching grades first through third. Prior to joining South Whittier School District, he was an administrator for five years in different roles. He has served as a dean, assistant principal, and interim principal.
Mr. Alcalá loves collaborating with colleagues and families to do whatever it takes to ensure his students reach high levels of academic and social-emotional learning and achievement. He firmly believes in data-driven instruction because he has personally seen how monitoring student learning and tailoring instruction to student needs has a tremendous impact on student achievement. Mr. Alcalá is passionate about educational justice and ensuring all our kids achieve excellence.
District Office - Director of Community Schools: Karina Hartl
Ms. Karina Hartl is the new Director of Community Schools bringing 26 years of dedicated experience in education to her new role. Ms. Hartl most recently served as Carmela Elementary’s principal.
With 16 years of teaching experience, experience as a coordinator, and most recently as the Principal of Carmela Elementary for the past five years, Ms. Hartl has a deep understanding of the educational landscape.
A proud product of the South Whittier School District, Ms. Hartl was an English learner who attended Loma Vista and Graves Middle School. Her roots in the community fuel her passion for serving its educational partners.
Ms. Hartl's goals are to support the community by focusing on the whole child, providing integrated student support, fostering strong family and community engagement, and ensuring success for every student. She is committed to ensuring that every student and family feels valued and supported in their educational journey.