Principal's Message
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the online home of the Whittier High School Cardinals. Whittier High School has been serving students and their families in the Whittier community since 1900. As the principal of WHS, it is my honor to uphold the legacy of excellence that generations of Cardinals have built over the past 119 years.
The Whittier High School mission is to graduate self-directed, productive members of the global society who, by virtue of rigorous curriculum and creative instruction forged in and out of the classroom, are prepared for all post-high school endeavors. This mission statement was crafted with input from all stakeholder groups including faculty, students, and parents and I believe that it is an excellent representation of our core values.
A tremendously talented and dedicated staff of teachers, counselors, and other personnel work tirelessly to support this mission. We have built a fully comprehensive academic curriculum that includes English, Math, Social Studies, Science, World Languages, Physical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and Career Technical Education. We offered 20 different Advanced Placement (AP) courses in 2018-2019 and administered nearly 700 AP exams in May. We offer the PSAT for free to all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students as well as the SAT for 11th and 12th graders. Over 40% of Whittier High School students take Honors or Advanced Placement coursework at any given time and the percentage of our graduates who meet the A-G requirements is significantly above the California state average. We were proud to have 2 valedictorians and 4 salutatorians in the class of 2019 who earned straight-As for all four years of high school with no more than two Bs during their high school careers. Those six students will be attending outstanding colleges and universities such as Whittier College, UC Santa Barbara, Mississippi St, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, and USC.
Our team here at Whittier High School is also dedicated to serving the whole student and providing a comprehensive four-year high school experience for all. We have 18 varsity sports teams competing in the Del Rio League and we earn multiple CIF playoff berths every year. We have amazing performance groups including Drama (which puts on two full productions each year), Dance, Cheer, Choir and our Cardinal Brigade Marching Band and Color Guard. We have amazing leadership opportunities for students including our Associated Student Body (ASB), Link Crew / Senators, and our award-winning Academic Mentor program. With all of these opportunities, in addition to the roughly 30 clubs we have on campus, there is most definitely something for everyone at Whittier High School.
Whittier High School is proud to have received recognition for its accomplishments both statewide and beyond. Whittier is a California Gold Ribbon School for its excellent implementation of new state standards. Whittier has won two Golden Bell Awards from the California School Boards Association for its innovative block schedule with embedded support for all students and for its Academic Mentor program. Whittier holds a "six-clear" accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, which is WASC's highest level of accreditation. US News and World Report ranks Whittier High School among the top 2400 high schools nationally and in the top 450 high schools in California.
It truly is humbling to serve such an accomplished school community. If there is ever anything that we can do for you, or if you have any questions, please feel free to call our offices at 562-698-8121 x2000 and it will be our pleasure to assist you.
Sincerely,
Timothy J. Liggett
“Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal”