Whittier Union Board of Trustees makes appointment for upcoming board vacancy – Whittier Daily News
Whittier Union High School District’s Board of Trustees have voted to appoint a new member, Josefina Canchola, to serve the remainder of retiring board member Ralph Pacheco’s term.
Pacheco announced his retirement from the board to his colleagues and community members in early April. He has served on the board for 32 years and serves as the board’s vice president.
Following the announcement of Pacheco’s retirement, which will be effective Friday, July 7, the board unanimously voted in favor of a provisional appointment to fill the Trustee seat.
The board then interviewed six candidates, all of whom reside within the Trustee Area 3 boundaries in the cities of Santa Fe Springs and Norwalk, during a special board meeting this month.
At the conclusion of the interviews, the board deliberated during open session and then voted to appoint a provisional seat to Canchola, who will take the oath of office and begin her tenure on Tuesday, July 18.
“This is more than an honor, to me, it’s a responsibility because I’m not only looking at giving back to the local community,” Canchola said in a statement, “but trying to build more opportunities for our local scholars and to create strong connections between families and the school district.”
“Not only do we want to provide our students with a really amazing academic experience, but we also want to tap into their natural talents and support them in whatever their path will be,” she added.
Canchola, who earned a bachelor’s in sociology from the UC Riverside and a master’s in management from the University of Phoenix, currently serves as the director of secondary programs for the Puente Project – a statewide non-profit academic preparation program that works to increase the number of first-generation college students in underrepresented communities.
Canchola also serves as a senior advisor, staff developer and trainer for the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project and is the president-elect for the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, we want to extend our sincerest thanks and appreciation for the six candidates who demonstrated tremendous commitment to our students during the entire selection and interview process,” Board President Jaime López said in a statement.
“While we will miss Dr. Pacheco’s insight and presence, we are looking forward to this new chapter for the Board and we are excited to begin a strong and productive partnership with Josefina Canchola,” López said. “She will be an excellent leader for our Whittier Union community.”
Canchola will serve the remainder of Pacheco’s term from July 2023 through the first Friday of December 2024.
“We are delighted to welcome Josefina Canchola as a member of the Board as we continue to pursue our mission ‘To Achieve and Maintain Excellence,’” Superintendent Monica Oviedo said. “She will bring an outstanding perspective and high-level expertise to her role.”