Longtime La Serna High School principal and Whittier Union educator Ann Fitzgerald has been appointed to serve as the District’s new assistant superintendent of personnel services effective July 1, 2020.
Fitzgerald will replace Kevin Jamero, who has held the post for four years. Jamero has been appointed assistant superintendent of business services, replacing Dr. Monica Oviedo, who will serve as assistant superintendent of educational services. The shifts follow the announcement of Deputy Superintendent Loring Davies’ retirement at the end of the school year.
“Throughout her career in Whittier Union, Ann has been an innovative leader and a great role model and ambassador in the community,” Superintendent Martin Plourde said. “Her intimate knowledge of our District has been vital to our success and will serve us well as she continues to work collaboratively with our administrators, teachers and staff at every level in her new role.”
Born and raised in Whittier and a graduate of Whittier College, Fitzgerald began her teaching career at La Serna in 1994. She was appointed as assistant principal of curriculum and instruction in 2003 and was named principal of the Lancer campus in 2012.
Over the course of her career, Fitzgerald has been instrumental to the success of La Serna’s rising academic student achievement, attributed to its bell schedule, which provides intervention support for students during the school day. The structured program has led to a 96% daily attendance rate, 98% graduation rate and nearly 70% of all graduates meeting college entrance requirements.
“Whittier Union is an exceptional place to learn, work and develop as an educator,” Fitzgerald said. “Our teachers, staff and administrators all work together in close collaboration for the benefit of our students and I look forward to building on that strong foundation with our teachers and staff.”
She was named the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 15 Principal of the Year in 2019.
Whittier Union will form a selection process to appoint a new principal for La Serna.
Published March 17, 2020