Board of Education
- Establishing a vision for the district
- Establishing and maintaining a basic organizational structure for the district, including employment of the Superintendent and adoption of policies, curriculum, the budget, and the collective bargaining agreement
- Ensuring accountability to the local community, including personnel, programmatic and fiscal accountability and service as a judicial and appeals body as needed
- Providing community leadership and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels on behalf of children, district programs and public education
- The Board is authorized to establish and finance any program or activity that is not in conflict with, inconsistent with, or preempted by law. (Education Code 35160)
Richard “Rick” Hever is a 40 plus year resident of Whittier. A graduate of El Rancho High School. Married to wife Bernadette Hever for 35 years. They have two adult children, both of whom graduated from Whittier High School. Their daughter, Andrea Hever, graduated from Biola University with a B.A. in Communications. Their son, Isaiah Hever, currently works for the City of Los Angeles as an Equipment Operator.
Rick is newly retired from the City of Los Angeles where he worked for thirty-five years as a Refuse Collection Truck Operator. He is currently a representative of Primerica Financial Services. He is a skilled craftsman in woodworking. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends. Rick served as a Royal Ranger Commander for twelve years, a Sunday School Teacher for over thirty years and he has participated in mission trips to Ensenada Mexico. His goals in life are: to glorify the Lord in word and deed, to be a role model and to serve his community.
Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
Elected to the Board in 2022. Current term through November 2026
Elizabeth “Liz” Leon is an English Language Arts teacher of 19 years in the city of Norwalk, CA. She’s a proud product of Whittier schools. She graduated from UCLA and earned her Masters degree from LMU. Liz is a Girl Scout troop leader & Boy Scout mom. Her children currently attend Whittier schools, because this is the best school district in the area.
As a board member, Liz’s priorities are shaped by the desire for all students to have access to an education that will prepare them for the careers they’ll encounter as adults. She cares deeply about student achievement in English, math, and science, and serves on the School Board to maintain Whittier City School District as an inclusive and welcoming community
