Trustee Area 4 Update
East Whittier City School District Appoints Thomas Baird to Trustee Area 4
The East Whittier City School District Board of Education appointed Whittier resident Thomas Baird to serve as the Trustee for Area 4 during the March 9, 2026, meeting.
Mr. Baird will serve the remainder of the term through November 2026. His appointment follows a selection process in which the Board of Education interviewed six candidates to fill the vacant seat.
The vacancy is being filled through a provisional appointment, which allows the Board of Education to temporarily appoint a qualified resident. The seat will be up for election during the November 2026 general election.
Please be advised that unless a petition calling for a special election pursuant to Education Code 5091 is filed in the office of the L.A. County Superintendent within 30 days of the provisional appointment, it shall become an effective appointment.
The window for applications has closed for the Trustee Area 4 Vacancy for the East Whittier City School District Board of Education. After reviewing each application and supporting documents, there are six candidates eligible to fill the vacancy. Candidates will be interviewed at the Board of Education Meeting on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at the Dorothy Fagan Education Center at 14535 E. Whittier Blvd. Whittier, CA 90605.
The Trustee Area 4 candidates are:
- Thomas Baird
- Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.
- Alex Loya
- Ricardo Mendoza
- Michelle Alicia Ortiz
- Desiree G. Quintero
The EWCSD community is welcome to attend this open meeting. Persons wishing to address the Board of Education must submit a public comment card by 3:00 p.m. on March 9, 2026, to Belinda Valenzuela. A livestream of this Board Meeting will also be available via the East Whittier City School District YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/c/EastWhittierCitySchoolDistrict
East Whittier City School District Accepting Applications for Trustee Area 4
The East Whittier City School District will be accepting applications from community members for the vacancy in Trustee Area 4 beginning February 3, 2026 (pending Board of Education approval on February 2, 2026). The link for the application will be active on February 3, 2026, pending Board of Education approval on February 2, 2026. All candidates must reside in Trustee Area 4 (please see the link for CVRA-Trustee Map below). The appointed candidate will serve on the Board of Education through November 2026, when the term expires.
The application window opens on February 3, 2026, and closes at 4:00 p.m. on February 27, 2026. A hard copy of the application, along with the proof of residency in Trustee Area 4, will be accepted in the Superintendent’s Office of the East Whittier City School District located at 14535 E. Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90605, except on the following dates and times:
- Monday, February 9, 2026
- Monday, February 16, 2026
To be eligible to apply, the following criteria must be met:
- 18 years or older
- A citizen of California
- A resident of Trustee Area 4
- A registered voter
- Not disqualified by the Constitution or laws of the state from holding a civil office (felony convictions, etc.)
- Driver’s license/State ID
- Utility bill
- Voter registration
- Pay stub
- Property tax records
Applications will be reviewed the week of March 2, 2026. Eligible applicants will be contacted for individual interviews that will take place at a Special Board Meeting on Monday, March 9, 2026, during open session.
For additional information or questions, please contact Belinda Valenzuela at [email protected] or call (562) 907-5959.
Please see the application form and Trustee Area Map below.
Trustee Area 4 Application