We Are Wittmann and We Are Distinguished

During 's annual Open House, community members and school faculty along with students and their families took a moment to celebrate the accomplishment of  -- the third time the school has received the honor.

School principal, Mr. Patrick Walker emceed the May 22 festivities, which opened with a "Concert on the Green," featuring Wittmann’s beginning and advanced bands under the direction of Ms. Sue Kesinger and choral numbers taught by Ms. Linda Bon.

The official ceremony raising the 2012 California Distinguished School banner immediately followed these musical presentations. Cerritos Mayor Jim Edwards, Cerritos Councilman Mark Pulido, ABC Board President Olympia Chen, ABC Superintendent Dr. Gary Smuts, ABC Deputy Superintendent Dr. Mary Sieu, as well as other school district staff, joined the Wittmann faculty, staff and families to partake in this proud moment.

“Our whole school community—students, teachers, parents, business partners, and district support staff—own a piece of the fabric in that flag,” said Principal Walker. “Collaboration is a hallmark of Wittmann Elementary and we can all, collectively, take pride in seeing that banner fly over our school buildings.”

Selected students helped hoist the flag as the school band rumbled out a drum roll.  Once the flag reached its peak, the band played a rousing fanfare and the school choir closed with a patriotic song. 

One flag raiser, second grader Bella Reveles, pronounced, “I felt so proud of our school when I was raising the flag!”

After the program ended, the crowd dispersed - eating tasty meals from the gourmet food trucks, making classroom visits - parents and students checking off their list of “Things to See,” waiting in line for the tall inflatable slide, or buying summer book selections at the Book Fair Luau, organized by the PTA, under the leadership of Yolanda Williams. 

“This evening's event brought the Wittmann Family together for this school wide achievement. What better way to close out a year than to celebrate with the band, choir, distinguished guests, and fellow Wittmann Warriors; and oh by the way, eat GREAT food and have GREAT fun,” said Varick Williams, Wittmann School Education Foundation (WSEF) President.

Since opening its doors in 1974, Helen Wittmann Elementary has been recognized as a California Distinguished School in 2004, 2008 and now 2012.  Wittmann’s mission is,  “We strive to educate students and to assist them in realizing their full potential as responsible, productive, contributing members of society by providing an educational environment in which students are challenged, excellence is expected and differences are valued.”

- Wittmann Elementary School