After serving as principal here for seven years since 2014, the Fullerton Joint Union High School District [FJUHSD] has promoted Allen Whitten to a new position as the FJUHSD’s director of Student Support Services.

“I am very excited for this new opportunity, but I will miss Sunny Hills and all of the incredible students and staff, of course,” said Whitten, who will remain as principal until the end of the first semester on Dec. 17. 

Though he will start a new position next year, the principal maintained that his time at Sunny Hills has been “the best seven years of my life.”

After two rounds of interviews among several applicants, recommendation for Board approval will take place Dec. 14, a Dec. 1 announcement from the FJUHSD said. 

“I was thrilled to have advanced through the process and to ultimately be selected,” he said. “[My goals are to] support students and staff across the district with creative solutions to a broad range of challenges faced.”

SH students and families were first notified of the administrative appointment through an email announcement from Whitten Dec. 1 in which the FJUHSD announcement was also attached.

“Please join us in congratulating Allen Whitten as our new director, Student Support Services,” according to the FJUHSD statement. “Under his leadership we look forward to building additional support programs for all of our students and staff members throughout FJUHSD.”

Sunny Hills will have an interim principal starting next January while the FJUHSD will hold an interview process to find Whitten’s replacement. No information was available as of Tuesday, Dec. 7, as to who that person will be.

Be sure to check The Accolade’s online news website for a subsequent story containing reactions from school officials and students about Whitten’s new role in the district and what their thoughts are for what aspects the new SH leader should embody.