2008 and speaks nat ona ly about
his message to more than 1 million
Parents and guardians are en-
at the Clovis High gymnasium and
Center on the Clovis North High
during school hours Sept. 12 at
and Sept. 14 at Clovis West and
its election process. The
dates: cusd.com
Chris Herren
sharing
signs
“Helping students
challenges” and

	CUSD
September 2023
	
	NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID FRESNO, CA
PERMIT NO. 220
			
	School District Ave.
611
		
	Clovis Unified S 1450 Herndon Clovis, CA 936
	
Clovis Unified School District — DEVELOPING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY & SPIRIT	Volume 26, No. 2

FOLLOW US ON	AND AT	M

Back in Action 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Pom-poms, cheers and high fives greeted Clovis Unified School District’s approximate 43,200 students on the first days of the new school year. Many of the district’s 52 sites held special activities as part of the return to campus. Pictured, clockwise from right: Young Elementary second grade teacher Nicolette Santos warmly welcomes her new students. Jefferson Elementary fourth-grade teacher Tyler Ford helps kids find him during the annual Bell Ringing Ceremony. Reagan Elementary had a photo booth with the T’Wolf as new students joined the Pack. Buchanan High leadership students cheer as students return. Stay informed about district resources: cusd.com/2023-24SchoolYear

‰ See Page 9 for “First Day of School” pictures
shared by parents, like this one of Parker, starting his very first day of Transitional Kindergarten!

High school students to hear former NBA star player’s road to recovery

See Page 5
This month, Clovis Unified high school students and parents will	‰
hear a very candid message about	for related article
navigate today’s
the spiraling path to addiction and the difficult journey out of it when former Fresno State and NBA bas-
his story.
ketball star Chris Herren shares	more about CUSD’s From Sept. 11-14, Herren will	Comprehensive
be the guest speaker at student as-	Wellness project semblies at all district high schools
and two parent nights, where he’ll
drug and alcohol abuse. The events
are sponsored by the Fo ndation
and empowering hi audience to
abuse.
share his message about preventing	people, sparking honest discussions for Clovis Schools withusupport	consider the sources of substance from partners Kaiser Permanente
“It’s critical that we do all we
that will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 11
and Community Medical Center.	couraged to attend one of the two can to educate and inform families	free evening sessions with Herren about life-impacting topics like
Sept. 13 at the Performing Arts
this,” said Foundation Chairperson Mike Fennacy. “Chris’ compelling
at addiction, including some of
that students and parents need to
ow.”
to help as they parent heir chil-
en.
also speaks
first-hand story gives a closer look	campus. Attendees will gain valu-to parents the temptations and warning signs	able insights, tools and t resources Sept. 11, 13, knHerren has been sober since	dr Student assemblies will be held
13 at Gateway and Clovis High;
warning his career, addictioniandl sobriety	Clovis North and Clovis East; Sept. with the goal of making a positive
difference in the lives of others.
He’s answered questions and given	‰ Please see Herren,Page 9

District elections may change

The Clovis Unified
Governing Board is con- ‰ JOIN THE CONVERSATION sidering steps to change n Public hearings: Sept. 6, 20, Oct. 4, 18

Clovis Unified School n Online comment form, proposals, up-
District is divided into n “2 Minutes Today”explanation video: seven trustee areas, with	emailing Sept. 5
a representative from
each area elected at-large to the Governing Board by voters throughout the entire district. Proposed changes would result in voters of an area voting only for their trustee area’s representative.
Comments and input from the community about the proposal can be offered to the board at upcoming public hearings or on an online comment form available in multiple languages at cusd.com. Trustee areas do not affect school boundary attendance areas.
At its Aug. 16 meeting, the Governing Board reviewed the process for transitioning from an at-large to a by-district election model and the steps outlined in Education and Election codes, and it held the first of five public hearings. Future hearings are scheduled Sept. 6, 20, Oct. 4 and 18 as part of the board’s regular meetings at 6:30 p.m. in the CUSD Professional Development Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way in Clovis.
As part of the process, under consideration is a review of the trustee boundary areas. They were most recently updated in 2022 by the board based on the outcomes of the 2020 decennial (10-year) census data to balance the population within each area.
Upon conclusion of the CUSD public hearings this fall and final determination by the Clovis Unified board in October, the Fresno County Committee on School District Organization would be next in line to review, hold a public hearing and take action whether to approve election process changes. If approved, the changes would be in place for the next CUSD board member elections in the fall of 2024.
More information about the trustee election proposal, policies, recent board presentation, timeline and comment form are available at cusd.com.

Page 2

‰ Announcements

Bonner awards for T’Wolves, Bears Three Clovis Unified secondary schools were awarded

the Virtues and Character Recognition Award by the Fresno State Kremen School of Education and Human Development Bonner Advisory Board. The Bonner Award recognizes schools’ dedication to character development and civic ed-ucation, and it alternates years between honoring elementary schools and secondary (intermediate and high schools). Congratulations to this year’s secondary school recipients Buchanan High, Clovis East High and Reyburn Interme-diate.
State of the District, Sept. 28
Clovis Unified Superintendent Corrine Folmer, Ed.D., will give a report on the district and discuss future goals at the annual State of the District Breakfast
Sept. 28. Folmer will discuss 2022-23 academic achievements, financial bench-marks and goals for the upcoming school year. The breakfast is at 7 a.m. at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District, 808 Fourth St., Clovis. Tickets may be pur-chased by Sept. 22 at FoundationFor-ClovisSchools.com or by calling 327-9090. Proceeds benefit the Foundation
for Clovis Schools, a nonprofit organization that provides student scholarships and classroom grants.
CE opens ‘Addams Family’ Sept. 28 Kicking off the drama season for

Clovis Unified high schools this fall will be the hilarious musical comedy “The Addams Family” performed by Clovis East High. Enjoy the “creepy and kooky” antics of macabre parents Morticia and Gomez who find out their daughter, Wednesday, has fallen in love with a boy very different than their family. The production is PG13. Show-time will be 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 5-7 at the Mercedes Edwards The-
atre, 902 Fifth St., Clovis. For information and tickets: ClovisEastWolfpackDrama.com
‘Noises Off’ by BHS starts Oct. 5
The laughter will continue as Buchanan High which tells the story of a manic menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called “Nothing’s On.” Doors slamming on and offstage, intrigue and an errant herring all figure in the plot of this hilarious comic play. Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. Oct 5-7 and 11-14; and 2 p.m. matinees Oct. 7 and 14 at Pessano Theater, 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno. For information and tickets: bearstage.org.

CUSD Today

CUSD Band Night, Nov. 1
For a musical delight and rare sight, watch all 10 Clovis Unified intermediate and high school marching bands and color guards perform at CUSD Band Night. Held at 6 p.m. Nov. 1 at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the Buchanan High campus, the entire ensemble will play together the National Anthem before conducting individual performances. The night gives student musicians the opportunity to watch, cheer and enjoy the many talented bands of Clovis Unified.

New ed center underway
The Terry Bradley Educational Center, Clovis Unified’s next educational center that will be home to the district’s sixth intermediate school and high school, will hold a Ground Breaking Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 17 as con-struction is beginning at the site. The yet-named schools, to be located at Leonard and Highland avenues north of McKinley Avenue, are needed to accommodate projected growth in student enrollment and ease current overcrowding at several schools.
A steering committee has begun analyzing data needed to create potential boundary maps that will be the subject of community-wide meetings after the first of the year. Community meetings starting in January 2024 will allow for the public to review possible attendance map scenarios and provide comment before a final map is developed for consideration by the Governing Board in May. An online information center will also be maintained during the boundary development process where members of our community can submit feedback and find details of the process used to develop and weigh various attendance boundary options for the new campus.
The Bradley Center is set to open in phases beginning Fall of 2025. Look for updates: cusd.com.

Parent Academy workshops
Clovis Unified Supplemental Service’s Parent Academy hosts free, monthly Parent Night workshops for parents to learn about the many district resources and programs available to help their child. Upcoming meetings and topics include:
n Sept. 12 – “Starting the Year Off Right!” How to col-laborate with your child’s school site, how to access 24-hour free tutoring, how to help your child with homework and tips about parent hacks will be shared.
n Sept. 26 – “What Parents Need to Know About Vaping” n Oct. 10 – “Social Media & Its Impact on Our Students” n Oct. 24 – “Substance Abuse Prevention”
n Nov. 7 – “Social Emotional Supports & Suicide Preven-tion”
Workshops are held at the CUSD Professional Learning Center, 326 N. Clovis Ave., in Clovis, with free dinner and childcare at 5:30 p.m., and the workshop at 6 p.m. Topics were selected based on parent feedback and requests. To register for a Parent Night or to find out more about the Parent Academy, visit: cusd.com/ParentAcademy.

September 2023

Bring on the Heat!
The future Satoshi Hirayama Elementary School will have “The Heat” as the school mascot and its colors will be red, Vegas gold and white. The Governing Board’s approved the items recently for what will be the district’s 35th ele-mentary school, currently under construction at Fowler and McKinley avenues in Fresno.
Hirayama Principal Laura Reynolds gathered ideas and feedback from the family of the school namesake – Japanese American, former MLB player and Clovis Unified educator and administrator Satoshi Hirayama – the community, students and employees about the selection. Reynolds said there was a desire to honor the heritage of Hirayama; affiliate with something significant about the Central Valley; ignite passion in mind, body and spirit; and be, in the words of one student, “fierce!”
In her presentation to the board, Reynolds shared a quote by William Yates that she hopes to see reflected in the school’s culture: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Learn more: Hirayama.cusd.com.
SPECIAL EDUCATION

The Clovis Unified School District offers a variety of special education services and programs to serve children with com-municative, physical, learning, emotional and other special needs. These services and programs are available to all qualified children in public schools and, to a limited degree, children in private schools.
Special education services are provided only to children who have been found eligible through a process of testing and other assessments and when it is determined that their needs cannot be met using the resources of the general education program. Parents, teachers or other concerned individuals can refer a child for assessment and determination of eligibil-ity.
To learn more about special education services and the special education referral process, contact Clovis Unified School District Special Education Department at 327-9400. Advisory committee meetings

Clovis Unified holds regular meetings throughout the year of its Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that are open to the public. The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Special Education Local Plan Area. Its goal is to raise community awareness about the needs of students and their families regarding Special Education programs and to provide information, workshops and resources to families to help ensure that quality programs educate the student with exceptional needs in mind, body and spirit.
CAC meetings are held from noon to 1 p.m. at the CUSD Professional Development Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis, and a complimentary lunch is provided. Dates and topics for the school year are:
n Nov. 15 – “Support Services”
n Feb. 28 – “Individual Transition Plans (ITP)”
n May 15 – “Annual Service Plan Review, SPED Budget and Student Voices”

SPORTS

September 2023	CUSD Today	Page 3

Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are named n Sports-greats to share stories at event

Athletes advance to college level
The community is invited to meet some of Clovis Unified athletic leg-ends – athletes, coaches and support-ers – who helped build the district sports programs into the powerhouse
teams they are today.	‰ CUSD Athletic Hall
Clovis Unified will induct its Sev-          of Fame                                 Final sport signings of the 2022-23 school year     Wrestling, Menlo College; Jordyn Kwalwasser, Vol-enth Class into the Athletic Hall of          n 6 p.m. reception                     resulted in more than 60 Clovis Unified seniors     leyball, Cosumnes River College; Cole Lomeli, Soccer,
Buchanan High
Shaghoian Concert
Hall on Clovis North
Fame in a showcase event planned	7 p.m. ceremony	making commitments to play for colleges around	Westmont College; Mason Martino, Baseball, Ottawa for October. The ceremony will in-         n Oct. 28	the nation. Congratulations to:	University Arizona; Erika Nyberg, Track, West Point; clude highlight videos and on-stage        n                                                                                                                                                       Celine Ramos, Softball, Culver Stockton College;
Devin Alexander, Wrestling, Cal Poly San Luis
Cooley, Cheer Stunt, Cal Baptist University; Mark
son Sandoval, Baseball, Fresno Pacific University;
Fresno State
decades in Clovis Unified sports and
from the community. This year’s Hall
campus
interviews.
interviews with honorees.                                                                                                                                                                Nathaniel Ramos, Football, Culver Stockton College; The inductees represent different       n Legendary athletes.               Obispo; Autianna Buck, Softball, San Francisco State;     Katrina Rodriguez, Softball, Hope International; Car-were determined by a committee that         Videos. On-stage                    Kannon Campbell, Wrestling, Menlo College; Hailey     Lamaj Travis, Football, Fort Hays State; Emma Vertiz, received numerous nominations             n Admission is free.                   Ensalaco, Volleyball, Menlo College; Mason Espinoza,     Water Polo, Long Beach State; Kylie Ward, Track,
Clovis High
of Fame Class includes:
n
Jason Donald – Baseball, Buchanan High
Wrestling, Cal Baptist; Mekhi Johnson, Football, Central Washington University; Nina Navarrette,
n
Elise Krieghoff – Basketball, Soccer, Buchanan High
n
Jack Mattox – Football, Basketball, Track, Clovis High
n
Chad McCarty – Soccer, Clovis High
n
James Patrick – Baseball Coach, Clovis High
Track & Field, Biola University; Regino Raiz, Wrestling,	Grace Carpenter, Softball, University of La Verne; Clackamus College; Keanu Trelles, Wrestling, Cal     Logan Carpenter, Football, Simpson University; Eli Baptist University; James Watney, Golf, Saint Mary’s     Henderson, Baseball, Cedarville University; Tyler College; Zach Weaver, Track and Field, Arizona State     Hodges, Wrestling, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Dario
Clovis East High
Ava Benavides, Softball, Cal State East Bay; Sierra
Craig, Basketball, Reedley College; L.J. Fernandez,
Limon, Wrestling, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Devin
Nicolas Muro, Football, Simpson University; Tyler
n
1991 Clovis High Football Team
n Stephen Tirapelle – Wrestling Coach, Clovis High	University	Lemus, Wrestling, University of Maryland; Zach n 1974, 1975, 1976 & 1978 Clovis High Girls Tennis Teams                                                                                                   Miller, Girls Basketball, Fresno Pacific University; n Carlo Prandini, Ed.D., will be receiving the Doc Buchanan	Coyne, Water Polo, Fresno Pacific University; Carlos	Chloe Mortensen, Soccer, Fresno Pacific University;
Soccer, Eastern Oregon University; Kylie Johnson,
lard, Swimming, Fresno Pacific University
Unified athletics.
Award, presented to a longtime supporter and friend to Clovis                                                                                                      Prieb, Swimming, The Master’s University; Emma Water Polo, Fresno Pacific University; Rocky Koontz,     Swenson, Softball, University of Redlands; Colby Vil-

ovis North High
Ethel Asequia, a golfer from Clovis
East High, was the recipient of the
2023 Rene Errotabere Scholarship,
named after a beloved Clovis Unified
administrator who died in 2004.
The memorial tribute was set up
to honor Errotabere’s never-give-up
attitude, and it is presented yearly
to a student athlete who has been
Clovis East golfer wins Errotabere Scholarship	ClPeyton Bitter, Track and Field, Fresno State; Bianca Fernandez, Swimming, U.C. San Diego; Tea Fitzgerald, Water Polo, University of Pacific; Hayden Lambert, Swimming, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Ashlyn Leath, Cross Country/Track, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Jonah Martorana, Water Polo, University of Pacific; Kyra Miller, Volleyball, U.C. Merced; Daniela Munguia, Cross Country/Trac, Monterey Bay; Malik Musleh, Basketball, Fresno Pacific University; Roman Saroyan, Water Polo, Biola University; Melanie Torres,

U.C. Merced
Clovis West High
found to be excellent in mind, body	Water Polo, U.C. Merced; Morgan Wilson, Volleyball, and spirit by a committee made up
of the namesake’s family and co-
workers.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Kellianna Garcia, Stunt, Ottawa University Arizona; Finalists honored were Kannon                                                                                                                                                    Stella Martin, Water Polo, CSU Monterey Bay; Allison Campbell, Buchanan High, wrestling;                                                                                                                                                    McDougal, Swimming, Westmont College; Dylan Dario Lemus, Clovis High, wrestling;                                                                                                                                                    Senneway, Baseball, Fresno Pacific University; Trinity Peyton Bitter, Clovis North High,                                                                                                                                                    Tolbert, Basketball, Fresno Pacific University; Kylie track and field; and Sidney Strickland,                                                                                                                                                    Wancewicz, Volleyball, Fresno Pacific University;
Clovis West High, water polo.	Kelly Winter, Beach Volleyball, Master’s University

Page 4	CUSD Today	September 2023

st.
VISION

September 2023	CUSD Today	Page 5

New year brings joy, chance to make a positive difference

By Corrine Folmer, Ed.D. Superintendent

ON Aug. 21, my heart was filled with joy as I was able to wit-ness the hours of preparation that our educational

team had put in place to warmly welcome our stu-dents come alive. It was such an exciting (almost rainy) day filled with anticipation
of all the year Corrine Folmer, will bring.	Ed.D.
To kick off the start of a new school year, my Executive Cabinet

team and I visited every Clovis Unified school site. Our custodial teams were on campuses as early as 5 a.m. giving a final once over to our campuses so they sparkled for students who would be arriving in a few hours. Members of our transportation team hit the road in shining, recently waxed, yellow school buses on routes they had practiced in the weeks leading up to the start of school. It is often our bus drivers who are the first to welcome a student to school and start their day off on a positive note.
As we visited campuses, it was evident our Campus Catering em-ployees were on site and at work to provide our students with nu-tritious and tasty meals. As a stu-

dent myself, I remember how much I enjoyed the chances I had to be a student helper in the kitchen and to experience how much pride and effort our kitchen teams put into taking care of our students’ need for quality meals.
We encountered groups of lead-ership students and their activities directors coming on to campuses early to hang signs and balloons that welcomed their peers to school. In the weeks leading up to the first day of school, these leadership students had planned and prepared for activities designed to make stu-dents feel a welcome part of their campus community.
Just the sounds of their laughter as they worked hard together put a smile on my face. We saw in

these groups of students how our core value of teamwork and trust is built as teams do hard work to-gether.
These students inspired me as I continued through the day. From the ringing of the Jefferson Ele-mentary School bell (where I start-ed my own journey as a Clovis Unified student), where I witnessed the pride of kindergartners being introduced to this 139-year old tradition, to the sounds of sup-portive farewells by moms and dads as they entrusted their chil-dren to their child’s classroom teacher for the first time this school year.
Every campus onto which I walked was filled with the collab-orative sounds of learning, the ex-

citement of new relationships, and the joyful smiles on our students’ faces for the start of the new year. On Aug. 15, our educational team came together for our annual General Session (a rally to kick-off another school year), and dur-ing that event, our speaker chal-lenged us to acknowledge the pos-itive impact we can make for our
students on a daily basis.
Why is my heart full of joy? Because I saw thousands of our team members making a mean-ingful difference with our students starting on the first day, and it re-minded me what I already know: We have an amazing team that is focused on our mission to develop our students to be the best they can be in mind, body and spirit.

We ARE Clovis UNIFIED: Clovis Unified’s educa-tional team kicked off the start of the 2023-24 school year together at the annual General Session back-to-school rally at the Save-Mart Center. The energy rocked the building as staff from all schools and de-partments heard were in-spired by Superintendent Corrine Folmer, Ed.D., and guest speakers about the lasting impact each person can make as they do their best job to help our students succeed. We’re ready for
a great year!

Special to CUSD Today

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” ALBERT EINSTEIN, PHYSICIST

Helping our students navigate today’s challenges

Parents: We recognize that our children are growing up in a different world than when we were young. And as a school district, we strive to provide students and families with information, resources and support to help with today’s challenges. From navigating the pressures of social media and the deception of the dark web to understanding the dangers of vaping and the deadly street drug fentanyl, Clovis Unified is committed to empowering families to protect against the dangerous impact of these modern threats.
Here’s a sobering statistic: 50 percent of teenagers have misused a drug at least once, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Research shows that in-volved parents are a key prevention indicator in protecting kids from alcohol, marijuana, vaping, pills, peer pressure, bullying and cutting.
As we partner together to protect our students, we’re sharing the following resources where families can find intervention and prevention support.

On Campus Resources
Every Clovis Unified elementary school has a team of psychologists, resource specialists and instructional aides who have received training on how to help support students experiencing difficulties and how to foster an environment for wellness.
On intermediate and high school campuses, these re-sources are expanded and include Transition Teams and intervention trainings for every single teacher. Schools have developed multiple programs, lessons and activities for students that build a foundation of social-emotional health, confidence and consideration of others – like the Positivity Project, multicultural fairs, heritage clubs, student leadership conferences, just to name a few.
As a district, Clovis Unified has in place a multi-faceted Comprehensive Wellness Project that includes trained staff and school programs in 10 layers of behavior and social-emotional supports. Some of those include Clovis Support

and Intervention (CSI); Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS); Social-Emotional Learning (SEL); Suicide Prevention; Peer Counseling; and All-4-Youth. (See cusd.com/ComprehensiveWellnessProject for full list.) Parents may contact staff on campus including a teacher, coach, school psychologist, nurse, school or peer counselor or Transition Team member if they have concerns about their child.

Online District Resources
The Clovis Unified Comprehensive Wellness Project website has more information about its 10 initiatives as well as a robust section called “Menu of Resources” to explore. Those include School-Based Supports; Mental Health Resources; Self-Care; Mindfulness; Suicide Pre-vention; Substance Use Support; SmartPhone Apps; and a Virtual Calming Room. Parents and students are encouraged to explore this page in depth for what could be life-saving information and mental health building support.
For example, a few clicks into the Substance Use page brings up a local documentary “Killer High: The Silent Crisis,” which takes a look at how fentanyl is targeting youth and our community; a letter from the Fresno County District Attorney with six facts about the dangers of this deadly drug and how to prevent use; parent bulletins on teen drug use with warning signs and conversation starters;
and numerous resource links to local agencies.
Another example of a menu resource is the Virtual Calming Room. It can offer families a gentle break as they can virtually visit several live animal cams (see the penguins at the San Diego Zoo or the jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium); doodle online or download a coloring page; piece together an online jigsaw puzzle; or listen to a waterfall, bird songs or a campfire.
There are numerous interactive yet calm activities to help one feel more calm.
To explore the Comprehensive Wellness Project web page, visit: cusd.com/ComprehensiveWellnessProject.

Parent Nights & Chris Herren
This month from Sept. 12-14, former Fresno State bas-ketball star Chris Herren will candidly share his story of success, addiction and recovery in student assemblies at each CUSD high school. In a frank
discussion, he will tell of his down-ward spiral and his journey to sobriety. Families are encouraged to ask their teenagers about his message and what their takeaway was. Remind them that if they are ever facing challenging issues, it’s important to care for them-selves by talking to a parent, teacher, school counselor or someone they
Chris Herren         truHerren’s powerful message and honest insights will also be presented
at two Clovis Unified Parent Night evening talks where he will empower parents to consider the source of substance abuse. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend to learn more about warning signs and behaviors that could indicate a child is having trouble. Herren will also answer questions. These free Parent Nights — sponsored by the Foundation for Clovis Schools – will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 11 in Clovis High School’s gym, and Sept. 13 in the Performing Art Center at Clovis North High.
Parent Nights are part of Clovis Unified’s Parent Academy Series that provides a monthly evening workshop on im-portant student topics. Upcoming sessions include “Social Media & Its Impact on Our Students,” Oct. 10; “Substance Abuse Prevention,” Oct. 24; and “Social Emotional Supports & Suicide Prevention,” Nov. 7. For details or to learn more, visit cusd.com/ParentAcademy.

In this together
Education revolves around teamwork and trust, and we encourage parents to access the resources available at school and in our district to support healthy families.

— ABOUT US —

CUSD Today, Clovis Unified’s good news publi-cation, is sent directly to the homes of all CUSD parents and staff, as well as district supporters. In an effort to unify the CUSD community, the newspaper highlights the achievements of Clovis Unified students and staff; profiles new and updated Governing Board policies; and shares general news and information happening within the district.
Circulation: 34,000.
Funding: All costs associated with producing, printing and mailing CUSD Today are entirely funded by our advertisers. To show your appreciation of their support, we ask you to consider patronizing these businesses and services as the need arises.
Story submissions: Please submit all ideas to the Site Coordinator at your school. Please contact your school to find out who your Site Coordinator is. Editorial deadlines are two weeks before the pub-lication date. We do our best to include as many sub-missions in each issue as our editorial space will al-low.

CUSD Today Staff

Publishing & Editorial Clovis Unified School District 1450 Herndon Avenue Clovis, CA 93611 Telephone (559) 327-9094 cusdtoday@cusd.com

Kelly Avants, APR Chief Communications Officer
327-9092

Patti J. Lippert Managing Editor 327-9094

Kellie Feramisco Advertising Manager 327-9093

Verna Garcia Graphic Designer

CUSD Governing Board Members

David DeFrank	Hugh H. Awtrey	Steven G. Fogg, M.D. President                                      Vice President                                         Clerk
327-9000	437-6580	269-7000

Deena Combs-Flores Yolanda Moore Clinton Olivier Tiffany Stoker Madsen 273-9824                              437-6580                     313-6065                             392-1014

CUSD Administration

Corrine Folmer, Ed.D.	Norm Anderson Superintendent                                            Deputy Superintendent
327-9100	327-9107

Marc Hammack, Ed.D.	Barry Jager	Michael Johnston Associate Superintendent                  Associate Superintendent                  Associate Superintendent
School Leadership	Human Resources and	Administrative Services 327-9350                                 Employee Relations                                 327-9110
327-9308

Page 6	CUSD Today	September 2023

Did you know Campus Catering off rs f sh seasonal fruits to all our
Clovis Unified studen	ery month

This month look out for nectarines, pluots, plums, apples, and bananas!

Why is it important to eat fruit?

Eating fruit has many benefits. Including ruits and vege ables as part of an overall
diet may lower risk of certain diseases. Fruits pr vide nutrients needed to
main ain your health and body, and hav many essential nutrients that people
ften don t get enough of, such as

po assium, fiber, vitamin C and folate

Clovis Unified School Distric

7-9130

https://w	ypla .gov/ea -h l hy/fr

mothers and daughters dressed in theme and had fun to-
Tarpey has book vending machine
the chance to earn a
Green Shield for Jaguars
Congratulations to Clovis Elementary on being named
AROUND THE DISTRICT

September 2023	CUSD Today	Page 7

Editor’s note: “Around the District” is a regular feature of CUSD Today that highlights positive activities and accom-plishments of students and schools throughout the district. In the following, we share some exciting events from the end of the 2022-23 school year and from this summer.

BHS art on display in DC
Seven months, thousands of dots and 26 colorful Sharpie pens (although none completely ran out of ink) went into Buchanan High junior Elise Carberry’s masterpiece that won the 2023 Congres-
sional Art Competition in the 20th District of Cal-ifornia!
Her artwork, “My Cat Tsuki,” depicts her pet fe-line using the stippling technique where the draw-ing is made up of thou-sands of tiny dots of ink. Elise’s work will be on dis-
play in the U.S. Capitol for one year, and Elise won a trip to Washington, D.C., to see it.
“Winning this competition was an incredible opportunity for me,” said Elise. “In the future I definitely want to follow an art-related career.”
“When you have students like Elise, who are clearly very talented and willing to put in that extra effort,” said Elise’s art teacher Jeff Nichols, “it is rewarding and makes your job as a teacher just that much more exciting.”

City civic lesson
Curious third graders from the Clovis High Area visited Clovis City Hall to get a close-up look at how a city and local government function. It was part of a municipal field trip for social science studies that included a chance to explore a City of Clovis fire truck, police car, garbage truck and construction vehicles. Students also heard from repre-sentatives from local government departments who shared various aspects of city operations. “Our kids had a great time and learned a lot about how our city is run,” said Get-tysburg Elementary teacher Stacy King.

Sharing cultures
Reagan Elementary held its second annual Multicultural Faire to provide its community a chance to learn from others and share their own culture. Both Rea-gan and Clovis East High Folklorico groups performed highlighting Mexican cultures; Indian dancing was performed by Clovis East stu-dents and a Reagan parent that showcased modern Indian and Bollywood moves; and a Punjabi dance performance by second- and third-graders was so well done that
other students joined in and tried to learn the unique dance moves. Fresno African Drumming conducted an in-teractive performance where students could experience djembe drumming firsthand and learn basic techniques and the history behind West African rhythm. The school’s multipurpose room housed multiple families who set up tables that showcased their culture’s art, history, clothing, and food.

Cougars are percussion champs
The Clovis High Winter Percussion – which starts its season in January and performs until May – clenched its best performance score ever, finishing 16th in the nation in the Winter Guard International World Percussion Cham-pionships in Dayton, Ohio! The Cougar ensemble was also named Valley Champions and finished fifth in the state of California this season. Partway through the season, the group was promoted to compete in the highest class of competition, making this an even greater accomplishment. “I am proud of our team’s success and so glad we were able to set a new record for our school,” said Percussion

Learning from a concentration camp survivor

History came to life for close to 500 Clovis Unified      munity. She shared the story of an Italian American high schoolers when 90-year-old Marion Masada, a      family who was good and kind to her after her time in survivor of a Japanese American incarceration camp      the camps and helped her see that there are good people during World War II, shared her experience with them.      in the world. She encouraged students to be inclusive Students in the American Culture in History class at      and to reach out to others who may seem different and
Clovis, Clovis East, Clovis North and Clovis West high	treat them with kindness and acceptance.
schools gathered at the district’s Performing Arts Center          “The hope is that we help contribute to it never hap-to learn about Masada’s life before and in the camp, how      pening again because these young people realize the those experiences impact her life today and how she was      cost,” said Clovis East teacher Sandra Marbut, Ed.D. able to move beyond the experience.                                     “While it isn’t a moment in our American history we can They also got the chance to ask questions and dive      be proud of, it is a moment we can be sure never happens
deeper into what life was like as a Japanese American in	again.”
that time.                                                                                     The American Culture in History class examines a va-Masada wanted students to understand the effects of      riety of ethnic cultures and their experiences within
the incarceration camps on the Japanese American com-	American history.

Captain Eve Lysuwan. “I’m honored to have played a role      like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” “If You Give a Mouse a in this incredible program.”                                                      Cookie,” and “Pete the Cat” line the racks of coils displayed
Winter Percussion, consisting of the marching percussion	behind the vending machine’s glass.
and front ensemble sections of a marching band, is	Here’s how it works: All teachers are given one coin performed indoors and brings together elements of musical      each week to give to a student they catch doing things of performance and choreography to create a theatrical ex-      character, consideration, kindness and more. On Friday, perience.                                                                                    students can go to the vending machine to make their se-
lection for the book that will become their very own. “Classmates have been excited to see what the student
gets,” Vue said, “and the student is proud to have received the book that they can add to their home library and read with their family or share with siblings.” She said since the vending machine has arrived, teachers have noticed children intentionally working on their character, and not just to earn the coin. They are discovering satisfaction in doing thoughtful deeds, Vue said. “And that this benefits literacy, which is so foundational for learning, is such a bonus.”
“We are very grateful to the Foundation for the grant that made this all possible,” Vue said.
The Foundation for Clovis School provides classroom Tropical fun at Young	and wellness grants each year, following review of applications
When Young Elementary upper-grade students asked	that show innovation and support for students.
for more inclusive parent-student events, the idea of a Mother-Daughter Luau was created. The evening included
even was pineapple drinks and donuts! More than 300
hula dancing lessons, ukelele lessons and lei making. There      a “Green Shield School” by the Positivity Project. This honor recognizes the efforts of the teachers, staff and
a Father-Daughter Dance.
lifelong learning and a positive school culture.
gether. Other parent-student events at the school included      students at the school to use the P2 teachings to encourage a Father-Son Sports Night, a Mother-Son Paint Night and           The Positivity Project is a collective of resources that help educators teach 24 character and relationship-building
Tarpey Elementary students who show excellence have
skills in a positive, encouraging way that focuses on the idea that “Other People Matter.” All elementary schools in the district are using the P2 lessons in their classrooms.
special coin to use in	College swag for Weldon the school library’s                                                                     Before the end of the
new book vending                                                                school year, Weldon Elemen-machine. Adorned                                                                tary students in Catherine with the Spartan mas-                                                                Alkire’s class took a step to-cot and in the school’s                                                                wards their futures. They red and black colors,                                                                wrote letters to universities the machine was fund-                                                                around the country to learn ed as part of a Foun-                                                                more and to ask if they could dation for Clovis                                                                be sent a t-shirt to wear or Schools wellness grant.                                                                items for the school’s AVID Principal Tachua                                                                days. The colleges delivered, Vue, Ed.D., explained                                                                and students are excited to that her staff wanted to find ways to continue encouraging      show off their new college positive behaviors, and librarian Georgi Leonardo, who      swag in the 2023-24 school has since retired, had the idea to bring the library and      year. AVID is an academic literacy into the reward equation. She helped apply for the      program that helps start and
grant that funded the customized machine and also a	keep students on a path to college, by providing supports supply of children’s books to be offered within it. Titles	in areas like reading, writing and organization.

‰ STAY CONNECTED
Page 8	CUSD Today	September 2023

Clovis Unified honors retirees ‰ Employee Briefs

Congratulations to the 130 Clovis Unified School District
employees who concluded their careers at the end of the
school year. From teachers and nurses to bus drivers and	Retirees can keep in touch with former colleagues cafeteria crew, these men and women dedicated every day to	in a new Facebook group that was recently
supporting students. They were celebrated this summer by	launched and already has more than 300
the district’s Governing Board with a personalized gift and re-	members sharing vacation photos or pictures ception held at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre.	of grandchildren. Search for Clovis Unified
“Each of you brought to Clovis Unified something unique	Retirees and request to join the group and irreplaceable. You have set the bar very high for those
who follow you, but I know that bar will continue to be high
because during your careers, you mentored those around     Campus Catering, 26; Richard Ferguson, Weldon Elementary, you,” said then-Superintendent Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D., who     26; David Guaglianone, Reyburn Intermediate, 26; Grace herself was among the retirees. After nearly three decades     Ulbrich, Mickey Cox Elementary, 26; Pearl Albertson, Clovis working for CUSD, the past six as superintendent, O’Brien     West High, 26; Catherine Dodd, Sierra Vista Elementary, 27; retired June 30.                                                                           Christopher Hart, Tarpey Elementary, 27; Linda Burns, Clovis Listed here are the 2022-23 retirees and their years with     North High, 27; Kimberly Whitmore, Special Education, 27; the district, who collectively represent 3,226 years of service     Eimear O’Brien, Superintendent, 27; Desiree Vanbindsbergen, and dedication to CUSD students.                                              Transportation, 27; Alma Foster, Century Elementary, 27; Daniel Vasquez, Custodial, 2; Jeffery Willie, Transportation,     Shelley Flores, Century Elementary, 27; Jeri Garoogian, Oraze
4; Sheryl Boe, Transportation, 7; Douglas Cheney, Transportation,	Elementary, 27; Cheryl Eckhardt, Technology, 27;
7; Norma Ingle, Buchanan High, 7; Jennie Robinson, Alta          Joyce Patterson, Century Elementary, 27; Kathleen Zamora, Sierra Intermediate, 8; Terry Muir, Transportation, 8; Jock     School Leadership Services, 27; Peter Vanderpaardt, Reagan Patterson, Transportation, 9; Felipe De La Fuente, Maintenance,     Elementary, 27; Angie Mewhirter, Clovis West High, 27; 9; James Defranchi, Valley Oak Elementary, 9;                             Deborah Bagdasarian, Fancher Creek Elementary, 28; Theodore Laurel Harvey, Campus Catering, 10; Jennifer Oren, Clovis     Hawkins, Clovis West High, 28; Clifford Simon, Custodial, West High, 10; William Viljoen, Custodial, 10; Nancy Puente,     28; Roxanne Timmerman, Transportation, 28; Nancy Alves,
Nursing Services, 10; Randal Finfrock, Clovis East High, 10;	Clark Intermediate, 28;
Gloria Lyons, Clovis West High, 10;	Violet Putnam, Clovis West High, 28; Christen Otta, Maple Edward Morgan, Clovis East High,                                            Creek Elementary, 28; Judith Garabedian, Dry Creek Elementary, 11; Lori Robinson, Reyburn Inter-                                            28; Ralph Westcott, Grounds, 28; Tonya Houze Woods, Cole mediate, 13; Khoua Xiong, Custodial,                                            Elementary, 29; Janet Samuelian, Curriculum, Instruction and 14; Jackie Stewart, Custodial, 15; Va                                            Accountability, 29; Stacey Brinkley, Sierra Vista Elementary, Xiong, Custodial, 15; Mark Romero, Transportation, 15; Robert     29;
Schram, Campus Catering, 15; Jason Mullikin, Clovis High,          Kimberly Fox Kristensen, Century Elementary, 30; Diane 16; Kaylen Anderson, Fancher Creek Elementary, 16; Jerry     Schulz, Fort Washington Elementary, 30; Scott January, Campbell, Clovis West High, 16; Emma Rojas, Clovis East     Buchanan High, 30; Susan Whitsitt, Clovis Online, 30; Tanie High, 17; Traci Martin, Early Start At Century, 17; Vinita     McKinzie, Technology, 31; Alejandra Cuevas, Clovis Elementary, Armstrong, Clark Intermediate, 17; Raul Molina, Custodial,     31; Dana Parker, Human Resources, 32; Kathy Hedgpeth 18; Laurie Plescia, Dry Creek Elementary, 18; Nancy Whalen,     Johnson, Century Elementary, 32; Sheri Rinehart Waters, Campus Catering, 18; Josefina Beshansky, Adult Ed., 18; Teresa     Lincoln Elementary, 33; Monica Everson, Mountain View El-Fehr, Riverview Elementary, 19; Jerry Inchaurregui, Educational     ementary, 33; Duane Goudy, Nelson Elementary, 33; Maureen Services, 19; Susan Carlock, Buchanan High, 19;                         Clark, Clovis West High, 33; Chris Hansen, Educational Mark Giesbrecht, Transportation, 20; Karen Muirheid,     Services, 33; Kim Judd, Curriculum, Instruction and Account-Nelson Elementary, 20; Mavis Washington, Buchanan High,     ability, 33; Diana Rouse, Technology, 33; Robyn Clark, Reyburn 20; Tami Graham, Copper Hills Elementary, 21; Brenda Se-     Intermediate, 33; Stacey Schiro, Clovis High, 33; Kenneth tencich, Riverview Elementary, 22; Sandy Alonzo, Weldon El-     Martinez, Clark Intermediate, 33; Christine White, Bud Rank ementary, 22; Sally Palermo, Curriculum, Instruction and Ac-     Elementary, 34; Suzanne Cobb, Century Elementary, 34; countability, 22; Janice Laband, Clovis West High, 23; Frances     Jennifer Denton, Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability, Blancato, Nelson Elementary, 23; Mary Helen Rangell, Campus     35; Rick Sandoval, Alta Sierra Intermediate, 35; Debra Lewis, Catering, 23; Suzanne Smith, Woods Elementary, 23; Jeanne     Mountain View Elementary, 36; Leslie Cox, Clark Intermediate, Prandini, Nursing Services, 23; Robert Christopherson, Cur-     36; Jerry Hardy, Custodial, 36; Dawn Couchman, Gettysburg riculum, Instruction and Accountability, 23; Sheila Cobb, Fort     Elementary, 36; Lisa Eakins Rossi, Sierra Vista Elementary, Washington Elementary, 24; Marcus Terrazas, Adult Ed., 24;     37; Melanie Nighbert, Gettysburg Elementary, 37; Jeffrey Karen Hahesy, Fort Washington Elementary, 24; Leeann Er-     Suglian, Reyburn Intermediate, 37; Greg Friesen, Clovis High, rotabere, Purchasing, 24; Sandra Hart, Buchanan High, 25;     37; Harriet Huggins, Curriculum, Instruction and Accountability,
Pauline Auyeung, Buchanan High, 25; Cynthia Norman,	38; Ruth Anderson, Clovis West High, 38;
Century Elementary, 25; Terri Ferguson, Clovis North High,	Charles Henson, Grounds, 41; Teri Varvis, Tarpey Elementary, 25; Donna Konze, Freedom Elementary, 26; Mary Wolfe, Red     41; Peter Berndt, Maintenance, 42; Eleno Martinez, Custodial, Bank Elementary, 26; Susan Warner, Sierra Vista Elementary,     43; Abel Merino, Transportation, 43; and Steven Ward, Leg-26; Felicia Gonzales, Woods Elementary, 26; Leslie Corral,     islative, 46.

Bus drivers honored for accident-free driving

Twenty-two school bus drivers who achieved 5, 10, 15	for 10 years of safe driving were Elizabeth Aguila, Robert or 20 consecutive years of accident-free driving were	Chandler, Casey Custer, Scott Gardner, Daniel Gonzalez, honored by the CUSD Governing Board at the conclusion	Sarrah Gutier-Marin, Darrell Mapson, Steven Mirelez of the 2022-23 school year. Drivers Monique Benoit-	and Silvia Neri. Those drivers honored with recognition Krause and Terry Garcia were recognized by the California	for five years safe driving were Rodney Askin, Jr., Eric Highway Patrol with the Blackwell Award for 20 consecutive	Cantley, Phillip Cervantes, Jilberto Flores, Guy Foell, years of safe driving. Also recognized for 15 consecutive	Greg Heard, Tom Kaminsky, Derek Kennedy, Jennifer years of safe driving were Tony Duong, Monica Perez,	Petersen, Sharol Madrid-Macias, Miguel Rodriguez, Susana Soltero and Mike Whittington. Drivers recognized	Marco Ruelas, Naomi Silva and Larry Walters.

CCDS specialist wins award Clovis Community Day School

resource specialist Meredith Pulliam won the 2023 Carolyn Dobbs Special Education Teacher of the Year Award that recognizes special education pro-fessionals and the importance of the work they do for their students. It is given by the Fresno State Kremen School of Education and Human De-velopment and named after a past special education teacher who pio-
neered major improvements for students with special needs. Pulliam has worked in special education for 23 years, 20 of which have been with Clovis Unified. Students, parents and colleagues all say she goes above and beyond
to help her students succeed.
“She has been able to make positive, lasting connections and changes for students, for staff, and for the district, through her varied experiences and roles served on both her campus and for our district,” said Special Education Program Specialist Tacy Kroell.
Throughout her career, Pulliam helped develop the Vo-cational Education program at Clovis East High, coached basketball at Clovis West High (and still does) and created a positive environment in her current classroom for both special education and general education students to use.
Pulliam, who said she loves her job, was excited to receive the honor. “Being recognized for this award as a teacher in alternative education is especially rewarding.”

AMAE awards for Pinedale, CW and CN teachers

Three cheers for Clovis West Spanish teacher Blanca Gonzalez, Pinedale Elementary student relations liaison Dan Pantoja and Clovis North Education Center counselor Bryana Montemayor who won this year’s Día Del Maestro Award from the Fresno Association of Mexican American Educators.
The awards are part of the mission of AMAE to ensure equal access to resources for Mexican American/Latino students and educators at all levels.
Student scholarships were also presented at the ceremony and included six for Clovis Unified students. They are Aura Calleros Cuadros, Kellianna Garcia, Brianna Martinez, Sandy Pimentel Castillo, Osmar Villa Beltrán, all from Clovis West High; and Corina Brito from Clovis North High.

CUSD Police chief trains with FBI
In ongoing efforts to find ways to continually improve school safety, Clovis Unified Police
Chief Lee Mayberry got to learn from the nation’s best this summer. He was one of only 50 chiefs and sheriffs invited to attend the FBI’s National Command Course in Quantico, Virginia.
Local FBI partners encouraged Chief Lee Mayberry to apply for the leadership development course that caters to small police depart-ments.
“What inspired me to attend was the opportunity to better myself and enhance the Police Department with current and future trends in Law Enforcement,” said Chief Mayberry. Classes covered important topics like health and wellness, defensive tactics, emotional intelligence and Active Bystander in Law Enforcement. “I look forward to sharing the information I received with our department and district members.”

September 2023	CUSD Today	Page 9

Alta Sierra, Kastner recognized for excellence

Congratulations to Alta Sierra and Kastner interme-diate schools that were re-des-ignated as National Schools to Watch! The Clovis Unified schools’ administration teams traveled to Washington, D.C., this summer for an awards ceremony.
“My team and I appreciated being honored at the National Conference and being recog-nized for our continuous im-provement efforts character-ized by a continuous trajectory towards success,” said Alta Sierra Principal Jennifer Carter. The Schools to Watch pro-gram examines middle schools across the country and cele-brates those that serve their students with excellence. A school must first earn a state Schools to Watch status and have a site visit before advanc-ing for national consideration. “The work done by all Kast-ner staff members (teachers, classified staff, and adminis-

trators) does not go unnoticed,” said Kastner Principal May Moua. “Receiving the National Schools to Watch award af-firms great things are contin-uing to happen at Kastner for all students daily.”
“We are very proud of the efforts by each of our schools as they work to close the achievement gap through in-novative instructional prac-tices,” said Marc Hammack, Ed.D., Associate Superintend-ent of School Leadership. “They have represented Clovis Unified in ensuring that stu-dents are the best they can be in mind, body and spirit.”
The National Forum, a nonprofit educators’ associa-tion dedicated to improving education and school-based supports for middle school students, works in conjunction with educators, researchers, associations and state depart-ments of education in deter-mining the honor.

Photos special to CUSD Today. Two Clovis Unified schools earned National Schools to Watch recognition and were honored this summer in Washington, D.C. Pictured top: Alta Sierra Intermediate Principal Jennifer Carter, third from the right, and Associate Superintendent of School Leadership Marc Hammack, Ed.D., second from right, are with part of the Bruins’ team at the presentation. Above: Hammack, left, and Kastner Intermediate Principal May Moua, third from the left, are joined by members of the Thunderbirds’ team.

Herren:

FROM PAGE ONE
and Sept. 14 at Clovis West and Buchanan High.
This will be the second time the Foundation and Clovis Unified have partnered with Herren. In 2016, Herren spoke to approximately 10,000 high school students in Clovis Unified, garnering an unprecedented amount of positive feedback from students, staff and parents alike.
“We are grateful for our community partners making these possible and helping us to support the district in this way,” Fennacy said.
The Foundation for Clovis Schools is a nonprofit organization made up of community volunteers who raise funds to support student scholarships, classroom grants and other programs that assist the district. Learn more: FoundationForClovisSchools.com.
Clovis Unified offers numerous programs and re-sources to support the overall wellbeing of students through the district’s Comprehensive Wellness Project. Learn more: cusd.com/ComprehensiveWellnessPro-ject.

Salute to military commitments

Several graduating Clovis Unified seniors participated in special events at their home campus at the end of the school year that honored their intention to join a branch of the U.S. Military Services. The signing cere-monies were attended by peers, teachers and family. n Buchanan High: Gavin Miller, Air Force; Syriah Tezeno, Air Force; Andrew

Bartel, Air Force Reserve; Chase Griffith, Army; Juan Ortiz, Army; Jack Thompson, Army;	Aaron	Lopez, Marines; Sandra Lopez, Marines;     Ethan     Reilly, Marines; and Zonshia Yang, Marines
n Clovis East High: Eliz-abeth Cervantes, Army Na-tional Guard; Savannah Gar-cia, Army National Guard; Brayden Meckley, Marines;

Erika Nyberg, Army – West-point; Nathanial Pitcher, Navy; Adriana Ramirez-Gutierrez, Air Force; Elijah Rooney, Marines; and An-thony Trevino, Marines
n Clovis High: Isaihas Salazar, Marines; Chase Har-ris, Marines; Charles Brooks, Marines; Robin Smith, Marines; Tyler Dowing, Navy; Hunter Lee, Navy; Madicyn Pittman, Army Na-

tional Guard; and Antonio Heredia, Army
n Clovis North High: Kevin Alvarado, Marines; Joseph Halls, Air Force; Caleb Ruiz, Marines; and Josh Munoz, Army
n Clovis West High: Alex-is Barrera Martinez, Navy; Adrian Messing, Navy; Jesse Ozaeta, Marines; Sofia Br-ever, Army National Guard; and Angelo Gomez, Army

tion from a hybrid form of
tion Code and Education
additional details about the
public utilities need for the
n
Approved all conference,
Page 10	CUSD Today	September 2023

New election model considered; board meets new administraors

By Kelly Avants CUSD Chief Communications Officer

Aug. 16

In its on-going work to proceed with a proposed tran-sition to a by-district election model, the Clovis Unified Governing Board held the first of five public hearings Aug. 16 and discussed the schedule for the remaining four hearings. After reviewing the process for transitioning to a by-district election model and the multiple steps out-lined in Education and Elec-tion codes, the board set the following schedule for public hearings: Sept. 6, 20, Oct. 4 and 18. The hearings will be held in conjunction with the Governing Board’s regularly scheduled meetings at 1680 David E. Cook Way in Clovis. More information about the process and schedule for the Governing Board’s con-sideration of this transition is available online at cusd.com and will be kept updated over the course of their work. A comment form can also be
found online.
Also at the board meeting, members of the board met recently appointed adminis-trators Monica Castillo, as-sistant superintendent of in-structional services; Katie Scalzo, principal of Gettysburg Elementary School; and Mar-garet Files, director of Career Technical Education.
In other action, the board: n Approved by a two-
thirds majority a resolution authorizing emergency repairs at Clark Intermediate to allow electrical repair work to be done on the campus in ad-vance of the start of the school year on Aug. 21.
n Approved the annual membership of the Governing Board in the California School Boards Association (CSBA). n Approved a provisional internship permit for a teach-ing candidate to provide ad-

ditional time to obtain spe-cialized certification.
n Approved a resolution adopting a mitigated negative declaration for the new district facilities project at Herndon and Fowler avenues.
n Approved the minutes from the Aug. 2 regular meet-ing of the Governing Board. n Approved a new job de-scription for Manager, Desk-top Support, Information
Technology Services.
n Approved an agreement with San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to participate in the New Alter-native Fuel Vehicle Grant Pro-gram.
n Scheduled a public hear-ing Sept. 6 to allow members of the public to provide input related to a proposed power purchase agreement by the district.

‰ BOARD BRIEFS

Aug. 2
line for the multi-step process Gettysburg Elementary	required by California’s Elec-
Code to make such a change
from the current model. A
copy of the resolution with
will have a new principal this year following the Clovis Uni-fied Governing Board’s Aug. 2 appointment of learning di-
position as part of their work
Also at the meeting, the
In other action, the board:
tent to convey an easement
rector Katie Scalzo to the open	process is available in the agen-to prepare for the start of the	da materials of the meeting. new school year.                             n Held a public hearing to board adopted a resolution	allow for comment on its in-declaring its intent to transi-	to Pacific Gas and Electric for

based elections and outlining
fore the 2024 e ection. At the
Herndon avenues, and later
izing the easement.
at-large elections to district-	district support facilities under specific steps to be undertaken	construction at Fowler and to facilitate the ltransition be-	approved a resolution author-Aug. 16 meeting, the Board
will discuss a complete time-	student trip, fundraiser and

voluntary community recre-ation program requests, as submitted.
n Approved an agreement with WestEd Center for Child and Family Studies to provide Teaching Pyramid professional development during the up-coming school year.
n Approved the course of-ferings for Clovis Adult Edu-cation during the 2023-24 school year.
n Appointed an architect for a project at the district’s Sierra Outdoor School.
n Approved a provisional internship permit and variable term waiver renewal request for two teaching candidates

to allow for additional time to obtain specialized creden-tialing for high need posi-tions.
n Approved the Clovis Adult School principal to serve as the oficial Clovis Unified School District representative on the State Center Adult Ed-ucation Consortium.
The next regularly sched-uled meetings of the Governing Board are Sept. 6 and 20, with the public portion of the meet-ing at 6:30 p.m. in the board-room at 1680 David E. Cook Way. Complete minutes and agendas of meetings, along with video, are available online at cusd.com.

September 2023	CUSD Today	Page 11

R.J. 11th grade,
Buchanan

Luke Kindergarten, Bud Rank

Owen, 12th grade, and Zoe, 10th grade, Clovis East; Ellie, 8th grade, Reyburn; Maisy, 6th grade, Jeremiah, 3rd grade, Tilly, 1st grade, Freedom

Konnie 5th grade, Oraze

Kameron 2nd grade, Cedarwood

Kourtney, 4th grade; Dylan, 2nd grade; Teddy, 6th grade, Red Bank

Mark, 7th grade, Clark

Jacob, 11th grade, Clovis North

Jordan, 1st grade; Jaxon, 3rd grade, Cole

Jade, 12th grade, Clovis West

Olivia, 1st grade, Dry Creek

Mia, 4th grade. Gettysburg

Jevon
6th grade, Young

Eden Kindergarten, Woods

Juliette, TK; Landon, 2nd grade; Gavin, 3rd grade, Red Bank

Steven, 7th grade, Clark

Lawrence, Preschool, Jefferson

David, 1st grade; Olivia, TK; Eli, 4th grade, Tarpey

Rachel, 6th grade, Mickey Cox

Savanna, 4th grade, Pinedale

Jennifer, 4th grade, Reagan

Brianna, 6th grade, Fugman; Jack, 11th grade, Clovis North

Emily, 8th grade, Reyburn

Hailey, 6th grade, Weldon

Thank you to everyone who responded to our request for photos! We love seeing our students’ smiles. It’s going to be a great year!

hank you to the employees of Clovis Uniﬁed who supported the oundation for Clovis Schools through payroll deduction in the 20 223
school year our generosity impacts the future of students and te chers!

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Page 12	CUSD Today	September 2023