Clovis Unified School District

2021 REPORT

TO THE COMMUNITY

Building

whatMatters

MISSION POSSIBLE

2

A Message from the Superintendent

In Clovis Unified, we are building what matters — our community’s future — and our success is intrinsically connected to all of you.

The quality of a community’s schools is reflected in economic development, in home values, and in tourism. And, in Clovis Unified, our responsibility to deliver quality education to support a vibrant community is never out of mind.

We do so by focusing with laser intent on the well-being of our students, on building a team of exceptional people to support them, on committing to high standards, and on investing our resources with intentionality. Our kids deserve no less.

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At the same time, we can’t do it alone. We need you. We need a community that is vested in its schools, that cares about our challenges and our successes, and that comes alongside us in
difficult times. Difficult times, like those we have faced over the past year and a half, tend to hone Eimear O’Farrell, Ed.D. our attention on those things that are critical — and for us, that is always our kids.

Just as we focus on the tiny details in every construction project to ensure that our school facilities (like the

soon-to-be-constructed Terry Bradley Educational Center) are crafted with care and purpose, we focus education on the fine details that make the difference between mediocre and high-quality education. In the following pages, you will find stories about educators and students focused on excellence, and data to illustrate the return on your investment in Clovis Unified and in your local schools.

We are ready for today and its present challenges, and we are ready for all that tomorrow holds for our students. Thank you for joining us on the journey.

CLOVIS
2020-21 Celebrations & Awards

California Honor Roll District

31 California Honor Roll Schools

6 Bonner Character Awards

2 California Distinguished Schools

1 California League of Schools State Teacher of the Year

2 Fresno County Educator Award finalists

1 CMEA State Orchestra Educator of the Year

1 U.S. Western Region NFHS Golf Coach of the Year

21 CUSD athletic League titles; 13 Valley team titles; and
2 Regional titles

3 National student awards and several students/teams advancing to national/world competitions

1 CUSD alumni in Tokyo Summer Olympics in track

”
2021 Report to the Community

Clovis Unified at a Glance
Our Vision:To Be America’s Benchmark for Excellence in Education

6	44
Areas	Comprehensive Schools

9 Specialty Schools

42,795* Students

Students Say

89% Teachers want them to succeed. 84% Schools are a safe place to learn.

Parents Say
92% Schools provide a quality education that promotes academic student success. 90% Buildings and grounds are well
maintained.

3%
8%

3 14%	40%

35%

Employees Say
93% Schools are a safe and secure learning environment.
88% Proud to work for Clovis Unified.

Student Demographics

Hispanic	Asian	Other White	Black

CLOVIS
UNIFIED
44.4%
$620M
“

Reading Report Card
	
95.8% Graduation Rate
	
	1st
	CUSD was first of California districts serving more than 15,000 students on California Reading Coalitions’ 2021 study.

			
14th	Largest District in California

e clear message is that it is not the students themselves, or the level of resources, that drive student reading achievement – the primary drivers are district focus on reading, management practices, and curriculum and instruction sciences.
Key Study Findings careads.org/reportcards

		Students qualify as foster, English learner and/or
socio-economically disadvantaged

		
General Fund
includes $91.7M from one-time CARES Fund
	
		Sources for this publication: California Department of Education, 2020-21 SART Survey, 2020-21 Climate Survey, 2020-21 Student Survey, CUSD LCAP, California Reading Coalition, www.ed-data.org/. Photos taken are from before and during COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with public health guidance.
*From 2020-21 CUSD Information Systems; CDE enrollment data not available.

$18.8 Million in scholarships awarded to graduating Clovis Unified seniors in 2020-21

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MIND 95.8% graduation rate

Every elementary school library has a reading room and last year several school librarians created online story time and interactive story boards using QR codes
and pictures spaced outside on the campus.

Secondary campuses provide
academic counselors, tutoring and college and career centers. Other resources are offered through Supplemental Services and Special Education departments.

26 Advanced Placement classes are offered on our campuses providing students college-level instruction. 4,789 AP tests were taken by Clovis Unified students for college credit with a passage rate of 62%. Of AP tests taken by CUSD students, Spanish Literature had the highest passage rate at 90%; Physics C Mechanics 82%; and Calculus B/C 79%.

21 Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways are offered, including video production, farming and construction.
	
89%	92% Students say their teachers                Parents say their child’s
care if they do well in                   school provides a quality school.                                     education.

4

CLOVIS
UNIFIED
Our Mission: To be a quality educational
system providing the resources for ALL students to reach their potential in Mind, Body & Spirit.

CLOVIS
UNIFIED
serve their country by
part of their school.
87
and dance; sports;
2
out of
3

BODY Physical Education is included in student class schedules every year through 12th grade. During remote learning last year, PE classes got students moving at home with fitness workouts and energizing cardio moves.

Schools offer a wide range of sports, starting in fourth grade. While sports seasons were condensed this past year, athletes had the opportunity to compete in the spring during abbreviated seasons.

At each high school, Unified sports are back in session where
%
general and special ed athletes compete together in league play.

Clovis Unified’s Campus	Students say they Catering plans and                      feel like they are a prepares nutritious meals,
has its own bread kitchen, uses fresh farm-grown
local produce and recently won two spots on the Restaurant and Food Group’s Food Management Top 10 Best Sandwiches for its Korean Steak Sandwich and Steak Al Pastor with Citrus Slaw.

Keeping our students safe is a priority, and Clovis Unified has 16 sworn police officers who are POST – Police Officer Standards and Training – certified. Each secondary campus has a dedicated officer, and a team of officers serve
elementary schools.

2021 Report to the Community SPIRIT

5 87% of parents say schools have a

positive environment.

Clovis Unified has a proactive Wellness Support System that includes Clovis Support and Intervention (CSI), Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS), Behavior Consultation Team (BCT),
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Suicide Prevention and Social-Emotional Support Providers.

Diversity is celebrated at each campus through classroom lessons,
Students say they are
involved in extra
school activities such
as drama, art, music
multi-cultural festivals and heritage clubs. The district holds annual leadership conferences spotlighting African-American, Asian
and Latino mentors.
curriculars such as
made the decision to
51 Class of 2021 seniors	robotics, History Day, science fair and
joining the military, with	spelling bee; or clubs. three attending West Point
and one the Naval Academy. They were honored in ceremonies at their schools.

270 students filled up the district’s first CTE Summer Academy program in 2021, voluntary summer sessions allowing kids to explore Career Technical Education pathways such as game coding, construction and health care.

MISSION POSSIBLE State of Our Facilities
e passage of Measure A in November 2020 allows Clovis Unied to carry on standards of excellence for our students as our community grows.

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Ready for Today, Planning for Tomorrow

This spring, design began on plans for the Terry Bradley Educational Center, which will be home to Clovis Unified’s sixth high school and sixth intermediate school in the southeast area of our boundary. Nearby Clovis East High has reached capacity, and growth in this dynamic region is only projected to continue. The intermediate school is planned to open for students in 2025, and the high school in 2027. The Center will feature 21st Century learning design and collaborative spaces for engaging lesson experiences.

The academic areas will have a collegiate and career environment, with large interior corridors and places for interaction. A student activities center will be located on the campus that will be used by all of the district. It will offer space and seating of up to 5,500 and flexible arrangements for everything from student leadership conferences, career fairs, performing arts events, large-scale curricular competitions like robotics or science fair, and athletics.

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Design is underway for Clovis Unified’s 35th elementary school for the growing southeast region of the district. Cutting-edge technology, team environments, touch boards and outdoor learning spaces will offer students hands-on, engaging opportunities.

Buchanan High School

CTE Under Construction

Clovis Unified has 21 Career Technical Education pathways available for high school students. There are 12 dedicated facilities and two more currently under construction:

CLOVIS
Video Production Lab at Buchanan High that will include editing bays, green rooms and learning spaces

Farm & Food Product Facility at Clovis East High that will include a farmers market facility, walk-in refrigerator and classrooms for floral labs and food processing from the farm

More Hard Hat Areas in 2020-21

3,300 Bipolar Ionization devices installed to improve indoor air quality.

2,200 Free-standing HEPA air filtration systems in every classroom, library and cafeteria to help mitigate allergens, airborne viruses including COVID-19 and flu, and particulates and smoke from wildfires.

Construction is underway at Dry Creek Elementary for a new classroom wing and administration office.

6 additional solar installations.

Numerous painting and paving projects throughout the district.

2021 Report to the Community

Embracing Change with Innovation
Our theme this year is “Mission: Possible.” Dicult circumstances will come our way, but CUSD’s culture is to lean into challenges and nd the opportunities. We are steadfast in our commitment to succeed and will stay the course to provide quality education and wellness to our students. In Clovis Unied, we will accept our mission and make what may seem impossible, possible.

Field trips became possible with students using Virtual Reality Headsets, funded by a Foundation for Clovis Schools grant, to explore the Great Wall of China, visit the International Space Station and spot giraffes in Africa, just to name a few.

Social distancing guidelines for orchestra, band and choirs did not stop the music from playing, with many teachers making space by taking their classes outside.
		
		Teachers found creative ways to make learning — whether online or in-person — interesting, keeping students' success as their top goal.

	

More than 100 senior athletes signed to play their sport at colleges across the nation. Ceremonies honoring their achievement looked a little different, but the enthusiasm remained sky high!

While Clovis Unified's Sierra Outdoor School was not able to receive campers, that didn't stop instructors there from holding interactive sessions with sixth-graders. Several schools also provided camp gear" to enhance the experience.

When approval was given by state and county health authorities late in the school year for full-gathering graduations that included strict health and safety requirements, Clovis Unified's team moved quickly to do whatever was needed to make ceremonies happen. Graduates' seats were spread on football fields and new stages built to provide well-deserved celebrations of this milestone moment. We are so proud of all of our graduates! CUSD had a graduation rate of 95.8%.

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CLOVIS
UNIFIED
ssroom Building                                      S D

MISSION POSSIBLE

County
Why a Foundation for Clovis Schools?

Funding Per Student

$13,711

$11,050

Clovis Unified

Fresno

Average

One of the greatest challenges facing Clovis Unified is overcoming the perception it has ample resources to meet

student needs. The reality is, Clovis Unified receives less funding than other unified school districts. In fact, if Clovis Unified received just the average per pupil funding of other Fresno County districts, it would have an additional $110 million annually to operate schools. This gap in funding forces CUSD classrooms to go without some of the resources available in other districts. The work of the Foundation for Clovis Schools to mobilize community donors is integral to closing that gap.

About 45% of CUSD students are low income, English learners and/or foster youth – a very high number – but the state only provides extra concentration dollars to districts when their qualifying students exceed 55%. This means that, while the student population has a significant need, CUSD receives about $2,600 less per student than the Fresno County average.

$110 Million additional amount CUSD would receive if provided the county average per pupil funding.

2021 Report to the Community

Building What Matters: 2020-21 Foundation Highlights anks to the generosity of our donors:	Support and

18 Classroom, School and Emotional Wellness Grants	Revenue provided $129,730 to support projects that help teachers innovate in classrooms.
These funds introduced students to new technology, helped build community among students, purchased literacy intervention curriculum, and much more.
81%
128 New Teacher Grants were given to new 2020-21 teachers. The	19% Foundation for Clovis Schools awarded $25,480 to help teachers prepare their
classrooms to be vibrant learning environments for CUSD kids.

16 Students of Promise Scholarships totaling $32,000 encouraged remarkable 11th graders to pursue their goals with a scholarship upon enrollment into post-secondary education.

Contributions

Special Events

Expenses

Donor Impact
Our steadfast community of donors help make the Foundation’s work possible. During the 2020-21 school year:

More than $220,000 was invested in students, teachers and classes across the district through the Foundation.

294 businesses, individuals, foundations, community groups and CUSD employees contributed to the Foundation for Clovis Schools.

34%		9 60%
4%

2%

The Foundation managed $97,113 in funds for other programs within Clovis Unified, supporting developmental programs and student transportation.

Educational Programs

Designated Gifts & Scholarships

General & Administrative

Donor Cultivation

FOUNDATION
New Teacher Grants: Continuing a Legacy at Clovis High

Ron Webb Jr. did not plan on being a teacher, but he found his way into education because of his father’s passion and stories about teaching.

Ron Webb Sr. spent more than 30 years at Clovis High as the photography teacher and golf coach.

“It was his love and care for his students, more than even the career itself, that really drove my dad,” Webb Jr. said of his father’s joy of being in a classroom. And so, when the younger Webb began looking for a new career path after working in both architecture and ministry, his father pointed him to teaching as a way to bring all of his experiences together.

Webb Jr. was hired this year to teach Building Information Modeling at his dad’s beloved Cougar campus and his own alma mater. “I’m thrilled for the opportunity,” he said.

Webb Jr. is one of 159 new teachers hired for 2021-22 in Clovis Unified to be presented a New Teacher Grant

by the Foundation, made possible by donations from local business partners. The grant is given to every new teacher to help with setting up a classroom for the
very first time.

“To know you have support from the community, it’s uplifting,” Webb Jr. said of receiving the grant. “It strengthens our ability to teach. It’s a joint venture.”

For Webb Jr., the grant is also a chance for him to carry on a family legacy, the timing of which was particularly poignant. He got the phone call about being hired for the job shortly before his father’s recent passing from cancer.

“Dad was really excited. When I told him that I got the teaching position, he lit up like he was in the classroom again,” Webb Jr. said. The father shared with his son pointers about being a teacher, connecting with students and mastering his subject.

“I’m so glad he heard I got the job,” Webb Jr. said, noting he plans to honor his dad by being the best teacher he can.

18
12,600
Classroom and School Grants

10

Each year, the Foundation invites educators across the district to submit proposals for projects that enhance learning in a creative and motivational way.

When in-person instruction was temporarily suspended in March 2020, Clark Intermediate art teacher Melissa Fritsch wondered how she might continue providing a quality art experience to her students. Delivering art supplies to each of her students’ homes for individual projects was incredibly time consuming and she was beginning to sense that her middle schoolers might not be as engaged with her traditional art projects when away from the classroom.

That’s when Fritsch realized she had a new tool at her disposal. Her students – who by March were used to working with materials like oil pastels, charcoal and clay to create their own works of art – were all now digitally connected. Fritsch decided to take advantage of the newfound access to technology in her art class and introduced a new medium to her students: Google Drawing – a free computer graphics program offered through Google.

Fritsch’s students quickly learned to create digital collages, landscapes, portraits and still lifes to supplement the
traditional art curriculum. But when it was time to return to campus for in-person instruction, she knew that her art students would no longer have their very own set of Chromebooks to use in class. She submitted a proposal for a Foundation classroom grant to provide a set of Chromebooks specifically for the art classes at Clark. Her proposal was awarded in June 2021 and Chromebooks were soon ordered for the class.

“Going back to in-person instruction without computers would have felt like a step backwards,” Fritsch said. “We are so excited to receive new laptops for the art room from the Foundation so that we may continue bringing technology to art.”

Students at Clark Intermediate will continue experiencing digital art instruction, and foundational graphics skills that will prepare them to explore the possibility of entering a related career path later in life.

FOUNDATION
$130,000
Grant
2020-21s in Action

By: Nadine Bartolome

By: Marcus Franz

Student-created Google Drawing artwork at Clark Intermediate.

Infused into the district for the benefit of CUSD students

Students directly impacted by classroom and school grants

Grants awarded to CUSD school sites and programs

2021 Report to the Community

Students of Promise

“
He’s really excited about one day being the rst in his family to graduate high school and college.

”
Daniel Felix Buchanan High Guidance and Learning Specialist;
Student of Promise nominator	11

A signature program of the Foundation for Clovis Schools, Students of Promise scholarships are awarded each spring to 16 extraordinary high school juniors who have shown incredible perseverance in extremely challenging situations. They are encouraged to continue on their path toward graduation with the award of a $2,000 scholarship from the Foundation upon enrollment into post-secondary education.

Students of Promise See the 2021 trailer

https://www.foundation-forclovisschools.com/SOP

“Our Students of Promise are dear to our hearts at the Foundation for Clovis Schools,” said Mike Fennacy, Foundation chairperson. “So, we were intent on continuing to honor them for 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic preventing us from coming together for our normal in-person celebration.”

In non-COVID times, the Foundation for Clovis Schools honors recipients at an Academy Awards-style celebration. While this year’s event was put on hold due to COVID restrictions, scholarship recipients were surprised at their homes or via Zoom with the news of their awards, had portrait sessions with a professional photographer and received certificates from elected officials acknowledging their hard work. Additionally, a brief video was produced showcasing some of the admiration and words of encouragement from the educators who nominated them. Students will also be receiving in-person accolades during their senior year, together with the 2022 Students of Promise.

FOUNDATION
“We’re so grateful for our community partners who have helped to make the awards possible for our 2021 recipients,” Fennacy said.

$32,000
Students of Promise scholarships

309
Students of Promise recipients since 2002

16
2020-21 Students of Promise scholarships

The Doc Buchanan Leadership Academy

The challenges CUSD staff and students have overcome since March 2020 have cemented the vital importance of founding Superintendent Floyd “Doc” Buchanan, Ed.D.’s leadership tenets, and the critical need to continue investing in leaders who are committed to nurturing the mind, body and spirit of every child.

Accordingly, the Foundation for Clovis Schools board voted in June 2021 to allocate undesignated reserve funds to establish the Doc Buchanan Leadership Academy – a leadership development program that will maintain the long-standing and unique philosophies that have supported the district’s success over time. Under the direction and supervision of the Superintendent’s Office, the Academy will give Clovis Unified a permanent venue in which its leaders are trained and mentored in Doc Buchanan’s leadership tenets. And, as a result, teachers, students and the community flourish.

August 2021 saw the official launch of the Academy, with

approximately 130 district leaders meeting offsite for a leadership retreat. District leaders engaged in intentional leadership training and relationship building surrounding CUSD’s leadership tenets and core values.

The Foundation has also contracted with a curriculum development expert to develop leadership training materials and modules for the Academy, in addition to establishing a formal mentoring program for new leaders in the district, which is planned to launch later in the 2021-22 school year.

Visionary	Gold
Building What Matters
$25,000+	$1,000 to $2,499
Harris Construction	Boman & Associates	Daniel Bishop ank you to the friends who helped support the Foundation	Jim Van Volkinburg	Brian Serimian LLP	Danielle Cantu
Mark Wilson Construction
Granville Homes, Inc.	Anonymous Donor
Christopher Edmonson
Deborah Tockey
for Clovis Schools with gifts made between July 1, 2020 and                                      K Coe Isom                                                            Brooks Ransom Associates       Darin Tockey June 30, 2021.ese gifts make it possible for the Foundation        Franklin Antonio                   Ricchiuti Family                   Allstate Foundation                C.P. Pearson LLC                  Debra Bolls

TETER Architects
Platinum
Todd & Sara Cook	Danny Tovar
DeMera DeMera Cameron LLP
Jamie Swisegood
to continue to bring innovative classroom ideas and	Kaiser Permanente	Spencer Enterprises Inc.	Bruce Droz	Christine Lingenfelter	Don & Cindy Ulrich educational programs to students across Clovis Unied.	Mohan L. & Sushila Sethi                                             Dalena, Benik & Associates	Eimear O’Farrell	Janet Samuelian
Legacy
$2,500-$4,999
Elaine Lynn
Grundfos Pumps
Hugh Awtrey III	Kathleen Zamora J- I.T. Outsource	Kelly Avants
$10,000 -$24,999
California Health Sciences
Janet Young
M. Benik
Mee Yang Vu
A special recognition to donors who,	Hoffman Security	Ken & Susan Engle	Kevin Kerney
Clovis Exchange Club
Jared & Janelle Martin
with their 2020-21 contributions,	University	Marty Cohan	Stacey Tafoya
5-Star
Rain and Hail Insurance
Ronald Cortopassi
Jordan Roach
Neil Koenig
advanced into a new category on	Copeland Medical Healthcare     Jeff & Michele Markaria	Melisha Ford	John Smith our Donor Recognition Wall located	Partners	Keith Wallace & Judy Davis
$5,000-$9,999
Company, Inc.
Tosh & Brittany Cook
Walter & Susan Buster
Patricia Gilbert
Patrick & Lorie Ruth
in the district’s Professional	Doug Benik	Lingenfelter Land Development Building. The wall	Durham Construction	Communications, LLC
Implant Center
SIM-PBK Architects
Bronze
giving:
recognizes donors’ cumulative                   Assemi Group, Inc.                Goode Ol’ Days Antiques          Mirelez Revitalize Dental                                              Phuong Nguyen Bernards                           Larson Brothers Photography                                                                             Ronald Treptow
CenCal Demolition
MUFG Union Bank
$250 to $499
Patterson, LLP
Spencer Family
4 Stars $150,000 to $299,999	Blair, Church & Flynn	McFarlane and McFarlane	SmartCare Medical Group	Sampson, Sampson &

Cente
Poochigian for
Wm. B Saleh Co.
Ashley Lake
2 Stars $30,000 to $74,999	ClovisrCommunity Medical	Paul Halajian Architects	PG&E Matching Gift Fund	Allison Hernandez
Silver
Bauer Real Estate
Elite Team Offices	Educational Employees Credit Assessor-Recorder 2022
Elite Team Offices
$500 to $999
1 Star $15,000 to $29,999	Union	Westech Systems Inc.	Bob Fishman
Fresno First Bank
Clovis Exchange Club	Charlene Kiyuna Mohan L. Sethi & Sushila Sethi                            Golden State Steel                                                    Antonio & Louise Petrosino	Dale & Deborah Ikeda

CUSD.com | 559.327.9000

Thank you also to the 187 Clovis Unified employees who supported the Foundation through automatic payroll deduction during the 2020-21 school year. The complete list of names can be found on FoundationForClovisSchools.com.