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			CUSD
April 2024
	
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PERMIT NO. 220
			
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	Clovis Unified S 1450 Herndon Clovis, CA 936
	
Clovis Unified School District — DEVELOPING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY & SPIRIT	Volume 26, No. 9

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The Joy of Reading

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Dr. Seuss

Above: Weldon Elementary Principal Ray Lozano sits among a sea of balloons – each one representing a student’s 100% on a reading test! The fun was had as part of celebrating Read Across America last month. Right: Jefferson Elementary’s littlest Blue-jays in Inclusion Preschool practice reading and also made their very own “Cat in the Hat” hats like that in Dr. Seuss books.

Special to CUSD Today

Changes coming to CUSD school attendance map

New boundaries take effect Fall 2025

The Clovis Unified School District Governing Board was expected to take action on a final recommended update to school attendance boundaries at its April 17 meeting. The map can be viewed online at cusd.com, and approved changes will take effect beginning in the 2025-26 school year.
The update follows a months-long study and review in the fall by a 50-member Steering Committee and a series of meetings since
January on various map     proposals that	gathered
back.
community feed-	‰ See final map online While the driv-	‰ Review options for sibling
view was the an-
the boundary re-	rules, staying at current ticipated opening	site, transfer criteria
of Clovis South
High and a yet-to-be-named intermediate school in Fall 2025, the attendance study also provided information about facility space across the district – with some schools over capacity and others having available seats for students. The final updated map aims to ensure the district balances ca-pacities, efficiently uses its existing school facilities’ space, and only builds new schools when necessary.
Five guiding principles were followed by the committee and staff throughout the process that included:
n Maximize facility space while moving as few students as possible,
n Value neighborhood schools and keep neighborhoods together,
n Reduce operational expenses,
n Create boundaries that will last for 5-10 years whenever possible, and
n Balance enrollment across high school areas. Answers to frequently asked questions about the change,
transfers, sibling rules and more will be shared online and at each school.
“We intend to make any transitions for students as suc-cessful as possible, and we have a team of experienced edu-cators already developing plans to see that through,” said Superintendent Corrine Folmer, Ed.D.
The final recommended map modeled what was termed the Silver Scenario, one of three versions of maps shared with the community for feedback. It was created based on input and recommendations from families. Additionally, from parent input, the district developed Boundary Atten-dance Accommodations that provide options to those who will be impacted by the changes.
Full details about these can be found at cusd.com or by contacting CUSD’s Student Services and School Attendance
at 327-9200.

Summer sign-ups starting for art,
science, sports and more!

‰ See Page 6.

Scholarships given to 16 juniors who are overcoming adversity and making education a priority!

‰ See Page 11.

Gateway earns national title

Clovis Unified’s Gateway High was recently named a 2024 Model Continuation High School – one of just 31 out of the 430 in the nation to receive the prestigious title.
The designation is given to continuation high schools that use exceptional instructional strategies alongside engaged guidance and counseling support systems to serve their students.
“Being named a Model Continuation High School reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone who works at Gateway High School where we are focused on the success of all students,” said Principal Steve Pagani. “In essence, to be named a Model Continuation High School is to be recognized as a shining example of educational excellence, offering a second chance and a pathway to success for all students who attend Gateway High School.”
The Model Continuation High School Recognition Program is a partnership between the California Department of Education and the California Continuation Education Association Plus.
Gateway High will hold the title for three years.

BeanieBabies

Photo special to CUSD Today. When Sierra Vista Elementary long-term substitute teacher Jenna Stanfil finished her term, she had a perfect way to “cap” off her time with her third graders. Using custom-designs by each student, she spent her evenings crocheting beanies for each one of them. Said one student, “I am going to wear this hat forever! When I sleep, when I shower, when I eat, I will always have my
hat on.”

Page 2	CUSD Today	April 2024

Clovis Unified School District to Honor the School Lunch Heroes Serving Healthy Meals

Cele rat ng

chool L nch H ro D y on May 3, 2024

S h     l L nch Hero Day provides an opportunity for parents, students, school staff and communities to thank those who provide healthy meals to our Clovis Unified students each school day.

Campus Catering prepares delicious food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile.

School caf terias are required to alway low-fat or fat-free milk, fruits, vegetable whole grains and lean protein while me limits on calories, sodium and unhealth f	or many children, school lunch is the most important and nutrient-rich meal of their day

Last year, Campus Catering served a t

3,645,989 meals; this year, our school lunch heroes have been averaging	,848 meals per day. Campus Catering has introduced more diverse, student approved
offerings such as the sweet thai chicken rice bowls, chicken tamales, and the return of the colorful chicken patty salad served with homemade ranch dressing.

e would like to inv e you to share in pr viding words of appreciation to your school sites Campus Catering Staff.
Cele ate by coloring a picture, writing a no e of thank t creative with a craft to show how much you
appreciate their hard work.

.	.
etails about School Lunch Hero Day at wwwschoollunchherodaycom. ore about the school nutrition program for Clovis Uniﬁed School District
visit https:// ww.cusd.com/CampusCatering.aspx.

April 2024

‰ Announcements

GRADUATION SCHEDULE

Mark your calendar to cheer for Clovis Unified’s Class of 2024 as seniors at all district high schools will soon celebrate their graduation. The schedule is:
n May 29, Clovis High, 7:30 p.m., Lamonica Sta-dium
n May 30, Clovis East High, 7:30 p.m., Lamonica Stadium
n May 31, Clovis Online, 7 p.m., Lamonica Stadium n June 1, Clovis Adult Education, 11 a.m., Mercedes
Edwards Theatre
n June 3, Alternative Education (Clovis Community Day, Gateway High, Enterprise High), 7 p.m., Mercedes Edwards Theatre
n June 4, Clovis North High, 7:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Stadium
n June 5, Clovis West High, 7:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Stadium
n June 6, Buchanan High, 7:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Stadium

‘School of Rock’ shows in April
In April, Clovis North’s Bronco Drama will present “School of Rock,” a musical tale about Dewey, a failed wannabe rockstar who makes it his mission to teach his clueless, straight-laced students all about rock and roll. Much to Dewey’s surprise, he realizes they are a talented bunch, and he talks
them into forming a rock band for an upcoming competi-tion.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. April 18-20 and 25-27; and a matinee at 2 p.m. April 20 and 27 at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre, 902 Fifth St., Clovis. For information and tickets: cusd.com/events.

‘Little Women’ in May
Get ready as Clovis High drama students perform the classic tale “Little Women,” which features character Jo March, who is not your typical Vic-torian lady. The story follows Jo and her three sisters who must negotiate their ambitions with society’s expec-tations.
Curtains open at 7:30 p.m. May 2, 3 and 9-11; and at 2 p.m. May 4 and 11 in the Dan Pessano Theater, 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno. For information and tickets: cusd.com/events.

LCAP review
At a meeting earlier this month, parents from every school joined Clovis Unified School District site and ad-ministration staff to learn about recommended student
programs for the upcoming school year as part of the

CUSD Today

Local Control and Accountability Plan.
LCAP is a state-required plan describing how the district will use funds received from California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to provide learning and wellness action and strategies for services primarily supporting foster youth, English learner and low-income students.
The recent recommendations and priorities for Clovis Unified were developed following months-long research and meetings with staff and the community reviewing available funding, current supports and services, and recent California Dashboard assessment findings of the district. There will be a public review and commenting period, and the final recommendations will be presented to the Governing Board for action in late May and June. Learn
more: cusd.com/lcap.

The Danny Awards, May 17
Come cheer Clovis Unified ce-lebrities as they make their “red carpet entrance” into the Danny Awards May 17 at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre. Just like the Tony Awards, the Danny Awards will recognize Clovis Unified’s best play and musical of the year, along with awards for best actors, supporting actors and crew. This star-studded event kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and
features musical acts by several performers from the 2023-24 CUSD year of theater.

2024-25 new student registration Registration is underway for transitional kindergarten

through 12th grade students who will be brand new to Clovis Unified in the 2024-25 school year.
To be eligible for kindergarten, a child must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024. To be eligible for transitional kindergarten, a child must turn 5 between Sept. 2, 2024, and June 2, 2025.
Parents should first complete an online pre-registration form, and then can visit their local elementary or secondary school to finalize registration. In addition to the form, in-formation about required documents and other details can be found at cusd.com/NewStudentRegistration.
Clovis Unified also provides high-quality preschool pro-grams at 28 school sites, many of which offer morning and afternoon programs. To enroll or learn more, visit cusd.com/Preschool.

Free tutoring help day or night
As the school year is coming to a close, and students may have upcoming exams or papers due, parents are re-minded that free tutoring help is available. Tutors can further explain concepts, help with homework and even review writing assignments.
One-on-one tutoring help is just a click away 24-hours a day, 7-days a week for Clovis Unified students at all grade levels. The district makes available free access to tutor.com, a service of The Princeton Review, to provide students with online tutoring anytime without charge to families. There are more than 3,000 expert tutors in 250-plus subject areas available to help.
Students using the service can expect one-on-one help

Page 3

through a live messaging window, with the ability for the student or tutor to share screens on a whiteboard on which both write and view.
To access, students can log into their Clever account and select the tutor.com app.

CalKIDS program launches Eligible families are encour-

aged to have their child par-ticipate in the new state-launched program California Kids Investment and Develop-
ment Savings Program (CalKIDS) that helps give a jump start on saving for college or career training. To be eligible, participants must either be born in California on or after July 1, 2022; or be an eligible low-income public-school student (as defined by the state Local Control Funding Forumula) in grades 1-12 in California.
Participants receive a seed deposit in a CalKids account to help pay for future education.
All newborns, regardless of parental income, who are born on or after July 1, 2022, will receive $25 in the account when registering online, and a $50 deposit for linking the account to a new or existing ScholarShare 529 college savings account.
Eligible low-income public-school students participating receive: $500 automatic deposit in their CalKids account; $500 additional deposit for eligible students identified as foster youth; and $500 additional deposit for eligible students identified as homeless.
To learn more or register an account: calkids.org.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

The Clovis Unified School District offers a variety of special education services and programs to serve children with communicative, physical, learning, emotional and other special needs. To learn more about special education services and the special education referral process, contact Clovis Unified Special Education at 327-9400. Exceptional Person Awards, April 24

The Special Education Exceptional Person Awards for this school year will be presented April 24 at a reception honoring Clovis Unified employees and volunteers. The event starts at 7 p.m. in the CUSD Professional Development Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis.
The award recognizes those who work with or support students with special needs and whose qualities include devotion, hard work, creativity, integrity, initiative, compassion and talent. The honorees were nominated by families, staff, students and volunteers.
Advisory meeting, May 15
The Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will meet at noon, May 15 at the CUSD Professional Development Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis. The meeting topics will be the “Annual Service Plan Review, SPED Budget and Student Voices.”
The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Special Education Local Plan Area. Its meetings are open to the public. For information call 327-8455 or email fam-ilyresourcecenter@cusd.com.

Fresno
eles
ty
High school
Additional achieve-
Intermediate
Seventh Grade: Girls
Eighth Grade: Girls
Seventh/Eighth Grade:
SPORTS

Page 4	CUSD Today	April 2024

College signings beginning at Clovis schools

Some student athletes took part in early college signings	nology
vis West High
n
Fresno
Fresno
n
Bay
Branson John, Wrest ing, Unive sity of Maryland
n
this year. Congratulations to:                                                           n Makayla Garza, Soccer, California State University, Clo Tytus Khajavi, Football, California State University,     East Marissa Garza, Soccer, California State University, n Jordan Pierro, Football, California State University,          n Kai Butler, Baseball, l CaliforniarState University, Los
Fresno
n
hanan High
n
ersity
n
n Marshel Sanders, Football, California State University,     AngRiley Burgess, Track & Field/Cross Country, Pepperdine BucLandon Wright, Football, Washington State University        UnivGarrett Menagh, Football, Western Oregon Universi-

n Sydney Dick, Girls Golf, Oregon Institute of Technol-          Additional athletes from around the district are expected ogy                                                                                               to make their commitment at signing ceremonies planned
n Madison Dick, Girls Golf, Oregon Institute of Tech-	for this spring.

Congratulations to Elementary Winter champs

Young wrestlers from	honor of the late Bill Nixon,	events, including the annual	schools tied for second place around the district gathered	who worked for Clovis Un-	wrestling tournament.	with 148 points each.
at the Clovis North High	ified for more than 40 years	Congratulations to Dry	On the court, the CUSD gym for the Bill Nixon Ele-	and was instrumental in cre-     Creek Elementary’s team for      Elementary	Basketball mentary Wrestling Tourna-	ating and implementing     winning the tournament      Championship also saw ment. This year the annual	many co-curricular and rec-     with 225 points! Mickey Cox      young athletes giving their tournament was renamed in	reational activities and     and Fugman elementary      all.
teams who made i to the
Congratulations to the State’s best coming to town	tournament, and at special

Clovis Unified will be hosting two California Inter-          congratulations to the cham-scholastic Federation state championships in May. Cal-          pionship teams. In the girls ifornia’s top high school athletes will compete in the          basketball tournament, Gar-2024 CIF Swimming and Diving Championships May          field Elementary claimed the 9-11 at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex on Clovis          championship spot with Wel-West High’s campus and in the 2024 CIF State Track          don Elementary as the and Field Championships May 24-25 at Veterans Memorial          runner-up. The Reagan Ele-Stadium on Buchanan High’s campus. Traffic around          mentary boys basketball these venues is expected to be impacted.                                  team took home the cham-Information and tickets to watch the high-caliber          pionship in their division, competitions can be found at CIFstate.org.                               with Woods Elementary as

runner-up.

League titles and more

As the winter sports     Cheer Champions; Clovis season came to a close in     North High Boys Soccer, March, Clovis Unified in-     CIF Division I Valley termediate and high     Champions; Clovis West school student athletes fin-     High Girls Basketball, CIF ished strong in their     Division I Valley Cham-leagues, and many teams     pions (the team’s twelfth won Valley Champion ti-     consecutive Valley Cham-tles, too. Congratulations     pion title!); Clovis West to:                                           High Cheer, CIF Division II Cheer Champions; and
Clovis West High Pep, CIF TRAC League: Boys	Division II Dance Cham-
Basketball: Clovis North	pions and Clovis West high

school CIAL
league champions
schools; Girls Basketball: Clovis West High; Boys Soccer: Clovis North High; Girls Soccer: Clovis North
nan High
High; Wrestling: Bucha-     Basketball, Granite Ridge and Kastner intermediate
Champions; Rocklin Zin-
Kastner Intermediate;
Clark Intermediate
ments included: Buchanan	schools; Boys Basketball, High Wrestling, CIF Valley	Girls Soccer, Alta Sierra kin, State Wrestling Cham-	Intermediate; Boys Soccer, pion, Buchanan High; Clo-
I Dance Champions; Lei-
Nikade Z nkin, State
vis High; Isabella Marie
Alta Sierra and Reyburn
Soccer, Alta Sierra and
Kastner Intermediate
vis High Pep, CIF Division	Basketball, Kastner Inter-lani Lemus, State Wrestling	mediate; Boys Basketball, Champion, i Clovis High;	intermediate schools; Girls Wrestling Champion, Clo-	Granite Ridge intermedi-Gonzales, State Wrestling	ate schools; Boys Soccer, Champion, Clovis East
Boys Basketball, CIF Di-
Clovis North High Cheer,
schools; W estling, Alta
High; Clovis North High	Gymnastics, Kastner and vision I Valley Champions;	Alta Sierra rintermediate CIF Division II Co-Ed	Sierra Intermediate.

”
VISION

April 2024	CUSD Today	Page 5

Student assessments part of roadmap to success

By Corrine Folmer, Ed.D. Superintendent

ICONIC hockey player Wayne Gretzky is credited for the saying, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t
take.” Today, our youth have a pop-ular saying with a similar “be bold and go for it” message: “Shoot your shot.” These
actly what our
phrases are ex- Corrine Folmer, educators	are	Ed.D. building up our students to do! As the Spring semester is in full force, our team is helping prepare our students for upcoming state testing, AP testing and, eventually, finals.
This preparation requires hav-ing established goals and a positive mindset.
In education and in life, clear directions and clear goals are ex-tremely important to achieving success. It is one of the reasons that our teachers spend hours mapping out the entire academic year, carefully planning the in-structional strategies they will use to ensure students master the core standards of a given grade level.
Having a clear curriculum map allows our teachers to achieve their learning goals for their students. It also provides our students with the maximum opportunity to, year-over-year, build on the knowledge gained in each grade level so that they graduate fully prepared and ready for life after high school.
Student assessments are another part of this critical roadmap to success, and each spring, Califor-nia’s standardized tests provide an

opportunity to measure the degree	fidence that they are nothing to	At school, our teachers are re-to which our students are mastering	fear. Instead, they are an indicator      viewing key learnings and prac-grade level standards. Sometimes,	helpful in guiding instruction and,      ticing key strategies with their stu-these assessments can be a source	where necessary, intervention.      dents that prepare them to be ready of anxiety, and I would encourage	These assessments are one valida-      to demonstrate their full under-our students and their families (as	tion tool of the growth and hard      standing of the lessons they have well as our teachers) to take con-	work of our students and staff.           already learned this year. Our

LESSONS

Inspirations by, for and from our CUSD students

Mountain View Elementary fifth grader Jason Hasson represented Clovis Unified in the 2024 Central California Regional Braille Challenge recently. The event held in the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom culminates in a
two-day finals in the summer and is the only academic competition of its kind for visually impaired students from first through 12th grade who can read and write braille. Students compete in five areas to test their proficiency using braille: reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading and charts and graphs. “Jason did great! He loved participating and is eagerly waiting to see if he finished in the Top 10 because he wants to participate in the finals!” said CUSD Visual Impairment Specialist April Pair, noting he was the only Clovis Unified student to compete this year.

Special to CUSD Today

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT 26TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

schools will hold rallies and create fun methods to encourage and support their students, and I have even seen some principals and GISs go so far as to perform orig-inal song and dance routines to get their students excited.
At home, you can help your child be ready for these assess-ments, too.

“
In education and in life, clear directions and clear goals are extremely important to achieving success.

Corrine Folmer, Ed.D. Superintendent

As you hear of your individual school’s assessment schedule, make sure to schedule any family ap-pointments outside of the instruc-tional school day. Leave plenty of time in the morning to get to school to try and avoid the last-minute dash out the door and the possibility of a missed breakfast. In fact, I want our families to re-member, too, that our schools offer free breakfast for students so they can have a hot, nutritious meal to start their day. Enforce a reasonable bedtime so your child is rested and ready for the school day, and finally, encourage your child with a reminder that these assessments cover material that their teachers carefully prepared them for all year.
Students, staff and parents are all in this together. We want our students to know we have confi-dence in them and are eager to watch them “Shoot their shot!”

Clovis Unified employees inspire with dedication, care

Editor’s note:Clovis Unified honored 28 employees for their exceptional work conducted in the 2022-23 school year with a Crystal Award, the district’s highest employee honor at a gala this spring. These educators – ranging from teachers and ad-ministrators to librarians and athletic directors – were nominated by their peers or supervisor in the fall and found deserving by employee judging panels to merit the top recognition.
In this issue of CUSD Today, we conclude a series in alpha-betical order that showcases our honorees.

By Carol Lawson-Swezey Special to CUSD Today

Mark Perez
Pinedale Elementary/Facilities
Affectionately dubbed the “hardest working man in America,” Pinedale Elementary lead night custodian Mark Perez is dearly beloved.
His can-do attitude pours into his daily work that includes listed duties and beyond, including walking teachers safely to their cars after dark or jump-starting a parent’s car. He not only completes his own assignments, but he also sets up facilities
for the next shift to make their job easier. Perez’s supervisor refers to him as the “People’s Custodian,” as he is the most requested by outside groups who use school facilities.
Perez shows appreciation to fellow staff with customized gifts and fresh vegetables from his garden. He consistently collects food, clothing, backpacks and school supplies to donate to the Pinedale neighborhood and his hometown community of Firebaugh.
For after school upper grade students who aren’t in co-curricular activities, Perez established the Blue Crew, where students can make a difference and feel good by helping with trash pickup, collecting equipment and clothing left from recess and other odd jobs.
One nominator said, “Mr. Perez lives as if each day is an opportunity to show love and care to others.” That love comes back as well. When his own truck was stolen from school, the staff rallied to raise money to help replace it.
Sarah Perkovich Clovis High
Clovis High English teacher Sarah Perkovich will invest extra time and effort to ensure students achieve optimal potential.
Known as “Ms. Perk,” she serves as the English Department Chair, is the PLC Lead Teacher and a member of the CUSD Curriculum and Instruction Performance Task Committee. She spent many off-duty hours coordinating and structuring the
WASC (Accrediting Commission for Schools) application, collecting data from 11 departments and four grade levels.
She led her PLC team in revamping each writing unit, so students

The Crystals For a full list of winners and

their video biographies from The Crystals, see cusd.com/CrystalAwards.

are using critical thinking and thought-provoking prompts, enabling the composition of intricately written essays. This resulted in a whopping 83% rating of students on grade level or above on the 2022 and 2023 state assessments. Continuing to refine practices, Perkovich created an Academic Pathway in 2019, revised in 2022, to support teachers and counselors in recommending students for English courses, resulting in a cohesive academic vision for all staff.
She advocated for her English department colleague during her cancer treatment, providing the substitute teachers with everything they needed, including daily lesson plans.
“She took my subs under her wingand made them feel at home at Clovis High,” her colleague wrote. “Sarah also took the role of advisor for my daughter while I was undergoing chemo.”
Liz Peugh
Mickey Cox Elementary
Liz Peugh is known for always putting others before self. The Mickey Cox Elementary Intervention teacher fosters a culture of kindness, trust and respect on her campus and beyond.
Peugh volunteered to promote the Positivity Project on campus by providing lessons, resources and video announcements to promote character traits like communication skills and building
positive relationships. She ensures every staff member feels celebrated by making them a VIP annually. Last year, she put together a student-created appreciation book for the new nurse, and she had students write notes of appreciation for the lunch ladies for Lunch Hero Day. Last year, Peugh reported to work 5 weeks early to collaborate with teachers on lesson planning and DRA testing. She voluntarily attends weekly kindergarten and PLC meetings and does additional
kindergarten intervention parent meetings.
Her dedication resulted in strong test scores at Mickey Cox last year. Kindergarten iCAL scores jumped from 41% to 79%. Kindergarten iReady scores more than doubled from 35% to 84%. More amazing stats include First Grade iReady Reading Diagnostic showing gains from 8% to 82% and the EL program was able to reclassify nine of its
37 students. Adam Reid
Clovis West High
Clovis West High’s Adam Reid juggles multiple titles with passion and intensity. Eighteen-year special education teacher, department chair, coordinator and director of sport for swimming and dive all fall under his realm.

— ABOUT US —

Reid played an integral role in the redesign of the school’s Olympic Swim Complex, ensuring it met the needs of all athletes. With the philosophy that “there’s a place on the Clovis West pool deck for everyone,” he introduced new events for Special Olympians, providing access for students with special needs to participate in the same high level of competition as their peers. .
Reid’s belief in getting students college and career ready has led to more opportunities for students. Under his leadership, Clovis West placed five students in the Workability Program and continuously or-ganizes presentations and experiences for students to build job skills. During the 2022-23 school year, 26 of 38 special education students were not only enrolled in college before graduation, but also connected to the Disabled Students & Services program on campus to help support future IEP needs. Clovis West special education students outperformed all other area high schools in English/Language Arts
and Math with a 22% overall growth. Erica Robinson
Granite Ridge Intermediate
Erica Robinson has been a Clovis Unified gem since 2012. She was first hired as a special education teacher at Granite Ridge Intermediate and created a science program for the SPED department. Her love for science led her in 2018 to become Granite Ridge’s seventh-grade science teacher. Over the years, she has poured into the Bronco community, impacting the entire campus in countless ways.
Known for her superpowers of energy, eficiency, and connection with students who feel marginalized or invisible, Robinson has a servant’s heart. From teaching dynamic science lessons, to being the PLC lead, to presenting at the annual 504 co-ordinator workshop, she plays a crucial part in the lives of others.
Among her many roles, she is the CNEC site lead 504 Coordinator with a team of six and caseload of 185; Captain of Bronco Lunch Tutorial program; creator of the Bronco Closet; and AP/SAT/ACT testing accommodation coordinator.
During Teacher Appreciation Day, Robinson tirelessly solicited vendors, businesses and organizations for donations to honor fellow staff. She was also an integral force in initiating a dedication ceremony from the Clovis mayor proclaiming Teacher Appreciation Week for CUSD teachers.
Steve Soma
Sierra Vista Elementary/Facilities
Sierra Vista Elementary Plant Supervisor Steve Soma treats his campus as he would treat his own home. He takes pride in maintaining the campus during work hours, but if he drives by on the weekend, he will stop if he sees an issue like fallen trees or broken sprinklers.

‰ Please see Crystals, Page 10

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. Edi torial 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 allow.

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

Hugh H. Awtrey	Yolanda Moore	Clinton Olvier President                                          Vice President                                            Clerk
437-6580	437-6580	313-6065

Deena Combs-Flores David DeFrank Steven G. Fogg, M.D. Tiffany Stoker Madsen 273-9824	327-9000	269-7000	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	April 2024

Summer adventure plentiful in Clovis Unified

n
Sign-ups starting
for art, science,
Clovis Unified students currently in 7th and signs, symptoms and response to drug in Clovis Unified TK-sixth grades. Each and 8th grades.                                                 overdose.                                                          week of the six weeks of the program will Session 1 will be June 10-27 and Session        Additionally, students will be introduced have its own theme with activities, field
sports and more
2 July 1-19. Each program will be held from to the Education field through engaging trips, guest speakers, projects and more 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, activities. (Three options of a one-week specifically planned to engage students in and there will be no classes held on June 19 class)	learning while having fun!
CUSD Today
With summer just around the corner,
or July 4. Space is limited.	n “A Look into Health Careers” at Clovis	The Summer Full Day Program will be Offerings will include:                                High: Students will learn all about Cardio- held at selected elementary school sites n Graphic Design for Beginners at Alta pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automatic Mondays through Thursdays, all CUSD is
Clovis Unified is planning several engaging
activities for June and July that will provide
children with fun ways to continue exploring
and learning new things. Signups for pro-
grams begin soon, and some are currently
Sierra Intermediate: Students will learn External Defibrillator, and First Aid, and closed Fridays, June 17-July 25, and they the basic elements of graphic design like they will have the opportunity to earn cer- will be closed for June 19 and July 4 holidays. color use, principles of design, typography, tification in these skills from the American The fee is $50 per day and free to students writing for media and basic photography Heart Association. Other skills acquired from Title I/CEP schools or who have qual-skills.	will be vital signs, and signs, symptoms ified for a fee waiver.
underway. Here are some of the programs
being offered:
CART SUMMER
ACADEMY
They will create several projects including and response to drug overdose. (Three op-	A lightbreakfast, lunch and an afternoon logo design, event poster and a thematic tions of a one-week class)                                snack are provided at no cost. Transportation portfolio that can be accessed both digitally	n Wheels and Reels at Clovis West: Join is available from the home school to the and in print. (June 12-29)                               the immersive Cars and Video Production designated program site.
CART – the Center for Advanced Re-
search and Technology that is a joint facility
of Clovis and Fresno unified school districts
n 3-D Design Workshop at Clovis High: program, where students will learn the	Applications are available online via Par-Students will be introduced to basic design basics of auto maintenance and hone sto- ent Connect. Enrollment is on a first-come, concepts and discover how to use Com- rytelling skills through film production. first-serve basis and is expected to fill puter-Aided Design (CAD) software to Get hands-on experience repairing classic quickly.
– offers a Summer Academy for kids to in-
vent, experiment, create, learn and have
SUMMER FUN
model and 3D print their own creations. cars while also mastering the art of video	Details: cusd.com/FullDayPrograms. Students will create unique solutions to de- creation. (June 12-30)
fun. Children who will be in fourth through
sign prompts that will challenge them to	Details: Watch for the full listing of
seventh grade in the fall of 2024 can attend
the one-week session that is from 8 to 11:30
a.m. June 10 to 14 at CART, 2555 Clovis
Ave., Clovis.
Hands-on project-based learning experi-
SPORTS & RECREATION
think creatively and work collaboratively. courses, dates and enrollment information	The Summer Fun program, coordinated This course combines creative and technical at cusd.com/CTEsummer.                               by CUSD’s Community Education, offers a skills, and it appeals both to those who like                                                                             variety of classes for children ages 4 to 13. the arts and those who prefer math and                                                                             The program is open to all students in this science. (June 13-29)	The CUSD Clovis Community Sports age range, regardless of their home district.
ences offered are: Builders Workshop, Game
Design, Lemonade Stand – Microbusiness,
Mini-Med School, Optical Illusions, Pixel
Playground, and Robots, Rockets & Air-
planes.
Registration opens April 10. The academy
costs $199 before June 1, and $250 after
n The Art of Storytelling at Clovis North and Recreation Department offers youth Class registration begins online May 1. High: Students will learn the basics of story programs for children ages 3 to 12. Youth	Summer Fun classes will be held Monday writing and storytelling, plus the elements programs are offered in softball, t-ball, base- through Thursday, June 17 to July 18, from of plot structure and character development ball, rugby, futsal and flag football. Year- 8 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. at Century Elementary. to develop themes that are important to round competitive and recreational programs Kids can take one class or up to four. Most the development of child and adolescent are offered in gymnastics, swimming, dance, classes are $199 and meet twice a week for literature, and they will create their own cheerleading, volleyball and water polo. two hours.
that date. The fee includes a T-shirt.
Details: CART at cart.org or call 248-
7400.
CTE SUMMER ACADEMY
mythological story. At the end of the session, The department also offers area camps that        The program offers a variety of fun students will receive a professionally bound include sports, band, music, cheer, computers learning opportunities including arts, crafts, copy of their story. (July 10-27)                      and a variety of other activities.                      computer, cooking, dance, fitness, foreign n “A Look into Education and Health        Details: See upcoming summer offerings language, music, drama, reading, writing,
Careers” at Clovis North: Students will at ClovisRec.com or call 327-9225.	science, sports and much more.
The College and Career Readiness De-
partment will offer the Career Technical
EXPANDED
LEARNING CLUB
learn all about Cardiopulmonary Resusci-                                                                                  Course catalogs will be distributed to all tation (CPR), Automatic External Defibril-                                                                             CUSD elementary schools during April and
Expanded Learning Club Summer Full
opens May 1.
Education (CTE) Summer Academy for the lator, and First Aid, and they will have the	will also be available online. Registration
Day Program provides an enriching full-
Details:	ClovisCommunityEd.com
third year. Held on high school campuses, opportunity to earn certification in these
three-week courses in June and July for
Other skills acquired will be vital signs,
the popular, free program will feature several skills from the American Heart Association. day experience for students currently enrolled /summer-fun, 327-2880.

Academic summer school enhances education

CUSD Today

Academic summer school in Clovis Unified strives to meet the needs of students and families by addressing learning loss or providing further educational opportunities. “Clovis Unified offers summer school for students who need additional instruction or practice to master grade level standards at the elementary level, and we will provide options for students with impacted schedules to take classes for original credits as well as students who need credit re-covery at the secondary level” said CUSD Summer School Administrator Karen Boone.

Elementary grade levels (TK-5)
The elementary summer academic program will be held Mondays through Thursday, June 17 to July 11; there will not be class June 19 or July 4. Each high school area will operate one elementary site. The summer school programs for elementary grades are designed to provide students with targeted, meaningful, and engaging instruction for essential skills in English and/or math. All students will receive language acquisition skills during the daily Language Acquisition Block, and then will receive instruction in English Language Arts and math.
Summer school programs for students in grades TK to fifth will be held at:
n Copper Hills Elementary n Jefferson Elementary
n Pinedale Elementary

n Tarpey Elementary
n Temperance-Kutner Elementary
Space at each site is limited. Students with at-risk grades will receive priority enrollment. Parents may contact their home school regarding availability and site location for their school area.

Intermediate grade levels (6-8)
This year current sixth through eighth graders needing intervention will attend a summer school academy at Alta Sierra Intermediate on Mondays through Thursdays, June 17 to July 11; there will not be class June 19 or July 4. Students will receive standards-based instruction that includes leadership skills, college and career readiness, English language arts and reading strategies.
The program design is project-based learning and highly engaging. Transportation will be provided from each area elementary school to Alta Sierra. Parents may contact their home school regarding availability and site location for their school area.
Current eighth graders desiring to take Health due to an impacted schedule their upcoming freshman year will still take their class at the high school campus.

Secondary grade levels (8-12)
Summer School for secondary students will be held at three sites this year: Kastner for Clovis West area students; Clovis North for Clovis North area and Buchanan area stu-
dents; and Clovis High for Clovis High area and Clovis

East area students. In-person credit recovery and original credit classes will occur from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 17 to July 25 (no class June 19 and July 4).
Eighth-grade students can take health. Independent Study summer school will operate Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and students’ appointments will be scheduled by their independent study summer-school teacher.
Due to the highly impacted courses and short duration of the summer session, strict discipline and attendance policies are enforced daily. For a student to receive credit for a summer school course, he or she must attend the entire summer school session and not miss more than one day of instruction. One absence is permitted. On the second absence of a semester class, the student will be dropped from the summer school program.
The purpose of the summer session for ghigh rades 8-12 is two-fold. First, the summer session provides high school students with the opportunity for “credit-recovery” to master the essential elements of incomplete/failed courses. Original credit summer school for high school students who will have an impacted schedule in the fall will continue to be available both in-person and through independent study class for those who meet requirements. If a student meets the criteria, high school counselors will enroll the student into summer school during the registration pro-cess.
To register or receive more information, contact your student’s high school counselor.

		

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AROUND THE DISTRICT

April 2024

Photo special to CUSD Today. Clovis Unified students make up the city's first "City of Clovis Youth Commission" to provide local leaders with the youth perspective about the town and is future.

City Hall gets youth input
Several Clovis Unified high school students are part of the first-ever City of Clovis Youth Commission, which held its inaugural meeting earlier this year at City Hall. The Clovis City Council voted unanimously in the fall to create the panel of teenagers that will provide young people’s perspectives on the city and its future. Sophomores and juniors living in Clovis were invited to apply, with 15 recently announced as commissioners.
“The future of Clovis is our youth, and it’s important to us to work alongside them in shaping Clovis both for today and tomorrow,” said Clovis Mayor Lynne Ashbeck. “I’m sincerely looking forward to working with our young leaders and hearing all they have to say.”
The new members’ first business will be to establish the Youth Commission’s charter and bylaws. They will be coached by Clovis City Council members and Clovis city staff through the spring and will present their work to the council in May.
Congratulations to: Avereet Samra, Daniel Salgado, David Perez, Noor Riar, Rajbir Longia, Isaac Perry, Bu-chanan High; Bonnie Barlow, Mina Berumen, Camila Gutierrez, Emily Albertson, Grace Yang, Clovis East High; Jocelyn De La Cruz, Eli Pugliese, Kameryn Fedele, Clovis High; and Victoria Chiu, Clovis North High.

Hitting the high notes
Several Clovis Unified students were selected to be part of California All-State choirs and bands who studied and performed with top student-musicians from around the state during the 2024 California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC) held in Sacramento in February. Congratulations to the following students:
Choirs: Jakob Chang, baritone, and Dominic Olaes, bass, Alta Sierra Intermediate; Blythe Griffin, soprano, Michael Tabanas, bass, Buchanan High; Samuelle Pawig, alto, Rebekah Ricon, alto, Rebecca Tillman, soprano, Chasity Syvong, alto, Clovis East High; Samantha Mont-gomery, soprano, Clovis High; Owen Cortes, tenor, Peter
Kildirian, bass, Jacob Wynkoop, tenor, Lauren Kjar, alto,

CUSD Today

Clark makes digital designs

Students in the new Digital Art class at Clark In-termediate wanted to show off their art to their peers, so they held their own Pop-Up Art Show at lunch re-cently. Teacher Melissa Fritsch used a grant from the Foundation for Clovis Schools to purchase laptops for her students and taught them about digital art. Her students were proud of their work and wanted to share it with others. She helped students print their digital artwork and set up the display, but the stu-dents ran the show, talking to their audience about their work and the new art class.
The student body was excited to learn how the art-ists created their masterpieces, and many students are now excited to join the class next school year. “Good things are happening!” said Fritsch.

Kamryn Baker, alto, Noah Bedouch, bass, Matthew Cereno, tenor, Ashlan Huang, bass.
Bands/Orchestras: Ethan Ma, violin, Alta Sierra; Eli Ilobekemen, trumpet, Clark Intermediate; Gus Alley,bari-tone saxophone,Ananya Chava, violin, Andy Fisher, bass, Daniel Lien, cello, Granite Ridge Intermediate; Rajibir Longia, violin, Atom Paz, violin, Erik Stopinski, French horn, William Damrose, trombone, Buchanan High; Gillian Smyth, bass trombone, Jonathan Yang, bass clarinet, Clovis East High; Emery Douglass, bass, Lela Buck, oboe, Clovis High;Junghun Kim, violin, Sonia Rao,violin, Jason Yang, viola, Abhishek Yarenahalli, viola, Alex Fisher, alto sax, Nicholas Gabrielson, percussion, Baylin Lamee, French horn, Luke Noordmans, tenor saxophone, Clovis North High; Bobby Moreno, trumpet, Luke Blancas, flute, Clovis West High.

Kindness at Cole
From dress-up days to handwritten compliments, the Cole Elementary Bulldogs shared a lot of kindness during their third annual Kindness Week. An assembly with pos-itivity and motivational speaker Mr. Peace kicked things off, and there were also inspirational signs made by student council and leadership students being hung around the campus.
All week long, students dressed up in themes like “Team Up for Kindness – Favorite Sports Attire” and “Think Twice, Be Kind – Twin Day.” During recess and lunch,
kids could create cards and notes for friends, teachers and

Page 7

classmates to share a nice thought. Students and staff also collected new socks and spare change to donate to the Poverello House to share the kindness outside their cam-pus.
“It has become a special week at Cole, and this year was no different than the last couple of years” said fourth grade teacher and Leadership advisor Tara Buckley. “It lifts our spirits and reminds us how to look outwards and help make someone’s day a little brighter!”

Kids support kids
Miramonte Elementary students helped one of their own as they took part in Valley Children’s Hospital’s Kids Day in March. Nine-year-old Jeremy Her, a stu-dent at Miramonte, was se-lected as the 2024 Kids Day Ambassador and the face of the 37th annual event where a special edition newspaper is sold to raise money for
the hospital. Jeremy has a genetic blood disorder and has frequent appointments at the hospital, where he is known for his joyful spirit and playful imagination. Leadership students at Miramonte sold the special edition in the school parking lot to show their support of their Mighty Mustang. In addition, several Clovis Unified schools across the area
also took part in the annual community event.

Page 8	CUSD Today	April 2024

dents.
April 2024	CUSD Today	Page 9

Board names new principals for Kastner, Clovis Online

By Kelly Avants
CUSD Chief Communications Officer

April 3
Kastner Intermediate School will welcome Julie Duwe into the role of prin-cipal for the 2024-25 school year after the Clovis Unified Governing Board took action April 3 to approve her ap-pointment. Duwe joins the Kastner Thunderbirds from Valley Oak Elementary, where she has served as prin-cipal for the past 10 years.
Community members from Pinedale were present to celebrate the board’s action to name the school’s library after long-time librarian
Carol J. Lewis. Lewis spent

a 43-year career serving the students and community of Pinedale Elementary, where she was known for keeping her library open long after the school day for elemen-tary, intermediate and high school students needing a place for homework help, or just a safe space with a caring adult.
During the meeting, the board congratulated student athletes who won Valley and/or State titles during the Winter CIF season. Eight teams and four individuals were recognized, including: Buchanan High Wrestling and individual State Cham-pion Rocklin Zinkin, along with Coach Troy Tirapelle; Clovis High School Dance

‰ BOARD BRIEFS

Division I Champions di-	nounced the appointment of rected by Dominique Papa-	Sean Osterberg to the position leo, and individual State	of principal of Clovis Online Wrestling Champions Leilani	School, effective July 1. Lemus and Nikade Zinkin;          Also at the meeting, the Clovis East High’s Individual	board:
State Wrestling Champion	n Approved a fee increase Isabella Marie Gonzales; Clo-     for the Sierra Outdoor School vis North High’s Boys Bas-     following a comparative fee ketball coached by Tony     study. The rate increase ad-Amundsen, Division II Co-     dresses rising costs to operate Ed Cheer Champions direct-     the program. The new fees ed by Devin Balbach, and     take effect for the 2024-25 Boys Soccer coached by
Cameron Shahrokhi; and Clovis West High’s Girls Bas-ketball coached by Craig Campbell, Division II Cheer Champions coached by Ta-leen Issakhanian and Divi-sion II Dance Champions coached by Dannicie Kwan. In other action, the
board:
n Received the annual written report on the district’s AVID programs and ap-proved the annual agreement to maintain the program de-signed to build college-going capacity and success in stu-

March 20
The Governing Board an-

school year, with built in in-	aeronautics, and the second creases in future years by a	is to offset costs to build a calculation using the state’s	multipurpose event facility annual Consumer Price	at the school that would serve Index for Urban Consumers	the entire district and com-(CPI-U).	munity, and house a future
n Approved a resolution      CTE facility. supporting two federal ap-                           q
propriations requests to Sen-	The next regularly sched-ator Alex Padilla to support      uled meeting of the Governing Clovis Unified students. The      Board is at 6:30 p.m. April first is to request start-up      17 in the boardroom at 1680 funding for a new Career      David E. Cook Way in Clovis. Technical Education (CTE)      Complete minutes, agendas program at Clovis South      and videos are available at High focused on careers in      cusd.com.

Welcome to CUSD!

Clovis Unified kindergarten registration for Fall 2024 began last month on campuses throughout the district. At Oraze Elementary, registration was made even more special with all the props for an official student signing ceremony! At the close of the first day on March 6, there were
1,026 new kindergartners officially enrolled. That number will continue to grow.
For enrollment information for students who will be new to the district in the 2024-25 school year, see details of requirements and forms atcusd.com/NewStudentRegis-tration.

Page 10

Crystals:

CUSD Today	April 2024

Exceptional work honored

FROM PAGE 5
Soma also coaches JV basketball and baseball, repairs athletic equipment, and maintains the student snack bar and equipment room. As an avid gardener, he worked alongside After School Academy Coordinator Sandy Xiong to create an after-school community garden program, benefiting both after school and Functional Life Skills Special Education students. They learned real life skills about the plant cycle and farm-to-table growing. Soma shared his expertise on growing and maintaining a garden and spent more than 60 hours of his own time building planter boxes and a storage shed for tools and supplies and setting up an irrigation system.
He is a 31-year Clovis Unified employee and is passionate about Sierra Vista’s welfare as a Title 1 school with 87% socioeco-nomically disadvantaged students. He encourages all students to get involved and he makes sure every new staff member has a “Viking” welcome.

Libby Trutna Special Education

Lead Occupational Therapist for Special Education Libby Trutna takes a whole-student approach to her OT work as she collaborates with families, service providers and case managers. She helps create intricate goals and approaches, and she brings customized gadgets and materials to meet the needs of students.
Trutna recently advocated for a student with severe self-injury behaviors, with a very
high number of incidents each day. Protective gear had previously been ineffective. Trutna spent her own time making and modifying arm and head equipment and, after training staff and family, the student’s behavior decreased by more than half. The student now points to the braces when she feels triggered, and with the gear can calm down sooner.
Trutna is known for her collaborative finesse. She led an effort with physical therapy to train district teachers and instructional aides in appropriate seating positions, adaptive toileting systems and other mechanics to keep staff and students safe while promoting student independence. Additionally, she gives back to the community by participating on conference panels to help share knowledge with other OTs.
Her research of data on shifting from a caseload to a workload model resulted in increased hiring of occupational therapists and adapted physical educators.

Tachua Vue, Ed.D. Tarpey Elementary
From Title 1 Tarpey Elementary student to its principal, Dr. Tachua Vue’s journey is one of perseverance and determination. Her Cinderella story began as a student followed by 23 years as a district employee and cul-minating eight years ago when she was named principal of her alma mater.
Her accomplishments include establishing Anti-Bullying Week and collaborative Student Council-led lessons. That pioneering work
helped result in Tarpey being named last year as the only California elementary school to receive the California Civic Learning of Ex-cellence Award.
Said former CUSD Superintendent Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D., “We are so proud of Dr. Vue for creating opportunities and platforms for diverse, young leaders to grow, thrive and serve their community.”
Vue developed a system to annually evaluate the school’s Multi-Tiered Student Support System and had teachers participate

in Tarpey Team Talks to maximize student achievement. Those efforts resulted in the installation of an innovative book vending machine to reward students who “RISE the Spartan Way” by showing respect, integrity, self-control and academic achieve-ment.
Vue’s support for the ELD model resulted last year in 44% of Tarpey’s EL students advancing at least one proficiency level, staying advanced or redesignated. Tarpey also achieved Class 1, one of five of 14 Title 1 schools to receive the prestigious recognition.
Vance Walberg Clovis West High
After an illustrious career that included coaching in the NBA and college level, Vance Walberg returned home in 2016 to be a Clovis West High PE teacher and Director of Sport boys’ basketball coach.
Under Coach Walberg, who is known worldwide as the innovator of the Dribble Drive Offense, last season the Golden Eagles had a 30-4 record and were Tri River Athletic Conference co-champs; CIF-Central Section
Division I finalists; and ranked No. 17 in California. Two players were named TRAC Players of the Year, another two earned All-State honors and Walberg was named TRAC Coach of the Year. He had at the time, 669 career wins at the high school level – making him one of the winningest basketball coaches in California history!
As a teacher, Walberg partnered with an adapted PE specialist to team teach CW’s Collaborative Mentoring PE class made up of 15 special education students mentored by 15 general education peer students. His nominator said Walberg “poured into his special ed students as if they were competing for a CIF title.”
From having early-morning gym hours for athletes, to hiring coaching staff to reflect the student body, to having the gym rec-ognized as a classroom so his Unified Sports students had a safe facility for daily fitness activities, he is dedicated to positively im-pacting lives.

Tina Wood Clovis North High
Clovis North Educational Center School Counselor Tina Wood is busy. In addition to her counseling duties, Wood is involved in National Honor Society and worked to stream-line the system so that documents are digitally uploaded, calculated and kept confidential by a numbering system.
She spearheaded Bronco College Appli-cations Day, resulting in 65% of seniors ap-plying to continued education. Her work en-
abled Clovis North to offer a Pre-ACT for sophomores on campus, the only district high school to do so.
Wood is a wiz at organizing and creating digital documents, affectionately dubbed by colleagues as “Tina forms” or “Tina cards.” These have allowed counselors to monitor students more effectively, increasing course completion and graduation rates. She has been instrumental in mentoring new counselors and created a guidebook with information, policies and procedures to ease their journey.
In her 15 years in the district, from elementary teacher, coach and counselor, Wood has left her mark. One student, who traveled full circle as a Riverview Ram to a Clovis North Bronco under her tutelage, credits Wood for her success and involvement.
“Being in her classroom showed me my calling in life was to be a third-grade teacher, so that I would one day be able to channel my inner Tina Wood with students I call my own.”

CalKidds.com

April 2024	CUSD Today	Page 11

Students honored for resilience, strength n Foundation awards Students of Promise scholarships

CUSD Today

Sixteen high school students who have made education a priority in the midst of facing heart-wrenching challenges were celebrated as Stu-dents of Promise April 10 by the Foundation for Clovis Schools.
“For a lot of teenagers – and even adults – the challenges these students face every day might get the best of them,” said Foundation Chairperson Mike Fennacy. “But the perseverance and courage they show daily by showing up to school and giving their very best is in-credibly inspiring.”
Each year the Foundation for Clovis Schools, a nonprofit organi-zation that supports Clovis Unified School District, selects 16 students in their junior year to receive a $2,000 Students of Promise schol-arship upon completion of high school and enrollment in further education.
“We want them to know that we see their determination and efforts, and we see promise in them. This scholarship and celebration are how we can show we believe in them and their future,” Fennacy said.
The gala event honored the 2024 Students of Promise recipients and included a red-carpet walk, cande-labra dinner and presentation cer-emony.
Students are nominated for the scholarship by their school counselor, selected by a Foundation committee, and surprised with the news in late January.
“They are living examples of the strength of the human spirit and a reminder of all that can be accom-plished through hard work and belief in oneself.,” said Superintend-ent Corrine Folmer, Ed.D.
Keynote speaker Destanie Yar-brough was a 2007 Student of Prom-ise and Clovis East High graduate who is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, women’s tackle football player, and has also recently returned to the district and as a Student Relations Liaison at Gateway High.
“Don’t forget that growth always comes with challenges, [and]… be

“
... the perseverance and courage they show daily by showing up to school and giving their very best is incredibly inspiring.

Mike Fennacy Foundation Chairperson

open to learning from both success and failure,” she advised the recip-ients. “The mindset of success, whether it be short-term or long-term success, turns a setback into a comeback.”
This year’s Students of Promise event was supported by Superin-tendent’s Circle Sponsors: The Cook Family; Educational Employees Credit Union; Mark Wilson Con-struction; and Producers Dairy; Pre-mier Sponsors: C-III Construction; California Health Sciences Univer-sity; FFB Bank; Golden State Steel; Precision Civil Engineering, Inc.; Pro-Screen/Fan In a Box; and Con-tributing Sponsors: Central Valley Community Bank; Elite Landscape Construction; Inc.; JD Food; Net Positive Consulting Engineers; and Wild Electric.
The Foundation for Clovis Schools’ Students of Promise schol-arship program began in 2001 to recognize at-risk students who have been attending school on a regular basis, showing responsibility and succeeding academically while at the same time facing challenging life circumstances outside of school. Learn more at FoundationFor ClovisSchools.com or text “4KIDS”
to 52000 to donate $10 today.

2024 STUDENTS OF PROMISE

Antinik Ayers	Anthony Bryan	Mikenzi Burt	Kellen Davis Clovis High School       Clovis West High School Clovis East High School Clovis West High School

Paris Fernandez	Hadlee Framsted	Hudson Lemon	Yolanda Maeshiro Clovis East High School      Clovis High School       Clovis North High School Clovis East High School

Maya Mendez	Christopher Nguyen	Phu Nguyen	Lexi O’Connor Clovis East High School     Gateway High School     Clovis East High School Clovis East High School

Layna Patendis	Lily Shaw	Samantha Silva	Moses Uribe Gateway High School     Buchanan High School Clovis West High School     Clovis North High School

Page 12	CUSD Today	April 2024