Students are at the Center of Every Decision

Students are at the Center of Every Decision

Students in assembly
Clovis Unified School District exists because of its students.

What is best for children is the core of who we are. Regardless of where someone serves in the organization, everyone is an educator.  It’s easy to lose sight of our students when adults are focused only on themselves.
As Doc used to say, the job of a leader is to keep focusing the attention of the people on the task that needs to be done and their responsibility to that task. If we keep our eyes on students and what they need to be successful, then decisions become simple, even if not always easy.

Our Values in Practice

Student Athlete in Wheel Chair during race
  • Never lose focus on our kids
  • ALL means ALL
  • We do not give up

In Doc's Words

Student talking to other student
"A fair break for every kid."
Doc Buchanan

Putting Students First Can Come at a Cost

Teacher Coach/ Talking to Elementary boy volleyball players.
In the thick of the Great Recession, school district leaders were faced with tough decisions about how to make ends meet. As California’s budget continued to plummet, some school districts turned to drastic measures like closing adult education and summer schools, cutting performing arts and elementary athletic programs, and blanketing their employees in layoff notices. In March of 2009 alone, California’s State Superintendent announced that 26,000 teachers in California had been handed layoff notices, and by the next school year, 60% of those teachers had lost their jobs.
If asked about their thought process, it’s likely those educational leaders would have thrown up their hands and declared, “It is the only way!” as they pulled resources and people away from students.
Not so in Clovis Unified. Putting students at the center of every budget decision made during hard years, decision-makers in Clovis Unified drew a bright line in the sand. “Cuts can’t directly hit students and we can’t lay anyone off,” was the mantra of district and employee leaders were charged with near impossible work to find over $50 million in cuts. Coming up short, late in the effort, employee leaders voted to take voluntary pay cuts and unpaid furlough days rather than see colleagues laid off or students lose out on important learning opportunities. While ultimately the pay cut and furlough days were reversed as the economy improved, the value of keeping kids at the center of decision-making provided a rock-solid foundation no matter how turbulent the times.

Clovis Unified School District: Be the best you can be in mind, body, and spirit

Buchanan Area Schools

Buchanan Alta Sierra Cole Century Dry Creek Garfield Tarpey Woods

Clovis High Area Schools

Clovis High Clark Cedar Wood Clovis Elementary Mickey Cox Gettysburg Jefferson Red Bank Sierra Vista Weldon

Clovis West Area Schools

Clovis West Kastner Ft. Washington Liberty Lincoln Maple Creek Nelson Pinedale Valley Oak

Clovis North Area Schools

Clovis North Bud Rank Copper Hills Fugman Mountain View River View

Clovis East Area Schools

Clovis East Boris Fancher Creek Freedom Miramonte Oraze Temperance Kutner Reagan Elementary Young Elementary

Educational Services Area Schools

CART Gateway Clovis Online School Clovis Community Day School Clovis Adult Education Sierra Outdoor