CUSD
February 2024
	
	NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID FRESNO, CA
PERMIT NO. 220
			
	School District Ave.
611
		
	Clovis Unified S 1450 Herndon Clovis, CA 936
	
Clovis Unified School District — DEVELOPING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY & SPIRIT	Volume 26, No. 7

FOLLOW US ON	AND AT	D

Best of the Best

Changes to school attendance boundaries underway

Crystal Award winners were surprised with the big news earlier this school year.

Photos Special to CUSD Today

Help us celebrate! Twenty eight Clovis Unified employees will receive the district’s highest employee honor Feb. 28. See who and find the

details, Page 9.

Clovis Unified’s school attendance boundaries are in the process of being re-vised in anticipation of the 2025 opening of a new high school area. Initial drafts of two different sce-nario maps are available for review. Area community meetings were held in late January and early February, and several schools poten-tially impacted by the up-date are continuing to hold parent meetings. (See your school’s website or news-letter for details.)
An online comment form is open for public input through April 12.
One final recommended map proposal will be de-veloped for release March 29, and it will be consid-ered by the CUSD Govern-ing Board for action in April.
Any approved changes would take effect in Fall 2025.

‰ See Page 9 for draft scenario maps (also available online) and other information about the current boundary review process.

Congratulations!

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

Granite Ridge, Clark earn award

Clark and Granite Ridge intermediate schools have both earned redesignation as 2024 California Schools to Watch,
and they will be honored with the award at the Cal-ifornia League of Educators’ conference in March.
The Schools to Watch program recognizes schools serving intermediate-level students who show significant efforts with continuous growth toward student success in all areas, from aca-demic to social-emotional. Schools must com-plete an extensive application and have a site visit to be considered for the honor that is sponsored by the California Department of Education, the California League of Educators and the California Middle Grades Alliance.
“Junior High is a rewarding yet challenging grade level to teach,” said Clark Intermediate Principal Matt
Hernandez. “The magic in what we do is to create a smooth learning transitioning from elementary to high school. The Clark

staff is dedicated to academics, co-curricular, social-emotional learning and so much more. We love what we do!”
Granite Ridge Principal Joshua Shapiro, Ed.D., said the award validates the work of his school’s team.
“The dedicated staff and students at Granite Ridge are proud of the exceptional instructional programs and co-curricular options available to every student,” Shapiro said. “Achieving success demands dedication and collaboration from all stakeholders. I am pleased to affirm that every person associated with Granite Ridge exemplifies these qualities and supports our mission of educating the whole child in
mind, body and spirit.”
The designation is for a three-year term, and Clovis Unified’s Alta Sierra, Kastner and
Reyburn intermediate schools also hold the Schools to Watch designation.

“

We love what we do!

Clark Intermediate Principal Matt Hernandez

”

CUSD student art, essays shine in county MLK contest. See Page 2.

KASTNER TEACHER IS TOP EDUCATOR

‰ Seventh grade math teacher Richelle Renfro is a finalist in state award. See Page 4.

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Page 2

Modeling culture at SV
Students at Sierra Vista Elementary were treated to a very special fashion show that featured teachers and ad-ministrators modeling Hmong culture on the “runway.” The Vikings’ staff took to the stage of the multipurpose room to showcase traditional Hmong clothing, instruments, tools and toys. Students cheered as each familiar face emerged on stage wearing beautiful Hmong outfits and were in awe of the culturally significant items that were being demonstrated.
Second grade teacher Yee Thao served as emcee for the event and provided valuable context and insight for everything the students were seeing.
This was the first time the Hmong Fashion Show had been held at Sierra Vista since the pandemic, and bringing it back was extremely important for Principal (and runway model) Jennifer Thao.
“Our school population is very diverse, which is why it is so important to bring back this event,” she said. “We want all our students to better understand and appreciate the different cultures they are around every day.”
Teachers weren’t the only ones who were invited to show off traditional outfits. Students were also encouraged to wear any culturally significant clothing. Those that did were invited on stage at the end of the event to show off their outfits and take part in a group photo.

Curiosity-driven lessons
Four- and five-year-olds are taking charge of their learning in Clovis Unified’s
Expanded Learning Club. A new program in which TK and kindergarten stu-dents get to pick the topic they will explore has young-sters engaged in the be-fore- and after-school club. They’ve been investigating everything from trees to tractors to farm animals. The project-based learn-
ing program was launched last year and is now being used by nine Expanded Learning Clubs (formerly known as Campus Club) in the district.
Said Shera Scott, the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Supervisor, “Children gain deep understanding and knowledge by seeking answers to their questions through rich sensory, firsthand investigations. Projects are usually undertaken by a whole class, divided into small groups. These groups become experts in different aspects of the topic.”
At Cedarwood Elementary, for example, kids wanted to learn about farms, especially the machines. That interest guided instructor Whitney Riccobono to shift her lesson focus and find books and videos on farm machines to show the class. Kids also brought in recycled materials that they used to make their own miniature machines. As the project continued, kids had more questions, sometimes in an entirely new direction, like what kind of tape was best to use when building their mini-models.
“We didn’t have any rules really. We just kept experi-

CUSD Today

The dream continues

Several Clovis Unified students were recognized at an awards ceremony for their winning artwork, essays and speeches that reflect upon the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his work for Civil Rights.
Sponsored by the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, the annual MLK contest invites students from kindergarten through 12th grade to participate. This year’s prompt asked students to reflect upon a historical event that improved lives or to imagine a scene that reflects a future of inclusivity.
Congratulations to the top three of each contest cate-gory:
n ART, Lower Elementary School: Allie Liang, Fugman, 1st Place; Cassidy Park, Fugman, 2nd; Edward Liang, Fugman, 3rd; Upper Elementary School: Evelyn Hanson, Valley Oak, 1st; Chelsea Park, Fugman, 2nd; Amelia Yu, Fugman, 3rd; Intermediate School: Dominic Aparicio, Clark, 1st; Kalia Stanton, Clark, 2nd; High School: Isabella Avery, Clovis, 1st; Summer Jewell, Clovis, 2nd; Riley Higuera, Clovis, 3rd.
n SPEECH, Elementary School: Alice Feng, Fugman, 1st; Ava Kim, Fugman, 2nd; High School: Angad Dulai, Clovis North, 1st; Priya Prajapati, Clovis North, 3rd.

menting and learning and then we painted, and it was a mess, a big mess! But who cares? The children were so en-gaged and learned so much!” Riccobono said.

SANDS OF UNDERSTANDING: The Fugman Ele-mentary Marlins decorated the school blacktop with beautiful Rangoli artwork recently while learning about the Indian holiday Diwali. Parent volunteers drew im-ages in chalk the night before, and around 600 students were invited to use colorful sand to fill in the designs and create the final pictures. It was a fun and creative way for students to learn about another culture, one that many of their peers are a part of. Diwali, or the Festival of Light, is a large holiday in India that celebrates light winning over darkness. In addition to decorating with candles and strings of lights, Rangoli art is created on the floor with chalk and colorful sand.

February 2024

n ESSAY, Elementary School: Blake McLaskey, Fort Washington, 1st; Paige Liang, Fugman, 2nd; Ajooni Cheema, Century, 3rd; Intermediate School: Natasha Drigpal, Kastner, 1st; Kinsley Murray, Kastner, 2nd; Sophia Stermer, Kastner, 3rd; High School: Marian Pineda, Clovis North, 1st.

CE students become the teachers
Clovis East High agriculture students shared their knowl-edge with young students from around the district this fall. About 100 high-
schoolers manned close to 50 educa-tional booths de-signed to educate the visiting kinder-garteners and first graders from Clovis Unified elementary schools about agri-culture.
The younger stu-dents	had	the chance to milk a dairy cow model, watch sheep being
shorn and pet goats, horses and pigs. They learned about plants and horticulture by playing a seed matching game, discovering the benefits of insects and creating a flower ar-rangement. And, they also learned ag mechanics by watching a welding demonstration, learning how to use hand tools safely and attaching different equipment.
The fair, which is also held in the spring, is designed to educate kids about their food and where it comes from, which is especially meaningful in the Central Valley where agriculture is a top industry. Schools participating in the Fall Agriculture Fair were: Oraze, Freedom, Garfield, Copper Hills, Liberty, Riverview and Century elementary
schools.

February 2024

‰ Announcements

Student leadership conferences
Clovis Unified has opportunities for students to participate in student leadership conferences each year. The district partners with the community in creating these cultural events where students can learn about themselves and one another.
Conferences include keynote speakers and professionals in the community discussing their experiences, answering questions, and providing information about college and careers.
Remaining conferences are:
n CUSD African American Student Leadership Middle School Conference, Feb. 23, at the Clovis North Educational Center. Open to Central Valley Intermediate Schools.
n CUSD Latino High School Student Success Conference, March 4, Clovis North Educa-tional Center
n CUSD Officer Jesus Ceron Latino Student Success Middle
School Conference, March 22, at Kastner Intermediate More information and student signups are available
through school counseling offices.

‘Hello, Dolly!’ coming soon
Buchanan High’s production of “Hello, Dolly!” will be performed soon. The lively musical tells the tale of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a middle-aged widow who begins her life again as a matchmaker in New York.
The curtain goes up at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29, March 1, 2 and 7-9, and at 2 p.m. March 2 and 9, at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre, 902 Fifth St., Clovis. For information and tickets: cusd.com/events.

‘The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens’ by CW Get ready as Clovis West High’s drama students perform

the hilarious murder mystery “The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens.” The story follows a playwright named Walter as he creates the perfect murder mystery on stage and discusses it with the audience.
The fun begins at 7:30 p.m. March 14-16 and 21-23, and 2 p.m. March 16 and 23, at the Dan Pessano Theater, 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno. For information and tickets: cusd.com/events.

College financial workshops
Clovis Unified high schools are offering workshops to assist seniors who will plan to attend college next fall and their parents complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or CADAA (California Dream Act Application) online.
FAFSA is not just for low-income students and should be completed by all students planning to attend a community college for either a career certificate or transfer degree and by all students planning to attend a four-year university. The application determines eligibility of financial aid and it is also used for college scholarship information that can include need-based, academic merit and athletic scholarships.
Remaining free workshops hosted by school counseling

CUSD Today

offices will be at Buchanan High, March 20; Clovis East High, March 19; Clovis High, Feb. 26 and March 13; Clovis North High, March 4; and Clovis West High, Feb. 13 and March 18.
Details are available through the CUSD high school counseling centers’ websites. The FAFSA online application can be found at https://studentaid.gov/.

District earns ASBO award
For the 26th year in a row – the longest consecutive streak for any school district in California – Clovis Unified received the Association of School Business Officials award for excellence for the district’s 2022-23 budget.

Young artists celebrated
The hallway walls outside of the Clovis Unified Governing Boardroom will feature artwork in February created by elementary students from schools throughout the district. Each school selects student work for the special display, and receptions are held recognizing the youth.

CUSD holiday closures
Clovis Unified schools and business offices will be closed Feb. 12 in honor of Lincoln’s Birthday and Feb. 19 in honor of Presidents Day.

Free tutoring help day or night
Is your child stuck on a math homework problem? Getting confused about adverbs and adjectives, and there’s a quiz the next day?
No worries! 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 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 the on-demand service, students can log into their Clever account and select the tutor.com app.

Parent Academy workshops
Clovis Unified Supplemental Services’ Parent Academy hosts free, monthly Parent Night workshops for parents to learn about the many district resources and programs available to help their child. Upcoming meetings and topics include:
n Feb. 20 – “Understanding Academic Interventions, 504’s and IEP’s”
n March 19 – “Family Safety Night” (held at Weldon Elementary)
n April 11 – “Building Readers at Home”
Workshops are at the CUSD Professional Learning Center, 326 N. Clovis Ave., in Clovis, unless noted, with free dinner and childcare at 5:30 p.m., and the workshop at
6 p.m. Learn more: cusd.com/ParentAcademy.

Page 3

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 School District Special Education Department at 327-9400.

Family Resource Center workshops Clovis Unified Special Education Family Resource Center

offers free webinars that feature presentations, discussion and resource information. Upcoming are:
n Feb. 8 – “Behavior Support for Parents of Preschoolers,” 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., online. Presenters Jessica Cox and Leann Gajarian Keeler. Learn about typical early childhood behavior; strategies for difficult behavior; and effects of screen-time and alternatives. Register: www.tinyurl com/FRC2-8-24.
n March 12 – “Life After High School: Planning for the Future for Students with a Disability,” 5-6:30 p.m., online. Learn about transition planning, preparing for changes, diploma track versus certificate of completion, and CUSD Adult Transition Programs. Register: www.tinyurl.com/FRC3-12-24.
Questions: 327-8455 or email familyresource center@cusd.com.

Exceptional Person nominations
CUSD Special Education Department’s “Exceptional Persons Awards” is now receiving nominations through March 15. The award celebrates those district employees and volunteers who are exceptional at helping students with special needs. A judging team will determine the re-cipients and a ceremony will be held April 24. More infor-mation: CUSD Family Resource Center, 327-8455. To submit a nomination: https://tinyurl.com/ExPer2024.

Advisory committee meetings
Clovis Unified holds regular meetings throughout the year of its Special Education Community Advisory Com-mittee (CAC) that are open to the public. The committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Special Education Local Plan Area. Its goal is to raise community awareness about the needs of students and their families regarding Special Education programs and to provide information, workshops and resources to families to help ensure that quality programs educate the student with exceptional needs in mind, body and spirit.
CAC meetings are held from noon to 1 p.m. at the CUSD Professional Development Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis, and a complimentary lunch is provided. Dates and topics for the school year are:
n Feb. 28 – “Individual Transition Plans (ITP)”
n May 15 – “Annual Service Plan Review, SPED Budget and Student Voices”
For more information or to request an interpreter for a meeting, call 327-8455 or email familyresource
center@cusd.com.

	

er 50y
w ’ve helped people likeyou

Firebaugh Community Health Center
689 N Street	121 W.Sierra Street 559.659-3037

COVID-19 Testing, Vaccinations & Medications

Page 4	CUSD Today	February 2024

Kastner math teacher earns top Valley honor

Congratulations to Kastner Intermediate math teacher Richelle Renfro who is being considered for the Cali-
fornia League of Edu-cators Middle School Educator of the Year award that will be pre-sented in March.
Renfro	won	the league’s Region 7 title earlier this year, which advanced her to the state-level category. Region 7 includes Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mari-posa, Merced and Tulare
counties.
“I was and still am shocked beyond be-lief!” said Renfro of the honor. “It has made me feel extremely validated, and I’m very thankful to my colleagues for thinking of and nominating me.”
She said her favorite part of her job is working with her students and engaging them in math lessons.
Renfro graduated from Clovis High after moving from the Bay Area during her high school years. After earning a business degree, she worked for a benefits company, human resources and later in lending. But when the market crashed in 2006, work slowed down and having two young children of her own, teaching piqued her interest.
“I decided to go back to school and get my teaching credential, knowing that as a teacher, I would never be bored at work,” she said.
Renfro has been a teacher for 17 years now, the last eight in Clovis Unified teaching math at Kastner Intermediate. Learn more about this award-winning educator in her own words:
Q: Why did you decide to teach math? A: I actually fell into teaching math by

accident. [While getting a credential, I was offered a job in Firebaugh teaching RSP English to sixth, seventh and eighth graders.] … My first year was a wild ride, to say the least! [After completing my general education credential] my principal offered me a job teaching sixth grade math and science. I jumped on that and now here I am. I’ve been teaching math ever since.”
Q: What is your approach to teaching? A: I try to make learning fun, while
maintaining a high standard for learning. Q: What is it about your students that
inspires you?
A: I love their honesty and willingness to be real with me every day! I love when they share their ideas about what a math lesson should look like, as well as what it shouldn’t, LOL. I love that they are willing to talk to me (both about math and about life in general). Being in seventh grade can be such a difficult time for many, so I try to help each individual as much as I can in whatever way they need.
Q: What advice would you have for a brand new teacher?
A: Be patient and listen! Listen to every-one: your family, your friends, your co-workers, your admin, your students and yourself! I find that when I’m open, everyone around me that truly loves me always has valuable insight to share.
Q: In three words, how would you de-scribe yourself?
A: Energetic. Strong-willed. Compas-sionate.
Q: If you weren’t a teacher, what would you be?
A: This is a hard one to answer. I wasn’t always a teacher, and now having taught for 17 years, I know I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do! Though, if there were a job as a professional relaxer on the beach with a good book, that’s what I’d be doing!

Employee briefs

Health heroes
Two Clovis Unified educators were among eight celebrated as Health and Human Services Heroes by the Fresno State College of Health and Human Services for their contributions to health and wellness in the community.
Clovis East High Boys Tennis Coach Phil King is described as passionate	about coaching and helping his student athletes im-prove. He offers tennis summer camps for in-termediate and high school students, as well as private lessons. He also mentors student-teachers in physical
education programs to help them learn and grow. “No two days are ever the same in the world of physical education and coaching, and that’s what makes it fun and challenging,” King said of his career in his acceptance mes-sage.
Gettysburg Elementary Principal Katie Scalzo emphasizes phys-
ical fitness as well as so-cial-emotional learning to help her students suc-ceed both in and out of school. Prior to being principal, Scalzo was a physical	education teacher, and saw first-hand how staying active
in sports can positively benefit students. “When students are actively participating in a sport, they are invested in a different way to their school. The positive involvement boosts their self-esteem, confidence and social-emotional well-being,” said Scalzo in her acceptance mes-sage.
Congratulations to these educators who help their students aim for being their best in mind, body and spirit.

Seeing spots at Pinedale
Fourth- through sixth-grade Pinedale Ele-mentary Eagles will soon be auditioning for and putting on a performance of “101 Dalmatians,” thanks to an Innovation Grant from	the	Fresno County Superintend-ent of Schools.
Pinedale Special Day Class teacher Dina Emerzian wrote an application for the grant and was selected as a recipient in November. She is looking forward to using it to give students an opportunity to explore their creative sides.
“Drama empowers children to communicate confidently, and studies have demonstrated that drama supports student achievement by aiding in brain development and helping stu-dents learn teamwork and discipline,” said Emerzian, noting the $1,000 award will help fund costumes, props and mics.
This will be Emerzian’s first time putting on a play, and she is excited to offer students from both general and special education class-rooms the chance to work together on the entire drama production. The school play will be held in the spring and Emerzian said she hopes it provides students “a successful and memorable teambuilding experience.”

SV teacher on TV
Sierra Vista Elementary sixth-grade teacher Jodi Anderson was KSEE24’s Educator of the Week earlier this year. She was surprised in front of her students with the announcement and featured in a segment on the local news program where she said her job doesn’t feel like work because she loves what she does. “It’s the kids. I come here for the kids. I do it for the kids,” Anderson said of her key role in preparing students to make the transition from elementary to intermediate school.

“
VISION

February 2024

Engage with us

CUSD Today

during

Page 5

boundary study

By Corrine Folmer, Ed.D. Superintendent

IN April of this year, our Governing Board is expected to take action on new attendance boundaries for our schools

that would take ef-fect in August 2025. The poten-tial for a change of	attendance boundaries can be concerning for families who are
are deeply com-
impacted and who Corrine Folmer, mitted to their cur-	Ed.D.
rent school, but I also know (both from personal and professional ex-perience) that we can get through this together.
As a seventh grader at Clark In-termediate, my family and I experi-enced such a change. The opening of Buchanan High School and the creation of the district’s third area meant I would not be following my family’s previous two generations in attending Clovis High School. As part of the first classes of students on that campus, I was witness to the care and effort every staff member at Clark Intermediate, Alta Sierra Intermediate and Buchanan High poured into supporting and assisting me, my family, and my friends in making the transition a success.
In the 20 plus years I have spent as a member of that same Clovis Unified staff, I have been a part of several changes in school attendance boundaries. Each time, I have seen that care, compassion and commit-ment to our students’ well-being carried forward by our team. While

the idea of the attendance boundaries	mitment is to value the input of our	We serve a community that covers of your beloved local school changing	community as we finalize scenarios,      two growing cities, which necessitates can be upsetting, I want to reassure	to support families and students      our district’s need to reevaluate our you we are here to listen, and our	through any transition, and to create      attendance boundaries. Both Clovis caring educators are prepared to	unique and exciting opportunities      and Fresno have many housing de-support our students. While bound-	to welcome incoming students to      velopment plans that include our ary changes are inevitable, our com-	their new school.                                  school district, and as a result, we

LESSONS

Inspirations by, for and from our CUSD students

Photo by Kenny Gilman/Special to CUSD Today Motivational speaker Dee Hankins encourages students at the January Clovis Unified Transition Student Leadership Conference to turn life’s challenges into new opportunities to start over. The Transition Program provides support and services for students who may be struggling in areas of attendance, grades or resources.

Nothing is impossible –
the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’”
AUDREY HEPBURN, ACTRESS

must plan to grow with them. Additionally, the reevaluation of
attendance boundaries will further support maintaining school enroll-ments that are not too small or too large, to ensure we are maximizing our facilities.
As the cities of Clovis and Fresno grow, I want to assure you that our team is actively at work to make sure this process is transparent, that we gather the thoughts and opinions of our community, and that if change does come to your neighborhood, we are right there with you to lend a helping hand.
Please engage with us during this attendance boundary study. The ini-tial scenarios are a starting point to our conversation, not the end of it. Through area and site meetings you can meet in person with our team to share your questions, comments and ideas on how these scenarios may be improved upon.
As we navigate through this pro-cess, we will continue to keep you informed through emails, our web-site, school newsletters, phone calls, app push notifications, our local media and every other tool we have available. At any time, you can submit a comment online in a form on our district website at cusd.com. If you have questions around the process, supports, timelines, or transfers, please reach out to your school. Your voice and input are important as we work through this challenging process.
Every one of our schools is de-voted to providing the best educa-tional experience possible for their students, both in academic and co-curricular opportunities.
I am confident that no matter what school your child attends, you will find a high-quality, first-class experience.

Parental involvement will help your child succeed in school

In Clovis Unified, parent involvement is a critical piece to the overall educational achievement and well-being of our students. We are grateful that we have a community that cares about children and partners with our schools, teachers and staff to create student steps to success.
Not only does parent involvement benefit a child’s aca-demics, but also it can build relationships between the parent and school team creating a stronger school connection. Research shows the benefits can even spread to a child’s classmates. Our CUSD parents truly make a difference in the lives of kids!
The following offers ways to help your child succeed in school.
‰ Talk to Your Child
Having intentional conversations with your child about school and their work is a great way to get engaged. Ask open-ended questions about how school is going, things they like, or areas where they might feel they need help. ‰ Talk to Teachers

Clovis Unified teachers are dedicated to making sure your child finds success in the classroom. They are one of the best resources if you are looking for ways to give additional academic support at home. Most teachers are available by phone or email before or after school. Consider setting up scheduled check-ins on a monthly basis.
‰ Check Out Clever.cusd.com
Clever is the web portal where you can access all the re-sources you need to provide support for your child at home. There you’ll find Parent Connect (for updates on student grades and attendance), Google Classroom, online textbooks and more. It’s also where you can access TUTOR.COM where Clovis Unified students get free, one-on-one live support in more than 250 subjects from 3,000+ expert tutors 24 hours a day, seven days a week!

‰ (For Elementary School Parents) Create a Home Study Space
Help provide your child with a time and quiet place with convenient school supplies to complete homework and read. Read with your child a book for the whole family, or have your child read to you each night. Review student planners with your child to stay current on assignments and help prepare for assessments.
‰ (For Intermediate and High School Parents) Interventions at School
Many of our school sites have different intervention and tutoring programs both during and after school. Ask your student’s teachers, guidance counselors or main office staff about the tutoring and intervention options offered at your school.
‰ Technology Help
If technology is the barrier in helping with homework, or your child just needs a password reset, our team is here
to help. The CUSD Technology Department offers support 327-9595 to reach the Technology Helpline 8 a.m. to 4:30 for Google Classroom, Zoom, Clever and more. Call (559) p.m. Monday through Friday.

IN AT
	
GET VOLVED
SCHOOL!
	‰Attend school and area parent meetings like SART and IDAC
‰Volunteer at your child’s school or in the classroom
‰Join the school parent club or booster club
‰Schedule academic counseling
	
	meetings ‰Follow your school’s social media ‰Read school newsletters
‰Visit the school website for news and calendar items ‰Attend school events like plays, sports and Open House
‰Check Peachjar regularly for flyers about school and district events
‰Watch for emails from your school
‰Be sure your contact information is current with the school
‰Download the district app (Clovis USD) and follow your school
‰Visit cusd.com and click on “Parents” tab for an array of resources

— ABOUT US —

CUSD Today, Clovis Unified’s good news publi-cation, is sent directly to the homes of all CUSD parents and staff, as well as district supporters. In an effort to unify the CUSD community, the newspaper highlights the achievements of Clovis Unified students and staff; profiles new and updated Governing Board policies; and shares general news and information happening within the district.
Circulation: 34,000.
Funding: All costs associated with producing, printing and mailing CUSD Today are entirely funded by our advertisers. To show your appreciation of their support, we ask you to consider patronizing these businesses and services as the need arises.
Story submissions: Please submit all ideas to the Site Coordinator at your school. Please contact your school to find out who your Site Coordinator is. 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	February 2024

a canned food drive bene-
fitting the Poverello
House, a local rescue mis-
sion for the homeless.
Clovis West High lead-
ership students visited
each CW area elementary
son, Maple Creek, Pine-
dale and Valley Oak –
among the schools, this year Fort Washington and
Lincoln topped the donations bringing in more than
1,000 cans each and earning a special rally.
Fancher Creek Elementary
n
CARING FOR KIDS: Generous teachers and
their own school through
soup and beans were
among the 5,602 item do-
Mission said was the
The school’s PTC also
Jefferson Elementary
Kastner Intermediate
n
GIFT OF LIFE: Two staff members fighting
blood drive, the first
school. Nearly four
nity members made do-
a member on your team
pick them up and sup-
port them by rallying
the resources and posi-
The Central California Blood Center said as a direct
result of the blood donations, 123 local lives were
able to be saved.
n
HYGIENE DRIVE: The Thunderbirds collected
Maple Creek Elementary
Skills classes grades K-6
filled 200 Blessing Bags
with	non-perishable
snacks and hygiene items
as a part of their yearly
classroom service project.
The white lunch bags were
statements that were then
colored by the SDC stu-
with The Sanctuary, an
organization that runs a home for girls who have
aged out of the foster system, along with staff and
families from Mickey Cox, the Blessing Bags were
community and having a servant’s heart,” said Special
Miramonte Elementary
animals, school and hygiene supplies, and a personal
message of encouragement.
Mountain View Elementary
ized a Com-
munity Serv-
e r a t i o n
Warm Up!”
on campus, letting students
experience generosity first
hand. The Mountain View
Elementary Student Coun-
cil did just that when the
small group made nearly
700 friendship bracelets
over the period of several
The bracelets were then
Riverview Elementary
n
GIVING GENEROUSLY:Riverview Elementary
students took part in a
canned food drive that sup-
ported a food giveaway by
Clovis Rotary; a toy col-
lection drive for Toys for
Tots; and the Giving Tree
gift donation supporting
neighboring Fresno Unified
school Birney Elementary.
Sierra Vista Elementary
combined help of community partners the Clovis
student programs.
n
GREAT PACK-
and     kindness     were
to be donated to those
in need. Students and
staff held a collection
donations that helped fill
the many parcels.
Woods Elementary
students and their
families received gifts
and food thanks to a
collection drive at
CUSD students, staff
pour into community
others.
helping them develop a sense of empathy and com-
“I’m beyond impressed by our staff, students and
Director Kari Genco of the Broncos’ canned food
and Riverview elementary schools
n
KIDS HELPING KIDS: Several Clovis Unified
Clovis East Area
lected 77,231 food items
Food Bank! The annual
for nearly 20 years at Clo-
vis East High and Reyburn
Intermediate, and in recent
years grew to include the
n
CARING FOR VETS:
than 300 custom, thoughtful
cards to be given to patients
at Veterans Memorial Hospi-
tal.
Clovis East High
Clovis High
n
KINDNESS IN A BOX: One hundred families
in the Clovis High area
were gifted food for the
holiday week thanks to
a collection drive organ-
ized by the Cougars’ In-
teract Club. Peanut
butter, ramen, pasta,
canned foods and more
filled boxes that were
given to 10 families in
schools.
rmediate
n
food drives, with nearly
CUSD Transition Team and
other non-perishab e foods
volunteered to help sort the food on a Saturday in
preparation for distribution.
Clovis North High

G E N E R O S I T
Y
	Projects help others, teach kids

light up, as they are going through a rough time,” said     “Our students continue to take an active role learning team captain Milo Cazzell.                                              that they can have a positive impact on other families
Clovis West Area Schools                              within our school community.” n EVERY CAN COUNTS: The Clovis West Area     Mickey Cox Elementary
Several valuable lessons learned this winter did	schools joined forces in	n BLESSING BAGS: Mickey Cox Functional Life not come from textbooks but instead, came straight
from the heart. All Clovis Unified schools offered events and opportunities for students, staff and families to support their community in a variety of ways. Holding food and toy drives, volunteering, sharing a kind word, and making gifts for others were among
the many giving activities that taught about helping     school – Fort Washing-                                                  printed with words of en-“One of the most important lessons our students     ton, Liberty, Lincoln, Nel-                                                  couragement and joyful
can learn from this event is a better understanding of
the challenges that others may face in their lives,	and Kastner Intermediate to collect the 5,641 pounds	dents and general educa-passion for others while also teaching them the im-	of total canned donations. Always a friendly competition	tion buddies! Working portance of gratitude and appreciation,” said Francisco
Gutierrez, Clovis High student relations liaison, of the school’s efforts collecting and assisting in food
distribution at the Jefferson Elementary Food Pantry.	given out to families and others in need. “Our hope
families for their generosity and desire to help others     staff helped provide pres-                                               was to teach our students about giving back to our in need,” said Granite Ridge Intermediate Activities     ents for students in need at                                              Education teacher Tiffany Villard. Several families
drive.	an anonymous Giving Tree	and businesses made donations to support the efforts. The following is a sampling of the many student-	program that was also as-
driven events held around the district from November     sisted with donations from                                                   n DIFFERENCE MAKERS: During January, Mi-through January.                                                              Toys-for-Tots and Adven-                                              ramonte Elementary held its Mustangs Make A Differ-
Century, Copper Hills, Fugman, Reagan     ture Church. Sixty-three                                              ence Backpack Project, with each classroom collecting students received gifts of                                              items to fill backpacks that will be donated to the
warm clothes and toys.	Fresno County Department of Social Services, Child elementary schools shared in a collective Giving Tree	Fugman Elementary	Welfare Services. Items included books, socks, stuffed drive that benefited kids at Birney Elementary, a          n MAKING HISTORY: For the first time, Fugman
Fresno Unified school. Students picked an ornament	Elementary partnered with the Fresno Rescue Mission, off a tree that had information about a student – their	collecting canned dona-
clothing size and age – and then they could purchase	tions to serve the facility	nHELPING HANDS: Mountain View Elementary a present for that child to brighten their holidays.	that assists around 100                                                  fourth-grade
women and children	teacher Amy n GENEROUS T’WOLVES: The Wolfpack family,	daily. Canned corn, peas,	Rios organ-
from the youngest elementary students to the high
school Timberwolves, col-                                                nation that Fresno Rescue                                                  ice Project for Central California                                                largest drive in its history.                                                  called “Op-
food drive has been held	presented Fresno Rescue Mission a check for $1,681	Student volunteers met on the weekend and together that was raised from Gratitude Grams (where for a	made more than 20 blankets that were donated to the small cost, students could send a positive note to	Poverello House.
their peers and staff during Thanksgiving).	n BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS: Sometimes giving elementary schools in the Clovis East area. Large	Gettysburg Elementary                                  projects are designed to stay
trucks were needed to deliver the canned peas, soup,	n PUZZLES, BALLS, chili, tuna, corn and other food items that will help     GAMES & DOLLS: The Get-support community members in need. “The students     tysburg Elementary Generals of Clovis East High School area have once again taken     collected more than 300 toys a stand against hunger in our community by graciously     for the Toys for Tots drive. collecting and donating over 50,000 non-perishable     Fifth-graders in Gurleen Cha-food items. Thank you!” said Kym Dildine, co-CEO     lah’s class brought in the most
of Central California Food Bank.	at 53!	early mornings and recesses.
The REC family made more	n IMPORTANT LESSONS: The Jefferson Blue	handed out to every Golden
Jays made sure every family	Bear. With colorful, smiley face beads and phrases had access to fresh groceries	like “You are fabulous” and “Be silly,” the bracelets during	winter	break!	helped spread positivity and happiness. Students and Thanks to generous dona-	staff were encouraged to trade bracelets with someone tions and a partnership with	they didn’t know yet to make new friends, or bring a
nCLUBS THAT CARE: Clubs created a multitude	the Central California Food	smile to someone’s face when they needed it.
of caring activities. The Gym Rats Club gave away	Bank, the Blue Jay Pantry	“They brought so many smiles to so many students bags of chips to students. The Punjabi Club set up	supplied Clovis Unified                                              and staff members. They should be proud of themselves,” décor for the Diwali Festival of Lights celebration.	families in need with                                               said student council advisor and sixth-grade teacher The Anti-Bully Club wrote letters to residents in	canned goods, fresh pro-                                               Vanessa Avitabile.
senior homes for the holidays. The New Student Club	duce and cold meats. The handed out lollipops to students. The Karaoke Club	pantry also supplied fam-drew Disney-themed pictures for patients at Valley	ilies with Thanksgiving
Children’s Hospital. The Clovis East Car Club volun-     meals in November. Clovis and Buchanan high schools’ teered to clean up after a holiday parade. .                       transitions staff, Jefferson staff, student council and leadership, two girls basketball teams and volunteers
helped pack boxes and pass out the groceries.
“One of the most important lessons our students can learn from this event is a better understanding of the challenges that others may face in their lives, helping them develop a sense of empathy and com-passion for others while also teaching them the im-portance of gratitude and appreciation,” says Francisco
Gutierrez, Student Relations Liaison in the Clovis          n HELPING ONE ANOTHER: Around 400 High Transitions Team                                                    Sierra Vista Viking students and their families enjoyed flapjacks, took pictures with Santa and did some
affordable holiday shopping at the “Penguin Patch” in need from Clovis High and 10 families from the nine	cancer inspired Kastner	the school’s Multi-Purpose Room – all thanks to the Clovis High intermediate and elementary feeder	Intermediate to hold a	Elks Lodge, Clovis Kiwanis and The Lions Clubs. Clovis North High, Granite Ridge	event of its kind for the	More than $2,600 was raised during the event for InteFOOD FOR THOUGHT: Clovis North and	dozen staff and commu-	Valley Oak Elementary
Granite Ridge held annual	nations. “I hope students	AGES: Snacks, toiletries 10,000 items donated to the	learn that when there is	packed into Blessing Bags Clovis Rotary to share with	knocked down, you help	at Valley Oak Elementary families in need. Students
brought canned goods and
to their classroomsland school events (for instance, a	tive energy around them,” said Principal May Moua.	drive and the PTC made recent Granite Ridge Intermediate movie night event
had an “entry fee” of five cans of food). Erica Robinson’s
science classes donated 6,400 food items alone!
Members of the Broncos’ Interact Club and others	items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant,	n WE ARE FAMILY: Around 100 Clovis Unified
shampoo and more to provide to local students and families in need. “We want our students to feel the joy that comes when looking outside themselves and
n SHARING THE WARMTH: AVID students     helping others,” Moua said.                                             sister school Woods worked together and made blankets for the homeless.                                                                                             Elementary.      The n BUILDING BRIDGES: The Clovis North High          n FILLING THE BUCKET: The annual Red     Wolverines’ Giving Stable Circuits Ro-                                                            Bucket Brigade donation                                                  Tree project was botics team visited                                                            drive at Maple Creek Ele-                                                  aided by two bags of Valley Children’s                                                            mentary resulted in sev-                                                  additional toys from Hospital – with                                                            eral families receiving all                                                  Toys for Tots and also Legos and robots!                                                            the fixings for a tradi-                                                  from donations made The team held its                                                            tional     Thanksgiving                                                  by Buchanan High. annual Lego Drive                                                            dinner, including vege-                                                  Woods held a food to collect toy sets                                                            tables, stufing and a gift                                                  drive where each for the young hos-                                                            card for a turkey. The                                                  grade level was asked pital patients and                                                            event is organized by the                                                  to collect a specific
also were sure to	school PTC with the assistance of Student Leadership.	item. Food boxes were then assembled by Woods bring the Bronco’s robots they’ve built to provide a	“The project reinforces the idea of thinking about	leadership students and given to families along with demonstration! “It was so nice to see these kids’ faces	and giving to others,” said Principal Gina Kismet.	the gifts.

February 2024	CUSD Today	Page 7

Page 8	CUSD Today	February 2024

February 2024

Crystal

CUSD Today

awards for exceptional

Page 9

employees

Clovis Unified will celebrate 28 employees for their exceptional work conducted in the 2022-23 school year with a Crystal Award, the district’s highest employee honor. These educators – ranging from teachers and administrators 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. Honorees were surprised with the news before Winter Break and will be celebrated this month.
All district employees, family, friends and school community members are invited to attend The Crystals gala on Feb. 28 at the CUSD Performing Arts Center.
The Crystal Award is given to those employees whose passion, innovation, dedication and dynamic work ethic far surpasses their job description. These are people who in tangible, measurable ways selflessly help students reach their full potential in mind, body and spirit. They go above and beyond what is expected, and they do so without prompting. They lead and inspire others by their humble nature and heart-felt examples.
In this issue of CUSD Today, we begin a series in alphabetical order meeting our honorees and will continue through upcoming editions.

By Carol Lawson-Swezey Special to CUSD Today

Stephanie Avery Clovis West High
Clovis West High English teacher Stephanie Avery stacks an impressive list of additional duties to her roster. She serves as the CSF coordinator, Western Association of Schools and Colleges visiting committee member, PLC lead, Color Guard Director, mentor and class and club advisor. Avery pioneered the school’s new Golden Hour flex intervention model, developing the compre-
hensive plan for implementation. This intervention period provides every student an hour catch-up period with a teacher, resulting in significant gains in grades and overall academic performance.
Her desire to do what’s best for all students opened doors for CTE Education Pathway students to job shadow and be placed in a Special Education functional life skills program. This allowed future educators options to explore classroom settings in special and general education in both elementary and high school settings.
Last year, Avery volunteered to take over the class of a colleague on leave, which doubled her AP Composition caseload to 70 students. She moved her classes to a lecture hall and doubled her grading tasks to ensure students received proper instruction and feedback. That dedication and conscientious effort led to a 4.3% increase in the AP pass rate in the 2022-2023 school year.
Alison Bartosch Buchanan High
Through eficiency and accuracy, Buchanan High Data Control Specialist Alison Bartosch keeps student records in pristine compliance. She spends countless hours working with the head counselor, registrar and administration to provide a seamless method of entering grades, creating reports and streamlining the master schedule.
When many families struggled to complete the Annual Enrollment Update, Bartosch partnered with Buchanan’s staff to keep those families in focus. She bridges home-to-school communication, especially with new families, establishing personal relationships to help them connect. Her open-door policy is a gateway for families with questions regarding CUSD online opportunities.
Bartosch, as Buchanan’s webmaster, continually updates and im-proves the site as well as the school’s presence on social media. She created a shared space for all staff members to add vetted photos, to enable the community to be well informed and to visualize the activities and spirit of Bear Nation.
And if that’s not enough, after her day at the computer, Bartosch puts on her running shoes to coach track and cross country. She helps with training athletes; planning the State Track Meet; and vol-unteering at cross country meets at Woodward Park
Benjamin Canzano Special Education
Adapted PE teacher Benjamin Canzano em-powers students of diverse abilities and ensures they not only have access to physical education, but also thrive through intentional lessons and experiences.
Canzano’s collaboration with physical and oc-cupational therapists and school staff promotes inclusion and belonging.He pioneered “Fun Days”
that are competitive adapted PE clinics and world-class student-centered events. They give students in special education the traditional Clovis Unified sporting event experience – complete with the inflatable mascot tunnels, elementary cheerleaders, high school leadership am-bassadors and high school student-athletes coaching at skill-based stations. Ensuring access for all, wheelchair events and “cool-down” tents are present at clinic events, equipped with yoga mats and sensory regulation items. In the 2022-23 school year, 65 Clovis Unified special education programs participated, representing 530 students.
Additionally, Canzano and his collaborators used research-based strategies to increase students with disabilities to join into general education PE classes. Through innovative lesson plans, Canzano in-creased participation and engagement for all students. The experience helped foster relationships among students with peer mentors. Teachers report that some of those relationships have lasted beyond high school and into adult life.
David Castle Kastner Intermediate
If one man has transformed the social and support landscape of Kastner Intermediate, it’s been Activities Director David Castle. He imple-mented MINGA, a site communication app for staff and students, and integrated an awards system

CELEBRATE WITH US 6:45 p.m., Feb. 28
CUSD Performing Arts Center 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno Free.
The public is invited to join us as we celebrate the year’s top employees.

Crystal Award Winners

Stephanie Avery, Clovis West High, Teacher Alison Bartosch, Buchanan High, Data Control Specialist
Benjamin Canzano, Special Education, Teacher David Castle, Kastner Intermediate, Activities Director
Lesley Chance, Gateway High, Transition Counselor Shawna Cook, Sierra Outdoor School, Campus Catering Supervisor Sr.
Cassandra Germond, Woods Elementary,Teacher Nicholas Gonzalez, Boris Elementary, Instructional Assistant IV
Stephanie Henderson, Dry Creek Elementary,Teacher Jennifer A. Knight, Clovis East High, Teacher
Tanisha Laret, Boris Elementary, Student Activities Specialist Jenny Mammen, Gateway High, Teacher
Jill M. Moorhead, Oraze Elementary, Library Technician Matthew Moss, Bud Rank Elementary, School Plant Manager I Carlie Negrete, Pinedale Elementary,Teacher
Erynn Nelson, Fancher Creek Elementary, Instructional Assistant I Dianne S. Oller, Cole Elementary,Teacher
Sandy Paez, Temperance Kutner Elementary, Instructional Assistant Home Liaison
Mark Perez, Pinedale Elementary, Custodian II Sarah Perkovich, Clovis High, Teacher
Liz Peugh, Mickey Cox Elementary,Teacher

Adam Reid, Clovis West High, Teacher/Girls Swim & Dive Coach Erica Robinson, Granite Ridge Intermediate, Teacher Steve Soma, Sierra Vista Elementary, Plant Supervisor Libby Trutna, Special Education, Occupational Therapist Tachua Vue, Ed. D., Tarpey Elementary, Principal
Vance Walberg, Clovis West High, Teacher/Boys Basketball Coach Tina Wood, Clovis North High, School Counselor

for both. Partnering with PTC, he led the transformation of the em-ployee break room into a reenergizing “Faculty Wellness Lounge,” stocked with recliners, snacks, books, exercise equipment and more. And, for students, he created a student safe space, the “Thunder Dome,” with innovative games and even a pool table.
Castle helped plan a successful incentive program to reduce chronic absenteeism that rewards students for attendance with Croc charms, early lunch releases and pizza parties. He worked with a Mentoring Leadership class and Autism Intervention Program to develop the Kastner Food Cart that provides both student groups life skills. Last year, he was instrumental in the “Ready, Set, Fund” campaign that raised $40,000.
During Castle’s eight years of increasing school activities, Kastner has seen a boost in school spirit which helped the school earn national recognition with a “Schools to Watch” award in Washington, D.C. In Castle’s downtime, he has mentored four activities directors at Clovis West in the past year and a half and serves as the school’s 2025 class advisor.
Lesley Chance Alternative Education
Alternative Education Transition Counselor Lesley Chance has a full plate. As an advisor for Clovis Online, Gateway High and Clovis Com-munity Day, she has a natural gift of “believing in every student she works with and pushing them to believe in themselves,” says her nominator.
Chance has facilitated multiple support groups in topics like anger management, grief and loss,
parenting, self-esteem and self-care, and substance use insight. Since being trained in Clovis Support & Intervention Training, she has led more alternative education support groups than all other employees combined. Her innovation doesn’t stop there. Chance created the Youth Parent Program and Women’s Alliance Program for students to discuss essential life topics. Soroptimist International partnered with Chance to create the “Dream it, be it,” conference for young women. Participants created dream boards and were inspired by speakers discussing overcoming obstacles and achieving goals.
In the seven years Chance has been a Transition Coordinator, she brings a “fix it or change it” attitude to the work she loves. She is a builder, not only of bridges, but of possibilities.

Shawna Cook Sierra Outdoor School
Sierra Outdoor School Campus Catering Su-pervisor Shawna Cook is much more than a chef. Her main job of planning, preparing and serving meals for students at the district’s nature camp includes overseeing the kitchen and its seven employees, the student store, the Five- Mile Coffee Shop and all onsite vending machines. She also oversees everyday finances and designing, ordering
and stocking all store merchandise.
The kitchen operates 73 hours a week and annually hosts 181 ele-mentary schools statewide for outdoor education, weeklong basketball and wrestling camps, and Clovis Unified’s leadership students. Last year, 12,287 participants were served 55,656 meals, many of them on special diets. On Wednesdays, when schools are both leaving and ar-riving, her staff may be cooking and serving more than 500 people. Despite staff and supply chain shortages and burgeoning food costs, Cook trimmed $74,000 off the budget last year by adjusting the menu and having staff prepare more scratch-made items. She’s maintained excellent standards in the kitchen and has had zero
health inspection infractions.
Cook’s a clutch in an emergency as well. Last February, several

elementary schools had to be evacuated because of an impending major snowstorm. Within two hours, she and her staff fed and loaded 150 students to safety.
Cassandra Germond Woods Elementary
In every way, Woods Elementary fifth/sixth grade combo teacher Cassandra Germond excels at Clovis Unified’s mission to help students succeed in mind, body and spirit.
She has a rigorous project-based curriculum, incorporating collaboration and technology to create an engaging, dynamic learning environment. Her lessons build background knowledge and in-
spire students to delve deeper into content that promotes problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork and collaboration. Her class test scores show the success. One-hundred percent of her 39 students met or exceeded grade level standards in state scores; 83% of sixth graders showed measurable growth in English/Language Arts, and 100% improved in math; and for fifth-graders, 73% grew in ELA, and 86% improved in math.
Germond also serves as Woods’ athletic director and maintains eight co-curricular assignments, including coaching basketball, softball and track. She spearheads a talent show, showcasing students from K to 6th and SDC Autism classes. At her highly anticipated Olympic Day, students are assigned countries and teams for friendly competitions, fostering unity, teamwork, and collaboration among all grades and abilities.
Nicholas Gonzalez Boris Elementary
Nicholas Gonzalez does what he knows best, and that is, to do what he loves best. He believes that, like district founding superintendent Floyd Buchanan, Ed.D., used to say, “people, not programs, make the positive difference for students.”
The Boris Elementary Instructional Assistant IV in the Elementary Intervention Program serves as an IA, coach, school videographer and mentor.
Gonzalez has coached football, basketball and baseball. He also supports the school’s drama and performing arts productions. Gonzalez’s positive influence helped build Tier 2 and Tier 3 behavior interventions and support systems in Boris Elementary’s PBIS program to promote high expectations. He created powerful rela-tionships with colleagues, students and their families. Several students, not only in the EIP classroom but also schoolwide, check in with him regularly for positive afirmation and reminders of their daily behavior expectations.
Working with students and staff, Gonzalez created a seven-part PBIS Behavior video series to help students with Tier 2 and 3 inter-ventions. He worked actively with Boris Student Council members to create fun, innovative and informative Friday announcements that encourage school involvement on the student-hosted news channel, Charger Connections. Ofice referrals for inappropriate be-havior decreased by 15% with the use of the video series. Stephanie Henderson
Dry Creek Elementary
Dry Creek Elementary third grade teacher Stephanie Henderson has spent 23 years as an educator believing every child can learn.
Henderson uses a “secret student” strategy, where students are recognized for their respectful, responsible and safe behavior. She prioritized teaching Second Step curriculum, which emphasizes social-emotional learning, and collaborated with
the school psychologist to extend the lessons to relatable real-life sit-uations.
Her students have shown test score growth, with math scores 17 percentage points and ELA scores 44 points higher than the district average. In state tests, an impressive 92% of her students met achieve-ment standards in both ELA and Math.
Henderson integrates the TWIG Science curriculum that views interactive, hands-on learning as essential to understanding science. Her students have conducted creative interactive experiments like dissolving gummy bears or testing the success of different waterproof materials. One lesson had students perform a group drama with key vocabulary and scientific terms.
She’ll do what it takes to help all students. For example, she noticed one student struggling with academics and anxiety upon re-turning to the classroom following remote learning; she identified his challenges, and more importantly, his potential by facilitating an IEP. Two years later, that student is thriving academically and involved in school clubs and sports.
Jennifer A. Knight Clovis East High
Real world experience for real life success. That’s what Jennifer Knight, Clovis East High CTE agriculture teacher, arms her students with. When the pandemic paused classroom trips to observe area businesses, Knight transformed her class into a functioning veterinary hospital, ensuring authenticity with communication between industry professionals and vet facilities.
Students in her courses learn by experimenting in the classroom and farm laboratories, and engaging in real world conversations. Her classroom is now a model for other ag programs statewide.
Under Knight’s leadership, the Clovis FFA program ranked among the top in the state. This year, 14 FFA students will receive their American Degrees at the national convention in Indianapolis. And the Clovis FFA team placed third in last year’s competition.
Her dedication to the ag program includes mentoring CEHS’s two newest agriculture teachers and three student teachers this year. Knight believes a strong teaching foundation and confidence in younger educators will benefit the entire ag community.
As Department Head, Knight created a professional learning cal-endar for each ag pathway. This partnership helped departments vertically integrate introductory, concentrator and capstone CTE curriculums, accomplishing a goal years in the making.

Page 10	CUSD Today	February 2024

BOARD BRIEFS
Principal named for Clovis South High

‰
By Kelly Avants	port (available for review in the Facilities CUSD Chief Communications Officer	Department) as submitted.
Jan. 17
n Approved an agreement with Langan
mediate and high schools for the up-     Engineering and Environmental Services, Students from the Inter School Council     coming school year.	Inc., for facilities geographical information
Dec. 8
(ISC) were present at the Jan. 17 meeting	system services to map operations data
of the Clovis Unified Governing Board	for CUSD school sites that will allow for to give an update on their work across          The district’s next secondary school     more eficient operations and mainte-the district’s comprehensive high schools     campus has a principal following the     nance, and improved security of facil-to build unity and encourage connect-     Governing Board’s action to appoint cur-     ities.
edness to school.                                         rent Deputy Principal at the Reagan Edu-          n Adopted amended bylaws and pol-ISC oficers shared photos and feed-     cational Center Sonia Torossian to the     icies to reflect current practices and ex-back from this year’s Student Leadership     role. Torossian will assume the job as of     isting laws including updates to Policy Camp, a service project at the Central     July 1, and work to prepare for the opening     1340 – Access to District Public California Food Bank, their mid-year     of the grades 7-12 campus and the creation     Records/Public Records; 9000 – Role meeting, and the Harvest Festival Dance     of a new school community in advance     and Responsibility of the Board; 9110 – and Winter Holiday Dance for students     of the opening of the educational center     Terms of Board Members; and 9220 –
with special needs who may otherwise     in August of 2025.	Board Elections.
not be able to access school dances.	Before the announcement, the Gov-	n Ratified a right of entry agreement In other action, the board:                 erning Board held its annual organiza-     and the agreement to grant an easement n Appointed Nicolas Trujillo, current     tional meeting at which Hugh Awtrey     for off-site utility improvements with
learning director at Clovis East High     was elected President, Yolanda Moore     E.& J. Gallo Winery.
School, to the open position of Deputy     was elected Vice-President, and Clint          n Approved an option and license Principal, Reagan Educational Center,     Olivier was elected Clerk. The oficers     agreement with New Cingular Wireless effective July 1.                                            will hold these positions for the next 12     PCS, LLC for the installation, operation n Ratified an agreement with Educa-     months.                                                       and maintenance of a communications tional Research Consultants to assist the          In other action, the board:                 antenna and related equipment to be lo-district in developing an application for          n Approved an agreement with Ewing     cated on a designated space at the Bu-
an up to $15.1 million California Com-     Consulting, Inc. to conduct a reclassifi-     chanan High campus. munity Schools Partnership Program     cation study of district positions as rec-	q
Implementation Grant.                               ommended by the Employee Compen-          The next regularly scheduled meeting n Accepted the annual third-party fi-     sation Committee.                                       of the Governing Board is at 6:30 p.m. nancial audit report for fiscal year 2022-          n Adopted two textbooks for use in     Feb. 21 in the Professional Development 23 that included zero findings requiring     secondary schools for the 2023-24 school     Building, 1680 David E. Cook Way in corrective actions.                                       year.                                                            Clovis. Complete agendas, minutes and n Approved the new course of study          n Accepted the 2022-23 Developer     videos of meetings are available online
proposals for use in the district’s inter-     Fee Findings and Public Information Re-     at cusd.com.

CalKidds.com

February 2024

Attendance

CUSD Today	Page 11

Boundary Review

Clovis Unified is in the process of reviewing attendance boundaries for all schools in anticipation of opening a new high school area in 2025. Two initial draft scenarios have been developed that reflect possible changes.
Multiple schools will be impacted, and families are encour-aged to review the maps and offer feedback.
While the driving force behind the review is the 2025

Scenario 1

Scenario A

opening of an entirely new CUSD school area, a 50-member steering committee of employees was tasked since the fall to study enrollment trends and plans for development in the cities of Fresno and Clovis. They’ve looked at enrollment trends, school populations and anticipated housing growth that impact schools as they consider revised attendance lines for the district’s 44 comprehensive schools.

Elementary School Changes by Current Area

Buchanan Area
	
Any	Gain	Lose proposed neigh-	neigh-
changes borhood borhood Change to high school area?
	
Century	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost
	
Cole	Yes	No	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost
	
Dry Creek	Yes	No	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost
	
Garfield	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost
	
Tarpey	Yes	Yes	No	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Woods	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Clovis Area
	
Any	Gain	Lose proposed neigh-	neigh-
changes borhood borhood Change to high school area?
	
Cedarwood Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Clovis Elem Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	
Mickey Cox No	No	No	No
	
Gettysburg Yes	Yes	No	Whole School Change
	
Jefferson	Yes	Yes	No	No
	
Red Bank	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	
Sierra Vista Yes	Yes	No	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Weldon	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Clovis East Area
	
Any	Gain	Lose proposed neigh-	neigh-
changes borhood borhood Change to high school area?
	
Boris	Yes	No	No	Whole School Change
	
Fancher Creek Yes	No	No	Whole School Change
	
Freedom	Yes	No	Yes	No
	
Hirayama	Yes	No	No	Whole School Change
	
Miramonte Yes	Yes	No	No
	
Oraze	Yes	No	Yes	No
	
Reagan	No	No	No	No
	
Temperance-
Kutner	Yes	No	No	Whole School Change
	
Young	Yes	No	No	Whole School Change

Clovis North Area
	
Any	Gain	Lose proposed neigh-	neigh-
changes borhood borhood Change to high school area?
	
Bud Rank	Yes	Yes	No	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Copper Hills Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost
	
Fugman	Yes	No	Yes	No
	
Mt. View	No	No	No	No
	
Riverview     Yes	No	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Lost

‰ Address check, comment form, updates: CUSD.COM

Clovis West Area
	
Any	Gain	Lose proposed neigh-	neigh-
changes borhood borhood Change to high school area?
	
Fort
Washington Yes	Yes	No	No
	
Liberty	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Lincoln	No	No	No	No
	
Maple Creek Yes	Yes	No	Yes for Neighborhood Gained
	
Nelson	No	No	No	No
	
Pinedale	No	No	No	No
	
Valley Oak     Yes	Yes	Yes	No

‰ Frequently Asked Questions

Why are attendance boundaries being reviewed?
While the driving force behind the boundary review is the ad-dition of the Terry P. Bradley Edu-cational Center in the Fall of 2025, this review is also meant to ensure enrollment across existing facilities is balanced. This ensures we are using existing facility space, avoiding overcrowded conditions at any school, and only building new schools when they are absolutely necessary.

Why aren’t the changes limited to the schools that will pop-ulate the new Clovis
South Area?
Initial findings, following a months-long study by the 50-member steering committee of employees and Facilities staff, show that schools in the Clovis East Area and some in the Clovis Area are currently overcrowded, and likely some of those students will become part of the new Clo-vis South Area. On the opposite side of the district, data shows that most schools in the Clovis West Area have seats available, while several schools in the nearby Clovis North Area and Bu-chanan Area are at or above ca-pacity.
The Bradley Center is currently under construction near Highland and Clinton avenues in Fresno. It will house the new Clovis South High School and a yet-to-be-named intermediate school.

How can I find out specifically how this affects my child’s school attendance?
Visit cusd.com to view maps and use an address locator tool that will indicate school atten-dance under each possible sce-nario. A recording of a community meeting containing the commit-tee’s presentation and informa-tion is available for viewing online. Watch also for your school, if impacted, to hold meetings at your site to discuss specifics. (See school newsletters, website, social media.)

What are the school district and committee’s guidelines for creating new attendance boundaries?
When evaluating potential changes to attendance bound-aries, district decision-makers weigh possible options against five guiding principles. While we recognize that not every pro-posed change will meet all five of these principles, they provide an important framework for student-centered decision making when developing new attendance areas.
n Maximize facility space while moving as few students as pos-sible,
n Value neighborhood schools and keep neighborhoods to-gether,
n Reduce operational ex-penses,
n Create boundaries that will

last for 5-10 years whenever pos-sible, and
n Balance enrollment across high school areas.

When would any changes take effect?
The new attendance area boundaries developed and ap-proved this Spring will take effect when our new secondary cam-pus opens at Terry P. Bradley Edu-cational Center in August 2025.

How can I share my feedback? No decision has yet been
made on new attendance bound-

‰ Timeline:

aries and your voice is a valuable part of this process! To provide your input, attend one of our up-coming community meetings, at-tend any meetings at your school, review information on the cusd.com website, and use our online comment form available through April 12. A committee of enrollment, facilities and school leaders will analyze community input and share feedback re-ceived with the Governing Board. This input is used to develop a final map proposal that will be re-leased online March 29.

Page 12	CUSD Today	February 2024