sion Feb. 15 comes after
➤
Learn More

	CUSD
February 2023
	
	NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID FRESNO, CA
PERMIT NO. 220
			
	School District Ave.
611
		
	Clovis Unified S 1450 Herndon Clovis, CA 936
	
Clovis Unified School District — DEVELOPING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY & SPIRIT	Volume 25, No. 7

FOLLOW US ON	AND AT	M

Superintendent search underway as Dr. O’Brien to retire

CUSD Today

Clovis Unified Superintendent Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D., announced that she will retire at the end of the 2022-23 year. A search for her replacement is underway with the intent for a new superintendent to be named before the end of her tenure.
“This decision did not come easily,” said O’Brien, “because serv-ing our employees, our students and the com-munity of this incred-ible school district has been the greatest priv-ilege of my life.”
Dr. O’Brien has been in the field of ed-
ucation for 39 years with the last six as su-perintendent. She first began teaching in her native Ireland before coming to the local area as an instructor at Our Lady of Victory. Dr. O’Brien joined Clovis Unified in 1996 as a Maple Creek Elementary third grade teacher and went on to serve as a guidance instructional specialist, learning director, elementary principal, high school deputy principal and principal, and school area superintendent.
Under her leadership, Clovis Unified schools have been recognized multiple times at the national, state and local levels.
Also during Dr. O’Brien’s tenure, the district overcame initial struggles to pass a much-needed $335 million facility bond for necessary construction of new schools and modernizations; opened a new elemen-

➤ Get Involved

See cusd.comfor the Superintendent Search:

l Interactive Thought Exchange accepting public input and ratings through Feb. 26
l Timeline l Updates

Attend any of the Community Meetings in the following schools’ Library Lecture Halls:
l Feb. 16, 5:30 p.m., Buchanan l Feb. 21, 10 a.m., Clovis High l Feb. 21, 11 a.m., Clovis West

tary school and opened the district’s health center, MiCare, for employees and their families; partnered with the Foundation for Clovis Schools and past and present district leaders to establish a sustainable development program for leaders ensuring the future of the district’s core educational values; and expanded Career Technical Education pro-grams to open more college and career pathways for students after high school.

Search Underway
Following a Special Governing Board Meeting in January, the board announced details of the search. Citing the complexity of California’s Education Code, and school finance and accountability model, the board announced a statewide search that will be facilitated by an ad hoc subcommittee of three board members.
The board will receive input from em-ployees, parents and community members to assist in identifying the right candidate who possesses the characteristics and drive

CUSD Today File Art Superintendent Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D., has made it a priority to visit every district school each year to hear from staff and engage with students. Pictured, she shares a story with children at Weldon Elementary.

deemed necessary for the next superintendent     meetings with employees, parents and com-of the 15th largest school district in Cali-     munity members to gather feedback to be fornia, as well as someone who will lead     used in the selection process. An online in-with respect for Clovis Unified’s values,     teractive Thought Exchange will also be unique culture and history of excellence.         available through Feb. 26 for the public to “The best decisions are made in com-     offer input and feedback on the qualities
munity,” said Governing Board President	hoped for in the district’s next leader. David DeFrank,“Our community’s unique          The process is intended to result in a lens is a valuable asset in the Governing	new superintendent being identified before Board’s search for the right high-quality	the end of the current school year, allowing person to lead this exceptional school dis-	for a smooth transition in the district’s lead-trict.”	ership.
Included in the search process will be	Keep updated: cusd.com.

PLAYING WITH PURPOSE

New elementary school boundaries go to board

Name, mascot to be determined in March

Photo special to CUSD Today by Joseph Elswick Local celebrity violinist and keynote speaker Patrick Contreras grabs kids’ attention at Clovis Unified’s Annual Transition Student Leadership conference Jan. 24 when he takes his talk about passion and resiliency to the audience. More than 150 intermediate students were in attendance and participated in breakout sessions that included Leadership Equipping, CTE Fair and Student Voices. The conference is one of many district events that aims to inspire students with mentors and information for their future.

Attendance boundaries will be considered for approval this month for Clovis Unified’s 35th elementary school set to open Fall 2024, and the proposed map is available
to view online at cusd.com. The Governing Board’s deci-

cusd.com
months of community meet- View attendance boundary map at: ings and discussion at all Clovis

East Area schools where the	Signup for school newsletter:
new school near Fowler and	es35.cusd.com McKinley avenues will be lo-
cated.
Current Miramonte Elementary Principal Laura Reynolds has been announced as the new school’s principal, and the name of the school will soon be determined along with its mascot and school colors.
“I’m very excited to get to know each and every family that will be part of the new school. Together we will be laying the foundation for what will be an excellent education for students and creating a highly engaging school culture filled with school spirit,” Reynolds said. “It’s going to be great!”
Those interested in learning more about the new school can visit its website to see design renderings, updates and to sign up for an email newsletter from Reynolds at: es35.cusd.com.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCES AWARDS Celebrating!

DRY CREEK ELEMENTARY	REYBURN INTERMEDIATE

2023 California	California Exemplary Distinguished School                           Arts Education Award

“This award is a tribute to a collective
effort of dedicated educators, and we
are thrilled to be one of only 19 schools
in the state to be honored.”
“This award is special as it comes at a time where every member of our team was intently focused on the overall health of our students while they also took great care of each other and the greater school community.”

Thank You

SALUTING OUR CRYSTAL WINNERS

This year 24 of Clovis Unified’s very best employ-ees will receive the district’s highest award at The Crystals on Feb. 22 at our Performing Arts Center. The gala event begins with a light reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation ceremony of the Crystal Awards at 7:30 p.m. The celebration is open to the public and admission is free. In this edition of CUSD Today, we begin a series that profiles the ex-ceptional people honored with a 2022 Crystal Award. For a list of winners and profiles,
please see Page 7.

– Principal Aaron Cook

The state award recognizes state performance data that measures assessment results, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates and socioeconomic data. The award celebrates schools for closing the achievement gap or achieving exceptional student performance.

– Principal Ryan Eisele

The state award recognizes an exemplary commitment to providing a high-quality arts curriculum, professional learning for staff, and access to culturally responsive
arts instruction for all students, including English learners, special education and other student populations.

Page 2	CUSD Today	February 2023 ➤ Announcements

Get your tickets!
Who needs Broadway when the amazing talent of Clovis Unified’s high school students and their school productions are available right here? For more information or tickets, visit cusd.com/tickets.
■ ‘Big Fish’– Clovis East High will present the musical “Big Fish” in March. The lively play tells the story of a traveling salesman who has larger-than-life stories, much to every-one’s delight. Shows will be at 7:30 p.m. March 2-4 and 9-11 at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre, 902 Fifth St. Clovis.
■ ‘Puffs’ – Buchanan High’s Bearstage Production brings to life “Puffs, or Seven In-creasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” in this parody of the Harry Potter book series. The show will be at 7:30 p.m. March 9-11 and 16-18 at the Dan Pessano Theater, 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno.

Leadership conferences for students

Clovis Unified has opportunities for students to participate in student leadership conferences that include keynote speakers and professionals in the community discussing their experiences, answering questions, and providing information about college and careers.
Remaining upcoming conferences are:
■ CUSD African American Student Lead-ership Middle School Conference, Feb. 24, at the Clovis North Educational Center. Open to Central Valley Intermediate Schools.
■ CUSD Latino High School Student Suc-cess Conference, March 13, Clovis North Ed-ucational Center

■ CUSD Officer Jesus Ceron Latino Student Success Middle School Conference, March 31, at Kastner Intermediate
More information or how to sign up is available through the CUSD intermediate and high schools’ counseling offices.

Free online tutoring
Clovis Unified intermediate and high school students can access free, online tutoring for their classes through a partnership the district has created with the Princeton Review’s tutor.com. Subjects range from algebra and calculus to chemistry, English and physics. Students can access the service through their Clever account.

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 district office will be closed Feb. 13 in honor of Lincoln’s Birthday and Feb. 20 in honor ofWashington’s Birthday. Spring Break is April 3-10.

Caution: Deadly drug
Clovis Unified has partnered with local health and law enforcement agencies in efforts to raise awareness about the deadly effects of fentanyl. The prescription drug normally used under a doctor’s care is being made illegally and sold by dealers, in many cases targeting

youth. The unregulated version of the opioid – even just a small amount – can be deadly to unsuspecting users. Fentanyl is the leading cause of fatal overdose in Fresno County, ac-cording to officials. Learn the facts: cusd.com/ ComprehensiveWellnessProject.aspx; fresno-countyca.gov/fentanyl; and opioidsafefresno.org.

College financial aid window opens, workshops

Seniors planning on attending college in the fall have until March 2 to submit their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CADAA (California Dream Act Ap-plication) online.All students are encouraged to complete these for consideration of schol-arships and financial aid. Clovis Unified schools have held workshops to assist families in com-pleting the FAFSA, and there is one remaining workshop on Feb. 14 at Clovis West High that is open to families from all school areas. More information is available at CUSD high school counseling centers.

Parent Academy
Clovis Unified’s Supplemental Services has joined with CUSD high school transition teams and the Foundation for Clovis Schools to offer the 2022-23 Parent Academy featuring work-shops for parents on how to foster a lasting, positive educational environment and school partnership for their children at home and at school through proven activities and lessons. Remaining are: “Anti-Bullying,” Feb. 21;
“Social Media Awareness,” March 14.
Each workshop includes an in-person pres-entation at the CUSD Professional Learning Center, 362 N. Clovis Ave., Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93612, from 6 to 8 p.m. Free childcare and

a light dinner are available. To register: www.cusd.com/Parents-ParentAcademy.aspx. Special Education

Online workshops
The Clovis Unified Family Resource Center has three online special education workshops planned to provide information and support. They are:
■ “Regional Center 101 & Self-Determi-nation Program,” 10-11 a.m. Feb. 15, pres-entation by Central Valley Regional Center, Zoom. Register for link: https://tinyurl. com/FRC2-15-23.
■ “Planning for the Future,” 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 7, presentation by CUSD staff, Zoom. Register for link: https://tinyurl. com/FRC3-7-23.
■ “All About 504 Plans,” 6:30-8 p.m. March 21, presentation by Wendy Karsevar, CUSD 504 Plan learning director, Zoom. Reg-ister for link: https://tinyurl.com/FRC3-21-23. Recordings of past webinars: www.tinyurl. com/ClovisFRC. Questions: 327-8455 or email
familyresourcecenter@cusd.com.

Award nomination window opens
CUSD Special Education Department’s “Exceptional Persons Awards” is now receiving nominations through March 15. The award celebrates district employees and volunteers who are exceptional at helping students with special needs. A judging team will determine the recipients and a ceremony will be held April 26. More information: CUSD Family Resource Center, 327-8455. To submit a nom-ination: https://tinyurl.com/ExPer2023.

Wreaths for veterans
Clovis West HighAVID students visited the cemetery to
Avery Gregory
Chelsea Park
AROUND THE DISTRICT

February 2023	CUSD Today	Page 3

Music video ‘star’ reaches ALL students Dry Creek and Woods elementary choir teacher Morgan

Lari became a star on her students’ screens while also helping several special education students feel confident to take part in recent holiday performances. Lari created a library of music videos that have recordings of the songs synced with on-screen lyrics and Lari acting out hand gestures and dance moves.
The videos for first through fourth graders were a hit with her choir students, but really went viral when Woods special education teachers Mandi Calhoon and Gabriela Hart used them with their students with autism.
“I had heard stories from my SDC colleagues about stu-dents who struggled with anxiety and were unable to perform in past winter programs,” Lari said. “Having the videos allowed SDC teachers to practice these songs in their own environments, giving opportunities for those students to build confidence and know what to expect.”
Two crowd-favorites were “Turn Off That Nose,” a comical song about Rudolph’s very bright nose, and “Snow-man, Where’d You Go?” a mystery song looking for the snowman (spoiler alert – he melted!).
Thanks to Lari’s innovative efforts, several elementary students with autism chose to perform with their general ed classmates in the holiday show, and many more enjoyed engaging with music education in a way they never had before.

Bronco in first chair
Congratulations to Sonia Rao, a Clovis North High vio-linist who was selected after a rigorous audition process as the concert master and first chair for the California Orchestra Directors Association All State concert recently. She and 16 other Clovis North High orchestra musicians were part of the 200 students who participated in the concert.
Michael Chang, the orchestra director for Clovis North who sat in the audience listening to the concert, said that he was very proud of his students.“I got to witness amazing music making by the finest young musicians from all of California.”

Huskies share cultures
Maple Creek Elementary students were immersed in cultural studies as part of their annual Multicultural Month tradition. A different culture was highlighted each week through featured library books and shared songs in different

LOVE, JUSTICE & LEARNING

MLK contest reveals inspirations

Congratulations to Clovis Unified students who placed in the Fresno County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Art, Speech and Essay Contest, hosted by the Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools! Following the theme, “What is Your Life’s Blueprint?”, students in all grade levels created work that identified people or groups who have driven others to build a life based on love, justice and learning.
“This season’s submissions feel particularly powerful,” said FCSS event coordinator Ashley Henderson,“as students have researched not only the life of MLK, Jr., but have shared how King’s work and that of other outstanding individuals (both throughout history and in the lives of our students today) have impacted our young people to boldly design a blueprint for their lives full dignity, learning, love and justice.”
Awards were presented at a recent ceremony, which included:
Reyburn Intermediate
■ ART: Chelsea Park, Fugman Elementary; Avery Gregory, Reyburn In-termediate; and Milani Stanton, Clovis High, first place in their age cate-gories
■ ESSAY: Ava Kim, Fugman Elementary, first; Jacob Terrence, Woods Elementary, second; Talia Altamimi, Liberty Elementary, third; Chelsea Su, Kastner Inter-mediate, first; Sophia Helsley, Kast-ner Intermediate, second Place; Victor Brown, Kastner Interme-diate, third
■ SPEECH: Alice Feng, Bud Rank Elementary, second; Sania Jhagiani, Granite Ridge Interme-
Fugman Elementary
diate, first; and Priya Prajapati,	Milani Stanton Clovis North High, first.                                 Clovis High School

languages. Each grade level also did a project to celebrate	Buchanan High leadership students fundraised at a football students’ cultures. Kindergarten students made dolls to	game to raise money for the wreaths and handed out pro-share about their ancestors, and third graders made their	grams to attendees prior to the event. The Clovis East High own country passport and virtually traveled to other	Air Force JROTC group performed the posting of the countries around their classroom.	colors, the flag fold, and the retiring of the colors, as well as
The school also held its annual Multicultural Fashion	other preparations and clean-up for the event.
Show, with more than 30 students dressed in their culture’s	The Clovis High Chamber Choir performed the National traditional outfits, representing over 20 different cultures.     Anthem and “God Bless the USA,” which “brought tears to Students modeled their fashions while Principal Gina     the eyes of so many,” said Julie Lundholm, co-chair of the Kismet shared information about the significance of the     Clovis Chapter ofWreaths Across America and an organizer clothing with the audience. The show ended with two per-     of the ceremony. “The kids were amazing, and I think formances: a student showing Hawaiian dancing, and the     humbled. I really enjoyed seeing them work so hard and Clovis West Folklorico dancers performing a routine.             take pride in helping such a wonderful cause.”
Wreaths Across America is a non-profit organization
that formed to uphold and expand an annual tradition of As part of an annual tradition to honor U.S. veterans,	laying a wreath at fallen veteran graves, started at Arlington
four Clovis Unified high schools participated in the Wreaths	National Cemetery by Morill Worcester in 1992.
Across America wreath-laying ceremony at Clovis Cemetery.	Editor’s note: “Around the District” is a regular feature of CUSD
Todaythat highlights positive activities and accomplishments of students prepare the wreaths and flag the gravesites of just under	and schools throughout the district. Items for consideration may be 4,000 fallen servicemen and servicewomen for the ceremony.	sent to cusdtoday@cusd.com.

Page 4	CUSD Today	February 2023

VISION

February 2023	CUSD Today	Page 5

Leading our unique district a responsibility I hold dear

By Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D. Superintendent

AS I write this column for CUSD Today, news that I plan to retire from my role as Superin-tendent at the

end of June, and which I shared publicly in late January is spreading. This decision did not come easily, because serving	this
community,	Eimear O’Brien, our students,              Ed.D.
and employees
of this incredible school district has been the greatest privilege of my life.
Twenty-six years ago, I found my home away from home in Clo-vis Unified because of its people and the transformative purpose in which, together, we are engaged on behalf of our students. This special community will always hold an unmatched place in my heart, but my role as a daughter to my mother in Ireland is calling to me as well and I recognize that it is time for me, like so many of you, to play a larger role in caring for my aging parent. While that does not mean I am moving to Ireland, it will allow me to spend prolonged periods of time present for my mom’s care… time that we cannot get back once it is gone. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity allowed me by the seven individuals serving on our Governing Board to lead the Clovis Unified School District. Through challenging times, our Governing Board has worked with me to keep the best interests of our students and the well-being of the people who serve them as our first priority. Keeping this priority in mind, over the past six years, our team-work has been recognized at the

state and national level with (among	■ 28 California Pivotal Practice	ventions & Support Awards others):                                               Awards in 2022                                       ■ 41 Statewide Civic Learning
■ 3 National Blue Ribbon	■ 14 Fresno County Superin-	Awards
Awards                                                tendent of Schools Educator of          I will be fully present in our ■ 13 California Distinguished      the Year Award finalists and six     schools and community until my School Awards                                    award winners                                   final day in Clovis Unified, which ■ 1 Model Continuation School          ■ 54 Honor Roll School Recog-     is currently planned for late June Award                                                 nitions                                               of this year, well after the conclusion ■ 5 National Schools to Watch          ■ 43 Bonner Character Awards     of our current school year. Mem-Awards                                                    ■ 51 Positive Behavior Inter-     bers of our Governing Board will

LESSONS

Inspirations by, for and from our CUSD students

Special to CUSD Today Lincoln Elementary boys basketball players celebrate upon winning first place in the District Championships in January! Fugman Elementary captured the title for the girls basketball team. In the District Elementary Wrestling Championships, Dry Creek earned the top spot with a team total of 210 points. Congratulations to all athletes on your effort and teamwork during winter sports!

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” HELEN KELLER

now begin a search process to en-sure that the next person to assume the responsibility of leading Clovis Unified is an excellent match for the unique needs of our commu-nity.
In the coming weeks, you will be kept informed of this search and provided opportunities to share your voice in plans for our District’s future. It is their intent to complete this process well before the conclusion of my tenure, al-lowing time for me to transition smoothly with the next Superin-tendent before my departure in June.
While there is never a perfect time to retire from a responsibility you hold dear, I believe we are well-positioned for this change in leadership because of the strong footing on which our district schools stand, benchmark assess-ments are showing students are back on track to recover from learning loss experienced during the worldwide tumult of the COVID pandemic, and future planning is well underway to serve the community’s residential growth with new elementary and second-ary schools.
After 26 years in our district, I have never felt more strongly that Clovis Unified is not about any single leader or individual, instead it is about the collective achieve-ment that can be accomplished by a group of people working to-gether, holding high standards, and keeping students at the center of every decision.
I believe in this educational team and its mission for students. I believe in Clovis Unified. I believe in the ability of this team to be a beacon of excellence for our stu-dents, our community and our nation now and into the future. How wonderful to have had the privilege to work in an organization worthy of such belief.
I will always remain humbly grateful for my“home away from home.”

Tips to help your kids with behavioral challenges

By Julie Barrett

CUSD Mental Health Support Provider & School Psychologist

What a crazy couple of years it has been!
Our lives and the lives of our children have been tested the past three years like never before. We have endured COVID-19 shutdowns and the difficult task of picking up the pieces and reengaging as the pandemic subsided.
We know that our children have been affected, but how do we help them move forward and get back on track?
Julie Barrett                Since returning this school year to full on-campus instruction and
activities, our schools have experienced increased behavioral challenges at all grade levels. Clovis Unified school staff wants to support students with transitioning from conditions that limited social engagement, and also hold them ac-countable for appropriate school behavior.
We know our children may need discipline, and we also know that discipline alone cannot overcome the behavior challenges we are seeing.
We encourage parents to join our efforts to increase their child’s self-worth, resilience and awareness of others. The following are some key suggestions to consider that can support a child and can help create shifts from
negative to positive behaviors.
■ Set up opportunities for your child to try new things. Kids need to be exposed to many different activities. They need to experience activities they haven’t tried or assume they are not good at.As parents we are often afraid to force our kids to do things out of their comfort zone. Our kids

can be stubborn and mad. However, as parents we are giving them a gift by pushing them. Don’t be afraid to tell your child they will attend a certain amount of times and then they can decide to stay in the activity or try something else.
■ Celebrate mistakes.We all make mistakes.We do not enjoy making them, but the positive is that we tried. As adults we know mistakes help us to learn. Kids need to ex-perience mistakes. It is natural to want to protect our children from experiencing distress, but surviving a mistake is a valuable experience that we all need.
■ Praise your child for trying. It is natural to want to quit something when we don’t quickly succeed. However, being able to tolerate frustration is one of the most important skills for life. Perseverance is an essential quality for success. Did you know that Thomas Edison had many unsuccessful tries before succeeding at creating the light bulb? Edison once said,“I have not failed 10,000 times— I’ve successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” The best way for us to reach our potential is to have the patience to try and try again.
■ Create opportunities for your child to succeed.What is your child interested in? Is there a way that you can foster this interest by getting them involved in a school or community activity? We tend to enjoy activities we excel at and the more we practice an activity the better we become. Being involved in an enjoyable activity helps children develop their sense of identity. Finding their talents helps them feel positive about themselves.
Did you know that you can also foster success by having your children do chores? They may complain and you may have to remind them multiple times, but doing jobs around the house, completing homework, and helping you with tasks at home, are all ways for your child to feel connected, valued, and successful. Praise them for completing tasks.

Giving specific praise about your child’s successes is a great way to boost their self-worth. Thank them for helping you. Expressing your gratitude for your child’s contributions at home will encourage them to continue to contribute.
■ Shower them with LOVE. You cannot spoil your child with too much love. Let your child know that you love them and will love them no matter what – even when you are mad, even when they are not meeting your expec-tations. It is essential that you remind them that you love them and think they are an amazing person. This will keep their self-worth intact even when they make mistakes, fail, disappoint, or make a bad choice. No matter how bad they mess up, kids need to know that we will not withdraw our love from them. They need to know that they are not a bad person. That will give them the strength to get up and try again.
■ Get them off their screens. Kids love their phones and iPads and video consults and will choose them over all other things. If left to their own ways, kids will choose to watch others on screens rather than get up and experience life for themselves. Limiting screen time is another gift you can give your child. Use of technology for young children can lead to problems with behavior and emotional regulation. Studies show that depression and anxiety increase with more screen time and decrease with less screen time. Often when you put the limits in place and stick to them, your children will start playing with games, toys and Legos, reading books, interacting with friends/neighbors, and doing outdoor activities. They may not choose it for them-selves, but they will end up happier and with more positive self-worth in the end.
Learn more:
If you have concerns about your child, talk with his or her teacher and school support staff to learn more about resources and information available.

— 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 Todayare entirely funded by our advertisers. To show your appreciation of their support, we ask you to consider patronizing these businesses and services as the need arises.
Story submissions: Please submit all ideas to the Site Coordinator at your school. Please contact your school to find out who your Site Coordinator is. Editorial deadlines are two weeks before the pub-lication date.We do our best to include as many sub-missions in each issue as our editorial space will al-low.

CUSD Today Staff

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

Kelly Avants, APR Chief Communications Officer
327-9092

Patti J. Lippert Managing Editor 327-9094

Kellie Feramisco Advertising Manager 327-9093

Verna Garcia Graphic Designer

CUSD Governing Board Members

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

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

CUSD Administration

Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D.	Norm Anderson Superintendent                                                    Deputy Superintendent
327-9100	327-9107

Robyn Castillo, Ed.D. Corrine Folmer, Ed.D.	Barry Jager	Michael Johnston Associate Superintendent	Associate Superintendent       Associate Superintendent Associate Superintendent
Instructional Services	School Leadership	Human Resources and	Administrative Services 327-9373                             327-9350                     Employee Relations                   327-9110
327-9308

Page 6

Care, generosity

CUSD Today

strong in

February 2023

Clovis Unified!

CUSD Today

Students, staff, even schools and families came together this winter to support those in the local community who are in need. From coat drives to diaper drives and everything in between, Clovis Unified schools gave students the opportunity to learn first-hand about
caring and the difference that can be made when people work together.
In one event, the Clovis West area schools joined forces to donate more than 3,500 cans of food for the Pinedale Community Center. In another, nearly 800 gifts were provided to children at a neighboring district’s school thanks to a mom, son
and his wife – all Clovis Unified em-ployees – who connected their three schools together in a Giving Tree.
“[Our school communities’] outpour of caring and giving is truly inspiring,” said Copper Hills Principal Matt Pa-pendorf. His mother, Pam Nabors, then Century Elementary kindergarten teacher, first began the collection drive for Birney Elementary on the suggestion of a parent, and soon Copper Hills where son Matt
works joined to support the needs as did Reagan Elementary, where daughter-in-law Melissa Papendorf works.
“Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers,” said Matt Papendorf, quoting poet
Kahlil Gibran.“Providing these opportunities for our students to give back during the holidays is powerful,”
The following is a sampling of the many student-driven events held around the district from November through January.

Alta Sierra Intermediate
COATS & CANS: The Alta Sierra Bruins provided more than 200 coats and sweatshirts for local area students in need. The school also donated 4,600 items of food to Clovis Rotary for distribution. The ASI staff made donations of gift cards, clothes, shoes and more to support 40 students on campus.

Buchanan High
HELPING PAWS: Bear Nation stepped up to help several organizations as Buchanan High students held the Annual Food Drive that for the first year benefited the Fresno City College Ram Pantry; collected 5,000 books that were donated to Reading Heart and Big Brothers Big Sisters; raised close to $5,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society during the school’s annual powderpuff football game; held a Giving Tree with Woods Elementary to provide clothes and toys to Clovis Unified families; and collected hats, scarves and gloves for the Marjaree Mason Center.

Bud Rank Elementary
STEPS OF KINDNESS:Through December and January, Bud Rank students collected new and gently used shoes for those in need, with more than 400 donated. Said Principal Ryan Gettman,“Helping those in need isn’t always about the money you can give. Resources can be given, reused or refur-bished to help.”

Century, Copper Hills and Reagan elementary schools

FULL BUS & HEARTS: A school bus was used to deliver the 780 gifts of toys, clothes and books to Birney Elementary that were donated to Giving Tree programs at Century, Copper Hills and Reagan elementary schools. More than 10 years ago, a parent of a student in Century’s Pam Nabors’ kindergarten class who taught at Birney casually suggested the idea. That next year, Nabors began the Giving Tree to provide gifts for kindergarten and first graders, and the support has since grown to include all grade levels with added collections at Copper Hills and Reagan, where Nabors’ son and daughter-in-law work. Nabors has since retired, but the Giving Tree project among the three schools is carrying on strong!

Clovis Adult Education
CARING FOR FAMILY: For the third year, students and staff at Clovis Adult held a food drive to benefit those student families in need. Food boxes of fruits, vegetables, pasta, canned foods, cereal, rice and more were made for each recipient. “We are a family at our school, and family takes care of family,” said learning director Courtney Urdesich-McMahon.

Clovis East Area
CANNED FOOD CONVOY: The Central California Food Bank received 57,038 units of non-perishable food thanks to the combined efforts of the Clovis East Area: Clovis East High, Reyburn Intermediate, and Boris, Fancher Creek, Freedom, Miramonte, Oraze, Reagan, Temperance-Kutner and Young elementary schools. The food drive began 20 years ago with a humble beginning and has grown every year since. Said organizer Jaime Arredondo of what he wants students to learn from this,“I want them to think of others. I want them to know that there is always a place for people that want to help. I want them to realize that some people struggle for the things that we take for granted. I want giving to be second nature for them. It is invigorating to help others. And that energy is good for the soul.”

Clovis East, Reyburn

SPIRIT OF THE REC: Activities extended kindness to several right on the Reagan Educational Center campus. The Pre-Collegiate Club provided free gift-wrapping service to staff members. Reyburn AB classes wrote kind notes to other students. Peer Counselors held an appreciation lunch for clas-sified staff. The New Student Club had a pizza lunch for students still making friends. The T’Wolves also joined forces on several efforts with students donating to a sock drive, a toy drive; blanket drive, clothing drive, dog toy drive; writing en-couraging letters and making cards and paintings for US Troops, local veterans, hospital patients and convalescent home residents; and participating in Wreaths Across America. Just some of the event organizing clubs are the African Amer-ican/Black Student Union; Peer Counselors; Vocational Ed Students; Key Club; T-Wolf Team; AFJROTC; Karaoke Club; Anti-Bully Club; Punjabi Club; and Clovis FFA.

Clovis Elementary
LEARNING YOUNG:The Clovis Elementary community generously donated to the school’s Fourth Annual Canned Food Drive. The collection effort brings students together and creates a spirit of gratitude for what one has while also learning to support others who have a need. Items were donated to the Clovis Rotary who makes food boxes that were handed out before Christmas. Several other Clovis Unified schools make donations to Clovis Rotary’s drive.

Clovis High
BLANKETS & MORE: Student clubs at Clovis High set up collection drives that showed how generous the Cougars can be. The Unicef Club hosted a toy drive with donations given to Valley Children’s Hospital; the Interact Club held a food drive that let the club make and give 101 meal boxes to Clovis Area families; and Peer Counseling held a baby blanket drive to support local hospitals including Valley Children’s, Saint Agnes Satellite, and Amelia’s Angels Foundation/Com-munity Regional Medical Center.

Clovis North High,
Granite Ridge Intermediate

A LOT OF BEANS: Clovis North and Granite Ridge held annual food drives, with a total of 9,000 nonperishable items donated to the Clovis Rotary, which sorts and distributes items to families in need.A big shout out to Granite Ridge In-termediate Erica Robinson’s science classes which contributed more than 7,200 of those items!

Clovis North High
BRONCO GENEROSITY: Clovis North’s Pre-Med Club collected new and slightly used blankets and jackets for the Marjorie Mason Center. The Animal Society Club also collected blankets for shelters. The Muslim Club put together hygiene kits for members of their mosque who were in need. Proceeds from the annual Powderpuff Football Game benefitted the Boys and Girls Club of Fresno.

Clovis West Area Schools
EVERY CAN COUNTS: The Clovis West Area schools joined forces in November for a canned food drive benefitting Pinedale Community Center. Clovis West High leadership students visited each elementary school in the area – Fort Washington, Liberty, Lincoln, Nelson, Maple Creek, Pinedale and Valley Oak – and Kastner Intermediate to collect over 3,500 cans of food.Valley Oak Elementary gathered the most with a total of 1,112 cans collected.

Clovis West
BASKETS FOR TERRY:Thanksgiving baskets and Christ-

mas baskets were created and delivered to Terry’s House thanks to Clovis West’s African American Student Union, Natural Beauty, Hip-Hop and Invisible Children’s clubs. They held fundraisers and hosted food booths to help raise
money and got donations to help fill the gift baskets.

Fancher Creek
REACHING OUT: Fancher Creek students joined in the Clovis East Area food drive, col-lecting more than 5,400 items. Kids were mo-tivated to help, such as Hunter, a second grader, who took his red wagon to families
he knew in his neighborhood seeking do-nations.

Freedom Elementary BLAZING A TRAIL: Freedom Ele-

mentary’s Student Council and Human Relations Council rallied students to give back during the annual Toys for Tots and Canned Food Drive. The school filled 12 Toys for Tots boxes and donated 1,500 items of food. “The Trailblazers rock it when it comes to giving!” said
Principal Laurel Graves.

Garfield Elementary
WARM TOES: Garfield Cubs collected 2,000 socks for local shelters. The event was organized by the Human Relations Council.
The school also held its annual Giving Tree that supported 150 families with clothing and toys at a
sister elementary school.

Gateway High
BUILDING CONNECTION:Students at Gateway High have been building bicycles for each Clovis Unified elementary school that are then given to a deserving student on campus. The school also collected toys for Toys for Tots. “There is power in learning to help others who may not be as fortunate as we are,” said Principal Steve Pagani.

Gettysburg Elementary
TRAINS, TRUCKS & DOLLS: Gettysburg Elementary collected more than 200 toys for the Toys for Tots drive.

Jefferson Elementary
BLUE JAY PANTRY:With the help of the Central California Food Bank and the food drive at the school, Jefferson Elementary served 86 families in its area with boxes filled with nonperishable food along with fresh eggs, chicken, cheese, fruit and bacon. Recipients could also have a Christmas tree if they wanted. Students got involved packing and handing out the boxes during the drive-through pickup event. Resource specialist Katie Carey said the school’s Blue Jay Pantry is providing valuable lessons:“Students have a better understanding of the needs of others on campus and how to have a supporting and caring heart for others no matter the circumstances.”

Maple Creek Elementary
RED BUCKET BRIGADE: Maple Creek made Thanks-giving food baskets and provided a gift card for a fresh turkey thanks to its annual Red Bucket Brigade. Each class was assigned a specific food to collect in order to bring all the elements of a traditional meal together.

Mickey Cox Elementary, Clark Intermediate

KEEPING WARM: Students at Mickey Cox Elementary partnered with Clark Intermediate and brought in 252 coats for families in need.

Mountain View Elementary
COCOA KINDNESS:The Mountain View Student Council served cups of hot chocolate before school to kids on “Warm-UpWednesday” to make everyone feel special. The school also celebrated a successful Canned Food Drive with 3,200 donations collected.

➤ Please see Giving,Page 7

February 2023	CUSD Today	Page 7

Crystal Award winners show Clovis Unified at its best

Clovis Unified will celebrate 24 employees for their exceptional work conducted in the 2021-22 school year with a Crystal Award, the district’s highest employee honor. These educators – ranging from teachers and principals 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. 22 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.
Crystal Award winners are each, in their own way, a testament to the exceptional work employees are doing across the district daily, especially during a year where all employees had to pivot and adjust to changing learning conditions due to the pandem-ic.
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

Toni Jo Beltran Gettysburg Elementary
Gettysburg Elementary Resource Specialist teacher Toni Jo Beltran has a full case load, but she does not hesitate to extend support to any students needing help on campus. Her passion for developing the whole child shines through her work, and coworkers say,“She always sees the child, not the disability.”
Beltran is committed to her students’ academic and social needs, and she also is there for their families, her collaborative team and students on campus who need extra TLC. She has traveled to homes, hospitals and community events to support her students, and that even includes attending sixth-grade camp if a parent of a special needs student cannot go!
Beltran sees her students as winners, encouraging them to grow and excel beyond their own expectations. Building relationships and creating environments where families feel safe, she provides them with resources, plans and recommendations. Her connections resulted in nearly 100% parental attendance at IEP meetings!
Co-workers say Beltran has a “Reading Heart,” and under her leadership, she and her team assessed more than 115 students’ reading skills, developed plans and implemented near daily small group instruction and monitoring to grow their abilities. The results? In one year, third grade students grew from 13% at reading level to 89% through intervention programs.

Sheryl Boe Transportation
Clovis Unified Director of Transportation Sh-eryl Boe makes students the center of every decision as she manages the intricate puzzle of providing safe, efficient bus routes for 5,000 general education students and 800 special edu-cation students. She’ll do what it takes to ensure kids can attend co-curricular activities and other educational experiences – even if that means driving the bus herself! Working a night shift in the shop, helping dispatch with calls, or giving
office support, Boe works tirelessly for her team. Said Superintendent Eimear O’Brien,“Her humility, servant leadership and commitment to her team has resulted in taking the transportation department to the next level.”
Keeping safety as a high priority, this past year Boe researched and implemented a new student management system, the Tyler Drive, that tracks every student passenger as they board and exit a bus. She also went to every site to make sure bus loading zones were safe, and she led several trainings to give drivers’ the knowledge and confidence needed to do their jobs well.
Boe’s forward thinking and striving to improve resulted in securing grants for electric buses and infrastructure for charging stations that saved the district around $3 million.

➤The Crystals

■ 7:30 p.m. ■ Feb. 22
■ CUSD Performing Arts Center 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno
■ Free. The public is invited to help us celebrate the year’s top employees. No tickets are required.

And the Crystals go to ...

n Toni Jo Beltran, Gettysburg Elementary Resource Specialist n Sheryl Boe, Director of Transportation
n Annette Burger, Buchanan High School Secretary II n Sarah Burress, Clovis East High Activities Director
n Trina Hairabedian, Cole Elementary Instructional Assistant I n Stephanie Hanks, Clovis High Principal
n Ginger Hazel, Temperance-Kutner Elementary Teacher n Cheryl Hedrick, Garfield Elementary Library Technician
n Jennifer Hunt, Mickey Cox Elementary Ofice Supervisor n Charlotte Loefler, Mountain View Elementary Teacher
n Bobby Mammen, Clark IntermediateTeacher, Athletic Director n Elizabeth Marquez, Miramonte Elementary Teacher
n Michael Miller, Clovis West High Teacher
n Andrew Nabors, Facility Services Coordinator
n Dan Pantoja, Clovis West Area Student Relations Liaison n Abigail Paxton, Buchanan High Teacher
n Aaron Penberthy, Kastner IntermediateTeacher n Joaquin Rivera, Pinedale Elementary Teacher
n Lizette Ruiz, Clovis West High Bilingual Instructional Assistant II n Susan Rutledge, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services n Loree Sisterson, Reagan Educational Center School Ofice
Supervisor, Sr.
n Lauri Vaughn, Cedarwood Elementary Teacher n Carol West, Mountain View Elementary Teacher n Maila Yang, Tarpey Elementary Teacher

Annette Burger Buchanan High
As a busy mom of seven, Annette Burger is an expert on planning and scheduling – and she uses all these skills and then some as the School Secretary II to the Deputy Principal at Buchanan High. She’s known as the “keeper of the calendar,” as she stays in constant communication with coaches, teachers, district employees and com-munity members who want to use Buchanan’s
facilities. Burger draws upon her expert interpersonal skills to quickly foster climates of trust and respect.
Burger is highly regarded for her dedication, analytical processes and attention to detail – and those were all important traits last school year as Annette worked after hours to streamline COVID recordkeeping.When she sees a system that could be made more ef-ficient, she takes the initiative to make those changes, like when she revamped an enrollment process to be more effective and fiscally re-sponsible.
Burger is a team player, coworkers say, who never hesitates to help. She sees a project for what it could be, anticipates its needs and makes it not only materialize, but shine! Annette also brings the per-spective of a parent to her job and is a volleyball mom.

Sarah Burress Clovis East High
AsActivities Director and Leadership Teacher at Clovis East High, Sarah Burress has connected the dots between her campus and its feeder schools and surrounding community. Her peers say Burress’ leadership creates spaces “where all people feel safe, seen and valued” and “she makes the magic happen with her extra touches.”
In seven years, Burress has initiated, imple-mented and now mentors other Clovis Unified activities directors on innovative programs she helped create. These include Leadership Bootcamp, Week of Welcome, No Backpack Day, REC We Are Here to Help campaign, Winter Wishes and a collaboration with Peer Counselors and Leadership students.
Burress has worked tirelessly to unify the Clovis East Area and to make sure all students feel they are part of the Timberwolf Pack. She started the Grad Walk that brings the year’s graduates dressed in caps and gowns back to their elementary sites; the Reading with the Wolfpack program; and multiple homecoming activities. She even initiated “Wolfpack Family Feud,” where staff competes to show

school pride and involvement. Burress’ Timberwolf Territory, which designates safe places for students to go during lunch break, has been adopted by other district high schools. She also helps support a 5K Anti-bully run, REC Diversity Education Council, Student Senate, counselor appreciation and the #bekindbeatwolf Club.

Trina Hairabedian Cole Elementary
Although she is the most requested instructional aide at Cole Elementary, Trina Hairabedian is appreciated just as much for her accomplishments off work hours. She’s a part-time employee with a fulltime dedication to the Bulldogs’ campus! “Trina is everywhere,” a coworker said. Her passion and leadership helped to bring back the Parent Teacher Club (PTC) after a hiatus due to lack of involvement. She leads the annual jog-a-thon,
can be found at all rallies, and actively participates in theme days and book fairs. Her generous heart is evident in her involvement with Cole Cares, which provides food and Christmas to 20 to 30 Cole families in need.
Hairabedian spends summers volunteering in the Teacher Center to support Cole staff so they have a solid start for the new school year. She assists teachers with assembling memory books for students and is a master at creating engaging environments.
Hairabedian began the tradition of a “thankful tree” last year in the front office and updates it as the seasons change, often incorporating student artwork. A coworker said Trina’s efforts to enhance the school’s physical environment results in a better emotional state for all students, inspiring them to think and dream big.

Stephanie Hanks Clovis High
In her six years as principal of Clovis High, Stephanie Hanks has built an educational envi-ronment that empowers, supports, connects and challenges her staff to strive for excellence. And that directly benefits all of the school’s students. Hanks works daily alongside staff to create unique and timely campus solutions. She holds monthly staff meetings that begin with peer nom-
inated Carabiner recognitions. She listens intently during the Principal’s Advisory Committee and from input offered, finds common goals to foster positivity, accountability and co-curricular supports.
One teacher said the principal treats staff with care, dignity and trust.“Mrs. Hanks validates our contributions.”
Under Mrs. Hank’s leadership, Family Groups were created where students and staff discuss topics such as character development, culture building and school safety. Hanks started GROWL as an af-ter-school space where students can voluntarily study, use resources, access free tutoring and receive social and emotional support. The GROWL has collectively welcomed more than 7,800 students during both remote and in-person learning.
Hanks cares about the whole child, and she established an ASB Commissioner of Health and Wellness. She also increased academic opportunities by adding new AP and AG courses. She is a facilitator of Clovis High’s Gender Acknowledgement Plan, and said one co-worker of this work,“Students feel safe and valued.”

Ginger Hazel
Temperance-Kutner Elementary
Temperance-Kutner Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Ginger Hazel wants her students to achieve, and she will stop at nothing to assist them in being their very best. That included de-veloping a way to better assess her students and to help them understand the learning process. She took the initiative to research and implement an innovative Elementary Standards-Based grading
system at TK that gives clarity to students and helps them to set goals, self-reflect and get feedback on their progress.
She wanted to help students look past grades to see the possibility of what hard work and perseverance can achieve.
Hazel worked tirelessly with Technology to develop a digital Standards-Based grade book in Q Gradebook, making it accessible not just to the TK staff, but also all teachers within the district. She has led trainings and now all of the school’s grade level teachers use Standards-Based grading.
Hazel cares also about her students’ well-being and found ways to help kids re-engage after remote learning. She reintroduced students to the love of learning by creating exciting learning settings. Some examples are thematic room transformations that have included donuts, Jurassic Park and the Beijing Winter Olympics along with corresponding hands-on science and literacy to excite and ignite the learners in her classroom.

Giving:Students learn first-hand about caring and working together

FROM PAGE 6

Oraze Elementary

KNOCK DOWN HUNGER: Six-hundred boxes of cereal were donated to the Central Valley Food Bank thanks to the ‘Knock Down Hunger’ drive at Oraze Elementary that in-cluded lining up the boxes through the school hallways domino style to then be tipped over The fun event included lessons from the Pos-itivity Project with students learning the “other people matter” mindset.

Riverview Elementary
KIDS HELPING KIDS:From board games to stuffed animals and sports balls to race

cars, students at Riverview Elementary collected donations for Toys 4 Tots. It’s the 10th year the Rams have joined in the drive that Student Council Advisor Kelli Jones said allows students of all ages to give back to their community. Students learn through empathy and com-passion that giving brings feelings of joy.”

Valley Oak Elementary BLESSING BAGS:For the past eight years,

Valley Oak Elementary students collect essential items – shampoo, toothpaste, socks, gloves, lotion and more – to create Blessing Bags to be distributed to those in need around the Poverello House homeless shelter. “This col-lection provides a moment to think about

others less fortunate and spreads holiday joy,” said VO teacher Kristi Vincent.

Weldon Elementary
BIG SUCCESS: Weldon Elementary held its most successful food drive, bringing in 3,161 items of non-perishables!

Woods Elementary
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Annual food and gift drives byWoods Elementary resulted in two Clovis Unified schools providing wrapped gifts and food to families in need from those communities. Gifts included cloth-ing and a toy – three bikes and helmets were among the donations! – and donated food

ranged from canned fruit to mashed potatoes to dessert items. “This tradition takes place during the holiday season, but its message to our children can be practiced all year long and make a lasting difference for the future: Recognize those around you and do what you can to give, support and love them well,” said technology coach Stella Beato who helped with the events.

Young Elementary
CARING FOR BABIES:Young Elementary students showed kindness for some of the littlest in need by collecting more than 6,000 diapers to donate to the Marjaree Mason Cen-ter.

Page 8	CUSD Today	February 2023

Newly elected board mem-
City of Clovis-Governing
■
Moore, Fogg and
■
Resolution No. 3903 –
gram 2023-24.
■
Approved the annual
school year.
February 2023	CUSD Today	Page 9

➤ Employee Briefs	Garfield Center becomes own school

Educator regional winners named

The California League of Educators announced the Region 7 Educator of the Year for elemen-tary, intermediate and high school for the area that includes Fresno, Madera, Merced, Tulare and Kern counties. All three are from Clovis Unified schools and will be advanced for consid-eration of the organiza-tions’ state educator of the year awards. Those will be announced this spring.
Congratulations to: Cheryl Hedrick, Garfield

Shauna Everson

Cheryl Hedrick

Elementary library technician; Shauna Everson, Alta Sierra Intermediate AB teacher and AVID coordinator; and Michael Miller, Clovis West Transportation Technology CTE teacher!

Transportation standout Clovis Unified Trans-

David Renwick
portation employee of the month is bus driver David Renwick, who the department recognized for his willingness to assist others in all different as-pects of the Transporta-tion Department. He has
gone above and beyond to lend a hand to new drivers and helped them learn the many job duties of a bus driver. He joined the district in 2020 coming out of retirement following a 30-year career in the Navy and having worked as a bus driver elsewhere. Renwick said he enjoys the busy environment at the trans-portation department, appreciates the people he is around, and loves helping new drivers.

By Kelly Avants

CUSD Chief Communications Officer

Jan. 18
The Garfield Center will operate as its own school fol-lowing the Clovis Unified Governing Board’s Jan. 18 ac-tion to establish the school as an independent site. This new designation will ensure the Garfield Center is included in California’s DashboardAl-ternative School Status. All administrators and staff will remain the same, and the in-dependent designation will allow student achievement data to be reported in a man-ner most appropriate to the unique experiences of the stu-dents with medically fragile conditions and exceptionally disabled	attending	the Garfield Center. Previously, the center operated as a part of Garfield Elementary School.
Thirty members of the In-ter School Council were also at the meeting to share their midyear report about efforts to build connectivity across the district’s high schools.
The board approved new courses of study for use in the district’s secondary schools for the 2023-24 school year. These courses have been re-viewed by the Governing Board School Leadership and Instructional Services Sub-committee and district ad-ministrators, and they in-clude:
■ Auto 2 Automotive Serv-ice (CTE) - Clovis West High
■ Civil & Crimimal Law/Mock Trial - Buchanan High
■ Equine Anatomy and Physiology Science (CTE) -Clovis East High
■ Expository Reading and Writing Course in Spanish -Clovis High
■ Financial Mathematics - Buchanan High School & Clovis North High

➤ BOARD BRIEFS

■ Heavy Medium Duty           ■ Moore to the California Truck 2 (CTE) - Clovis West      School Boards Association ■ Honor Physics - Clovis      (CSBA) Delegate Assembly East                                           to complete the final year of ■ Introduction to Hy-      former member Betsy San-
brid/Electric Vehicle Technol-	doval’s term.
ogy - Clovis West                            ■ Awtrey to the Board’s ■     Yearbook Leadership       second seat on the CSBA Del-
Production - Clovis East	egate Assembly.
In other action, the board          ■ Combs-Flores to the approved:                               Fresno County Trustees As-■ The annual Financial       sociation to complete the term Audit Report for the June 30,      currently held by former 2022, audit. A copy of the       member Sandoval, with audit report is available      Member Olivier serving as
through the District’s Business	an alternate.
Services Office.                               ■ Awtrey to represent the ■ The annual School Plan       Governing Board on the Cen-
for Student Achievement and	ter for Advanced Research the categorical budget for	and Technology Board of Di-each school for the 2022-23	rectors for a two-year term. school year, copies of which           In other action, the board: will be available online fol-           ■ Appointed Sean Oster-lowing their approval by the	berg as principal of Clovis Governing Board.	Community Day School.
Dec. 9
■ Awarded construction agreements for the Clovis East
ious vendors.
bers Deena Combs-Flores and	High Soccer Complex to var-Clinton Olivier took the Oath
Stoker-Madsen who ran un-
fornia State Preschool Pro-
of Office, along with Tiffany	Annual Agreement for Child opposed for re-election. The	Development Services- Cali-Governing Board elected
David DeFrank as President,
dent, and Dr. Steve Fogg as
2023. The following board
Fogg, Combs-Flores and
Yolanda Moore to the Joint
copy of which is ava lable on-
partment.
Hugh Awtrey as Vice-Presi-      developer fee findings and Clerk to serve until December       public information ireport, a subcommittee appointments      line or from the Facilities De-were made:                                     ■ Received the district’s ■                                                       First Interim Financial Report and adopted a positive certi-
Board Subcommittee.
fication indicating the district will be able to meet its fi-
remainder of the 2022-23
Combs-Flores to the Joint	nancial obligations for the City of Fresno-Governing
Board Subcommittee.	q
■ Olivier, Fogg and Awtrey	The next regularly sched-to the Administrative Serv-       uled board meeting is Feb. ices-Human Resources Sub-       15, with the public portion committee.                                 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Com-
■ Stoker Madsen, Moore	plete minutes, agendas and and DeFrank to the School	recordings of regular meetings Leadership-Instructional	are available online at Services Subcommittee.	www.cusd.com.

Page 10	CUSD Today	February 2023