PAID FRESNO, CA U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 398 PERMIT NON-PROFIT ORG. NON-PROFIT December 2018 Clovis Unified School District — WHERE CHARACTER COUNTS! Volume 21, No. 5 follow us on TM and at CUSD.COM Principal Sounds of CUSD named for new school CUSD Today A principal has been named for the new elementary school that will open August 2020 at the northeast corner of Shields and Locan avenues. Kacey Gibson, current principal of nearby Reagan El- ementary, will be- gin her official role in July 2019. In the upcoming months, she will, however be a part of recom- mending a name, mascot and colors Kacey Gibson for the new school with the help of the community. She will also add input as the facility is constructed, providing insights on what will work best for her future teachers and students. All 10 Clovis Unified intermediate and “I’m looking forward to building a new high school marching bands came school culture with the Clovis East Area together at CUSD Band Night in No- community,” said Gibson, who has worked vember. They collectively took to the all of her 14 years with the district in the field and played the National Anthem Clovis East Area, at Temperance-Kutner, to open the event. Each the Reagan Educational Center and Reagan Elementary. band then took turns District “Change is hard and I will be with the with dazzling perform- receives parents and students every step of the way ances at Veterans Me- ‘Best Music to make sure this transition is as seamless morial Stadium to the Education’ as possible. My heart is in the Clovis East delight of parents and award Area and we will be working together to music enthusiasts. make this the eighth elementary school in Music education is an our area to build future Timberwolves for integral part of Clovis the Reagan Educational Center.” Unified, with all students The new school is needed to keep pace at some point in their with rapidly growing residential develop- educational career tak- See Page 3 ment in the area. It will be constructed on ing part in music cur- 25 acres and be modeled after Boris Elemen - riculum. CUSD recently received the tary, the district’s most recent state-of-the- art facility that opened in 2016, using a Best Communities for Music Education slightly modified design plan from Boris. Award. For more about this prestigious It will have three wings with 28 classrooms, award and a Q&A with Clovis Unified’s an administration building, a multi-purpose Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator room, amphitheater and playfields. Daniel Bishop, see Page 3. Similar to Boris, it will feature an energy- efficient design, drought tolerant landscaping Photos special to CUSD Today by Ron Webb ➤ Please see Principal, Page 3 CUSD inclusionary preschool FOUNDATION wins 2018 Golden Bell Award FUNDS CUSD Today a model of continuous learning, researching and doing what is best for our kids,” said Child Devel- 25 Clovis Unified School District’s Preschool In- opment Director Janet Samuelian. “The Preschool clusion Program received the state’s leading edu- Inclusion Framework was developed by passionate cational honor, the Golden Bell Award, Nov. 29 educators to ensure that our programs will in San Francisco. It was one of 51 public remain in the future, expand and grow school recipients – recognized with the so that ALL students will benefit from honor at the California School Boards a strong foundation for their edu- Association (CSBA) conference – cation. We are committed to give for innovation, sustainability and every child, whatever their back- best practices that facilitate positive ground or needs, the best edu- student outcomes. cation and the best possible op- CUSD’s Preschool Inclusion portunities for success.” Program blends the needs of stu- The Golden Bell Award is de- The Foundation for dents in both general education cided by a 17-member judging Clovis Schools and special education through a col- panel made up of experts from awarded 25 grants laborative effort. The program is staffed school districts and county offices to fund health and with special education teachers, general of education throughout California. wellness programs education teachers and instructional assistants. The panel reviewed written entries and in the district. For In addition, there are speech and language pathol- made the initial recommendations for the awards. the complete list ogists, school nurses and school psychologists as- On-site validators then assessed the programs in of grant recipients, signed to support the program as well as recreation, action before the recipients were announced. see Page 6. Pic- occupational and physical therapy consultation. This year’s awards are presented to school tured, Kastner Co-Teaching or Team Teaching models are used districts and county offices of education helping Intermediate stu- while employing Second Step as the framework students achieve through after-school programs, dent Noah Llano for promoting social-emotional learning. The mentoring, instructional interventions, use of data enjoys a game of benefit of inclusion preschool lies in the depth of and other innovations. parachute catch social-emotional growth and in the cognitive de- “The Golden Bell recipients exemplify the spirit thanks to “Shining velopment of all the children learning together. of innovation and excellence for which all of Cal- Stars,” a grant that Teachers and parents alike have witnessed the ifornia’s public schools strive,” said CSBA CEO funded equipment heightened self-confidence, astounding first words, and Executive Director Vernon Billy. “The Golden for PE classes that bonds of empathy and friendship – results pointing Bell Awards reflect the depth and breadth of out- bring special and to an impassioned and truly dedicated staff. standing education offerings in our state, and general education “In Clovis we are committed to being life-long demonstrate the tenacity, vision and dedication students together. learners and instilling the love for learning in our of school leaders across California.” children. Preschool Inclusion does that. It embraces Details: https://gb.csba.org/. Happy Holidays from Clovis Unified SPORTS Page 2 CUSD Today December 2018 Clovis Unified athletes sign letters of intent Fifty senior student-athletes in Clovis Unified schools signed Letters of Intent at ceremonies Nov. 14, including standout swim mers Abby Samansky and Averee Preble to University of Tennesee and Auburn Uni- versity, respectively, and basketball player Madison Campbell committing to USC. Buchanan High had a record-number 21 athletes signing, with wrestlers heading 2018 fall sports league champions to University of Nebraska and Fresno State, and two of its leading water polo players Hundreds of Clovis Uni- Clark, 8th-grade football; area’s inflatable mascot tun- both signing to play at Harvard University. fied student athletes joined Clark, 7th-grade girls vol- nel. Wearing their future-college’s apparel, in fall school sports, including leyball; Granite Ridge and Football – Bowl Series athletes were celebrated at events on their football, water polo, volley- Kastner (tie), 8th-grade girls Champions were Reagan, high school campuses with proud parents, ball, golf, cross country and volleyball; Alta Sierra, 7th- Dry Creek and Cedarwood coaches and friends cheering them on. Isabella Sonkoloy – Fresno State, water polo tennis. grade boys water polo; Clark, elementary school teams, The following are the students identified Makena Ogas – Fresno Pacific University, vol- Athletes wrapped up their 8th-grade boys water polo; with Fort Washington, Maple by school: leyball final league games in No- Clark and Granite Ridge (tie), Creek and Mountain View Averee Preble – Auburn University, swimming vember and the champions 7th-grade girls water polo; also participating. Buchanan High Mikayla Weiss – Fresno State, volleyball Clovis East High emerged. Kastner, 8th-grade girls water Girls Volleyball – Free- Michelle Berry – Fresno Pacific University, bas- polo; Reyburn, boys cross dom Elementary took home Ashley Dittmann – UC Riverside, volleyball High School Tori Carlos – CSU Monterey Bay, volleyball ketball country; Reyburn, girls cross the top prize of the eight- Jasmine Megerdichian – Geneva College, soft- Tri-River Athletic Confer- country; Kastner, girls golf; top-team tournament; Dry Tyler Deen – University of Nebraska, wrestling Matthew Olguin – Fresno State, wrestling ball ence winners for varsity high and Granite Ridge, girls ten- Creek was the second-place Taja Felder – University of Louisville, softball school sports were Buchanan, Kaleb Archer – Harvard University, water polo nis. finisher. Clovis North High boys cross country; Buch - Cross Country – All ele- Gabe Putnam – Harvard University, water polo anan, girls cross country; Elementary School Zach Zetz – Fresno Pacific University, water Taylor Pilot – CSU Stanislaus, basketball mentary school teams had Sierra Alvarez – Sonoma State University, soc- Buchanan, girls volleyball; The Clovis Unified Ele- their top runners participate polo Clovis North, girls tennis; mentary Athletic Champi- Conner Schink – Fresno Pacific University, cer in the championships, which Brady Crow – Fresno Pacific University, base- Clovis, girls water polo; onships featured top season had the last segment of the water polo Buchanan, boys water polo; finishers along with a few Sierra May – CSU Long Beach, water polo ball race enter in the stadium Curtis Vidinoff – Fresno Pacific University, Clovis West, girls golf. Central wild card teams. and finish