MARCH 2019 District Celebrates Excellence in Education with Five Awards uring a lively, inspiring evening Feb. 4, more than 600 guests gathered to cele- Dbrate and honor the district’s 50 Excellence in Education finalists. Five outstand- ing educators were announced as the top winners: Classified category – Lorena For video, go to vimeo.com/ Almaguer, former office manager at fresnounified/excellencein Roosevelt High School and now an education2019 assistant in School Leadership Almaguer, Lee and Taylor will move on Certificated category, elementary – to the Fresno County Educator of the Year Kirsten Lee, Eaton Elementary School awards process. County winners will be teacher announced in November. Certificated category, middle school Finalists were nominated by their peers for – Esmeralda Ruiz, Sequoia Middle their work above and beyond for students School teacher and the district. The finalists demonstrat- ed dedication and caring in their work and Certificated category, high school – a commitment to seek innovative ways Tamela Ryatt, Sunnyside High School to help Fresno Unified students succeed teacher at school and in life. The top educators Administrator category – Pamela are lifelong learners themselves, collab- Taylor, Easterby Elementary School orative colleagues and problem solvers.f Janna Kam, a teacher at Anthony Elementary School, is congratulated principal Winners by board member Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas as she accepts her finalist See Pages 4 and 5 For Bios of Winners plaque during the Excellence in Education awards Feb. 4. District Awarded $1 million Grant for Early Learning Work The California Department of Education has English in the home. recognized Fresno Unified School District’s Along with Fresno Unified, the state awarded outstanding program for early learners with a grants to California State University, Channel $1 million grant. This grant pays tribute to the Islands, Sobrato Early Academic Language, innovative work of Fresno’s early childhood Guided Language Acquisition Design and the community in supporting children birth to 5 California Preschool Instructional Network. whose home language is other than English. The district and its Fresno community partners Fresno’s funding is part of a $5 million allo- will use the grant to replicate and expand a cation that early learning organization Early locally developed model, the Fresno Language Edge California worked with state legislators Project, in other parts of the state. and other advocacy partners to include in the 2018 state budget. The goal is to improve the Funds from the David and Lucile Packard capacity of early learning teachers to support Jaden Huerta, left, and Ayden Stone work with letters using a light table at Fresno Unified’s Early Learning Center. The the language development of children age 5 See EARLY LEARNING GRANT district's exemplary work educating students in two languages and under who speak a language other than Continued on page 9 has resulted in a state grant to replicate the program elsewhere. Meet the Excellence Summer School Superintendent Message in (Pages 4-5) (Page 12) (Page 15) in Education Winners Starts June 11 Spanish and Hmong MARCH 2019 PARENTS Applications for After School Programs at 29 Sites Available Soon Fresno Unified operates daily compre- Los estudiantes reciben apoyo académi- hensive after school programs at 29 co y lectoescritura asistiéndolos con la elementary schools across the district. tarea en artes de lenguaje y matemáti- cas. Un componente de enriqueci- Applications for the 2019-20 school miento que incluye una variedad de year are available starting March 27. actividades para que los estudiantes Applications are available at the 29 participen en nuevas oportunidades, elementary sites (specified below). The como aprendizaje de servicio comuni- application deadline is April 26. tario, actividades recreativas y físicas, All students from each of the 29 school ciencias y tecnología, conocimiento de sites, from kindergarten through sixth carrera y otras actividades basadas en grade, are eligible to apply. Programs los intereses del estudiante. operate school days only from the end El Centro Nutritivo del Distrito provee of the school day until 6 p.m. Capacity dos bocadillos nutritivos todos los días is limited and enrollment is determined para los estudiantes que participan en through a lottery system. el programa después de clases. Students not selected are placed on a waiting list. Cov Ntawv Thov rau Kev Kawm Tom Qab Lawb Ntawv Parents of students who are accepted Yuav Muaj Sai Sai into the program will be notified via Fresno Hauv Paus Tsev Kawm Ntawv letter from school or by phone in Applications will be available for the district’s after school enrichment program tej kev khiav dej num txhij txhua hauv May. Parents of students accepted starting March 27 and due April 26. kev kawm ntawv tom qab lawb ntawv will be required to attend a mandato- txhua hnub hauv 29 lub tsev kawm ry orientation. Students selected for the homework in language arts and math- solamente los días de escuela/clases ntawv theem qis thoob plaws hauv waiting list will be notified at a later ematics. An enrichment component desde que terminan las clases hasta las paus tsev kawm ntawv. date when space becomes available. includes a variety of activities to engage 6 p.m. La capacidad es limitada y la For additional questions or informa- students in new opportunities, such as inscripción es determinada a través de Cov ntawv thov rau xyoo kawm ntawv tion, contact school sites or the Fresno community service learning, recreation un sistema de sorteo. 2019-20 twb pib muaj txij lub Peb Hlis Unified Extended Learning Office at and physical activities, science and tim 27. Cov ntawv thov muaj nyob rau Los estudiantes no seleccionados son (559) 248-7560. technology, career awareness and other hauv 29 lub tsev kawm ntawv theem colocados en la lista de espera. activities based on student interests. qis (teev tseg hauv qab no). Hnub kaw These programs are funded by the Los padres de estudiantes que son ntawv thov yog lub Plaub Hlis tim 26. state’s After School Education & The district’s Nutrition Center aceptados en el programa serán noti- Safety Program (ASES) grants. They provides two healthy snacks each day Txhua tus tub kawm ntawv los ntawm ficados por medio de una carta de la are an extension of the regular school for students participating in the after tej lwb lub ntawm 29 lub tsev kawm escuela o por teléfono en mayo del day, offering literacy and academic school program. ntawv, txij kindergarten txog qib rau, 2019. Los padres de estudiantes que enrichment aligned with the regular muaj kev tsim nyog los thov. Cov kev son aceptados se les requerirá asistir a school day core programs. Las solicitudes para los kawm khiav dej num rau cov hnub una junta obligatoria. Los estudiantes Programas Después de kawm ntawv nkaus xwb txij thaum Students receive academic and literacy seleccionados para la lista de espera Clases estarán disponibles lawb ntawv ntawm hnub ntawm txog support through assistance with se les notificará después de que haya muy pronto thaum 6 p.m. Chaw muaj tsawg thiab un lugar disponible. Para información El Distrito Escolar Unificado de kev cuv npe raug txiav txim los ntawm o preguntas adicionales, comuníquese Fresno opera programas compren- ib qho kev ua nrho hmoov. After School Program Sites con la escuela o a la Oficina de sivos después de clases a diario, en Applications are available at: Aprendizaje Extendido del Distrito Cov tub kawm ntawv tsis raug xaiv 29 escuelas primarias alrededor del Escolar Unificado de Fresno al (559) yuav raug muab tso rau daim ntawv Anthony Homan Roeding distrito. 248-7560. teev npe nyob tos. Bakman Jefferson Thomas Las solicitudes para el ciclo escolar Columbia Kirk Vang Pao Estos programas son auspiciados por Cov niam txiv ntawm cov tub kawm 2019-20 estarán disponibles a partir Del Mar Kratt Viking una concesión estatal para el Programa ntawv nws raug txais rau hauv qhov del 27 de marzo y estarán disponibles Easterby Lawless Vinland Educativo Después de Clases y kev kawm yuav raug ceeb toom los en las 29 escuelas primarias (se espe- Ericson Leavenworth Webster Seguridad (ASES). Son extensión ntawm xa ib tsab ntawv los ntawm tsev cifica en la parte inferior). La fecha Ewing McCardle Yokomi de un día regular de clases, ofrecien- kawm ntawv los yog hu xov tooj thaum límite para la solicitud es el 26 de abril. Fremont Norseman do lectoescritura y enriquecimiento lub Tsib Hlis 2019. Cov niam txiv Greenberg Powers-Ginsburg Todos los estudiantes desde kindergar- académico alineado con los program- Hamilton Pyle ten hasta sexto año en cada una de las as fundamentales del día regular de Holland Robinson 29 escuelas son elegibles para aplicar clases. See AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM al programa. Los programas operan Continued on page 7 Page 2 PREPARING CAREER READY GRADUATES www.FresnoUnified.org MARCH 2019 BOARD Excellence in Education Celebrates the Fresno Unified Family Claudia Cazares Area 6 Last month, Fresno Unified hosted so often go unrecognized. They do responsibility, one that has the poten- President [email protected] one of my favorite events – our annual these things because they truly care tial of shifting a student’s future Excellence for our students, as if they were their outcome for the better, on their way Carol Mills, J.D. Area 5 in Education own. One teacher, after a student’s to reaching that graduation stage. As Clerk [email protected] awards mother committed suicide, helped her the Excellence in Education interview Liaison: Michele Rodriguez banquet. For to finish school by paying for gradu- panelists heard first hand, the work [email protected] a few hours, ation expenses, connecting her with being done by this group of finalists family, friends counseling and consistently checking is remarkable and we could all benefit Valerie F.