PAID FRESNO, CA U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 398 PERMIT NON-PROFIT ORG. NON-PROFIT February 2019 Clovis Unified School District — WHERE CHARACTER COUNTS! Volume 21, No. 7 follow us on TM and at CUSD.COM Proposed LOOSE PARTS boundaries HELP EXPAND YOUNG HORIZONS released for new school n Shields-Locan site readying for construction CUSD Today A recommended attendance boundary for Clovis Unified’s new elementary school near Shields and Locan avenues has been re- leased. This follows ➤ Info: a months-long process to study More residential de- information velopment in and a map of the Clovis East the proposed Area, resulting attendance enrollment boundaries trends and are available neighborhood at cusd.com. growth. The proposed boundaries will be an information item considered by the CUSD Governing Board Photos special to CUSD Today by Ron Webb. at its Feb. 6 meeting, with the Nelson Elementary preschoolers Jude Rockwell, left, and Dominic Moreno are using tiny seashells to create letters on their chalkboard. board scheduled to take action Below right, classmate Amelia Lehman chooses from baskets of beads and buttons to string together her creation. on the proposal at the Feb. 20 board meeting. If approved, the n Preschool staff use shells, buttons to boundaries would become effective when the new school opens for grow imaginations through new program the 2020-21 school year. The recommended attendance By Carol Lawson-Swezey area is the result of careful study Special to CUSD Today of feedback gathered from resi- dents in the Clovis East Area col- Tiny hands search through bins of nature’s bounty to create lected since November, as well as their own world and give life to creativity. analysis of city planning data of In Shera Scott’s preschool class at Nelson Elementary, curious the area. pint-sized scholars thrive at thematic workstations with numbers, The final recommendation dif- letters and building structures. fers from draft options first studied Sebastian Ferry, 5, and Dominic Sais, 4, work on an elaborate after consideration of feedback six-story animal condominium, complete with a ground-level from the community and aligned party area. Dominic even recreates the howl of his favorite coy- to criteria used by the district to ote. de velop attendance lines. These In another corner, Sydney Stevenson and Haven Ramirez, criteria include: both 4, let handfuls of sparkling colorful glass and seashells ■ Using existing school design cascade through their fingers, using the treasures to trace large capacity whenever possible numbers. ■ Keeping neighborhoods to- “My favorite of all activities is the letter board,” Haven said. gether Although she has never been to the beach, the brittle, delicate ■ Creating long lasting bound- shells bring her one step closer to that experience. aries (7-10 years) For the past six months, preschoolers at Clovis Unified have ■ Developing contiguous boundaries that minimize gerrymandering ➤ Please see Imaginations, Page 8 ➤ Please see Boundary, Page 8 Check it out! On Jan. 4 Clovis Unified launched a redesigned cusd.com that now incorporates additional news and information for the community. In addition to carrying over much of the content previously found on the website, users can now interact with the district’s social media channels, watch Clovis Unified students were the keynote speakers at video content, and directly access every school the Community Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast in January site in Clovis Unified. at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building. Standing with The launch concludes a six-month project CUSD Superintendent Dr. Eimear O’Farrell, from left, are that first saw the redesign of all school websites, Clovis High senior Faith McKesson, Clovis North High the introduction of a mobile app and a new freshman Trisha Prajapati and Buchanan High junior Abbi phone messaging system. The mobile app Akande who spoke about Dr. King’s pivotal role in the now includes district-level content and is civil rights movement and his lasting influence today. directly connected to school websites and the district’s Two African American leadership conferences are in phone/text/email notification system. Feb ruary, which is Black History Month, that are open to “We want to stay engaged in conversation with all students. (See Page 8 for details.) This edition of CUSD parents, students, employees and the greater com- what these new systems allow us to do, and we’re ex- Today also features a special section contributed by CUSD munity,” said Chief Communication Officer Kelly cited about the possibilities we now have to remain students that celebrates African Americans. See Page 3. Avants. “Information travels quickly in the world in close communication with families.” Check out today, and we recognize the need to be able to get cusd.com and share your feedback with us at news into the hands of our community fast. That’s [email protected]. Thirty-two of Clovis Unified’s very best em- ployees will receive the district’s highest award at The Crystals on Feb. 27 at the Performing Arts Center. The gala event begins with an appetizer 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 each of this year’s recipients. For a list of winners and profiles, please see Page 5. ANNOUNCEMENTS CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE Online kindergarten pre-registration CTE showcase night Feb. 21 We depend upon partnership, community Kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school Students, grades 8 to 11, and their parents are Our schools belong to each of you, and we are INSIDE: year begins March 6. This year parents may pre- invited to attend and gather information about proud to be your partner in building a bright register their child online starting Feb. 27. Page 2 the many opportunities that are available. Page 4 future for our community. Page 5 Page 2 CUSD Today February 2019 ➤ ANNOUNCEMENTS with the lead singer, Sugar, and Jerry (Daphne) has to fend offered by the CUSD Special Education Department’s Family Online kindergarten off the advances of a big fan. Resource Center. For more information or to inquire about Shows are at 7:30 p.m. March 8, 9 and 14-16 at the Mer- an interpreter, please call 327-8455. pre-registration, Feb. 27 cedes Edwards Theatre, 902 Fifth St., Clovis. Tickets are $10 ■ “Planning the Future for Your Student with an IEP,” 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 5, Professional Development Building Kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school for students and $12 for adults. (PDB), 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis. Free. If your year begins March 6 at all Clovis Unified elementary Parent Academy workshop, March 19 student has an IEP but will graduate with a diploma and schools, and this year parents may pre-register their Clovis Unified offers Parent Academy workshops through- you are wondering what is next, this workshop can help. child online starting Feb. 27. The new online process out the school year at no cost to attendees. The workshops Presenters will be from Clovis and Fresno city colleges, the will allow parents to fill out their child’s registration are designed to inform and empower parents with infor- Department of Rehabilitation, high school counselors and form and make an appointment to drop off the enroll- mation, understanding and resources to support their program specialists, Resources for Independence Central ment documents to their resident school. student at home and at school. Valley, and ResCare – Youth Workforce Program. RSVP: Parents unable to utilize the online process may go The next workshop will be “Technology in Our Classrooms Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/Future-planning2-5-18. directly to their school site during regular hours and Homes – The New Future” on March 19. How technology ■ “Come Play! Why It’s So Important,” 6:30 to 8:30 beginning March 6. is being integrated in classrooms and ways parents can p.m., Feb. 26, PDB, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis. Free. At the time of registration, parents will need to assist at home will be discussed. The workshop will also A practical, hands-on workshop where attendees will learn provide a birth certificate or other birth record; proof explore the effects of social media on students and review the purpose and power of play. This is designed for parents of residency; and written evidence of up-to-date im- various websites that students access and how parents can of children birth to 5 years old. Social interaction is the munizations. California law also allows parents to use help their children navigate this virtual world. foundation and an essential prerequisite for the development their place of work address for school enrollment. The workshop will be held at the Clovis Unified Profes- of speech and language skills. Presented by Clovis Infant For complete details or to access the online pre-reg- sional Learning Center, 362 N. Clovis Ave., #101, in Clovis. Toddler Intervention (CITI Kids) teachers. RSVP: Eventbrite istration, visit cusd.com. (Southwest corner of Herndon and Clovis avenues, behind at https://tinyurl.com/Play-2-5-18. In-N-Out). Dinner and childcare are offered for each event. ■ Nominations are being accepted for the Special Edu- Native American Indian Family Night, There is no cost. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and the program cation Exceptional Person of the 2018-19 school year. Feb. 21 open to all CUSD families will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Families, staff, students and volunteers who have been ex- For more information or to RSVP, contact Krista Cortez ceptional in helping students with special needs may be “Destined for Excellence” will be the theme of Clovis in CUSD Supplemental Services at 327-0667 or krista nominated through March 1.