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FUSD Community eNewsletter |
Community meeting planned as district initiates work to strengthen Bullard-area schools |
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A community meeting will be held Tuesday, November 16 at Bullard High School as part of the Bullard Regional Pilot, a new project in the Fresno Unified School District. The purpose of the meeting is to gather input from parents and community members on uniforms and other focus areas of the pilot project to boost academic achievement in the Bullard High feeder area. The 6 p.m. meeting will be held in Bullard’s cafeteria. District leaders will discuss the process for potentially implementing uniforms for students at Bullard High School and Tenaya Middle School next year, and other key components of the Bullard Regional Pilot.
The Bullard Regional Pilot will serve as a model for similar undertakings with other FUSD high school communities as Fresno Unified continues its work to strengthen neighborhood schools throughout the entire district.
The central focus of the Bullard project is to create a clearly articulated K-12 program that builds an academic talent pipeline in the region. Other identified focus areas that support the academic work include athletics, facilities, staff and climate/culture. While work continues in all the focus areas in various stages, four immediate bodies of work have been identified for planning and implementation:
 Writing focusCreate and implement a K-12 writing program that strengthens writing skills critical to the academic and career success of students.
GATE/accelerated program: Enhance and refine the rigor of the GATE/accelerated program to support and challenge high-performing students.
K-12 career awareness and preparation: Design and implement a K-12 career awareness and preparation program to increase rigor and options for students, with a focus on two pathways -- Law/Public Service and Sports Medicine.
Uniforms: Begin uniform policy process for implementation at Tenaya and Bullard for the 2011/12 school year if approved by the Board of Education.
In order for school uniforms to be implemented for the 2011/12 school year, the Board of Education would need to take action in January so that notification can begin in early February. This would allow time for the required six-month notification to families prior to implementation in August 2011.
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District phases in new look for Fresno Unified Web site |
Fresno Unified is phasing in a new look for the district Web site that is easier to navigate. The makeover will also include updated content for top-level pages and new features such as FUSD TV, a twitter feed and a social-sharing toolbar. The Web site, www.fresnounified.org, will gradually replace www.fresno.K12.ca.us but in the interim, users will be able to access information on the old site. As different components of the Web site are moved over to the new site, users will be automatically redirected. The home page and “News” tab was moved over during the first phase of the transfer, with other components expected to be moved over during the next 45 days.
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Kids First Festival promotes student talents, district programs |
About 2,000 people attended Fresno Unified’s annual Kids First Festival in front of Fresno High School. This year’s event, on Oct. 24, featured stage performances by dancers, musicians and others, and booths that promoted district programs and provided fund-raising opportunities for student groups. Festival-goers could try out a mini physical-fitness course and a hands-on exhibit in the city’s Sciencemobile. Nearly 20 people signed up to donate blood at the mobile blood center and the mobile Student Health Center ran out of free flu shots by the end of the festival, vaccinating 160 Fresno Unified employees and students. Billed as the “World’s Shortest Parade,” students in costume had a chance to march in the parade and the district’s high school bands combined to form one big marching band that sounded great! Employees from the Communications Office, Maintenance and Operations Department and other departments went above and beyond in making this an outstanding celebration of Fresno Unified and a great way to connect with the community.
 SEE: Photo Slideshow
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District seeks input on school calendars for next two years |
 Fresno Unified is seeking advisory input on three academic calendar options that the Board of Education is expected to consider for the 2011-12 and the 2012-13 school years. Employees and community members are asked to indicate which calendar option they prefer using the survey on the district Web site. There is also space for comments and questions.
Take the Survey Now
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Bullard band director nominated for High School Educator of the Year
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After suffering severe brain hemorrhaging in June, Matt Carroll has made a miraculous recovery and is back at Bullard High School as the band director and chairman of the Music Department. Matt was recently nominated as one of 10 finalists for the California League of High Schools’ Educator of the Year for Region 7. In nominating Carroll for this coveted award, Bullard High Principal Brian Beck described the outpouring of support for Carroll during his recovery and his stellar work inspiring young musicians, changing the culture of the entire school and making it “cool” to be in the band. The winner will be announced November 18.
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Fresno Unified well represented in regional middle school teacher competition |
 Three of the 10 finalists for California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year in Region 7 are from Fresno Unified: Troy Barnett, Terronez Middle School; Linda Nimer, Wawona Middle School; and Patricia Potter, Fort Miller Middle School. The winner will be announced Wednesday, December 1.
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Duncan Polytechnical students win big at Fresno Fair |
 More than 50 agriculture pathway students from Duncan Polytechnical High School competed in various events at the Big Fresno Fair from October 6-17. Duncan had numerous top winners in House and Patio Plants, Silk Floral Arrangements, Rabbits, Market and Breeding Goats, Market and Breeding Sheep, Market Beef and Market Swine.
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Fair focused on “green” careers held at CART |
 The Environmental Lab at the Center for Advanced Research & Technology (CART) hosted the Green Career Fair on October 21, a first-time event highlighting environmentally friendly job opportunities. In addition to 1,300 CART students, 65 students from Mendota High school and students from Edison High School’s Energy Academy attended. The fair, featuring 30 exhibit tables and 60 presenters, was funded by the Fresno Regional Foundation through a grant written by the San Joaquin River Stewardship Program.
SEE: Photos
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Nutcracker discounted tickets available for students and employees |
 Fresno Unified students, employees and family members are invited to attend The Nutcracker ballet at the discounted price of $15 per person. Performances for the ballet, performed by the Sacramento Ballet and Fresno Dance Theatre, are Saturday, November 27 and Sunday, November 28 at Saroyan Theatre.
View Flyer
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Walmart presents gift cards to Turner Elementary teachers |
 Walmart employees arrived at Turner Elementary School shortly after the school year began and surprised the staff by holding a drawing, selecting the names of 10 teachers out of a hat and presenting them with $100 gift cards and baskets. The gifts were in appreciation for the dedication and hard work of teachers every day.
View Photo
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Measure Q addresses facility needs throughout the district
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 Measure Q, a $280 million local school bond measure, would fund priority projects identified in the Facilities Master Plan with:
$79 million to upgrade and improve elementary schools
$46 million to improve middle schools
$98 million to upgrade all high schools
$12 million for career and technical education facilities
$16 million for school maintenance/repair and technology
$8 million for alternative/continuing education to address the dropout issue
Funds for special education, joint use, site acquisition and supplemental construction costs
The Board of Education took action on June 16 to place the measure on the November 2 ballot. Measure Q is designed to upgrade and improve all Fresno Unified schools, support the district’s work preparing career-ready graduates, invest in renovation and repair of schools, continue to upgrade classroom technology and attack the dropout issue through alternative and continuing education facilities. A new bond would maintain the current authorized tax rate.
The identified Measure Q projects resulted from the work of the Facilities Ad hoc Advisory Committee (FAAC), community leaders commissioned by the district to plan for the district’s future facilities needs through a Facilities Master Plan. The FAAC spent two years analyzing data on facilities use and condition, enrollment trends and the educational needs of students and the district. The committee held more than 20 public meetings to gather input for the Facilities Master Plan.
Among many other issues, the Facilities Master Plan addresses major facilities issues including:
The lack of clear school feeder patterns throughout the district
Excessive use of portable buildings
Wide variability in school size across the district
Schools not meeting facility condition and educational suitability standards
The limited availability of choice programs and special education in some areas of the district
In November, the FAAC recommended to the Board of Education that it consider a bond to fund priority projects in the Facilities Master Plan. While the plan identifies $940 million in facilities needs, the $280 million bond would address the top-priority projects. Measure K, the last bond measure passed in the district, raised $199 million to fund new school construction and facility improvements. As that source of funds runs out and school building needs remain, the out and school building needs remain, the board acted to put the new bond before the voters.
Measure Q Fact Sheet
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