Here’s how Fresno-area students could win more than $2,000 to help ‘spread kindness’
Know someone who also cares about these important education issues?
Forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague - and they can sign up here.
• • •
Good morning Bee readers! It’s Lasherica from the Education Lab, and this is our Oct. 5 newsletter.
It’s roughly a month until Nov. 8 – Election Day. I have to stop myself from asking, “Are you ready?” as we do at my alma mater, Ole Miss.
But seriously, are you ready for election day?
Do you know the candidates for your local school board races? Do you know which candidate you want to represent your student (whether that’s a child, grandchild, niece or nephew or whoever) and your community?
Here at the Education Lab, we’re preparing overviews of the candidates from the two largest school board races in Fresno County. Yep, Fresno Unified and Clovis Unified. My coworker Julianna has her hands full getting basic information and other stories for the 13 candidates running for four seats on Fresno Unified’s board.
One challenger, Wayne Horton, is running against incumbent Keshia Thomas in the district’s Edison High School area. Two candidates, Michelle Scire and Karen Steed are taking on incumbent Veva Islas in the McLane region. The two most contested races are in the Sunnyside and Bullard areas: incumbent Valerie Davis faces challengers Karl C. Diaz, Tammy McMahon-Gorans and Michael Osmer for the Sunnyside seat, and incumbent Terry Slatic is taking on challengers James Barr, Michael Haynes and Susan Wittrup for the Bullard seat.
I’m doing the same for six candidates in the Clovis Unified race, but there’s something that sets these races apart. Board chairwoman Tiffany Stoker Madsen will get her seat back as she’s running unopposed; her name won’t even be on the ballot.
But that’s not the difference I’m referring to.
Unlike Fresno Unified and most school districts across the state – and dare I say, country – the Clovis Unified school board election is at-large.
That means all the registered voters in CUSD get to vote for each open school board seat. For most districts, you’d only get to vote for the candidate in your region.
All voters will decide whether Samantha Bauer, Joanne Burton, Chuck Der Manouel or Clint Oliver will get the vacant Area 1 spot and whether Deena Combs-Flores or Bill Whitmore will get the Area 6 seat that Board Trustee Betsy Sandoval is retiring.
So let me tell you how that changes the questions I’ll be asking.
Whereas Julianna can speak with Fresno Unified candidates about issues specific to each trustee area – e.g., the proposed cellphone ban at Bullard High School in what’s currently Slatic’s trustee area – that doesn’t apply to an at-large campaign.
My questions won’t be area-specific but questions that voters can judge each candidate on since they can vote for each seat. Like what their priorities are if elected.
Addressing teacher pay seems to be a hot topic in CUSD while improving student achievement appears to be one in FUSD. Of course, these things will come up. I’m also examining the survey responses some of you provided, and I plan to ask how they are engaging with all Clovis Unified constituents and the way they’ll handle certain issues, like curriculum and student opportunities.
But what else? Take this opportunity ahead of the election to tell us what you want to know. There are two ways to do that. Fill out the survey if you haven’t already to let us know what matters to you. Next, if you have things you want to tell us directly, just email us.
HERE’S THE LATEST FROM THE EDUCATION LAB
First female high school principal of Fresno Unified high schools has died. She made Fresno ‘better’
“That’s what pioneers do — they lead the way through the hard stuff to make it easier for those who are following in their footsteps.”
Former Fresno Unified superintendent who pushed schools to desegregate has died
“He saw wrongs, and he wanted to right them. And he wasn’t going to accept excuses.”
MORE FRESNO-AREA EDUCATION NEWS
While nearly 60% of Hispanic or Latino parents have considered or are still looking for a new or different school for their children, more than 37% of Hispanic parents don’t know their school choice options, a survey of 1,200-plus Hispanic families found.
The survey, conducted by Conoce tus Opciones Escolares, asked if parents have the option to choose a school other than the one their child is assigned to, and 37% of parents said they did not have the option or weren’t sure.
Of the 59% of parents who have looked at their children’s school choice options, most did so because of school quality and safety reasons.
In the past 12 months, 24.3% chose new schools, 23.3% who were considering decided not to change their children’s school and 11.3% are still searching.
Considering multiple options, 34% of that group either considered or chose a traditional public school in another school district; 35% were interested in homeschooling; 30% looked at full-time online schooling or charter schools; 24% expressed interest in private schools; 21% considered magnet schools; and 66% were interested in another school in their current school district, the survey’s findings said.
A January 2022 survey by the National School Choice Awareness Foundation of U.S. parents included the same question, and 52% had been or were considering new schools. So, the Conoce tus Opciones Escolares survey shows that Hispanic parents are more likely to consider school options – if they know about them.
In response to that data and the demand, Conoce tus Opciones Escolares is a project that will provide a space for Hispanic parents to understand their school choice options as well as other questions about K-12 education.
“The United States is a country of opportunities, to which many come to fulfill the famous ‘American dream,’” Krissia Campos Spivey, the project’s director, said. “This is not just an abstract and romantic idea. All children are capable of fulfilling their dreams, and the Hispanic community knows that the right educational choices give our children the tools to succeed and achieve.”
For their fourth annual EMPOWER Human Kindness initiative, Fresno orthodontists Drs. Greg and Nicole Nalchajian are inviting Fresno students to share how they spread kindness throughout their community.
Nalchajian Fresno Orthodontists recognizes and rewards one local student who has gone above and beyond in their school and community with a $2,500 scholarship. Until Nov. 3, students can share stories of how they encourage, empower, promote kindness or want to do those things in their school and community, a media release said. They can submit a video or written submission at nalortho.com/empower.
Parents, teachers, coaches, peers and other community members can nominate a student by submitting a story or video as well.
After the application period ends, they will announce the EMPOWER Human Kindness Ambassador in celebration of World Kindness Day in November.
“By encouraging students to share their own experiences helping others, we promote kindness and positivity throughout our community,” the orthodontists said via the release.
Jeanne Frye Prandini, Clovis Unified’s Director of Nursing Services was named to the Central San Joaquin Valley Nursing Hall of Fame. Though awarded in 2020, the induction ceremony was recently held.
“It’s very humbling since it is for your lifetime contribution to the nursing profession,” Prandini said. “Personally, I had a chance to reflect on experiences from a variety of different nursing and medical settings along my career journey.”
The honor is shared with the “amazing nurses and physicians who have mentored me in my life,” she said.
She has more than 46 years of nursing experience, from practicing nursing to being an educator and mentor.
In her role with CUSD, she’s brought recognition to the role of school nurses and school-based pediatric nurse practitioners and implemented programs for the district’s schools, a resolution recognizing her induction into the Hall of Fame said.
Working with students started shortly after her professional career began.
In 1978, about two years into her career, she joined the Fresno County Migrant Health Services, providing health screenings and physical assessments for students of migrant families and coordinating health clinics at rural schools.
In the 1980s, she started teaching several nursing programs at Fresno State, where she also earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from. That time teaching included classes for the graduate nurse practitioner program and for the School Nursing Services credential program as a coordinator. Years later in 2000, she started her school nursing career with CUSD.
Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC), a local nonprofit organization in Fresno, teaches youth how to produce videos through its free Youth Voices program. In Youth Voices, a group of 12 youth under 18-years-old learn how to create documentary films. Participants get a $1,000 stipend to be a part of the 14-week program.
“Previous participants have won statewide awards for their documentaries - even though for most of them, this is the first time they’ve ever created a video project,” CMAC’s executive director Bryan Harley said about the program being in its third year.
There will be a free public screening for the latest cohort’s work on Sunday, Oct. 9 at Maya Cinemas in Fresno.
Edison High School region art and photo students in Fresno Unified will present their work for ArtHop on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 7-8 p.m. at the M Street Arts Complex at 1419 M St., Fresno, according to an announcement in the district’s Community Zone newsletter.
Launching Relevant Engagement through Art and Literacy (R.E.A.L.), students’ work focused on two essential questions:
What has my memory preserved from the pandemic?
What did my world look like during the pandemic?
“Students will tell their stories through literacy and art to show the importance of documenting the history of the pandemic for future generations so that they may gain an understanding of the empathy, the survival and the perseverance that was part of students’ worlds,” the e-newsletter said.
STILL WANT MORE EDUCATION NEWS? HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING
Julianna’s List
Newsom signs bill to bolster UC Merced and Riverside climate initiatives
“Gov. Newsom signed a bill that will bring state investment to the University of California’s two most diverse campuses, Merced and Riverside, with the goal of boosting the state’s inland economy and fighting climate change.” | EdSource
California reverses course, will release Smarter Balanced test scores next month, official says
State initially refused EdSource’s public records request for the test score data. | EdSource
Lasherica’s List
Dropouts Now Face a Steeper Climb to Earn a Diploma Post-Pandemic
“More than two years of academic and emotional disruptions during the pandemic have significantly increased both the number of students who dropped out of high school and the intensity of support needed to get them back on track.” | EducationWeek
‘Graduation Counselors’ Go Door-to Door to Find Missing Students
On tree-lined streets and trailer parks, workers knock on doors to offer students a second chance at graduation. | EducationWeek
The Fight Against an Age-Old Effort to Block Americans From Voting
As a new wave of restrictions makes voting harder for people who struggle to read — now 1 in 5 Americans — Olivia Coley-Pearson has taken up the fight, even if it makes her a target. | ProPublica
Rob’s List
California is about to lose even more teachers to burnout, survey warns
More than one-third of teachers who aren’t near retirement say they will probably or definitely quit their jobs in the next three years, a survey published last Tuesday by their union found. | The Sacramento Bee
Gavin Newsom signs law requiring California schools to purchase American-made food
Senate Bill 490 states that public institutions, including schools, need to budget for and purchase American-made foods unless they are more than 25% of the cost of imported ones. | The Fresno Bee
Newsom vetoes bill to make kindergarten mandatory, citing costs
Despite a tenure that has focused on early education, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Sunday that would have made kindergarten mandatory in California. | LA Times
Libertarian group sues to block student debt cancellation
A libertarian group in California filed a legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s plan for student debt cancellation on Tuesday, calling it an illegal overreach that would increase state tax burdens for some Americans who get their debt forgiven. | The Associated Press
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed reading, forward it to a friend who appreciates local education news.
