1. No category

J A N U A R Y
3 0 ,
2 0 1 5
CUSD
!
!
!
z
Upcoming events and
reminders:
• Facilities Sub-Committee
Meeting February 12 at 3:30
pm in Break Room
• President’s Holiday
February 16 - No School
• Auditorium Grand Opening
February 18 at 5 pm
z
This document is to keep you abreast on upcoming items, current issues, and
public relations on the many things happening in the District.
• Lincoln’s Birthday Holiday
February 9 - No School
• Board Meeting February 10
at 6 pm in Board Room
District Update
!
Uplifting Forces
I recently had the opportunity to listen to a presentation from Andrew Hargreaves who is the Thomas
More Brennan Chair in Education at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College.
He shared some powerful ideas that are also in his book Uplifting Leadership.
The reality is, when we lift others up, we get lifted up. The implication for our work is we uplift our
people to uplift our kids. Uplifting other people stems from leading the right things, the right way for
the right reasons. This has powerful results from the boardroom to the classroom.
The author emphasizes the use of “uplifting forces” that exist with people and organizations that make
a difference with the people that do the work. The application for our work
is enormous when we consider the challenges we have with bringing all
students to proficiency and/or significant academic growth. Our task is to
build relationships with each other and our students to create a “winning
program” that uplifts every child to perform at the levels above previous
expectations. These are forces that can exist among staff and students.
For example, an uplifting force is to have a dream with determination.
Students can coached and encouraged to have big hairy audacious goals
throughout their experiences in our district from K-12. They can be taught
to dream and set up in our environment where quitting is not an option.
In pairs, students share with
a partner for a
predetermined time, while
the partner listens, then
they switch roles. For
example: Partner A shares;
Partner B listens. Partner B
responds with a positive
gambit. And then they
Another uplifting force that caught my attention is behind the idea of
making a disadvantage an advantage. The concept of taking lemons and making lemonade is not new,
but the tying this to the idea of building up people may not be so novel. In other words, if we want to
empower kids and empower each other, we embrace and espouse a mindset in taking our weaknesses
and making them strengths. Isn’t that what we are doing in our discussions about having a growth
mindset (as opposed to a fixed mindset)?
If our focus is on understanding, we can learn from our mistakes and failures (growth mindset); we get
better. However, if we stay focused on what we did wrong, what we did not learn, what and how we
failed, etc., our disadvantage and our losses cannot be turned into advantages.
Growing, improving, moving forward, getting better, etc. are all expressions of our
mission as a district. In order to build the type of environment for all of the above,
we embrace the strategies and efforts that lead us to uplifting each other and, most
importantly, our kids.
Every Corcoran Student Can Achieve!
Follow CUSD
@corcoranunified
on Twitter to get
the latest news!
Quotes & Proverbs
The lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host, and then
a master. Khalil Gibran
!
I heard a successful entrepreneur and former world class surfer say that falling into mediocrity
was his biggest fear. I heard also some related information that we grow stagnant in our work in a
few months especially if we are not challenged.
!
When comfort in our work is our objective, we place our energies and hope of satisfaction towards
"settling in." This is ironic because this end does everything but bring professional and personal
fulfillment.
!
In contrast, we find our purpose and energy in resisting that comfort and swimming upstream
facing the challenges we were created to overcome. The imagery comes from the quote, "dead
fish are the only ones that go downstream."
Bobby Toney Appointed as Trustee
On January 27, 2015, Bobby Toney was appointed by the Board of Trustees as the Board
Member for Area 1. Mr. Toney and his family, including 11 siblings, moved to Corcoran in
1949 when he was eight years old. He attended schools in Corcoran, graduating from CHS
in 1959 (six of his siblings were CHS grads). He was very active in sports in school and has
fond memories of those years. He attended San Jose City College for a short time prior to
enlisting in the Army in 1960.
!
During his years in the Army, he was introduced to telephony. After being discharged from
the Army, he returned to Corcoran, went to work for the telephone company, married
Georgia Scott and became a proud parent of four children. He lost his wife after nine years
of marriage and then married Jonnie Youngblood, who was the mother to four children. The
couple happily raised their combined brood of eight children in Corcoran with six of them
graduating from CHS and they have enjoyed their 42 years together as contributing
members of the community. Their children were cheerleaders, athletes, student body
presidents and a foreign exchange student. He says the children kept them very busy, but
were good kids and good students. Currently, he has a granddaughter at CHS and a few
nieces and nephews throughout the district.
!
During those years, Bobby was very active with youth sports in the community, coaching various Babe Ruth, Senior Babe Ruth
and Elementary Football teams. He was a member of the City Board of Recreation and was a member of the YMCA
Organizing Board. He served as president to the Corcoran Social Club, which gave scholarships to low income students. He sat
on the Kings County Grand Jury where he chaired the Health and Human Services committee and was on the Education
committee. He also served as a member of the CUSD committee under then Superintendent Ken Noonan that changed the
District from neighborhood to graded schools.
!
Now that he has retired from the Telephone Company (Verizon, GTE and Contel), he feels it is a great time for him to give
something back to the school district. He has a great interest in Corcoran schools and feels it is an honor to sit on the school
board and to give of his time to the children of the community. Being in the telephone business, he had a chance to see hi-tech
telecommunication technologies come to life. He sees the changes in that area and says our children must be ready for those
changes to be productive in our world.
!
“I think about the changes that happened in my time in the school system,” he said. “I saw the changes the School Board and
District made during that time by building new elementary schools and John Muir. The School Board is always moving forward
and not sitting dormant. I look forward to seeing what transformations will take place during my time on the Board.”
Equal Opportunity: The Corcoran Unified School District is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs, activities, and practices shall be free
from discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual
orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; the perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or
more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
!
Caught in the Act
Brooke Davis
What is your work history, including at CUSD? I started working at John C. Fremont right out of college in 2005.
I have been a second grade teacher for 10 years.
!
What is the most rewarding to you when working with students or in your job? The most rewarding part of my
job is seeing my kids smile every morning. I can hound them every day, but come the next day, they forgot about it
and tell me what a great teacher I am. The next rewarding is, of course, my colleagues. I wouldn’t be the teacher I am
today if I didn’t have them by my side.
!
What special project(s) are you working on with the students or in your job? Currently we are working on editing
our last writing assessment and putting it on Story Kit. The kids are also working on a family project for Valentine’s
Day.
!
Who has been the biggest inspiration in your life? The biggest inspiration in my life have to be my parents. They are the hardest working, dedicated,
and ethical people I know. My mom would bring home her work, cook dinner, clean up, and still help me with homework if I needed it. As for my dad,
no matter what problem I had, he always had something positive and encouraging to say. My parents are always there for me and have been outstanding
role models for me as a person and in my job.
!
!
!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am 33 years old. I live in Visalia with my boyfriend Guy and two adorable labs. I love traveling to Hawaii and to
the coast to see my most precious nephew Cruz (who looks like me). I love reading books, watching movies, and, most importantly, shopping.
If the world were listening, what would you say? Live your life to the fullest, but most importantly, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
Principal Eduardo Ochoa says, “Ms. Davis is a team player who is fully committed to teaching and supporting our students. She makes strong
connections with the kids and shows a genuine interest with each individual. Her pleasant manner lifts everybody’s spirits up and helps make the school a
great place to work.”
!
!
Elizabeth Valdovinos
What is your work history, including at CUSD? Before joining CUSD as a registered nurse, I was a certified nursing
assistant for three and a half years at a local long-term care and rehabilitation facility. I cared for mostly elderly patients
and helped them with activities of daily living, inclusion, but not limited to, dressing, eating and walking. I also
volunteered at Corcoran High School for a brief period while in college, mainly organizing student health files.
!
What is most rewarding to you when working with students in your job? The most rewarding thing about working
with our students with health issues is being able to watch them grow as individuals and see the progress they have
made (or continue to make) in handling their health issues along with everyday student life.
!
What special project(s) are you working on with the students or in your job? Currently, I spend a lot of my time
verifying physician’s orders and making sure that CUSD has the appropriate paperwork needed for our nurses and other
trained staff to offer suitable health services required by our students with special health concerns. By having the correct documents on file, we are able to
better protect the health and safety of our students.
!
!
Who has been the biggest inspiration in your life? My mother has definitely been one of the biggest inspirations in my life; she has been by my side
since day one and has taught me the significance of family, faith, and perseverance.
Tell us a little about yourself. I am a Corcoran native and CUSD alumni. I attended West Hills College as a President’s Scholar. I obtained two associate’s
degrees during my time at West Hills, one in health science and one in nursing. In addition, I recently received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Grand
Canyon University. I love nursing and take every moment as a learning experience.
!
!
If the world were listening, what would you say? Trust your struggle and enjoy the little things in life.
Maria Sanchez, Mental Health Counselor, says, “Elizabeth has been a great asset to the health services department. She genuinely cares about meeting the
health needs of our students and has become a leader within our department.”
Governor’s Budget Forecast for 2015-16
“Cautiously Optimistic” was the phrase being used for the Governor’s Budget by School
Services of California. As reported earlier this month with the release of Governor
Brown’s 2015-16
Budget Proposal, the
economy has
improved and
revenues are up with
the additional
revenues provided by
Proposition 30.
!
The budget for
2015-16 continues the
positive theme that
has existed over the
past two years for
public education. It
provides increased investment funds for K-12 education and community colleges and
continues implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula.
!
Also included, with a boost from the Prop 98 revenues, is some additional one-time
funding for uses including: Common Core, Support implementation of newly adopted
English language development standards, and support toward the Local Control Funding
Formula (LCFF) structure.
!
School Services says, it is finally feeling like the
recession is over, but they recommend to be
conservative.
!
The Governor’s budget does not identify specific
funding for facilities, but outlines two principles that
align with the LCFF, which are: enhanced local control
and flexibility and targeting resources to areas of need.
Corcoran Unified School District is dedicated to
continue on its path to improve our school facilities and
create a safe and secure learning environment for our
students. The District continues to look forward with a positive outlook, especially
considering all the new and exciting upcoming plans for 2015-16.
2015 Spelling Bees
Spelling Bee Trophy
Winners listed by first,
second and third places.
!
8th: (photo l.) Jesse
Castaneda, Vanessa
Villagran
7th: (photo r.) Carlos
Vega, Eddie Coronado,
Jasmine Clevenger
!
!
6th: (photo above l.) Janiletsie Romero, Jeramiah Moore,
Madison Thompson
5th: (photo above r.) Brandi Valdez, Carlos Hernandez,
Eddy Ramirez Hernandez
4th: (photo l.) Anniah Robinson, Isaiah Martinez,
Dannalyn Cunningham-Rivas
3rd: (photo below l.) Damian Pacheco, Kristen Larios,
Natalia Bella
2nd: (photo below) Hailey Price, Daniel Cardiel, Hailey
Price