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Clovis Unified’s Reyburn Intermediate School receives California Exemplary Arts Education Award! Contributed by CUSD Press Release
January 27, 2023: The California Department of Education presents the awards to recognize school-based programs that demonstrate a commitment to equity and provide all students access to standards-aligned arts education.
This week’s announcement by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond of the 2023 honorees affirms the amazing effort of our Reyburn team to support the visual and performing arts and make them available for ALL students to experience. Of special note is the collaborative programs between Reyburn’s special education and drama departments that provide students with inclusion and mentoring opportunities.
students have the opportunity to partner with our Autism program and provide students in that program experiences in the performing arts. This partnership teaches mentoring and collaboration skills to all students involved. Reyburn’s visual and performing arts are available to all students. With many disciplines within the department structured with different level courses, there is an opportunity for any student with any skill level to join the program and succeed. In addition, the collaboration between our Special Education and Drama departments provides an unparalleled, inclusive, mentoring opportunity. QUOTES FROM REYBURN PRINCIPAL DR. RYAN EISELE
“The California Exemplary Arts Award validates the ongoing effort of our teachers and Reyburn Intermediate provides students with staff to provide every opportunity possible a multitude of opportunities to get involved for our students to access a high-quality in the Arts. All students can participate education in Art. While many districts and invisual arts, including art, ceramics, instru- communities fight to save their art programs, mental music with band, orchestra and color Clovis Unified School District and Reyburn guard; and performing arts, including choir, Intermediate School have consistently drama and dance. These courses are offered invested in the arts so students may explore to all students with large participation from new opportunities.” our Special Education and English Learner “Our teachers welcome all students with a sub-groups. variety of abilities and help each student feel Reyburn is also happy to offer a collabolike an artist while they develop their skills. rative mentoring section of Drama, where This award is a tribute to a collective effort
Photo Courtesy of CUSD
Rayburn Advanced Drama.
of dedicated educators, and we are thrilled to “Reyburn prides itself on providing students be one of only 19 schools in the state to be with the skills and opportunities to further honored.” their future in the arts, both at Clovis East QUOTES FROM REYBURN LEARNING High School and beyond.” DIRECTOR NICHOLAS TRUJILLO:
“The goal of Reyburn Intermediate’s Visual and Performing Arts department aligns with Clovis Unified School District’s Sparthenian concept of “Mind, Body and Spirit.” Students have the opportunity to develop a diverse set of artistic skills, express themselves through multiple mediums, and connect with their peers and community during their time at Reyburn Intermediate.
“Reyburn Intermediate follows Clovis Unified School District’s commitment to doing things First Class. From building school and area spirit with its elementary schools through performance tours and articulation nights, to providing a rigorous and equitable learning environment where ALL students can be successful, the Visual and Performing Arts program meets and exceeds the high standards set forth by themselves, CUSD, and their community.”
CUSD Superintendent O’Brien Announces Her Retirement Samantha Golden
sraegolden@gmail.com
In a press conference today, the Clovis Unified School District superintendent announced her plan to retire at the end of the school year.
O’Brien is most proud to have made time to visit every Clovis Unified school campus each year of her service as Superintendent, and to be able to listen to every employee. “It’s not just administrators but it’s teachers and custodial staff and campus catering
The Doc Buchanan Leadership Academy development program was established by the Foundation for Clovis Schools to foster the development of key tenets to CUSD’s guiding principles in its leadership.
Benchmark assessments are improving, and plans for new elementary and secondary schools are underway already.
The search for a new superintendent will begin immediately according to Governing Board President David DeFrank, who said, “The Governing Board will be convening a special session Monday afternoon, at which time we will discuss various issues like timelines, criteria, and procedures for selecting the next superintendent.”
O’Brien stated that the decision to retire this year did not come easily, however, she will be leaving the District strong in its goals to recover what has been lost in education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eimear O’Brien, Ed.D. served as Superintendent of CUSD for six years, but before her appointment in 2017, O’Brien held many other roles in the District. She joined Clovis unified in 1996 as a thirdgrade teacher at Maple Creek Elementary School, and moved on to serve as a Guidance Instructional Specialist, Learning Director, Deputy Principal, and finally Principal of Clovis West High School in 2012.
O’Brien’s mother lives in Ireland, and the family needs help caring for her as she ages. Her plan is to split her time better between her family in Ireland and her daughters here in the United states.
Photo by Samantha Golden, Clovis Roundup
Eimear O'Brien announcing her plan to retire via press conference.
staff,” O’Briend said, “to be able to hear their concerns and bring them back to the table so we are constantly listening and improving and meeting the needs of our employees.”
The Superintendent’s decision to retire comes from a necessity to spend more time with family.
O’Brien referenced the residential growth of the area and the construction of the Terry Bradley Educational Center, which is expected to begin in March of this year. “I would love to have been able to see that come into fruition but I am very confident in the team we have and their collaboration with the governing board.” A successor will most likely come from within the District’s current leadership.
Superintendent O’Briend said ,”I know that many of those leadership tenets are alive and well in our current leaders in the district, and [the Governing Board] will be taking that into consideration.”
DeFrank also said that the Governing Board will be working closely with the community on the matter, and further details on the search are forthcoming.
CUSD School Board Discusses Plans to Hire New Superintendent J.T. Gomez
jt21gomez@gmail.com
January 23, 2023: The Clovis Unified School Board called a special governing board meeting in order to discuss how they will move forward in the search for a new Superintendent of schools.
This comes of course after the news that current Superintendent Dr. Eimear O’Brien will retire at the end of the school year. Within the first ten minutes of the meeting, the school board easily decided on the creation of a separate work group that would allow less of the majority to discuss and facilitate ideas outside of school board meetings. School board President David DeFrank, Vice-President Hugh Awtrey and Board member Tiffany Stoker-Madsen will serve as members on this committee.
A few ideas were then discussed at length in
contention as board members could not get on the same page.
Dr. O’Brien commented on this matter, estimating that her own previous application process lasted a length of around eight One item of dispute consisted of discussion on setting a certain deadline for choosing the weeks. candidate of Superintendent. Another argument that divided school board members was that of the workgroup A soft deadline, meaning that the deadline itself and how it will properly identify and could change, was set for March 19th, but communicate with the public. this was called “too short” of a deadline by
current selection process.
Other board members were in agreement that time spent on the other side of the March 19th deadline will be all important as the new Superintendent will have to learn specificities of the job such as the hiring of new principals.
There also seems to be a higher probability of future community discussions, in which the school board hopes for and expects community input on who they would like to represent CUSD as Superintendent.
both newly elected school board members, Clint Olivier and Deena Combs-Flores.
Still, it was argued that this soft deadline would not be enough time for the newly formed workgroup and school board in general to properly select a new Superintendent.
Board Member Clint Olivier, much interested in the community feedback portion, recognized that the Superintendent is not only the leader of the school district but also acts as a public figure in the community.
He then asked what influences Dr. O’Brien’s current staff would have on the hiring process and whether or not the workgroup would consider an outside consulting firm to assist on the search. President David DeFrank listed his thoughts by saying that the school board would try to look at past selection processes and use these procedures in following up on the
DeFrank then mentioned the value and importance of parent and community input in this situation.
Whether or not the school board will select a new Superintendent by their eight week deadline is up to speculation as the plan currently rests on furthering this discussion in the form of the previously mentioned workgroup.
This of course will be in addition to the school boards’ obligation of deciphering through a long list of potential candidates, and eventually being placed with the responsibility of making a choice when all is said and done.