1. education
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K I N G S C A N YO N
UNIFIED
SCHOOL
DISTRICT
N E W S
F O R
K C U S D
E M P L O Y E E S
A P R I L
2 0 0 9
Actress pays visit to O.C. schools
INSIDE
THIS
ISSUE:
Reedley High 2
VROP Presentation
Quilting project benefits
2
patients
Dunlap School 3
Green Team
Grant School
starts MESA
4
program
May
Calendar of
Events
7
Actress Jennifer Garner
recently made surprise visits
to two KCUSD Schools in
Orange Cove this past month
when she traveled to the Central Valley area to see the effects of poverty firsthand
alongside Mark Shriver, vice
president and managing director for Save the Children's
U.S. Programs.
Following a tour of the
area, Garner attended a book
exchange program at Sheridan
School in Orange Cove where
children with limited access to
books at home or at school
receive tote bags of books to
keep for two weeks at a time.
Garner read Baby Bear, Baby
Bear, What Do You See? to 3-, 4
- and 5-year-olds at the school.
Garner also visited McCord
school where she observed
the Family Strengthening program, funded by First 5 of
Fresno County that focuses on
families and children 0-5.
KCUSD’s Bonnie Smith
wrote the grant with the help
of the project coordinator
Joann Mares. The grant is for
$200,000 per year for the next
two years.
This past fall, Save the
Children contacted First 5 of
Fresno County and identified
the program at KCUSD as one
KCUSD Staff pictured with Mark Shriver (second from left)
and Actress Jennifer Garner (center) at McCord School.
they wanted to see pilot their
early literacy program.
Joann and crew have been
implementing both the scope
of work for Save the Children
through the Early Literacy
Component along with the
First 5 scope to build family
parenting skills and connections to school throughout
this year. They have also had
extensive professional development this year to implement this component of the
Family Strengthening Program.
As a new Artist Ambassador for Save the Children's
U.S. Programs, Garner will
focus on advocating for the
expansion of the organization's early education program. This public-private
partnership brings highly
trained experts into homes,
providing parents with childrearing and cognitive development tools for infants and
toddlers.
"Our leaders in Washington and in the states must
commit every resource to
put all children on an equal
path to success," said Garner.
Early next month, Garner will be the spokesperson
for Save the Children's annual
State of the World's Mothers
report.
"Jennifer is not only one
of the most admired young
actors in the world, but an
incredibly passionate, devoted
and articulate advocate for
children," said Mark Shriver.
PAGE
2
Reedley High VROP was Rotary program
On Thursday April 8,
Valley Regional Occupational
Program (VROP) Director
Deborah Marvin-Deeter was
the guest speaker for Reedley
Rotary's lunch time meeting.
Deborah was invited by
KCUSD Superintendent and
Reedley Rotary Member, Juan
Garza.
VROP has been providing
Career Technical Education
in the Valley for over 35
years. Currently, there are 18
different courses provided by
VROP on the Reedley High
School campus. Some of the
courses provided are: Auto
Mechanics, Culinary Arts,
Floral Design, Intro to Teaching, Nursing Assistant, Sports
Medicine and Virtual Enterprise.
New
for
2009-2010
KCUSD and VROP staff with the Reedley Rotary Club President.
will be an Aviation Maintenance Technology course,
which has been developed in
conjunction with Reedley
College.
According to Deborah,
62% of juniors and seniors at
Reedley High School are currently enrolled in at least one
VROP class.
Reedley High School
Principal Rodney Cisneros
also addressed the Rotary
Club providing information
about other Career Technical
Education courses that are
available to students at Reedley High School.
RHS students involved in heartwarming project
Reedley High School Fashion and Design instructor
Mrs. Yanis and her students were recently involved
in a quilting project at the school. 52 students in 13
groups worked together to design and create quilts
that they donated to the cancer ward at Childrens’
Hospital Central Valley. Mrs. Yanis said that the students are very proud of what they were able to accomplish. She said that the project truly turned into
something more than she could have ever imagined.
Several students accompanied Mrs. Yanis at a recent
Governing Board meeting where they displayed their
completed quilts to the Board and audience.
INTERCOMM
NEWS
FOR
KCUSD
EMPLOYEES
PAGE
S T U D E N T S H OW C A S E
Dunlap School’s Green Projects
Dunlap School has gone green.
From its green garden, to their green
team, students have taken a big responsibility in their environment at
the school.
Through the spearheading efforts
of 6th grade instructor, Cheryl
Mercier, sixth grade students at the
school have become involved in a
school garden and a recycling project
at the school.
The campus garden is a memorial
to former custodian Chris Giglio.
Through the award of a grant,
the school was able to turn an empty
plot of land on the campus into a productive green garden.
Students grow vegetables, herbs
and flowers in the garden.
“Several students have also utilized the garden for their science projects,” said Mercier.
Travis Wilkinson and Jessica Martinez help recycle at Dunlap School.
There are also benches
and tables where students can
reflect or have lunch on a nice
day.
Another green project at
the school is their recycling
program.
Sixth grade students at Dunlap School are pictured in the garden.
Every week the students
rotate turns to take on the duties of the Green Team. The
Green Team students are responsible for picking up recyclable materials every Thursday
that have been collected in
small bins located in each classroom. They then load the bins
into a larger bin and set it out
so that it can then be taken to
the recycling plant.
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PAGE
4
Spelling Bee
S-u-c-c-e-s-s
Congratulations to KCUSD’s
Spelling Bee participants.
The Fresno County Spelling Bee
was held April 2nd at the County Office of Education in downtown
Fresno and Riverview’s mighty Beavers did an outstanding job. All four
KCUSD positions at the FCOE Spelling Bee were held by Riverview for
the second year in a row.
In the 4th-6th grade arena out of
41 contestants: Alexa Hernandez
placed 10th and Lauren Tavlan placed
12th.
In the 7th-8th arena out of 37 contestants: Ian Kuckelman placed 5th
and Zachary Kawagoe placed 6th.
Sheridan Stars
Sheridan School recently
honored its Sheridan Stars for the
month of April.
The celebration was attended
by several parents and family
members who brought balloons
and flowers to congratulate their
students for a job well done.
Other students also cheered
on their classmates who were
awarded with the honor.
The program also featured 1st
grade students who sang a song
for the audience.
MESA program flourishes at Grant School
This year, Grant School has started up the
MESA program. MESA stands for Math Engineering Science Achievement. MESA enables
educationally disadvantaged students to prepare
for and graduate from a four-year college or
university with a math-based degree in areas
such as engineering, the sciences, computer
science, and mathematics. Through MESA, students develop academic and leadership skills,
increase educational performance, and gain confidence in their ability to compete professionally. At a recent Board Meeting, MESA participant Edric Balallo presented a speech he recently competed with titled: Vivisection needs
to stop. Following his speech, a photo slideshow
was presented to the audience that reviewed
the many great things Grant’s MESA students
have been involved in this year.
INTERCOMM
Grant School MESA program members at a recent Board meeting.
NEWS
FOR
KCUSD
EMPLOYEES
PAGE
5
KCUSD BUSINESS NEWS
Not Coming Back Next
Year?
If you are a benefited employee and
you are leaving our District at the
end of the school year in June, your
insurance will end on August 31.
Energy Management
Remember to turn off those
lights and air conditioners! School
sites are receiving incentive money
for savings on your bill.
Before you close up
for the school year...
Make sure you turn in all your
paper work and packing slips to
your site secretary or department
head. We would appreciate all that
paperwork before you leave school
so we can start to close out the
year.
Make sure your attendance is
up to date with your site secretary
or department head. We will be
closing out the year and need that
information to complete everyone’s
final attendance month of the year.
You do not want a dock !
Health Insurance Premium Payment Schedule
(Example Only– Rates differ between groups.)
Remember July and August paychecks have no payroll deductions for insurance. September will be the final payment for prior year employees for that
plan year. See below for example of our health insurance deduction schedule.
Payment
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Check Month
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
10
Employer Pays
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
$
1,177.56
Employee Pays
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
$
212.97
No Payment
No Payment
No Payment
No Payment
$
$
September Final
Payment For
Year
Attention Cal-Card
Holders with Charges
Please remember to track all
your purchases and make sure they
appear on your June bill, the final
one of the school year. Your final
statement is due to the Business
Office before you check out for
the summer.
If any charges are missing on
your June bill, please complete a
July report, including all information and receipts, and deliver to
the Business Office. It will be
processed upon receipt of your
July statement. Please contact Lesley at extension 7022 if you have
any questions.
963.46
174.25
PTC and Booster Clubs
Please make sure your PTC and
Booster Clubs turn in their year
end activity report to the Business
Office before you leave for the
year. These reports are sent to
our Board in the summer! If you
need another form or any help,
please contact Adele Nikkel at
7028.
To share your
District News,
contact Erik at:
[email protected]
NEWS
FOR
KCUSD
EMPLOYEES
KCUSD BUSINESS NEWS
PAGE
6
NEWS
FOR
KCUSD
EMPLOYEES
Schedule of Events
} May 12 - KCUSD Governing Board
Meeting at 6 p.m. (closed) 7:30 p.m.
(regular) at the District Office Board
Room.
} May 15 - 1st Fun Fitness Day for students in K, 1st, 2nd @ Lincoln starting
at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 11:00 a.m.
} May 15 - Jefferson School Retirement
Party at Spike and Rail restaurant.
Contact Liz Ramirez at the Jefferson
office for more information.
} May 19 - 3rd Annual KCUSD Retirement Dinner at Silas Bartsch School
Multipurpose Room. Starts at 6 p.m.
(Exclusive Event).
} May 26 - KCUSD Governing Board
Meeting at 6 p.m. (closed) 7:30 p.m.
(regular) at the District Office Board
Room.
PAGE
MAY 2009
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Meeting
Do you have exciting District
News to share?
The KCUSD Intercomm is published monthly. If you
would like to see certain people, places, programs or
events featured please let us know.
To share your thoughts or ideas please contact:
Erik W.Valencia
Intercomm
KCUSD Public Relations Director
News for KCUSD Staff
[email protected]
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