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 Among Clovis Unified employees are individuals who surpass their call of duty and willingly walk the extra mile to ensure excellence in the responsibility of educating students. These are CUSD’s Crystal Award winners.

Thirty-four employees were celebrated as 2010 Crystal Award winners at a special ceremony to held Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, at Clovis Unified’s Performing Arts Center located on the Clovis North Educational Center campus.

Each winner was nominated for the award by their peers; within each nomination form were inspiring accounts of how the employee was making a significant impact on the lives of students, their colleagues, their site and the district. Also outlined were innovative practices developed and implemented b the award winners. Following are some of these Crystal Award-winning “best practices.”

Classified employees

Maple Creek Elementary Student Activities Specialist I Jill Acosta makes everyone feel welcome; she personally takes new students by the hand, walks them to their classrooms and introduces them to the campus. Under her care, attendance has improved steadily. She is quick to notice poor attendance patterns and immediately takes action as she knows good attendance means student success.

Language/Speech Specialist Lindy Adolph, who serves students at Fort Washington Elementary, Clovis West High, and the Medical Therapy Unit, individualizes homework and creates social storybooks to target the unique needs of her 40 to 50 students.

Sierra Vista Elementary Spanish Bilingual Instructional Assistant II Mary Ann Beshears is a liaison between Spanish-speaking families not only by interpreting, but by serving as a collaborator and coordinator for them. She realizes the importance of home involvement and is happy to personally provide transportation just to make sure her students’ parents can attend meetings and functions.

 A beautiful, well-preserved campus does not happen by accident as Riverview Elementary School Plant Supervisor I Michael J. Magana knows. Throughout the year, he maintains immaculate school grounds with the help of the Construction Crew club he helped create, which is comprised of a group of hardworking students dedicated to making their campus beautiful under his leadership.

Keen in organization and record keeping, Bud Rank Elementary Health Services Assistant I Aida Nalbandian has developed a system that makes accessing information and materials easy. Medications are labeled not simply by names, but by students’ pictures. Aida has also devised a worksheet with step-by-step instructions for teachers to bring on fieldtrips in case students need medical help while they are away.
 

Fugman Elementary School Office Supervisor Barbara Powell is full of energy, enthusiasm, kindness and support for the school community she servers. Through her well-known organizational efficiency, she has developed graphic organizers, flow charts and step-by-step instructions for quick reference on how school processes work.

Buchanan High Student Activities Specialist II Nancy “Tita” Majors leads the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance Club with the powerful motto, “Stop the Hate.” As the club’s advisor, Majors underscores the value of respect and acceptance.

Clovis North Educational Center Data Control Specialist Diane Testa created a data system from scratch that makes the information she processes logical and orderly. She has also integrated a specialized online college and career research program that has served as a valuable resource for students’ college planning and goal setting.

Teachers

Daphne J. Johnson’s learning-centered Valley Oak Elementary kindergarten classroom has motivated her students who started as non-readers in August to read at the third grade level by the end of the year.

Freedom Elementary first grade teacher Sherri R. Johnston embraces technology, and by fusing the latest technology into traditional learning materials, her lessons both challenge and serve as productive tools for her young learners. She also created websites for the entire Freedom staff, making the link between home and school now just a simple click away.

Mountain View Elementary first grade teacher Heather Rice’s service extends to her colleagues as she conducts in-service seminars with them, sharing new information she has learned from workshops she regularly attends. Her classroom walls proudly boast student work and creative learning charts that are used for student reference.

Fort Washington Elementary second grade teacher Joanna Mann, also known as the Binder Lady, willingly shares her collection of binders that house all her original learning materials with her colleagues. She is quick to identify the needs of everyone and researches the best learning style to use with each of her students.

Third grade teachers Carrie Callisch (Mountain View Elementary), Stacey Firpo (Valley Oak Elementary) and Suzanne Lauritzen (Riverview Elementary) give their students valuable experiences. Callisch singlehandedly dethroned the Energizer Bunny; with relentless energy, she has guided her students and helped them reach the high standards she has set. Firpo’s students got a lesson in observation skills and nature at work through studying real garden snails. Her creative ability to break down barriers has made learning in Firpo’s class vibrant, fun and exciting. Lauritzen highlighted Riverview’s diverse cultural community by organizing the Multicultural Club which follows the theme, “Celebrating Culture, Celebrating Life.”

Nelson Elementary fourth grade teacher Michelle Dempsey Resendes’ lessons incorporate 21^st century technology that bridges the connection between teacher and technologically savvy students. At school events, Resendes serves as cashier, cook, ticket collector, resource person, environmental guru and recycling volunteer.

Liberty Elementary fourth/fifth grade teacher Melissa Campama designed an intervention program and a reteach program for those students who have failed tests or are struggling with concepts/skills. Her successful programs meant 100 percent of Liberty’s fourth-graders were on grade level in math and 97.2 in ELA in 2010.

Susie Inouye’s combination fourth and fifth grade class at Fugman Elementary is treated to a variety of creative and innovative methods designed to make learning fun such as when they bounced away on their exercise balls which helped them focus on complex mathematical problems.

Time is precious and must be used wisely. When there is a 15-minute wait for lunch, Fancher Creek Elementary Teacher on Special Assignment Brion Warren can be found drilling students on Quick Math Facts, making the wait time both productive and fun.

One of the anger management strategies James Ryan Elison, school psychologist, implements with the elementary students he serves is his five-step-process: stop, breathe, listen, walk and talk. By following this sequence, students have learned to effectively manage emotions and intense feelings.

Granite Ridge Intermediate math teacher Sally Peterson has her seventh grade students use the same Algebra Initiative workbook that high school students use. In this way, she challenges each student, assesses their progress and then re-teaches when needed at the highest rigor to form the most solid foundations for her students.

Pam McClurg, Kastner Intermediate seventh grade Academic Block teacher, integrates historical learning with English and language mastery by captivating students with related experiences and mementos from her travels.

Guidance and Learning Specialist for Gateway/Enterprise High School Gene Nagata organized a CAHSEE boot camp to help students meet the requirements for graduation at an accelerated rate.

English teachers David Menendian (Clovis High) and Shelly Lane (Clovis East High) open the world of literature to their students. Menendian challenges them to think critically and teaches them how to problem-solve with literature as he dissects each piece they study through several lenses. Lane reconnects her high school students with the library, encouraging them to experience the traditional way of reading a book, page by page, chapter by chapter. She has also spearheaded a recycling program that raises funds for the Special Education department

Stepping into the shoes of the key players in history through student reenactments gives Dave Pickford’s Buchanan High social science class a perception of why historical events unfolded as they did. Students then realize the connection of past events to present-day circumstances.

Two high school dance teachers regularly build confidence in their students, showing them they can do more than they thought possible. Clovis High physical education/performing arts teacher Debbie Mennucci has opened opportunities for her students to excel and express themselves. She offers her students the chance to give to others and grow themselves by instructing younger students in dance. Clovis East High physical education/performing arts Heather Karsevar inspired her dance students in last year’s production of “Thoroughly Modern Millie” to fully get into Roaring ’20s character by cutting their own hair into bobs and from there, donating their cut tresses to charity through Locks of Love.