C e re s U n ifie d S c h o o l D is tric t - Board of Trustees

C e r e s U n i f i e d S c h o o l D i s t r i c t
Report to the Community 2009
A Year of Accomplishments

CERES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Mission Statement
Our students will achieve mastery of academic standards in
a safe and supportive environment. We will provide a quality,
balanced education that results in academic excellence, and career
preparation with attitudes and skills necessary to produce self-
directed, productive citizens.
Board of Trustees
Teresa Guerrero, President
Eric Ingwerson, Clerk
Betty Davis
Jim Kinard
Faye Lane
Edgar Romo
Mike Welsh
The Ceres Unified School District is governed by a seven-member elected Board
of Trustees. Regular meetings of the CUSD Board of Trustees are open to the
public and are held on the first and third Thursdays of the month with few exceptions.
Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at the District Office, located
at 2503 Lawrence Street, Ceres. For a current calendar of meeting dates visit at
http://www.ceres.k12.ca.us. and click on Board of Trustees.
Messages from the Board of Trustees
During the 2008-2009 school year, the
voters of Ceres passed a $60 million school
bond (Measure U) in support of our District’s
continuing efforts to provide new and
modern school campuses to our students.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want
to thank the citizens of Ceres for supporting
the mission of the District to provide safe
and secure learning environments for our
children. Measure U will allow CUSD to build a third junior high
school in Ceres, recently named Cesar Chavez Junior High School.
Additionally, I want to extend gratitude to the community for supporting
the District’s efforts to engage parents and families in the
education of our children. The connections our schools are building
with parents are outstanding, and a vital aspect of the continued
gains our district is making in student achievement.
To ensure continued success of our students, we must maintain our
focus on responding to every student, improving the environments
in which they learn, building upon the quality of instruction they
receive, and continuing to develop a variety of options for each and
every student.
Teresa Guerrero
Board President
As a retired teacher, I am so proud of our schools! Having spent time
and energy visiting our schools and classrooms, I have seen the great
work of our students and staff. As a Board member, my greatest goal
is to encourage our staff and students as they work to achieve their
individual goals and our District’s expectations.
Each day a student comes to school on time and ready to learn is
a good accomplishment! This is not an easy task. Families and
students involved must make an effort to achieve this goal! Family
input is of GREAT importance.
School staff devote much time and energy to preparing our school
sites so learning can take place in a safe and inviting atmosphere.
Teachers are aware and interested in making the classrooms a place
for learning in positive and engaging ways! The teachers use their
experience to involve students in many varied tasks and activities so
students are aware of what they are accomplishing on a regular basis.
As a Trustee, I look forward to seeing you
at the events taking place in our schools
and community. If you would like to
contact me directly, feel free to email me
at bdavis@ceres.k12.ca.us.
Betty Davis
Board Member
As I drive past Ceres High School each day, I am reminded of the
accomplishments our District has made in re-designing the Career
Technical Education programs to give our students the skills and
knowledge necessary to compete in an evolving global workplace.
Over the past two years, our District has successfully pursued
multiple funding opportunities, through grants and the passage of
Measure U, with the goal to drastically modernize and renovate the
auto, welding, and ag buildings at Ceres High. With the ag and welding
shops now completely renovated to mirror training centers found
at most junior colleges, our Manufacturing Program students are able
to learn career-building skills in state-of-the-art facilities. Throughout
this coming year, the third and final building will undergo major
renovation and will be open to students in the fall of 2010.
I am very proud of these accomplishments and greatly look forward
to the future successes of our district in providing cutting-edge programs
and facilities that meet the needs
of our students and continue to address
the demands of our community to be
more than just good, but to be GREAT!
Eric Ingwerson
Board Clerk
2009 Report to the Community
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Committed to Excellence, Responsive to Every Student
CUSD Schools Making Great Gains in Student Achievement!
We are so proud of our students, teachers, staff, principals, and administrators
for making great things happen for our students! The historic
growth that so many of our schools have made in their API scores is
absolutely tremendous!
“District-wide, we achieved a 15-point gain, marking meaningful progress
in student achievement,” said Dr. Walt L. Hanline, Superintendent.
“These results are evidence that the hard work taking place on every
CUSD campus is paying off.”
CUSD Board President Teresa Guerrero said, “These are such great accomplishments
and I am so delighted and impressed with the fact that
our schools continue to experience gains in student achievement. I am
proud of the fact that our students continue to excel in spite of barriers
that could hinder success.”
Among the strategies that have contributed to the continued progress
taking place in Ceres Unified are instructional norms (including student
engagement, checking for understanding, higher-level thinking,
and writing), the curriculum coaching model, a focus on writing in all
subjects, and the commitment of staff to creating positive and rigorous
learning environments for students.
“I am very proud of the tremendous student achievement gains we continue
to see in Ceres Unified,” said Dr. Mary Jones, Assistant Superintendent
of Educational Services. “These gains are the result of the extraordinary
work and dedication demonstrated by our staff, students
and parents. One such gain that we are very proud of is the fact that we
have 47 students who have earned perfect scores on the 2009 CSTs, an
improvement of 15 students over 2008.”
API on the Rise!
Recently, the California Department of Education released the
Academic Performance Index (API), a set of achievement scores
for schools. These scores show that academic achievement in
Ceres continues to be on the rise, with scores dramatically increasing
over last year. A total of 14 CUSD school sites exceeded
their state growth targets for achievement!
Each spring students in grades 2 through 12 take a set of tests to
measure knowledge of language arts and mathematics. Scores
are then reported as the API, with a numeric index (or scale) that
ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The statewide API
performance target for all schools is 800. The growth target for a
school is 5 percent of the difference between a school’s previous
API base and the statewide performance target of 800.
Every elementary school in the district exceeded the growth
targets, with 8 of the 11 schools making gains of more than 20
points in just one year.
Most notably are Westport Elementary and Virginia Parks Elementary
schools scoring above 800! Westport Elementary made
the greatest gain, with a 54-point increase.
Seven other elementary schools are closely following, with scores
just under the 800 mark.
Additionally, two charter schools, Whitmore Charter School of
Technology and Summit Charter Academy continue to make
gains, maintaining their hold on scores above 800.
Ceres High School also made gains that exceeded their growth
target. Both, Central Valley and Ceres High schools continue to
maintain a high rank among schools of similar demographics.
Lastly, Argus Continuation High School gained 16 points, continuing
its trend of increasing student achievement.
2009 Report to the Community
Academic Performance Index (API) Report
School 2008 2009 Growth Growth Target
Elementary Schools
Adkison Elementary 731 775 44 5
Caswell Elementary 677 712 35 6
Don Pedro Elementary 768 779 11 5
Carroll Fowler Elementary 771 777 6 5
Hidahl Elementary 731 768 37 5
La Rosa Elementary 745 798 53 5
Virginia Parks Elementary 805 805 0 A
Sinclear Elementary 768 795 27 5
Samuel Vaughn Elementary 769 796 27 5
Westport Elementary 798 852 54 2
Walter White Elementary 689 720 31 5
Junior High Schools
Blaker-Kinser Junior High 710 705 -5 5
Mae Hensley Junior High 721 761 40 5
High School Schools
Central Valley High School 737 730 -7 5
Ceres High School 729 737 8 5
Alternative/Charter Schools
Argus Continuation High School 512 528 16 D
Endeavor Alternative School * 605 602 -3 10
Whitmore Charter School of
Personalized Learning *
758 662 -96 5
Whitmore Charter School of Technology 814 821 7 A
Whitmore Charter High School 788 763 -25 5
Summit Charter Academy 815 857 42 A
A - means the school scored at or above the statewide performance target of 800.
D - means the school is an Aletrnative Schools Accountability Model (ASAM) school.
* - means fewer than 25 students tested
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CERES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Honoring Student Accomplishments
During the 2008-2009 school year, hundreds of
CUSD students earned awards, prizes and recognition
for their academic excellence and participation
in events, contests, decathlons and so much more.
Many of our students received top honors in their
activities and specialty fields. There were so many, in
fact, they are too numerous to list within the pages of
this report. However, we have provided a brief highlight
of just a few of our many outstanding student
accomplishments.
Indian Education
Students
Win Modesto Poet’s
Corner Contest 2009
Christopher Bilyeu and
Taylena Sengsory Williams,
students of Whitmore
Charter School of
Technology who participate
in the District’s Indian Education Program, submitted
winning poems to the 28th Annual Modesto’s
Poets Corner Contest. These students were among 40
award recipients chosen from
among 450 entries. In March
2009, these students were
honored at a reception hosted
at the McHenry Museum during
which, poems were read
aloud and celebrated for their
uniqueness and style.
‘Every Student Succeeding’ Awards
David Angelo Gallagher - Sam Vaughn
Elementary School student - Every Student
Suceeding award recipient.
Javier Andres
Rodriguez,
Mae Hensley
Junior High
student
proudly
displays his
2008-2009
Every Student
Suceeding
award.
Don Pedro
Elementary
School student
Alexandria
Kessler,
Masonic
Essay Contest
2nd place
winner.
In early March students from each school were
honored during the annual Every Student
Succeeding award ceremony. This award recognizes
the accomplishments of a student from each
site who faced overwhelming odds to achieve
academic success. Parents, family members,
principals, teachers, community leaders, and
special guests were on hand to congratulate these
award-winning students.
Reatha Fay Calhoun, Argus High student receives
congratulations from event guest speaker, Dr.
Antonio Borba, Associate Professor, CSU Stanislaus.
Assembly Member Bill Berryhill in background.
During the Summer School and After
School Programs, students actively
participate in garden-based activities
and lessons that are interesting and
fun, while developing and strengthening
skills in agriculture, nutrition,
math, and science.
Garden Grants Make Learning Fun
Due in part to funding from a state garden grant and
in-kind contributions from local agricultural providers
that include Four Seasons Farms and Trio Farms,
teacher Jill-Marie Purdy, actively pursues opportunities
to continue to provide a school garden for the
students of Walter White Elementary School.
Recycling Poster Contest
The 17th Annual Recycling Poster Contest drew
the attention of over 1,302 students this year
who designed posters that promoted recycling
in everyday life.
Contest sponsors included: City of Ceres, Bertolotti
Disposal and the Central Valley FFA
Chapter. Special thanks given to Bertolotti
Disposal for cash prizes and Department of
Conservation, Division of Recycling for additional
awards. A winning poster was chosen
from each grade level group with posters displayed
in the District Office during the month
of April 2009. Fourteen of the 20 award winning
students are pictured above.
2009 Report to the Community
Page

Committed to Excellence, Responsive to Every Student
Drama Students Earn Recognition
Drama students
from Whitmore
Charter School
and Ceres High
School participated
in the annual
Lanaea Festival
in Sacramento
earlier this year.
Hanna Hoxie
and Evan Lung
of Whitmore Charter School
received the Most Improved
Duet Skit award medal. Additionally,
Ceres High student,
Enrique Raya received the
Most Improved Soliloquies
award medal.
On May 7, 2009, the CUSD Board of
Trustees recognized the accomplishments
of over 85 students who had
received awards for their academic and
career technical education achievements.
Board president, Teresa Guerrero,
congratulated and presented each
student with a certificate of recognition.
Among the competitions in which
Ceres students took honors were:
• Rotary Speech Contest
• Masonic Essay Contest
• California Art Educator’s Association-
Youth Art Month - Show
• Science Olympiad
• Stanislaus County Academic Pentathlon
• Stanislaus County Academic Decathlon
• Stanislaus County Math Competition
• Stanislaus County Occupational
Olympics
Central Valley High student, Marissa Bonales,
2nd place, Floriculture, Stanislaus County Occupational
Olympics
Blaker-Kinser
Junior High
student, Eduardo
Cardenas,
Scholastic
Gold - Social
Studies,
Stanislaus
County
Academic
Pentathlon
Stanislaus County Math Competition
The 2008-2009 Ceres High School Math Team participated
in the Stanislaus County Math Competition. The
team was awarded 2nd place. Team members: Jason
Doornenbal, Nicholas Gomes, Daejione Jones, Edward
Lopez, and Joseph Simas.
• FHA Region 6 Recognition Event
• Advanced Placement Scholars
• American Heritage Essay Contest
• Young Masters Art Show
• 2009 Peace Essay Contest
• 28th Annual Poet’s Corner
• SkillsUSA Competition
Argus High
student, Brianna
Lawrence,
3D Sculpture -
High Schools,
California Art
Educator’s
Association
- Youth Art
Month Show
SkillsUSA Team Top Winners
Students from Central Valley High School participated in the 42nd Annual
SkillsUSA California Leadership and Skills Competition in January 2009.
CVHS students won 20 gold and three silver medals, resulting in the team participating
at the State SkillsUSA California Leadership and Skills Competition
that took place in April 2009. As a result of the tireless efforts of Ms. Tina Collier,
Central Valley High School teacher and SkillsUSA regional chapter director,
money was raised through a $10,000 grant from Lowe’s to provide students
an opportunity to partner with the City of Ceres on a community service
project in Smyrna Park. These students also had the opportunity to participate
in the Career Technical Student Organization Summit in May 2009.
2009 Report to the Community
Page

CERES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Recognition of Staff
Accomplishments
During the 2008-2009 year, over 50 support staff
members and teachers were nominated by CUSD
administrators from their site or department to
be recognized as an Employee of the Year. Additionally,
many CUSD staff and faculty were
nominated and selected for awards by other
agencies that include: the Stanislaus County Office
of Education, the Association of California
School Administrators, the Association of Mexican
American Educators, the California League
of High Schools, and by Senators Jeff Denham
and Dave Cogdil, Assembly Members Bill Berryhill
and Tom Berryhill, and Congressman Dennis
Cardoza.
Confidential/Administrative Assistant
Employee of the Year
Lorenzo Armendariz
Caring about students is what he does best! “Always
with a smile, he truly has the school in his heart and
is the heart of the school,” stated Lynnette Chirrick,
Adkison Elementary principal. “Mr. Armendariz
works hard every day to make Adkison Elementary
a fun, safe, engaging place to learn and work!”
Lorenzo’s calm and caring demeanor is appreciated
by those who work and interact with him. His ability
to address difficult and
sensitive situations is highly
regarded. Congratulations to
Lorenzo Armendariz as Confidential/Administrative
Assistant
of the Year!
Classified Employee of the Year
Mary Meusberger
As the Library/Media Clerk for Virginia Parks Elementary
School, Mrs. Mary Meusberger “goes the
extra mile” to ensure teachers have their textbooks
and materials on schedule and students get the
books they want. She also spends time with students
instructing them on how to properly handle
books and utilize the resources of the library. Mary
even spends her own money buying “special” books
she knows the children will enjoy. She has an amazing
gentle and welcoming
manner towards all students
and staff. Congratulations
Mary Meusberger as Classified
Employee of the Year!
California High School Teacher of the Year
Greg Magni
As an innovative English teacher and varsity baseball
coach at Central Valley High School, Mr. Greg Magni
was presented with a Resolution of Appreciation by
Senator Jeff Denham’s office (pictured at right), for
being honored as the 2009 Educator of the Year by
the California League of High Schools. Mr. Magni
sets high standards of excellence for himself and his
students, while promoting a positive environment for
those around him. These traits and many more are
what make Greg Magni, Teacher of the Year!
California State Business Services
Administrator of the Year
Scott Siegel
Making difficult fiscal decisions is his job, but no one could truly
anticipate how Scott Siegel’s talents would be put to the test over the
past two years. Mr. Siegel’s exceptional management of the Districtwide
budget and ability to minimize the impact of cuts to education
during California’s fiscal crisis has resulted in CUSD being the
model that other districts seek to follow. His commitment to doing
what is best for students while maintaining fiscal integrity and accountability
was recognized by the Association of California School
Administrators when, earlier this year, they honored Mr. Siegel as
the State Business Services Administrator of the Year!
Region VII Elementary Principal of the Year
Marla Mack
By developing a school culture that excites staff and students to
teach and learn, Westport Elementary School principal, Marla
Mack has proved that a school can overcome any obstacle and
any boundary to success. Mrs. Mack’s passion to motivate her
staff to become leaders, to participate in programs beyond the
classroom, and to be active in motivating parents to be engaged
in their child’s education, are just a few examples of why Marla
Mack was awarded the Region VII, Elementary Principal of the
Year by the Association of California School Administrators.
Region VII Secondary Co-Administrator of the Year
Kristi Britton
Serving as the Associate Principal at Central Valley High School during
the 2008-2009 school year, Mrs. Kristi Britton was instrumental
in promoting the school’s vision that all students can succeed through
an education that encompasses, Central Valley’s four R’s (Rigor, Relevance,
Relationships, and Reflection). Her commitment to ensuring
high quality instructional programs was evidenced in every action
she took. Her dedication to education was honored by the Association
of California School Administrators, recognizing her as the Secondary
Co-Administrator of the Year!
2009 Report to the Community
Page

Committed to Excellence, Responsive to Every Student
Citizen of the Year
Walt L. Hanline, Superintendent
On January 31, 2009 the Ceres Chamber of Commerce honored Ceres Unified
School District Superintendent, Dr. Walt L. Hanline as the Citizen of the
Year. Dr. Hanline was presented the award at the 40th Annual Installation
and Awards Dinner attended by a wide audience of his family, friends and
colleagues. Dr. Hanline was chosen for this award due to his commitment
to the Ceres community and the many contributions he has made to the
education of Ceres children. The ultimate success of Ceres students drives
Dr. Hanline’s every decision concerning the educational experience and the
facilities in which Ceres students learn and
grow. Under his leadership since 2001, student
achievement scores have risen dramatically,
resulting in Ceres Unified ranking among the
topmost among similar school districts in the
state. As he prepares for retirement at the end
of the 2009-2010 school year, Dr. Hanline has
worked closely with the Board of Trustees and
Deputy Superintendent Scott Siegel (his successor)
to ensure the ongoing success of the
District and its students.
School Board Member of the Year
Teresa Guerrero
In May 2009, the Association of Mexican American Educators (AMAE)
Central Valley Chapter honored Ceres Unified School District Board of
Trustees president, Mrs. Teresa Guerrero as School Board Member of the
Year. AMAE recognizes those individuals that have promoted services to
students of Mexican American/Latino descent above and beyond the call of
duty. Mrs. Guerrero’s commitment to connecting parents with their children’s
schools, educating parents on how to be supportive of their children’s
education, and promoting parents to be confident
and encouraging role models for their children
are just a few of the many activities Mrs. Guerrero
supports as the President of the CUSD Board
of Trustees and Executive Director of the Parent
Institute for Quality Education. Mrs. Guerrero’s
commitment to the children and families of Ceres
is evident in her continual promotion of family engagement
in education.
District Administrator of the Year
Steve Fabela
As the Personnel Services Director of the Ceres Unified School District, Mr.
Steve Fabela is responsible for ensuring that every teacher in the district is
“highly qualified” and meets the requirements of the
federal No Child Left Behind education act. His commitment
to providing students with educators that
are the best in their fields and passionate about teaching,
is his top priority. The Association of Mexican
American Educators (AMAE) Central Valley Chapter
recognized Mr. Fabela’s dedication to education and
his efforts to do what is best for students, by presenting
him with the Administrator of the Year Award in
May 2009.
2009 Report to the Community
Employees Making a Difference
During 2008-2009 Ceres Unified School District was honored
to have three classified employees presented with the Employees
Making a Difference Award by the Stanislaus County Office of Education
and the Region VII Stanislaus County Association of California
School Administrators. These outstanding employees were
nominated by staff and administration for their exceptional commitment
to their site/department and the students they serve.
Congratulations!
Jeff Mack
Custodian - Argus/Endeavor High Schools & District Office
Mary Meusberger
Library/Media Clerk, Virginia Parks Elementary
Bernadette Epperson
Child Nutrition Department
(State Finalist)
School Site Accomplishments
Ceres High School
100th Anniversary
September 2008
Argus High School
Awarded Model Continuation High School for the second time,
by the California Department of Education
January 2009
Central Valley High School
First four-year graduating class
June 2009
Cesar Chavez Junior High School - New School
Ground Breaking Ceremony
August 2009
School scheduled to open
August 2011
Virginia Parks Elementary School
20th Anniversary
September 2009
Page

www.ceres.k12.ca.us
Superintendent
Dr. Walt L. Hanline
Deputy Superintendent
Scott Siegel
Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
Dr. Mary C. Jones
Assistant Superintendent Personnel Services
Dr. Denise Wickham
Assistant Superintendent Student Support Services
Jay Simmonds
Assistant Superintendent Business Services
Dr. Fred Van Vleck
District DATA
Total Enrollment 11,995
Percent Minority 74%
Percent English Learners 32%
Percent Eligible for Free/Reduced Meals 65%
Staff DATA
Number of Credentialed Staff 613
Classified Support Staff 554
Full Time Administrators 69
DISTRICT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Departments
Adopted Budget
2009-2010
$115,445,223
Superintendent’s Office 556-1500
Business Services 556-1560
Child Nutrition Office 556-1580
Child Welfare & Attendance 556-1540
Curriculum & Instruction 556-1520
Educational Services 556-1520
Educational Options 556-1550
Personnel Services 556-1510
Student Support Services 556-1530
Transportation Office 556-1595
2009-2010 School Site Information Principal Telephone
Number
Elementary Schools
Adkison Elementary School Lynnette Chirrick 556-1600
Caswell Elementary School Carol Lubinsky 556-1620
Don Pedro Elementary School # Rick Hall 556-1630
Carroll Fowler Elementary School Bruce Clifton 556-1640
Joel J. Hidahl Elementary School Vaughn Williams 556-1650
La Rosa Elementary School Lori Mariani 556-1660
Virginia Parks Elementary School * • # Jennifer Backman 556-1670
Sinclear Elementary School Connie Stark 556-1680
Sam Vaughn Elementary School * # Amy Peterman 556-1690
Westport Elementary School § Marla Mack 556-1700
Walter White Elementary School * Jose Beltran 556-1710
Junior High Schools
Blaker-Kinser Junior High School * # Kristi Britton 556-1810
Mae Hensley Junior High School Lynda Maben 556-1820
High Schools/Alternative Schools
Central Valley High School Roberto Serrato 556-1900
Ceres High School Linda Stubbs 556-1920
Argus/Endeavor High Schools < Jan Gordon 556-1800
Ceres Adult School Laran Gambs 556-1557
Charter Schools
Whitmore Charter School of Technology * Paula Smith 556-1610
Whitmore Charter High School Paula Smith 556-1610
Whitmore Charter School of Personalized Learning Paula Smith 556-1610
# Title I High Achieving School
* California Distinguished School
• National Blue Ribbon School
§ Title I Exemplary School
< California Model Continuation High School
2009 Report to the Community
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