Clovis schools eye ‘complete return’ to graduation and big week at Fresno City College
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Good morning! It’s Monday, April 25.
Last week felt like a big one for Fresno City College.
Between Monday and Friday, the college broke ground on a new $87 million science building, celebrated the new Central Valley Training Center, and conducted public interviews of the four finalists to be the next college president.
Construction on the multi-million science building should be completed by mid-2024, with occupancy expected in the fall. The new Science Building replaces the old one built on the FCC campus in 1973.
The new training center was touted as a “ticket to the middle class” for west Fresno residents looking for training and work opportunities in their neighborhoods.
‘Return to Traditional Graduation Ceremonies’ for Clovis schools
Clovis Unified schools are planning a complete return to traditional graduation ceremonies, “similar to what we hosted last year for the Class of 2020,” Clovis Superintendent Eimear O’Brien told The Education Lab in a statement.
“We are fortunate that our comprehensive high school graduations take place in large stadiums with plenty of room.”
Coronavirus precautions could still be implemented depending on local conditions during late May and early June when the area graduation season kicks off. Last year, the district enforced mask-wearing and social distancing at the outdoor events.
“As we near the events, COVID conditions will be evaluated, and if any mitigation efforts are appropriate and necessary, we’ll factor them into the events,” O’Brien said.
It’s unclear whether Clovis schools will cap the number of guests per graduate. But a return to “traditional ceremonies” is a sigh of relief two years after the pandemic essentially shut down commencements across the country. (Remember drive-through graduations?)
Here’s the latest from The Bee’s Ed Lab
California needs more medical workers, but are they being stalled at community colleges?
With a doctor and medical worker shortage likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, California’s central San Joaquin Valley needs more health graduates from diverse backgrounds. But a new report from the nonprofit Campaign for College Opportunity found that community college students, who are more likely to be Black and Latino, struggle to transfer to universities to finish their schooling.
Read the full story from the Ed Lab’s Ashleigh Panoo.
Thousands of students left California schools last year — but not in Fresno
Enrollment in California schools dropped again this year by roughly 1.8% — but not in Fresno County, where enrollment marginally increased, according to new data released by the California Department of Education.
Find out why Fresno is bucking the trend in California in the full story from the Ed Lab’s Julianna Morano.
Fresno State moves step closer to renaming Madden Library
The task force responsible for reviewing the name of the Henry Madden Library at Fresno State released its 71-page preliminary report on Monday.
The report stopped short of calling for a specific name change but detailed Madden’s antisemitic and pro-Nazi views.
Read the full story from the Ed Lab’s Lasherica Thornton.
Fresno-area school announcements
Fresno County hosts debate tournament this week
The Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools hosts the Migrant Education Region IV English Language Arts Speech & Debate Tournament from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, at CTEC High School located at 1320 N. Mariposa St., Fresno.
Merced Union High named to state’s Green Ribbon list
Merced Union High School District was one of two school districts in the state to appear on the 2022 California’s Green Ribbon Schools list, announced on Friday by State Superintendent of Public Schools Tony Thurmond.
Additionally, MUHSD is the only school district in the state labeled a “Green Achiever” and has also received U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition, the district said in a statement.
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