Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 2-25-21 E-edition

Thursday, February 25, 2021
Four year milestone for KCUSD Maintenance
The View From Here
AsI sat down to talk to Kings Can- yon Uni- fied School District’s mainte- nance di- rector, Jo-
Juanita Adame
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
It started with a small goal: reach 300 days with no work related injuries.
Once that goal was met, it then moved to 500 days and now the Kings Canyon Uni- fied School District’s Main- tenance Department has not only reached their initial goal, but surpassed it three times over. On Feb. 24 they celebrated 1,460 days, or four years with no work related accidents.
“There’s always a chance for injury,” said Alfonso Cer- vantes. “We work with power tools, the grounds guys are on their mowers, edgers, blowers, we have our ham- mers, our drills, guys who work with the electrical, the plumbing, so there’s always a chance.”
Cervantes has been with the district for 7 years and said each day is a challenge
because of the type of work they do.
“Last week we repainted the poles at Reedley High School’s baseball fields and those are above 80 feet, above the trees,” he said.
One key point Cervantes said, in reaching their goal has been their maintenance director, Joseph Gonzalez.
They credit his leadership and said he brought the team together like a family.
“We’re to the point where now we’re watching out for eachother watching out what we’re doing, and telling each other to be careful,” said Lorne Garcia. “We don’t want to screw up our safety record because we are so proud of it.”
Garcia has also been with the district for seven years and said they've come a long way, but are already looking ahead to the five year mark.
seph Gonzalez, I realized that the last time we’d spo- ken, COVID-19 was not a common household term.
Joseph told us they have reached another milestone, and a pretty big one at that. They’ve managed to make it four years without any work related injuries.
I asked Joseph if I could come by and interview him and he agreed. He then told me he wanted me to speak to part of his team mem- bers. “I can’t take credit for this,” he said. “They do all the hard work each day.”
I met Alfonso Cervantes and Lorne Garcia. Both have been with the district for seven years and the guys told me they were hired around the same time.
One thing that Lorne said makes their team spe- cial is the leadership they have. Come to think of it, each member of the Main- tenance Team has credited Joseph for their success.
“What it is, it really just starts at the top, Joseph has always treated us like a team,” said Cervantes. “Everyone is equal, we are always watching after each other whether it’s with a tool, or a ladder.”
Juanita Adame / Mid Valley Times
From left, Lorne Garcia and Alfonso Cervantes stood by the depart- ment's electronic sign that reads 1,460 days safe on the afternoon of Feb. 23.
The guys told me that Joseph not only preaches it, but he practices it as well.
Staff Report
A COVID-19 drive thru vac- cine clinic was held for Kings Canyon Unified School Dis- trict employees on the morn- ing of Feb. 20 at the Adventist Health Reedley Jefferson loca- tion.
“The clinic was a partner- ship between Adventist Health and KCUSD,” said Renee Del- port, the district’s public infor- mation officer. “It also allowed Adventist Health to prepare for future community vaccine clinic.”
The clinic was not open to the public, and Adventist Health representatives said additional events are planned as vaccine supplies increase throughout Fresno County.
ABOVE: Members helping out with the vaccination clinic posed for a photo on the morning of Feb. 20.
RIGHT: John Campbell, super- intendent for the Kings Canyon Unified School District greeted and spoke with cars as they drove through the clinic.
Photo Contributed / Danny Jimenez
...
As we put together the
paper this week, I hap- pened to glance down at something on the proof that I’d never thought I’d see, it was Dick Sheppard’s obitu- ary.
Dick use to tell me that his high school reunions were becoming less fun over the years because ev- eryone was “dying off."
It was strange to see his face in the obituary section. Just the other day I was looking through his old sto- ries and couldn't help but admire his writing style, and of course his sense of humor. I couldn’t help but think that Dick was also a great leader in our Mid Val-
ley Times team.
Just like Joseph, he al-
ways made us feel like a team, he made us feel im- portant. Those types of characteristics in manage- ment are crucial. One thing about Dick is he trusted me. He trusted my writing skills, my interview skills, my abilities. He empow- ered me and that belief in me enabled me to continue to move forward.
DUSD to reopen for in person learning starting March 4
Photo of the week
Vaccination clinics continue throughout Reedley
Mid Valley Times
Dinuba Unified School District officials announced that students in grades TK- 6 would be able to return to school for in person learning starting on March 4.
In a letter released to families and faculty, district superintendent, Joe Hernan- dez stated that under estab- lished guidelines from the Tulare County Health De- partment, and because CO- VID-19 numbers in Tulare County have declined sig- nificantly, students in grades TK-6 would be able to return to in person instruction.
Distance learning would still be offered for those students who would like to continue with distance learn- ing for the remainder of the year.
“Please know that the health, safety, and well-being of our school community re- mains our top priority,” Her- nadez wrote.
Students in grades TK-2 have a tentative return date of March 4, while students in grades 3 to 6 have a tentative return date of March 9.
Contributed
A photo of 4-year-old, Ezra and 7-year-old Zailah Moreno pos- ing and smiling for the camera was sent in by Janie Lucio. Have a photo you'd like featured? Email juanita@midvalleypublish- ing.com.
"Students will be asked the following 3 W's: watch your distance, wear a mask, wash your hands."
-Dinuba Unified School District