Reedley Exponent 8-9-18 E-edition

Reedley College’s STEM camp keeps young students engaged
Panorama
Reedley College honors its 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees
Sports
Superintendent shares
goals, challenges in Q&A
By Doug Hoagland
Special to The Exponent
John Campbell, superintendent of the Kings Canyon Unified School District, starts the 2018-19 academic year with a positive evaluation of his first year on the job.
Noel Remick, president of the KCUSD board, announced at the July school board meeting that Campbell’s evaluation for 2017- 18 was “satisfactory.” The board’s other option
declare his performance “unsatisfactory.”
In an interview, Remick provided more detail about the assessment of Camp- bell’s work in KCUSD. “He got a very good evaluation,” Remick said.
The school district is
a “big operation” he said,
adding: “John kept it rolling
straight down the rails.” KCUSD has nearly 10,000 students, a $120 million budget and more than 1,100 employees.
Campbell, who’s worked in KCUSD since
2002 and was deputy superintendent from 2013-2017, succeeded former Superintendent Juan Garza.
“Juan is a legendary act — that would make him a hard act to follow. But John is his own person,” Remick said. “Everyone had to adjust, but it went well. John’s leadership ef- fort made it go well.”
Campbell received a 2 percent pay increase — the same as all district employees — and his salary is now $209,000 a year.
In anticipation of the new year — which begins Wednesday, Aug. 15 — The Exponent sat down with Campbell on July 27. The fol- lowing interview has been edited for length
and clarity.
You once told about your first day as a new teacher in Fresno — how you came to work in a suit and carrying your briefcase. Do you ever think of those days?
Oh, absolutely. I think of how alone you are and how lost you are. I tell our new teachers the story of my first day and how we’re here to help them. I tell them to call me personally if they have any concerns, and I make sure our principals and our leaders are all about those first-year teachers. Most districts lose a lot of their first-year teachers. They feel
See CAMPBELL on page A8
www.reedleyexponent.com
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654 | 50 cents Campbell ready for second year at KCUSD helm
Vol. 129, No. 32 | Thursday, August 9, 2018
John Campbell
2018 RHS graduate sues FCA, district
Anne Ayers claims she was denied a leadership role because of LDS ties
By Jon Earnest
jon@midvalleypublishing.com
A 2018 Reedley High School graduate is suing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the school dis- trict and Reedley’s largest Menno- nite Church, claiming she was denied a leadership position in the school’s FCA club because of her Mormon beliefs.
A lawyer for 18-year-old Anne Ayers — a valedictorian at the school — filed the complaint July 30 in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California. Defendants in addition to Fellowship of Christian Athletes are the Kings Canyon Unified School District, the KCUSD Board of Trust- ees, the Reedley Mennonite Brethren Church, leaders with the FCA pro- gram representing the district and RMBC, former KCUSD Superinten- dent Juan Garza and former RHS Principal Roberto Gutierrez.
The lawsuit alleges that the de- fendants violated the Equal Access Act and deprived Ayers her right to freedom of speech and right to freely associate with others. The complaint alleges that Ayers was targeted and denied membership in the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes club because of her religious beliefs and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS).
Jeremy Dobbins, Ayers’ lawyer, said her family “really struggled” with filing the lawsuit.
“For a little while, she was just so sad about the situation but thought it was important to do something about it,” he said.
The lawsuit claims that the
See LAWSUIT on page A3
SWEP boosts area businesses
ABOVE: Lee’s Service employee Jesus Ceja, right, stands with owner Robert Huebert. Ceja, a 2016 graduate of Orange Cove High School, began working with the business two years ago through Kings Canyon Unified School District’s Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP). He now has a full-time job with Lee’s Service. “The program really helped me put myself out in the real world,” Ceja said.
Jodie Reyna / The Exponent
LEFT: Jacqueline Torres, a 2018 graduate of Reedley High School, works with a student during T.L. Reed
K-8 School ‘s After School Program. This summer, 84 students in the district worked with 23 businesses in Reedley and Orange Cove to earn work experience and improve their job skills.
Kings Canyon Unified School District / Photo Contributed
KCUSD work program provides students with ‘on the job’ training
By Jodie Reyna
Mid Valley Publishing
Reedley and Orange Cove busi- nesses received some extra help over the summer thanks to the Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) through Kings Canyon Uni- fied School District.
SWEP connects high school stu- dents and graduates with local busi- nesses to provide work experience. Some businesses end up hiring the students in a permanent position. This summer, 84 students worked with 23 businesses in Reedley and Orange Cove.
SWEP matched Jesus Ceja, a 2016 graduate of Orange Cove High School, with Lee’s Service in Reed- ley two years ago and now he has a permanent position there.
“The program really helped me put myself out in the real world,” Ceja said. “SWEP helped me out in finding a job and getting experience.”
Ceja said he graduated Orange Cove High School with no work ex- perience. Now, Ceja is working on his automotive mechanic certifica- tion and taking classes at Reedley College toward a degree in business management.
“Jesus is a wonderful example of the impact this program is having on students,” said Veleda Oltjenbruns, SWEP program administrator. “Stu- dents are learning a skill and build- ing their resume.”
Lee’s Service has participated in the SWEP program for the past four years. Owner Robert Huebert said SWEP is a great program, especially for students with no prior work ex- perience.
“When they graduate high school, it gives students the oppor- tunity to see what’s ahead,” Huebert said. “They can decide if they want to stay in that field or pursue some- thing else.”
SWEP is a collaborative effort between KCUSD and Valley Region- al Occupational Program (VROP). Students must complete seven man- datory training sessions during the school year before job placement.
See WORK on page A8
2018-19 school
year begins
next week
It’s back to school next week for students in Reedley, Orange Cove and Parlier.
Schools in the Kings Canyon Unified School District — includ- ing Reedley, Orange Cove and Reedley Middle College high schools — begin the new year on Wednesday, Aug. 15. Immanuel Schools at all levels also will be- gin on Wednesday, Aug. 15.
St. La Salle Catholic School begins the 2018-19 school year on Monday, Aug. 13. That’s the same day that the fall semester begins at Reedley College.
The Parlier Unified School District begins the school year on Tuesday, Aug. 14.
Remember, drive with caution around school campuses.
Classified - A6-7
Directory - A5 Legals - B6-7
Sports - B3-4
Lights & Sirens - A3 Obituaries - A2-3 Opinion - A4
Pick a name for Fiesta’s new frog mascot
Staff Report
The Reedley Fiesta Commit- tee has added a new frog mascot to celebrate the 50-year anniver- sary of the city’s first Frog Jump Contest.
The frog character pictured with the Fiesta Logo was created by artist Abrianna Lopez. The 2017 Reedley High School graduate is enrolled at Reedley College and plans to apply to Cal Arts. Lopez, an aspiring cartoon animator, has artwork featured on two murals located on the Rails to Trails park- way.
The Greater Reedley Cham-
ber of Commerce is asking the community to help name the new mascot. Deadline to submit names is Wednesday, Aug. 15. Submis- sions for suggested names can be emailed to info@reedleycham- berofcommerce.com. They also can be submitted to the chamber through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
The Fiesta Committee will se- lect their top three favorite names from those submitted and then ask the public to vote for their favorite among the finalists. The mascot’s new name will be part of the 2018 Fiesta festivities.
Send in your suggestions!
Graphic contributed
The Reedley Fiesta Committee is asking the public to submit names for the new frog mascot designed by Reedley College student Abrianna Lopez.