Among the many benefits of living in the Central Valley, the myriad of educational opportunities are often overlooked. From the spectacular magnet program instituted by Fresno Unified School District to the award winning schools in the Clovis Unified School District, the number of quality educational institutions for residents in Fresno and Clovis are plenty.
Fresno Unified Magnet Schools
For the last twenty-five years, Fresno Unified School District has offered its, appropriately termed, Magnet Program. Designed to attract attendance to a school from throughout the district, the magnet program’s core relies on unique course or program offerings. The program’s current offerings span the gamut of possible careers; some programs focus on science, others on art, some on business and some on global studies. The specifics of the programs depend on the school, but the schools are usually privy to a myriad of benefits. At Yokomi Elementary, a science-focused magnet school, teachers utilize, “smart boards,” computer responsive white boards. The school’s learning environment has easily integrated with the school’s technological advances. At Sunset Charter, elementary students undertake a dual acquisition program; kindergarteners through eighth graders learn in both Spanish and English, under the umbrella of global studies. At Bullard Talent, children are afforded a rigorous arts and music program.
University High
At University High, a charter school organized on the campus of California State University, Fresno, college preparatory curriculum meshes well with the college atmosphere. With a focus on advanced music, the school’s pro-college viewpoint is an underlying premise for the mission and direction of the school. University High is dedicated to turning out students who are capable of critical thinking and communication; an extended school day and year, in combination with a multi-disciplinary approach ensure that students have the best learning environment possible.
Clovis Unified School District Clovis Unified boasts numerous awards. Named twenty-eight times by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the district’s commitment to challenging curriculum, professional staff and overall performance is apparent. The California State Board of Education has seen fit to honor Clovis Schools with a “Distinguished School” title seventy times for its quality educational performance and programs. Schools within the district have been named four times to the National Drug Free School Program, and have successfully won over five hundred league, state and national sports championships.
Center for Advanced Research & Technology
A cooperative learning institution of Clovis Unified and Fresno Unified School Districts, the Center for Advanced Research & Technology(CART) represents a unique and innovative educational experience wherein students are bussed in from their home schools for half-day classes. Within the 75,000 square foot facility, students are presented with a myriad of innovative and progressive learning methods, participating in laboratories tailored to their own career goals; students design projects in collaboration with businesses with a focus in professional sciences, communications, engineering, and global economics.
