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Year in Review | 2017-2018
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Howdy from the District Farm!
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It’s with vision and excitement that our Farm continues to develop and engage students in learning. TUSD’s commitment to create a universal learning lab for all students has taken center stage with a focus on agriculture, STEM, and energy conservation. A newly established Beef and Dairy Unit, expanded gardens and crops, a greenhouse, and arrival of livestock have brought TUSD’s Farm to life for students in grades TK-12. Our TUSD community is looking forward to providing rigor and enrichment to students’ learning as we prepare them for college-career readiness and life beyond TUSD.
Dana Salles Trevethan
Superintendent
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Our first cow at the District Farm!
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Scott Richardson, Director of Maintenance and Operations
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The TUSD Beef and Dairy Facility is finally taking shape at the District Farm! In the months of March-April, TUSD Maintenance & Operations staff and our TUSD ag teachers, with guidance from Larry Winters, completed the wash rack and squeeze chute, three complete corrals, and all necessary plumbing for the Beef and Dairy Facility.
The next phase of planned construction will be a Swine Building which will have the ability to house up to 60 animals. This project is planned for late Fall 2018 through early Spring 2019 with funding provided by Career Technical Education. In addition to the Swine Building, this construction phase will also include a permanent power switch gear for the site and new fencing on the Taylor Road frontage to include driveway gates. We are excited about the construction happening at the District Farm and happy about its increased use by TK-12 TUSD students.
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TUSD Board of Trustees Spring Tour
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The purpose of the Farm Management course is to provide an opportunity for students to apply the skills they have gained throughout their Agriculture Education while in high school. This year, students have been able to hone their skills in metal fabrication, orchard management, and horticulture practices while being exposed to the reality of working in the business world. This year has provided students with many educational opportunities and hands-on skills that will prepare them for their future careers. This year we have worked with District Farm stakeholders in order to get a fully functional garden producing various crops and getting the dairy/beef barn up and running. The students have also spent time focusing on IPM practices for the fruit and nut orchards and learned how to prune all varieties of trees we have on the farm. This class has prepared our Farm Management students not only for a career in the agriculture sector but has helped build job skills they can apply no matter where their future paths may lead. Most importantly, students have learned the importance of agriculture and hard work that will last a lifetime.
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From left: Turlock High School Ag teacher Kevin McGuire, Pitman High School Maintenance and Operations Supervisor Damon Coelho, Pitman High School Ag teacher Nicolette Schiber, Director of CTE and Program Equity David Lattig
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Farm Management Instructors
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Kevin McGuire
Turlock High School
Hometown: Falbrook, CA
College: Fresno State
Major: Ag Education with an emphasis in Mechanized Agriculture
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Nicolette Schiber
Pitman High School
Hometown: Livingston, CA
College: Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Major: Agriculture Science
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Laura Brem, 2018-2019 Applied Horticulture and Environmental Studies Coordinator
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Pitman High School head of Maintenance and Operations Damon Coelho is working closely with Pitman High School volunteer Laura Brem to develop our District Farm Garden. As part of this development, dirt is being removed from the future pasture area which will ultimately double as our retainage basin for storm water from the front half of the property.
Crops that were planted in the Fall and Winter months are now ready for harvest: lettuce, collard greens, cabbage, onions, garlic, Swiss chard, and broccoli. The Farm Management classes will pick the produce and deliver them to the culinary arts classes; truly a Farm to Fork experience!
Spring is a time for planting at the Farm. Peppers, tomatoes and eggplants, that were planted in the greenhouse in February, are now being transplanted into the garden. With the help of the first graders, sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos will create a haven for bees, butterflies, and ladybugs come mid-summer. The fruit and almond trees are thriving, and irrigation will begin within the week as the temperature starts heating up. A favorite for many come fall – pumpkins – will be planted the first of May.
Stay tuned for updates on the giant pumpkin growing contest!
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The TUSD Farm has hosted several elementary students this year, but the weeks of April 16-30 may have set a record! Nearly 1,000 first graders from our nine TUSD elementary schools visited the TUSD Farm for a fun and educational day. Ag students from Pitman and Turlock High School took shifts teaching at the following six stations:
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Pig Barn
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Composting Worm Beds
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Seed Planting
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Fruit Thinning
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Beneficial Flower Garden Creation
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Tractors
We are thankful our TUSD Farm was the setting for a fun-filled day that allowed students to get their hands dirty while learning the benefits of farming. Rumor has it that as students left the farm it whispered, “Ya’ll come back now, ya hear.”
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Mohini Singh, Pitman High School Culinary Arts Instructor
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Pitman High School is very grateful for the District Farm. Culinary Arts students had the opportunity to harvest fresh, seasonal produce throughout the school year. They then brought harvested items back to school and learned how to properly clean, store and preserve our locally grown bounty. The students next created delicious food to share with the Pitman staff. They made amazing salsas, jams, chutneys, salads and pies with students experiencing a true “Farm to Fork” experience. This opportunity also helped our students develop a sense of pride in the products they produced from the fruit of their own labors. Students also learned a new level of respect for agriculture and local farming. Pitman High School Culinary Arts looks forward to our continued partnership with the District Farm!
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David Lattig, Director of CTE and Program Equity
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Seventy-six local business representatives attended our Second Annual Business and Education Partnership Symposium on March 21. TUSD has received incredible support from many outstanding industry leaders over the past two years, and this event was used to recognize them for their work with TUSD. It also served to further demonstrate an ongoing need to sustain our partnerships to more effectively prepare our students for college or a career. Gallo Winery's Workforce Development Division shared how that company partners with local school districts to recruit and train high school graduates through their internship program. Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Heidi Lawler also shared our District's theme-based approach to learning. As a result, sixteen new business partners have expressed interest in creating opportunities for our students through paid or unpaid internships. Additionally, ten new business partners are interested in partnering with one of TUSD's theme-based schools. We look forward to making this event even better next year!
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Congratulations to Wilkey Industries who was recognized by Director of CTE and Program Equity David Lattig at the TUSD Business Symposium for their outstanding support of CTE programs.
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A big TUSD welcome to Bret Theodozio, our new Director of CTE and Program Equity for 2018-2019. Bret comes to TUSD with strong experiences related to agriculture, CTE, community and public service, and 8 years as Principal at Hilmar High School. Additionally, Bret was instrumental in developing a new School of Agriculture at Madera South High School that included a 20-acre school farm laboratory and mechanics shops. Bret’s connections within Stanislaus and surrounding counties is quite extensive. We are excited for Bret to join the TUSD team and we wish David Lattig well in his new gig as the TUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources!
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Passing the reins at the District Farm.
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Thank YOU to Our Farm Donors!
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TUSD wishes to applaud the support and donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations in our fundraising efforts to develop TUSD’s Farm. At our initial donation meeting, four familiar donation levels for advertising and signage were decided upon as we move to create and establish farm recognitions and signage: National, State, Chapter, and Greenhand levels.
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National Level ($10,000 and up)
AAA Commercial Services Company
FF&J Architects/ Gary Mallory
John & Jeani Ferrari Family Foundation Masellis Drilling / Scott Masellis
North American Pipe
Saunders Heating & Air / Brad Falke Shannon Pump / Jerry Shannon
Turlock Education Foundation
Turlock Scavenger /Alan Marchant
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State Level ($5,001-$10,000)
Acme Construction Co. Inc.
Assali Hulling & Shelling, Inc. / Mike Assali Hilmar Lumber/Arlon Waterson
Lancaster Painting / Steve Talkington Machado & Sons Construction Inc.
Manuel Alvernaz Family
Mark Vieira Land Leveling
Rotary Club of Turlock / Thad Phillips
Torre Reich Construction Inc.
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Chapter Level ($501-$5,000)
A&A Portables / Dan Markula
A.L. Gilbert / Bill Daly
Alamo Dairy-Alamo Farms / Karyn Alamo All Commercial Fence / Jim Stamper Andrino’s Hay Express
B & B Manufacturing - Rose Family
Best Cabinets
Bowsmith, Inc. / Lee Gipson
Burchell Nursery / Tom Burchell
Cabral Pipeline / Tony Cabral
CAT Rentals / Chad Reed
Chambers Transport / Randall Chambers Dave Wilson Nursery / Katie Amaral DelDon Chemical Company / Mike Salsa Don and Alison Wenstrand
Don Pedro Pump / Gary Rossiter
Garton Tractor/Tom and Bill Garton
IDC Irrigation / Blake Beltran
Jaureguy’s Paint & Decorating / Sharon Jaureguy
Modesto Steel / Don Wenstrand
Morrill Industries / Ken Morrill
Northstar Engineering / Ken Hysell
Off Center Thrift & Gift
Patrias Electric / Darrale Patrias
Paul’s Glass Co. / Patrick Jensen
Paul’s Paint Company / Craig Anderson Robert Gioletti & Sons Dairy / Eloise Gioletti
Stanislaus Plumbing / Jeff Lucero
Turlock Floor Covering / Randy Steeley Turlock Garden Club
Turlock Sunrise Rotary Club
Yosemite Farm Credit ACA / Ken Johnson
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Greenhand Level ($500 or less)
Aquas / Darrell Martin
Bill and Mary Daly
Clay Boschi
Clemente Lopes Welding / Clement Lopes
Dave Hoberg, DF Engineering
Gary Hayes
Lance Azevedo, Crop Production Services
Mark Lopes
Mark Mapes
Mid Valley Ag Services / Gene Silveira
Peter DiGrazia
Scott Bender
Spycher Farms / Eric Spycher
Turlock Ag Partner - Gene Silveira
Turlock Exchange Club
Valentin Cisneros
Volvo Rents / Kevin Taylor
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In order to accurately acknowledge all donations in a timely manner, as well as continue receiving donations from all stakeholders in an organized, efficient manner, please contact the Office of Business Services at (209) 667-0663 so that we can promptly recognize the support and “givings” of our community that our students and staff sincerely appreciate.
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Turlock Unified School District
1574 E. Canal Drive
Turlock, CA 95380
209.667.0633
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Facebook | Turlock Unified School District
Twitter | @turlockusd
Instagram | turlockusd
http://www.turlock.k12.ca.us
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