Welcome Back CUSD Educators!

Presidents Welcome Back Message

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, I want us to reflect on our incredible achievements. Together, we have achieved so much for our students and fellow educators. For the first time in CUSD’s history, we successfully established a legally recognized educator union and secured the first-ever contract for certificated educators. The district hired additional school psychologists from this contract and guaranteed to make test kits available for special education services, which are vital in supporting our students. ACE also achieved the highest pay raise for any employee group.

Because of your hard work and dedication, we were able to reclaim two unpaid in-service days. We achieved a landmark ruling from the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) that confirmed our greatest concern that the Faculty Senate was not just illegal but was established to stifle educator voices and prevent us from advocating effectively for our needs. 

We also secured much-needed classroom furniture and successfully advocated for the renovation of ceramic rooms to clear out the toxic air created by the clay. We also know that the historic wave of salary increases for all educators was a result of the information and pressure we have provided.

These tangible accomplishments are just the beginning. Your commitment to a brighter future for our district has inspired others to organize, empowered our colleagues to ask questions and challenge the status quo, and united groups that have felt isolated for years. Together, we’ve made a real difference and have started to address the toxicity that infiltrated the legacy our district was built upon.

As an educator union, we will continue to face challenges head-on and endeavor to find solutions through collaboration. Our work is essential, and we have shown others that we are committed to positively impacting the lives of our students and fellow educators. Let’s continue to support each other, advocate for what’s right, and build a better future for our students and educators. 

Welcome back!

Amy Kilburn

President 

Association of Clovis Educators

ACE Summer Site Rep Training and Advocacy

ACE Summer Site Rep Training  

ACE has been hard at work this summer, preparing for the upcoming school year and keeping the momentum going in advocating for the needs of our students and fellow educators

Our Summer started with our newly elected ACE member leaders and Site Representatives coming together to recharge their organizing batteries and sharpen their representation skills so that we may continue strengthening our fellow educators’ knowledge of our rights in the classroom and our profession. Whether you or a colleague have been called into a meeting with admin or are facing challenges in your school that impact you and your students’ learning environment, knowing our rights and how to exercise them are the keys to finding solutions. That’s why ACE, with the support of CTA, has been committed to training and preparing Site Representatives throughout the district to provide the support our educators need to succeed in the classroom. 

If you ever need support or want to know more about your workplace rights as an educator, we encourage you to contact your ACE Site Rep and sign the ACE union support petition to get involved with the effort to form a strong union for all Clovis Educators. Click here to learn more about who your Site Rep is in your area or at your school site. 

PERB Decision: 

With the announcement over the Summer of the Public Employee Relations Board’s decision to support the disestablishment of Faculty Senate, fellow Educators and Union Member Leaders from neighboring school districts attended the July 17th CUSD Governing Board Meeting,  leaders from ACE and the Fresno-Madera Service Center Council addressed the Clovis Unified Governing Board, emphasizing the value of a collaborative relationship between the union and the district for the betterment of our students and educators.

We want to thank our fellow union leaders and educators for sharing their knowledge and experience with our district.

Thank you to Judee Martinez, Fresno Madera Service Center Council Chair (CTA); Lonny Johnson, Selma Unified Educator and proud father of Clovis High School Valedictorian of 2020; Chris Hudson, President of the Fresno County Schools Office Educators Association; Gaylynn Mott, President of the Chowchilla Elementary Teachers Association; Anthony Misner, President of the Yosemite Unified Teachers Association; Erin Prieto, Educator at Temperance Kutner Elementary; Kristin Heimerdinger, ACE Vice President of Secondary Education; and Amy Kilburn, ACE President.

ACE is calling on all Clovis educators, including those in Faculty Senate, to join us in building a strong, inclusive, independent, and legal union to achieve the rights we should have enjoyed for the past 40+ years. 

We invite you to visit our website to learn more about the decision and what it means for the future of educator representation at CUSD.

ACE will continue to work towards fostering the strong and collaborative relationships needed to serve our fellow educators and students. We invite you to sign the petition and join the growing number of Clovis educators who choose ACE.