Welcome To tJUHSD

Message from our Superintendent

Dear TJUHSD Families,

As the spring season approaches, it is time to celebrate our achievements from the winter season! The California dashboard data was released in late December, and our district has many academic achievements to celebrate!  TJUHSD once again has the highest graduation rate in Tulare and Kings Counties with a rate of 97.5%. We also have the highest percentage of English learners increasing one or more levels on the English language proficiency assessment for California and the highest percentage of students eligible to apply directly to attend a UC/CSU. This does not happen by chance, but because our sites are focused on supporting student learning. We have a great team of teachers, classified staff, counselors, and administrators collaborating on engaging students in learning and supporting their needs. We also have many opportunities for our students to compete in academically. Congratulations to the Tulare Union Science Olympiad team for representing Tulare County in the state competition and both winners from the 2023 Tulare County Poetry Live! event were from TJUHSD! Congratulations to Sabrina Castillo, junior at Tulare Union, who was the Tulare County Poetry Out Loud champion and Audrey Reis, senior at Mission Oak, who was the 2023 Poet’s Own champion and first ever Tulare County youth poet laureate.

TJUHSD also had a very successful winter sports season.  Four out of six of the Mission Oak High School winter sports teams captured league titles: boys soccer, girls soccer, girls wrestling, and girls basketball. Seven of our teams districtwide qualified for the playoffs: TW and MO boys soccer, TW and MO girls soccer, TW boys basketball, and TU and MO girls basketball. Congratulations to TU girls basketball and TW boys basketball for a great season and representing our district in the valley championship game and the state playoffs. Tulare Western boys basketball captured the Division IV valley championship. We are also very proud of all of our wrestlers who made it to sectional finals and state.  Congratulations to sophomore Dominic Wilson who placed 8th overall in state. Dominic is the first student to place in state since 2009! Congratulations also to the Mission Oak cheer team for their recognition as the winner of Crowdleader Division 2023 USA Spirit Nationals competition.

Our FFA students also excelled in the winter team competitions and in public speaking. Our students dominated the Sequoia Section FFA public speaking competition earning the top three awards in FFA creed and prepared speaking!  Spring judging season has also started, and our teams are experiencing great success. Best wishes to the following teams: parliamentary procedure, milk quality and dairy foods, small gas engines, agriculture mechanics, and best informed greenhand. Congratulations also to Sophia Gomes who was one of two students in Tulare County to receive the EM Tharp Scholarship worth $10,000. Sophia is our FFA president and does an excellent job representing our district.

TJUHSD’s talented students also excel in our performing arts program. Mission Oak’s winter percussion is undefeated in the South Valley Winter Art Association (SVWAA) in the Scholastic Percussion Open class, which is the highest class currently in the circuit. MO winter guard was promoted to the Scholastic Regional A - Gold class from silver last year.

Tulare Union winter percussion and winter guard are also having an excellent season, placing in the top three at each of the competitions. The Tulare Union marching band and color guard had a special performance at Disneyland in Anaheim on Saturday, March 11. Each of our jazz bands also participated in the Mid-Valley Jazz Festival at Cherry Avenue on February 1 and 2. Congratulations to the TW jazz band for receiving a unanimous superior rating and their students who received outstanding performance awards. Best wishes to each of our groups competing at the upcoming CMEA Festival. Please also mark your calendars for the winter showcase featuring TU, TW, and MO on Friday, March 31 at Tulare Western High School. Mission Oak’s drama program also had a very successful play, Cinderella. Our students did an amazing job. If you are looking for something to do this weekend and a way to support our students, please make sure to buy tickets to Tulare Westen’s Drama performance, SpongeBob.

The TJUHSD dance team, Dance Dynamixs, has also been very busy supporting a variety of our school events. Dance Dynamixs competed at the Spotlight competition in Fresno and placed first overall in the Elite Senior Large Division. Our community will have an opportunity to see our dancers in action at the dance show scheduled for April 29 and 30!  Additionally, due to the overwhelming support of the voters in passing Prop 28, our district will receive additional funding for the arts and music programs and will be able to once again expand our programs for the 2023–2024 school year.

Congratulations also to Mrs. Jill Coyle, Tulare Union speech and drama teacher, who was recognized as teacher of the year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. This is a very well deserved recognition. Mrs. Coyle has also been nominated by our district as the teacher of the year nominee for the annual Excellence in Education Award sponsored by the Tulare County Office of Education. Additional nominees from our district include Leandra Garcia, head counselor/assistant principal at Tulare Western, as a nominee for the administrator/manager of the year, and Belinda Briano, special education secretary, as a nominee for the school employee category. Each of these individuals are very deserving of their nomination. We would also like to congratulate ACHS’ Deputy, Alejandro Angulo, who was honored as the officer of the year for the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

In regards to our facilities, the bids for the Mission Oak aquatics complex were opened this past week, and the CTE building bids will be opened shortly. Please stay tuned as our board of trustees will be discussing the next steps in regards to both of these projects. A study session focused on facilities and next steps will be scheduled soon. This information will be shared with our families via ParentSquare. 

Just a reminder that the nine-week grading period ends on March 17. It is important for our students to make sure they take advantage of all the support we have available. Each of our sites offer multiple tutoring opportunities for our students.  Please reach out to our staff for more information regarding these opportunities. It is important for our students to finish strong! Also, we will once again offer summer school this year, and we will continue to provide the opportunity for our students to fully take online classes for advancement. Summer school will be from June 14 through July 14. We will share the application soon. 

Sincerely,

Lucy Van Scyoc

Dr. Lucy Van Scyoc
TJUHSD Superintendent