Welcome To tJUHSD

Message from our Superintendent


December 2, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian,

As the fall semester comes to an end, we reflect on an exciting and productive start to the school year. Our district has been very busy, from engaging academic programs to extracurricular events. Students embraced opportunities to connect through sports, arts, and campus-wide celebrations, while our staff worked to create an environment of learning and growth. Highlights of the semester included successful attendance campaigns, meaningful community service projects, and memorable performances and competitions. As we move into the winter season, we’re proud of all we’ve accomplished together and look forward to building on this momentum!

In September and October, each of our schools emphasized attendance awareness and fostering strong connections between students and their school community. PBIS teams organized various lunchtime activities to help students familiarize themselves with the campus and build relationships with one another. ASB and school clubs also work tirelessly to cultivate a positive school culture by offering numerous opportunities for involvement. From homecoming celebrations and rivalry game events to carnivals and chili cook-offs, it’s inspiring to see our students showcasing their school spirit and supporting one another. As part of our attendance campaign, sites also introduced a range of incentives to celebrate students with strong attendance. For those who face challenges with regular attendance, we offer a variety of supportive programs designed to address their needs. Additionally, our community schools program plays a vital role in assisting families and providing resources to help students overcome attendance barriers. Consistent attendance is essential for student success.

Our fall sports season was once again very successful. Our athletes and coaches did an excellent job representing our schools and district. Congratulations to the following teams on earning league championships:

  • TW Girls Water Polo
  • TW Girls Tennis
  • TW Boys Cross Country
  • TW Girls Cross Country

Congratulations also to Tulare Union’s Noeliah Zavala and Mission Oak’s Grace Freitas for their success on the golf course. Both of these athletes qualified for the Girls Golf Area Championship, Central Section Championship, and the SoCal Regional Championship. Noeliah and Grace shot qualifying scores of 95 or better at the WYL league championship to qualify for Area, then continued to shoot qualifying scores of 90 or better at Area to advance to the section championships, and were two of the top twelve individuals who are not on a team that qualified for the Southern California Regional tournament at section to advance to the SoCal Regionals. This great achievement is a testament to their hard work, dedication, and skill on the course. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see them represent our schools at such a high level.

We also had multiple teams make it to the playoffs:

  • Football - Tulare Union, Tulare Western, and Mission Oak
  • Girls Water Polo - Tulare Western
  • Boys Water Polo - Tulare Union and Tulare Western
  • Girls Tennis - Tulare Western and Mission Oak
  • Girls Golf - Tulare Western

Congratulations also to Kjerstin Bell (TW) for qualifying for the individual championships in girls tennis and our Tulare Western Cross Country runners who qualified for the state championships, Carly Herrera, Emily Flores, Osvaldo Segoviano, and Jose Segura. Our Opportunity Education schools also competed in volleyball through the Central Valley Athletic Conference League.

Beyond sports, our students were also recognized for their achievements in agriculture at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The following graduates earned the prestigious American FFA Degree at the National Conference: Sophia Gomes, John Michael Ribeiro, and Taylor Hastin. This is the highest degree that can be bestowed on any member, with only approximately 2% of the FFA members obtaining this degree nationwide. Members are only eligible to receive this degree one year after they graduate. Sophia Gomes was also the national winner for the Agriculture Education Proficiency. We are incredibly proud of our FFA students for their remarkable work ethic, dedication, and talent. Their achievements and contributions are truly impressive as they have represented our District with excellence at both state and national levels.

The marching bands from each of our comprehensive schools continue to have an outstanding season. They have proudly represented our district and community throughout the valley, earning numerous awards at various competitions. Together with our cheerleaders, the band plays a vital role in cheering on our football teams and entertaining the crowd during games. Our students are also thriving in choir, dance, and drama programs, showcasing their incredible talent. This holiday season offers many opportunities to support and enjoy performances from these exceptional groups. We encourage you to take a moment to support our various programs.

Our students were once again well-represented at the TCOE 2024 Character Counts! Kids of Character Provident-Salierno Family Foundation Awards for exemplifying the six pillars of character. Out of approximately 5,000 nominations and 30 finalists throughout the county of Tulare, TJUHSD had four students recognized as finalists. Congratulations to the following students who were finalists in each of these pillars:

  • Peter Portillo - Respect Finalist, Mission Oak
  • Serina Ramirez - Citizenship Finalist, Tulare Union
  • Cinthya Ramirez - Trustworthiness Finalist, Sierra Vista
  • Jasmine Valenzuela - Trustworthiness Finalist, Sierra Vista

In addition to our student recognitions, Tulare County Office of Education held its annual Excellence in Education Awards on October 30, 2024. Three of our staff members were recognized for their contributions to education. It was great to celebrate Shanelle Herrera, assistant principal at Tulare Union, Dave Hodge, physical education teacher and coach at Tulare Western, and Lisa Lupio, dispatcher/clerk for the transportation department. We are incredibly proud of each of these individuals and the exceptional work they do every day for our students. Their dedication and commitment go above and beyond, making them truly deserving of this recognition.

In regards to our facilities, we are pleased to share that Measure E passed. We are grateful to the voters for supporting this initiative, which will enable us to enhance our facilities. To avoid increasing taxes, our board has committed not to sell the bonds until 2028. In the meantime, our board will explore gap funding options to continue with the projects identified in our facilities master plan. Additionally, the passing of Proposition 2 provides an opportunity to maximize matching funds for our projects. We are pleased to announce that the auto and construction building at Mission Oak is now complete and fully utilized by our students. Furthermore, the aquatics complex remains on track for completion in February, just in time for the upcoming swim season.

As the semester quickly comes to a close, it’s important for our students to take full advantage of the support and resources available to them. Each of our campuses offers a variety of tutoring opportunities to help students succeed. For more information about these services, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff. Wishing all of our families a joyous and happy holiday season!

Sincerely,

Lucy Van Scyoc

Dr. Lucy Van Scyoc
TJUHSD Superintendent