Sierra Outdoor School

We had our first snow of the season at the campus this weekend. Even with the snow, the Female Great Horned Owl's camouflage still works!

Seen at our raptor center, a praying mantis munching away on a meat bee! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, what did you have for breakfast today?

MEASURE A UPDATE Clovis Unified’s bond measure has a 59.41% approval among voters as of Nov. 4, with 55% required for passage. Mail-in ballots continue to be counted and the Fresno County Elections Department will next update election results this Friday. Measure A appears on the road to victory, says Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell, Ed.D. I am so grateful to every citizen who cast a yes vote for Measure A, and those who helped share information of its importance in their ...own neighborhoods. Their willingness to invest in our local schools will make the difference for our students now and into the future. Measure A allows the district to make needed health and safety updates to every school, maintain our older schools, and build new schools to meet the demands of growing enrollment.

ELECTION DAY Your vote counts! Help us plan for your child’s future. Get informed about Measure A and vote today.... Learn more: cusd.com/2020bond.

This week, SOS staff spent a day at Yosemite learning about history, geology, and wildlife... and of course hiking! From Olmsted Point to North Dome, the adventure was a spectacular learning experience in the great outdoors.

GET INFORMED: MEASURE A OUT OF SPACE ... FACT: CUSD is facing a capacity emergency. Measure A builds new schools and modernizes and maintains old schools. It’s your school district. Help us decide how Clovis Unified will look in the years to come. Learn more: cusd.com/2020bond.

476 Students! SOS Remote Learning Program started this week and we taught 476 students about Raptors, Ecology and Conservation. Currently we are scheduling any CUSD 6th grade class originally scheduled to attend SOS up through December 2020, contact us for more information. For all of our other visiting schools scheduled to attend in 2020, check back soon for more information on how to schedule your SOS Remote Learning Program.

GET INFORMED: MEASURE A WHY SO MANY TAX LINES? FACT: There are multiple lines listed for Clovis Unified on a property owner’s tax... FACT: The multiple lines listed for Clovis Unified on a property owner’s tax bill does NOT mean additional taxes. A new line is added to the tax FACT: Multiple lines for CUSD on a property owner’s tax bill does NOT mean more taxes. More lines means more savings. CUSD refinances at Oct 13 More Lines More Savings 1 bill, but that does NOT mean additional taxes. A new line is added each time we refinance, indicating the change. It’s your school district. Help us decide how Clovis Unified will look in the years to come. Learn more: cusd.com/2020bond.

WATCH YOUR MAIL! Election ballots are arriving. Be sure to weigh in on Measure A, the district’s needed facilities bond. ... Measure A gives the community: Local control with no change to the tax rate Health and safety upgrades at every school New schools and modernization/maintenance of old schools Learn more: cusd.com/2020bond.

GET INFORMED: MEASURE A NO TAX RATE INCREASE It’s your school district. Help us decide how Clovis Unified will look in the years to come. Learn the facts about Measure A and be an informed voter in the November election.... FACT: We heard from constituents during the last bond measure that they do not want a higher tax rate. Passage of Measure A would not increase the current tax rate. It would allow for health and safety upgrades at every school; maintenance and updates of aging schools; and new construction in the next 5-7 years to help prevent massive districtwide boundary changes, double sessions or year-round schools to accommodate enrollment. Learn more about Measure A, the bond that does not increase the current tax rate, at cusd.com/2020bond.

The Sun rose above the horizon here at 8:37 am. Looking at the picture I wondered why there was an orange ring around the Sun. Is it because the Sun is a giant ball of burning gas and fire is reddish orange? Well, here's what's going on. It's called scattering. When light travels though the atmosphere some of it bounces off the stuff in the atmosphere and goes every which way. Mostly what it's bouncing off of are tiny molecules of gasses. This scatters the shortest wavelengths, the blues, and leaves the longer wavelengths, the reds, to reach our eyes. So we're left to see pinks and reds and oranges at sunrise and sunset.

Do you have a pet, such as a turtle or a lizard, that eats mealworms? Mealworms are larvae of the Darkling Beetle, a common sight at Sierra Outdoor School. These decomposers have a special defense mechanism: when threatened, they perform a headstand and release chemicals that smell unappetizing to would-be predators!

DISTRICT BOND MEASURE ON BALLOT Clovis Unified has a facilities bond on the November ballot. Some have questioned why now, in the midst of the current pandemic conditions, would the district ask voters to consider this measure. Put simply, we need our community’s input about CUSD’s future. We are out of space in many of our schools and out of money to continue to maintain, update and build new schools.... Without new funding, the district will have to consider massive districtwide student boundary changes, double sessions or year-round schools in order to accommodate the growing student population. Additionally, Clovis Unified schools (many of which were built 40 or more years ago) would not receive the current high-standard of maintenance the district is known for, and upgrades would be postponed or not happen at all. Measure A is a $335 million bond that does not raise the tax rate. It would provide locally controlled dollars for: Security auto-door locks and advanced ventilation upgrades to every school Construction of new schools to create space necessary to avoid widespread boundary changes, double sessions or year-round schools Deferred maintenance and modernization to several aging schools This is a critical time to hear from our constituents on how to proceed. We encourage you to learn the facts about Measure A and cast your vote in the November election. More information about Measure A is available at cusd.com/2020Bond. To register to vote online, go to: RegisterToVote.ca.gov

READY FOR NOVEMBER? The General Election will be held Nov. 3, with ballots arriving in the mail to homes in October. Make sure your voice is heard. Are you registered to vote?... You can register online at: RegisterToVote.ca.gov. You can check your registration status at: VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov

Pictured above is an Acorn Woodpecker! These awesome animals dig holes in trees and cache acorns in trees to eat later. Some trees have held up to 50,000 acorns stashed by these birds!

Click "See More" for the answer! . . . .... It's a Praying Mantis! (Scientific name Mantis religiosa). These mantids can turn their heads 180 degrees to scan their surroundings with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them. Pretty amazing invertebrates! See more