The "CUSD Reads" Superintendent's Book Club is back for 2025-26!
Students, read any book on your own time, write a review, and earn this month's reward. Say hello to October's sticker, LaBookBook.
But wait, there's more! New this year, be among the first 20 students at your school to submit 10 reviews (grades TK-6) or 5 reviews (grades 7-12) by Nov. 30, 2026, and win a CUSD Reads water bottle! Turn in 25, 50, 75, or 100+ reviews by March 30, 2026 to earn milestone stickers.
And don't forget ... each review counts as in entry in your school's year-end drawing for an e-reader. The more books you read and review, the greater your odds of winning!
Visit https://www.ceres.k12.ca.us/o/cusd/page/cusd-reads for all the details.
The Crosstown Showdown Parade is back!
🗓️ Saturday, October 25, 2025
⏰ 10:00 a.m.
📍 Begins/ends on 3rd Street at Whitmore Park
New this year: Elementary students dressed in costume are invited to meet at the Whitmore Park Gazebo at 9:30 a.m., then join our Hawks and Bulldogs as they parade through downtown Ceres.
Tacos and water are free for all, and elementary students dressed in costume receive a free Kona Ice after the parade!
Please bring a lawn chair and consider walking or carpooling to the parade. Limited parking will be available at the Ceres Unified School District Office (2503 Lawrence Street, Ceres). See you at the parade!
🗓️ Saturday, October 25, 2025
⏰ 10:00 a.m.
📍 Begins/ends on 3rd Street at Whitmore Park
New this year: Elementary students dressed in costume are invited to meet at the Whitmore Park Gazebo at 9:30 a.m., then join our Hawks and Bulldogs as they parade through downtown Ceres.
Tacos and water are free for all, and elementary students dressed in costume receive a free Kona Ice after the parade!
Please bring a lawn chair and consider walking or carpooling to the parade. Limited parking will be available at the Ceres Unified School District Office (2503 Lawrence Street, Ceres). See you at the parade!
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Together, we can raise awareness, encourage conversations, and offer support.
Social-emotional support and mental health services are available at every CUSD school. Additional help is available 24/7:
💜 National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988
💜 Crisis & Suicide Prevention Lifeline - (888) 506-5991
💜 Stanislaus County Warm Line - (209) 558-4600
🚨 In an emergency, call 911
Suicide is preventable, and no one needs to struggle alone. To learn more, please visit https://www.suicideispreventable.org/.
Social-emotional support and mental health services are available at every CUSD school. Additional help is available 24/7:
💜 National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988
💜 Crisis & Suicide Prevention Lifeline - (888) 506-5991
💜 Stanislaus County Warm Line - (209) 558-4600
🚨 In an emergency, call 911
Suicide is preventable, and no one needs to struggle alone. To learn more, please visit https://www.suicideispreventable.org/.
Positive vibes only in the District Office, thanks to inspiring writing from our Don Pedro Dolphins! 🌈😁🌞🐬
💙 “I am responsible when I focus on my work. I am respectful using manners.” – Angel
💙 “I am happy because I love my mom.” – Juan Pablo
💙 “I am smart because I do hard things.” – Aubrey
💙 “I am respectful because I listen to my students.” – Mrs. Verges
💙 “I am responsible when I focus on my work. I am respectful using manners.” – Angel
💙 “I am happy because I love my mom.” – Juan Pablo
💙 “I am smart because I do hard things.” – Aubrey
💙 “I am respectful because I listen to my students.” – Mrs. Verges
September is Library Card Sign-up Month! Visit your Ceres Library – or any Stanislaus County Library branch – and be ready when the #CUSDreads Superintendent's Book Club returns on Oct. 1! 📚📖✨ #ReadingIsFun #TheCeresWay
CalKIDS is a state program that provides money for eligible public school students to save for college and career training. Visit www.calkids.org to learn more, check eligibility, and claim an account.
In observance of the federal Juneteenth holiday, all CUSD schools and offices will be closed on Friday, June 20, 2025. Also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and serves as a time to learn, reflect, and celebrate freedom and equality for all. To find our more, see the National Geographic Kids article https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/celebrating-juneteenth#:~:text=The%20federal%20holiday%20celebrates%20the,how%20it%20got%20its%20start.&text=On%20June%2019%2C%201865%2C%20General,Enslaved%20people%20there%20were%20free.
Beginning of the year paperwork is due to the office by August 22nd. Complete all of the paperwork and your student will receive a 50% coupon off of a spirit shirt.
Early Release is August 27th. Students are dismissed at 1:30p.m.
And just like that, the 2024-25 school year has come to a close! Thank you, families, for partnering with us in your children’s education. We hope this year was filled with learning, growth, friendships, and lasting memories for our entire CUSD community! 💙
We look forward to seeing our #SuperSummerAcademy students on Monday, June 9, and we’re excited to welcome everyone back when the 2025-26 school year begins on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable summer! 🌞🏖️🩴
Sun Bucks es un nuevo programa estatal que ayuda a las familias a comprar alimentos durante las vacaciones de verano escolares. ¡Las familias que califiquen pueden recibir hasta $120 por niño para ayudar con los gastos de comida en junio, julio y agosto! 🍎🍞🥛🌞
La fecha límite para solicitar es el 31 de agosto de 2025 (¡se recomienda enviar la solicitud lo antes posible!). Para más información, visite https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks
Para solicitar ahora, complete la Solicitud Universal de Beneficios (UBA):
🔗 Inglés: bit.ly/CUSD-UBA
🔗 Español: bit.ly/CUSD-UBA-SP
❓¿Preguntas? Llame a la línea de ayuda de Sun Bucks al 1-877-328-9677.
Sun Bucks is a new state program that helps families purchase groceries during schools’ summer break. Eligible families can receive up to $120 per child to help with food costs in June, July, and August! 🍎🍞🥛🌞
The deadline to apply is August 31, 2025 (early submission is encouraged). For more information, please visit https://www.cdss.ca.gov/sun-bucks.
To apply now, complete the Universal Benefits Application (UBA):
🔗 English bit.ly/CUSD-UBA
🔗 Spanish bit.ly/CUSD-UBA-SP
❓ Questions? Please call the Sun Bucks helpline at 1-877-328-9677.
All schools and offices in the Ceres Unified School District will be closed in observance of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 26, 2026. We will look forward to seeing students back at school on Tuesday, May 27. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend! 🇺🇸
Mood: When your Superintendent thinks you’re awesome – and shows it with a hand-delivered note and sticker! 😁💌✨ It’s staff appreciation season in CUSD, and Dr. Amy Peterman recently wrapped up a tour of schools and departments, personally thanking more than 1,900 CUSD staff and long-term substitutes for their hard work and unwavering dedication to students. 🙌
Pictured are a few of these moments at Don Pedro Elementary, Transportation, Maintenance, Print & Copy Services, and Walter White Elementary School. For more photos, please visit our Facebook page. There’s no team like #TeamCUSD! 👏💙 #ThankYou #celebrate #appreciate #TheCeresWay
Congratulations to the winners of CUSD’s annual Recycling Poster Contest! CUSD and City of Ceres staff had the (nearly) impossible task of choosing the winning posters in grade-level categories. There were soooo many outstanding entries! We’re so proud of all of our talented student artists who shared their important messages on conservation. 🎉🏆♻️🌎 #Recycle #StudentVoices #TheCeresWay
This week brought the final Parent Advisory Council of the 2024-25 school year. A heartfelt thank you to all of the families who invested their time to listen, exchange ideas, and help shape the future of our schools. Your voices matter and we are proud to partner with you! 💬📚🤝 #TheCeresWay #FamilyEngagement #TeamCUSD
Well hello, CUSD Classes of 2038 and 2039! 👋🎓 We were thrilled to welcome incoming Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten students – and their families – at last night’s TK/Kindergarten Registration Fair. These little learners are just getting started and we’re honored to be part of their journey! 🎉📚✏️ Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the festivities, and a big shout-out to our staff who made this event possible. 💙 #StayTunedForGreatness #BrightFutureAhead #CUSDfamily #TheCeresWay
District Office staff had the tough (but fun) job of evaluating dozens of creative student submissions for CUSD's Annual Recycling Poster Contest. ♻️🖼️ Their top picks in each category will advance to the City of Ceres for the final selections. Check back to see the winners announced!
We’re so proud of our talented student artists and their powerful messages about taking care of our planet.💚🌍 For more photos, please visit our Facebook page. #Recycle #StudentVoices #TheCeresWay
Congratulations to the CUSD Leadership Academy Class of 2025! 🎉 These dedicated classified, certificated, and administrative leaders are growing their knowledge, building connections, and gaining valuable insight into our district. Thank you for your commitment to growth, excellence, and #TheCeresWay! 👏✨
CUSD Band students wowed a packed house at Bandtastic! 🎺🥁🎻🎷🎺 This district-wide concert by students in grades 6-12 – and their amazing music teachers – is a crowd favorite that showcases both musical talent and the impact of performing arts in education. Bravo! 👏🎶🎉 For more photos, please visit our Facebook page.
It takes a village to pull off an event of this magnitude. 🙌 Thank you to everyone who made it possible, including our Educational Services team, Central Valley High School staff, CUSD Maintenance, Custodial, and Technology teams, our school communities, families who attended and support their children’s music education all year through, and of course, our students and their music teachers. 🫶
Check out the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBnWF0T8lPE. 🎥 #ArtsInEducation #TheCeresWay
