Measure A on November Ballot
Clovis Unified’s Measure A is on the ballot this November. Measure A is a facility bond measure that maintains a stable tax rate and would provide for: 
  • Safety, energy efficiency and technology upgrades for ALL schools.
  • Modernization and repairs to aging schools.
  • Completion of our new high school to ease overcrowding.
 
Learn more about this $400M facility bond measure at cusd.com.
15700 Old Oak Ranch Road Sonora, CA 95370  |  (209) 532–3691

Naturalists

Home  \  Staff  \  Naturalists
Portrait of Ranger
Ranger Brauer (Bones)
Ranger is a Florida Native with a love for the mountains that has taken her across the US to do what she loves. She discovered her passion for teaching in high school and really got to start exploring that in college, where she got a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and a minor in environmental science. She has worked as a park ranger in Jacksonville, FL for a while and is excited for this new adventure across the country! When not at work she enjoys hiking, reading, and anything that lets her be creative.
Portrait of Phil
Phil McDonald (Badger)
Phil grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. While earning B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Northland College in Wisconsin, he discovered the field of outdoor education and developed a passion for teaching. Working with the Great Basin Institute brought him west, and once he discovered the Sierra Nevada Mountains he never looked back. Phil has worked as an Interpretive Specialist for California State Parks, Development Manager with the Nevada Conservation Corps, and non-profit outdoor education centers. Phil is excited to be part of the SOS team and looks forward to helping students discover the outdoors and experience science in the field.
Portrait of Eliana
Eliana Sánchez (Fruit Bat)
Eliana is from El Paso, a small city in West Texas. She studied Public Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, which gave her hands-on experience in community education, health promotion, and environmental health. There, she spent most of her free time swimming in rivers and lakes, exploring hiking trails, and stargazing on warm Texas nights. On her days off, she can also be found curled up under a heavy blanket reading, crocheting, or creating some form of art!
Portrait of Angel
Angel Olavarría (Bobcat)
Angel grew up in the small town of Rio Vista on the California Delta. He moved to Southern California where he studied Social Science at College of the Canyons. Angel joined the teaching team in the Fall of 2015 as a substitute naturalist and was hired full time in 2017. Angel enjoys coaching his kids soccer teams and loves exploring the Sierra Mountains with his family.
Portrait of Mike
Mike Barbee (Gray Wolf)
Born in Coloma, Mike grew up in the small Michigan town exploring the surrounding woods and participating in “anything outdoors”. Mike’s curiosity of the natural world led him to study Education while minoring in Science and Mathematics at Western Michigan University. Mike has lived in almost every region of the United States coaching collegiate Cross Country and Track & Field, however the “Range of Light” or Sierra Nevada Mountain range drew him back to California’s Central Valley and the University of California, Merced. Mike views outdoor education as a “best of both worlds” when it comes to combining his love for the outdoors and scientific discovery.
Portrait of Scott
Scott Maas (Newt)
Scott grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, often exploring the forest preserve of cook county. He then went to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point and received his Bachelor's degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education. Scott started his career in environmental education as a Naturalist Intern at Sierra Outdoor School in 2017 and continued to explore wild and exciting places throughout the country. When not sharing his love of nature with students at SOS you can find Scott hiking, backpacking, or exploring the world around him.
Portrait of Kathy
Kathy Valle (Snapdragon)
Kathy Valle is from Orland, California. She graduated from the University of Hawaii Hilo with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. In her free time, she likes to garden, go on nature walks, and enjoy a cup of coffee with friends.
Portrait of Shea
Shea Merritt (Huckleberry)
Shea grew up in Canada in a small town in the Rockies and then went to college in Victoria, British Columbia. She developed a passion for the outdoors and Biological Sciences through hiking, learning, and skiing anywhere she could.  She believes that the best way to learn anything is to experience it first-hand and went on to work at many Outdoor and Environmental Science programs in Washington, Oregon, and California.  She has a new passion for the Sierra Mountains and all the amazing outdoor experiences they provide.  She now lives in Columbia with her family.
Embedded Image for:  (202311915457933_image.jpg)
Carter Scott (Thunder)
Carter grew up in the suburbs north of Atlanta and attended the University of Georgia. After graduating, he taught English in Japan for four years and has previously taught at outdoor environmental education facilities in Alabama, Georgia, and Colorado. He has also worked as a kayak guide on Lake Superior in Minnesota, Acadia National Park in Maine, and the Florida Everglades before venturing out to the central Sierra Nevada.
Portrait of Austen
Austen Thibault (Aspen)
Austen grew up exploring the forests, mountains, and waters that surround Sierra Outdoor School in Tuolumne County, CA. Here he found a love of all things natural, especially when they involve play like snowboarding and rock-climbing. He found a passion for education first as a snowboard instructor, then a science tutor while attaining his bachelor’s in biology: Ecology & Biodiversity from Humboldt State University. He worked for the university system, Forest Service, and nonprofits in field biology before shifting to education. You may still find him surfing snow, climbing rocks, dabbling in the arts, or hibernating.
Portrait of Corina
Corina Powell (Pika)
Born and raised on the coast of Southern California, Corina left home as soon as she was able to travel solo around the United States and Europe. Upon returning to California, she began working with the special needs community and continued to do so for several years. Now settled in Sonora since 2021, Corina is a Forestry student at Columbia College and occupies her free time with hiking, writing, solving puzzles and crafting. While Corina does miss the ocean at times, she feels very much at home in the Sierra foothills.
Portrait of Lisa
Lisa Wojciechowicz (Tule)
Lisa is from the Central Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Pittsburgh. In 2019, Lisa joined the AmeriCorps VISTA program and discovered the world of outdoor education. Lisa has been teaching at Sierra Outdoor School since 2023.
Tom Gonzales (Just Tom)
Tom Gonzales (Just Tom)
If you have visited SOS in the past 38 years, chances are pretty good that you know Tom. After working full-time as a Naturalist for 22 years, he retired and is now enjoying a part-time schedule as a sub.  He continues to enjoy working with students and belaying at the High Ropes Course.
15700 Old Oak Ranch Road
Sonora, CA 95370
(209) 532–3691


The Clovis Unified School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment) or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, immigration status, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, contact: Equity Compliance Officer - Norm Anderson, Deputy Superintendent, 1450 Herndon Avenue, Clovis, CA 93611, (559) 327-9000, [email protected] ; Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources - Shareen Crosby, Risk Manager, 1450 Herndon Avenue, Clovis, CA 93611, (559) 327-9000, [email protected] ; Title IX Coordinator, Students - Russ Harding, Student Services and School Attendance Assistant Director, 1465 David E. Cook Way, Clovis, CA 93611, (559) 327-9200, [email protected] ; Section 504 Coordinator - Wendy Karsevar, 1680 David E. Cook Way, Clovis, CA 93611, (559) 327-9400, [email protected] .


© 2024. Clovis Unified School District. All Rights Reserved.

School CMS Created by eSchoolView
Clovis Unified School District: Be the best you can be in mind, body, and spirit
Buchanan Area Schools
Buchanan link image Alta Sierra link image Cole link image Century Elem logo with "C" and Tiger Dry Creek link image Garfield Elementary Logo Tarpey link image Woods link image
Clovis High Area Schools
Clovis High link image Clark link image Cedar Wood link image Clovis Elementary link image Mickey Cox link image Gettysburg link image Jefferson link image Red Bank link image Sierra Vista link image Weldon link image
Clovis West Area Schools
Clovis West link image Kastner link image Ft. Washington link image Liberty link image Lincoln link image Maple Creek Nelson link image Pinedale link image Valley Oak link image
Clovis North Area Schools
Clovis North link image Bud Rank link image Copper Hills Fugman link image Mountain View link image River View link image
Clovis East Area Schools
Clovis East wolf logo Freedom link image Miramonte link image Oraze link image Reagan Elementary link image
Clovis South Area Schools
TBEC Logo Boris Chargers logo Fancher Creek Logo Hirayama Logo TK Logo Young logo
Educational Services Area Schools
CART link image Gateway link image Clovis Online School link image Clovis Community Day School link image Clovis Adult Education link image Sierra Outdoor link image