Janet Young, Ed.D. (1977, 1988), Kremen School of Education and Human Development
By ESRA HASHEM
It’s been nearly 40 years since Dr. Janet Young began working for Clovis Unified School District, but her enthusiasm for education is as infectious as ever.
“When I started in education, I absolutely loved it from day one,” Janet says. “I knew that was where my heart was, and that it was where I was meant to be — working with kids.”
Perhaps it’s because education is in her blood. The daughter of a science teacher and a mother who was an elementary school librarian, Janet earned a B.S. in Child Development from Fresno State in 1977. After working as a teacher for almost 10 years, Janet returned to Fresno State and earned a master’s degree in education in 1988.
“Fresno State has literally changed the trajectory of my life. Because of Fresno State, I got to have the most amazing career,” she says.
Janet has since held positions as learning director, principal, director of school and community relations and associate superintendent of human resources. She earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2001 from the University of LaVerne’s School of Organizational Management. On June 30, 2017, Janet retired as Clovis Unified School District’s superintendent, a position she held for six years.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re just starting preschool, or you’re a senior in high school — kids respond to adults who care about them. That’s what I learned about the value of having a wide range of experiences in education,” Janet says. “That was the key to being an effective leader: to care — to care for the kids and to care for the staff who are trying to make a difference in the lives of our kids.”
Throughout her career, Janet has served as a presenter and speaker around California, while also serving on the advisory board for the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. Despite her extensive formal education, Janet says she’s learned the most from her staff at Clovis Unified.
“Working with the educational team is something I will value for all of my days,” Janet says tearfully. “I learned how important it is to make sure that there is an environment that is inclusive. We saw the power of everyone working together for a singular cause — and that was student achievement.”
