After a couple of induction ceremonies – featuring eight honorees – there hasn’t been a new member inducted into the Escalon Unified School District Hall of Fame since 2006.

District officials want to change that.

“The last induction was on May 13, 2006 and it’s something that the (school) board wants to bring back,” said Escalon Unified School District Superintendent Ricardo Chavez.

According to the Hall of Fame information, selection for inclusion “is intended to memorialize in a permanent way the notable contributions made by individuals in our community to the Escalon Unified School District.”

Those already enshrined in the Hall of Fame include the first class inducted in 1997, Lloyd C. Engel, Jacob C. Klessens, and James L. Pritchard. The 2006 inductees were Gerald (Jerry) L. Barton, Patricia Coslet, Audrey M. Gillispie, Ed Mulvihill and Seward Smith.

With the goal of adding more members this year, Chavez said the board has opened it up to the community to submit nominations.

The nomination period runs now through Feb. 22.

“We will be hosting a recognition dinner on May 24, 2024.” Chavez said.

The selection procedure, laid out previously for the board, include having no fewer than one but not more than five individuals selected for the honor per year.

Honorees can be nominated in four different categories: an alumnus of Escalon Unified Schools; a member of the community; a district employee or school board member; a parent of a student who has attended Escalon schools.

For the alumni, they cannot be recognized until five years after graduation. Similarly, employees or board members can’t be recognized until five years after they leave or retire from District service and the parent cannot be recognized until their children have been out of school for five years.

Nominations are being accepted now from the community at large as well as employees, former students and retirees. The nomination forms are available at the District Office and a “brief rationale” for the nomination is also required.

“We just want to put it out there right now, the parameters have been set forth,” Chavez said, noting that a selection committee will review the nominations with the board as part of the process of determining who will be the 2024 inductees. “Their name will also be engraved on a plaque, that is located in the breezeway at the high school between the library and the Performing Arts Center.”

Also, according to the selection criteria, the board of education, which will make the final choices, reserves the right to waive any criteria if special circumstances warrant that action.

Those interested in learning more can stop by the District Office for a nomination form, call 209-838-3591 or go to the website at www.escalonusd.org.