Five new inductees are slated to be added to the Escalon Unified School District Hall of Fame later this spring.

Action due at the Tuesday night, April 2 school board meeting was to officially accept the inductees and confirm the induction ceremony.

District Superintendent Ricardo Chavez said those selected from among a number of nominees were Dave Mantooth, Roger Beeman, Bob Loureiro, Art Sanguinetti and the late Michael Backovich.

All have played a pivotal role – and some multiple roles – in the development of Escalon students and the school community as teachers, coaches and/or administrators.

“The induction ceremony is being planned for Friday, May 24 and it will be a catered dinner,” Chavez said. “We plan on starting the sale of tickets on Monday, April 8.”

Dinner and the ceremony will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Chavez said it will be staged in the EHS Theatre, with tables set up for dining in front of the stage area.

Tickets will cost $25 per person and will be on sale in the district office through Friday, May 3. Cash or check will be accepted.

“We’re planning to have some student performances so the band and choir will be performing during the dinner service,” Chavez added. “We also will have volunteers from our EMT/Fire Science class that will help greet and seat guests.”

Chavez said the selection committee had several worthy nominees to choose from but they had to narrow it down to the final five for induction.

“I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things” about all the members in the ‘Class of 2024’ induction, Chavez noted. “They are all legends in their own right.”

Chavez said they are planning for up to 100 for the dinner and induction ceremony.

This will be the first group inducted into the district’s Hall of Fame since 2006.

“It has been a while,” the superintendent admitted. “I hope it’s something that we can now do more often.”