Laura Todis displays the award she received at Tuesday night's School Board meeting.

With standing room only this week's Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board meeting presented, Sierra High School's (SHS) science teacher Laura Todis the Teacher of the Year Award. Shortly after receiving the award Jewel Smith and Jeanette Schulz from the pharmaceutical company Amgen Inc. presented Todis with a second award for Excellence in Teaching Science. Each year nine teachers throughout the U.S. receive the Amgen award, which includes a $5,000 stipend each to both teacher and school. Cynthia Frutos, Principal at Sierra High School, stated, "She (Todis) sets high standards....she makes learning fun." Frutos repeated what students told her, “She makes me want to come to school every day, she makes me want to learn.” Amgen has given over $3 million in awards since 1992 when the program started. During the presentation, Michael Glen with California Fish and Wildlife sent a message to Todis stating, "Laura you are an exemplary teacher" and wished her the best.

Todis began her desire to teach while studying for her Masters in Environmental Science. For the past three years she has taught a class of about 80 students at SHS and attributes much of her skills at teaching to an internship in Oregon her first year. Todis does a great deal of hands-on teaching including a trip to Channel Island next week with 20-30 students. Future trips include the Santa Monica Mountains and a Condor Sanctuary in Ventura County.

During Public Comments Pastor Leslie R. Lanier addressed the Board about an incident in a classroom a few weeks back where a teacher "threw an American flag on the floor and stomped on it.” He went on to directly name the teacher and explained how he along with many others are outraged at the actions of this teacher. After being told that there was nothing that could be done to discipline the teacher, Lanier informed the Board that the item would not be dropped and there would be more action by him and others to see that something is done.

"Our children don't need to be taught to disrespect our flag and our country any more than they need to be taught to disrespect their elders. They need to be taught to respect our flag and to honor it, for our country is the greatest county on earth."

Lanier spoke at length about why the act was so offensive and ended with, "The school district may consider the matter closed, but I do not....I do not intend to let this matter lie until Mrs. Fitzpatrick either publicly apologizes or she is disciplined by the District. She should apologize to her class, to the faculty and other students at the high school and to the public at large, because what she did was done publicly and has given public offence, or she should face disciplinary action. Until one of these two comes to pass, I will make it a point to speak to everyone in Fillmore that I meet to make sure that they know about it and I will be writing a letter to the Gazette."

There is little the Board or the school staff can do in the form of discipline due to California laws that favor the Teachers Union and prevents anything being done to Fitzpatrick, but other states that have at-will school employment have fired teachers for such actions.

Another person, Mary Ford also address the Board on the flag stomping stating that Fitzpatrick did not bring her own flag and that the flag belonged to the school adding that damaging school property is not appropriate or allowed. Others asked that the item be put on the next agenda and that if there were no action taken, could the public then monitor Fitzpatrick's class or attend parent open house if they didn't have a student in her class. This was asked during Public Comment and the Board is not allowed to answer questions asked by speakers.

Another item brought to the Board’s attention was the change in available math classes to the students at Fillmore High School (FHS). Karen Ashim, Counselor and Debbie Curnett, Register at FHS both addressed the Board with what they said would discourage students who are not college bound from finishing high school because there are no lower math classes than Algebra I available to meet the math requirement. Curnett told the Board, "We need to offer another paths to our students" and recommended students be required to take math placement tests like colleges do to ensure accurate placement in math courses. FHS will require students to pass Algebra II in order to graduate starting in 2014.

An agenda item on bullying had all the principals in the school district explain their policies for preventing and dealing with such incidents. Most presented the documentation guidelines they follow and positive reinforcement in the form of prizes and rewards to those that show proper conduct and bring problems on campus to the teachers’ attention. Another approach is to engage the parents with parent, student, and staff coordination. FHS Principal Russom Mesfun stated, "We take bullying very seriously....we're very aware of the snitching situation.....If you bully someone at FHS there are serious consequences." He went on to say that tardiness, saggy pants, littering, foul language, etc. also would not be tolerated.

Board Member Tony Prado spoke of his concern that parents of bullied students would transfer their children to another school district.

Another item on the agenda was approval of the new Rio Vista Elementary School boundaries. This change is taking place on July 1, 2013 due to the modernization of Sespe Elementary which will take approximately two years when the funding is found. Sespe students will be transferred to San Cayetano, Mountain Vista and Rio Vista depending on where the student lives. Notices will be sent to student's parents next week, and crossing guards will be placed where needed after the change.

Earl Davis, Assistant Superintendent, discussed the time line for modernizing Sespe and stated, "We're at the mercy of growth patterns of the economy" adding that originally there were 750 new homes planned in Fillmore before the recession and building Rio Vista and other projects were projected upon that growth. Now there's a question of funding resources.

Kathy Gates and others asked what measures are in place at the new Rio Vista Elementary in case of an emergency and an evacuation plan. Davis answered their concerns stating that evacuation was addressed during the Environmental Impact Report and measures coordinating with the Sheriffs and Fire Departments and school drills are in place.

Davis also announced that the roof on FHS's gym is "coming along nicely" and that it will not be a 3- year roof, it will be a 50-year roof adding, "We're about to get bids for the modular buildings." The goal is to have it finished by the beginning of next school year.

FHS Speaker of the House, Mary Ortiz announced that Friday, May 17th is Associated Student Body Convention where nominees for President, VP and Speaker with be held. May 21st is Make-A-Wish, which starts at 8 a.m. May31st is Good-bye Senior Rally held by the Junior Class.