The Boardroom at the Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) administration building was filled with people and tension on the evening of Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Assistant Superintendent Mike Bush gave a presentation on why the budget should not be balanced through eliminating the School Resource Officer, implementing furlough days, reducing transportation costs, or planning to increase attendance. The Board heard a report on the Career Technical Education Program, approved a contract for a tumbling coach and choreographer, approved new courses, and approved field trips.

Most of the meeting was taken up with Bush's presentation on budget-related concerns. He presented information on the School Resource Officer (SRO), furlough days, transportation, and attendance rates. Bush mentioned reducing Instructional Assistants' hours, but did not go into detail.

Having an SRO costs approximately $180,000 annually. FUSD provides $100,000, or 75% of those costs, and the rest is paid by the City and Sheriff's Department. Fillmore is the only city in the county whose SRO is subsidized by the Sheriff's Department. Police Chief Tim Hagel noted that the SRO made 229 arrests on campus last year, and 49 arrests this quarter. Last year's arrests consisted of 216 misdemeanors and 13 felonies, which were typically weapons charges. Arrests are usually made for fighting or possessing drugs or weapons. The SRO regularly issues truancy citations which increase attendance. Fillmore High School (FHS) Principal John Wilber, Fillmore Middle School (FMS) Principal Todd Schieferle, and other administrators spoke about the increased level of safety an SRO provides by knowing the relevant laws, being consistent, patrolling to prevent trouble, and responding quickly when arrests need to be made. According to Hagel, there are 150 registered gang members in Fillmore and 50 of them attend school. He said that using private security rather than an SRO would lead to fewer arrests and increased violence on campuses.

Bush argued against furlough days, saying that they negatively impact retirement service credit. A furlough day can be earned back by submitting sick days, but the ratio is not one-to-one. He suggests as an alternative shortening the employee calendar year. Laws require that students receive 180 days of instruction, but professional development days, or other days on which employees are scheduled to work without students present, could be cut. The savings per day would be $115,667.

Bush pointed out that transportation costs had already been cut at the start of this school year. Bush's handout stated, "Eliminating any additional routes would negatively impact our economically disadvantaged students." $309,000 of the transportation funds are non-transferable. $119,000 could be spent elsewhere if not needed for transportation. FUSD staff will review routes to ensure fuller buses, consider eliminating mid-day kindergarten transportation which is only needed at the beginning of the school year, and consider charging transportation fees. FUSD has applied for a grant to buy new buses which would reduce repair costs.

Bush provided a handout summarizing the percentage of attendance. It included a chart for each school and a district-wide summary. Each chart showed the attendance rate for each month over the past three school years. Attendance rates average above 95%, except at Sierra High School, which has few students. Increasing attendance by 1% would bring in $200,000, but sick students should not be in school.

FHS Principal John Wilber presented the annual report on the Career Technical Education Program. The current Program contains five course sequences: Agriculture, Business, Construction, Photography, and Automotive Repair. Each sequence has at least one two-hour class, and (except for Auto Repair) an advisory board consisting of staff and representatives from the private sector. Funds from Ventura County ROP and a $30,000 Carl Perkins Grant contribute to the Program. The grant can only be used to expand and enhance the Program, not maintain it. This year's grant money will purchase a table saw and a lathe for the Construction classes, and two welders and a greenhouse for the Agriculture Fabrications class. That class will demolish the old greenhouse and build a new one using a kit. The County cuts to ROP will make it difficult for the Program to continue as is. Superintendent Jeff Sweeney and Assistant Superintendent Mike Bush will have met with the County regarding ROP cuts on March 18th. They hope that cuts can be reduced from 50% to 20%. The Program's five-year plan calls for expansion into the 7th and 8th grades.

There was considerable discussion regarding a supplemental coach for FHS cheerleaders. The Board approved a contract for Eddie Rios, a tumbling coach and choreographer, by a three to two vote. FHS Principal John Wilber assured the Board that FHS Bookkeeper Nada Vaughn is keeping strict tabs on the cheerleading account and the team is not allowed to schedule sessions with Rios unless the funds for his services have been raised ahead of time and are available. Board Members expressed concerns about parity among coaches and sports programs, and concerns about the amount of fundraising cheerleaders are committed to. The contract ensures that Rios has liability coverage and states that his charges are not to exceed $2,500 per month.

The Board approved three new courses at the high school level: World Geography, Fitness for Life, and a Forensic Science Elective. Forensic Science will be taught at Sierra High School. The Board started the approval process for a new book for the World Geography class.

The Board approved several field trips. Two San Cayetano robotics students will travel to a national student symposium hosted by NASA Explorer Schools at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. That trip is fully funded by a NASA grant. FHS students will attend the 2009 Future Farmers of America Regional meeting, and will practice their livestock and horse judging skills at Reedly Field Day. FHS AVID Juniors will visit six colleges: CSU Bakersfield, CSU Fresno, UC Merced, UC Berkeley, Stanford, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Sierra High School Principal Tony Held will retire at the end of June.

Bush said that the Physical Education staff at FHS are working towards including swimming in the PE program. They need to receive water safety instruction, arrange for team-teaching so that a teacher can be on lifeguard duty at all times, determine what is appropriate attire and how it will be provided, and acquire towels.

The 10 to 12-year-old four-ton air conditioning units at the Fillmore Middle School are breaking down, and will be replaced this summer. Air conditioning improvements will also be made in the Arts and Science Buildings at FHS.