Fillmore Unified School District

Human Resources Consultant Bev Jones disclosed that 66 Fillmore Unified School District teachers and two administrators received layoff notices for the 2010-2011 school year.

Accusation packets were sent Monday by the District to those employees who want a hearing with a hearing officer and the District, which is set for April 19. Employees who received the reduction in force notices were chosen, based on seniority and job availability in the District next year. For example, 13 of 25 teachers at Mountain View School have received notices. Those laid off can “bump” someone with lesser seniority in positions that they are qualified to fill. The District is trying to eliminate the expected $887,000 deficit in next year's budget. They are currently in negotiations with the teacher's union to try to eliminate the deficit.

Theresa Marvel, the FUSD Teacher's Association President, said they have presented the District with some other ways to cut the deficit then at the classroom level. “We have a great proposal on the table for the District,” she said. The teachers agree to take off five days without pay next year. Marvel said this would still meet the State requirement for 175 student days. Another proposal is to pilot a change in the health insurance program from Net Access to the Net Value program. The union has also put out a retirement proposal for senior teachers. The cost savings would depend on the number of people retiring. Marvel said they are proposing for next year that class size in grades K-3 would increase from 23 to 25 students. That would eliminate the need for one teacher. “I am thoroughly concerned,” Marvel said. “I cannot see how teachers would believe that eliminating class size reduction is helpful. We want our kids to be educated and prepared, she continued. We're here to work at educating students in the best way. We want our community to wear yellow ribbons to show support for our teachers. We also want the community to call school board members and attend school board meetings.”

Marvel feels the District wants to CONTINUED »

Artists Guild
Judy Dressler appeared before the Council Tuesday night, March 23, to represent the newly formed, eight-charter-members-strong Artists Guild, which is looking to grow and find venues to showcase their work. The Guild is holding a Show and Sale at the Giessinger Winery at 365 Santa Clara Street on March 27-28 in conjunction with the City’s RailFest Celebration.

Boy Scouts and Boys & Girls Club
Mayor Patti Walker presented a Proclamation to the Fillmore Boy Scout Troop #406 for Outstanding Service to the Community. The troop filled 1,200 sandbags to protect against potential flood damage at the Fillmore Fire House during the January storms. Eleven of the 16 members were in attendance to receive the Proclamation. Mayor Walker then presented a Proclamation to Sheila Tate to acknowledge March 21-27, 2010 as National Boys & Girls Club Week and commended the new permanent director of Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley for the organization’s work in providing comprehensive effective services to over 300 youths annually.

Keeping Revenues Local
David Mullinax of the California League of Cities, which represents 480 cities in the state, spoke on the group’s initiative to gather 1.1 million signatures by the end of April to protect local revenues from Sacramento. They have collected 800,000 signatures to date and are campaigning to mobilize grassroots efforts to meet their goal in order to keep the state government from “balancing their budgets on our backs.” Mullinax said that the beginning of the process starts with the adoption of the resolution he submitted before the City.

Classification and Compensation Study CONTINUED »

VENTURA COUNTY, CA - Commander Geoff Dean, candidate for Sheriff, announced today that Sheriff Larry "Carp" Carpenter (ret.) has given his endorsement to Commander Dean in the upcoming Sheriff's election. Sheriff Carpenter retired after nearly 33 years of county law-enforcement experience. He began at the Fillmore Police Department, and then moved to the Sheriff's Department. There, he rose through the ranks, becoming Assistant Sheriff to Al Jalaty, Undersheriff to John Gillespie, and finally served as the elected Sheriff of Ventura County.

"I am endorsing Geoff Dean because he has the integrity, education, training and experience to lead the Sheriff's Department into the future. Although he is certainly an able administrator, the job of Sheriff requires leadership ability and I believe that Geoff is a leader among leaders. I proudly endorse Geoff Dean." -- Sheriff Larry Carpenter

Sheriff Carpenter joins the long list of distinguished Ventura County law enforcement leaders, including District Attorney Mike Bradbury (ret.) and Sheriff John Gillespie (ret.), Chiefs of Police Mike Lewis (Simi Valley), John Crombach (Oxnard), Ken Corney (Ventura), Fernie Estrella (Port Hueneme) and Steve McKinnon (Santa Paula), in the endorsement of Geoff Dean as the next Sheriff of Ventura County.

"I am extremely proud to receive Sheriff Carpenter's endorsement. He was the consummate Sheriff and peace officer who served as a mentor for myself and many others. I am honored by his faith in me to lead the Ventura County Sheriff's Department." -- Geoff Dean

For a complete list of law enforcement leaders, public safety groups, elected officials and community leaders endorsing Commander Dean for Sheriff of Ventura County, please visit our website: www.GeoffDeanForSheriff.com

Dean's Resume:
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Ventura County Sheriff’s Department 32 years 1978- 2010
 Extensive experience working at CONTINUED »

Richard Lee Schuck "Dick" born October 19, 1926 in Hazard, Kentucky, passed away at age 83 on March 8, 2010 quietly in his sleep at home in Fillmore, California. Dick struggled with emphysema for 15 years. He masked his pain with a smile and a joke.

Dick was a member of VFW of Santa Paula, he was a lifelong Mason and member of the 82nd Airborne in World War 2. He was stationed in Munich, Germany in 1945 and was part of the US liberation of Dachau concentration camp. He took pictures and those are on display at the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum. Dick was one of several veterans who were honored at the Fillmore Middle School ‘Pride in America’ assembly each year.

Dick was an adventurer and a traveler. His work took him to Iran for many years where he lived and worked for Aramco Oil. He also lived in the Philippines and Thailand.

For the last 14 years of his life he lived in the El Dorado senior community with his wife of 16 years Marion. On any given day you would see him walking his dog "Hey you" or working on his backyard making a waterfall. He loved to visit with his friends and neighbors. He really loved to brag about his children. Every holiday he would take them around to show them off.

It is difficult to capture Dick's personality in words. Every memory his loved ones have of him is with a big smile on his face and cracking a joke.

His optimistic attitude, his love of life, his great stories and his ability to befriend all those around him made him someone we will never forget.

He is survived by his wife Marion and his five children Henry, Sheva, Debra, Kimberly, Pamela and his grandchildren Shelby, Amanda and Mitchel.

All Dick’s friends are welcome to attend his memorial which will take place on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 11am at the Fillmore Senior Center. See obituary section.

The Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley is very happy to announce the appointment of Sheila Tate as the Club’s new Chief Executive Officer. Sheila’s appointment was announced Wednesday, March 10th and she will take on the permanent position effective April 7, 2010. Readers may recall that Sheila stepped into the Interim CEO position in December, 2009 when the Club was experiencing serious financial difficulties. Sheila took hold of the reigns with a firm and unswerving hand, bringing the Club back to its current condition of solvency. Services to the communities’ youth continue and the trust of the community has been restored.

The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley is a 501(c)3 non-profit operating with a $986,000 budget, 30 employees, serving 700 children daily from six school sites and two Club locations in Fillmore and Santa Paula. Sheila has been tireless in her efforts to raise grant, corporate, and individual donations by speaking before local service groups and City Council meetings. The Club is moving forward with grant applications, collaborations with other local non-profits and anticipates a financially solid and responsible fiscal report when it ends its fiscal year in June, 2010.

Sheila has long been a contributing member in the Santa Clara Valley, participating as Rotarian with Santa Paula Rotary, and having recently closed her therapy practice on Main Street in Santa Paula. All in all, the Board feels it has made a wise decision in retaining Sheila. Donations are always encouraged at the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley and can be made by contacting the Club at 805-525-7910, or mailing a check payable to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley at PO Box 152, Santa Paula, CA 93061-0152.

Ventura, CA – The Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) announces that it has been awarded $650,000 through the Federal Home Loan Bank’s (FHLB) Affordable Housing Program for a new affordable rental community CEDC is planning to build in Piru called Valle Naranjal. The FHLB award is made to a member bank which sponsors the project. In this case, Bank of America, N.A., was the member bank which received the funds and will distribute the funds to CEDC when construction on the project begins.

The $650,000 will be used toward construction costs of 65 of the 66 total rental homes in the development. One rental home in the development will be set aside for an on-site property manager and was not eligible for the FHLB funding. The project was awarded the maximum competitive subsidy of $10,000 per unit, for a total of $650,000 for the 65 rental homes.

A website noting the award is located at:
http://www.fhlbsf.com/ci/grant/ahp/grantrecipients.asp

“We feel fortunate as an organization CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

I wanted to let you know that I have made some personnel changes that will affect Fillmore Middle School. I have promoted Mr. Todd Schieferle to work in the District Office. Mr. Schieferle will be in charge of Human Resources. Mr. Schieferle has been a counselor, a dean, and the principal at FMS and will be missed by all.

To replace Mr. Schieferle, I have asked Mrs. Tricia Godfrey to move from her position as assistant principal to become principal. Mrs. Godfrey and Mr. Schieferle have worked in partnership for two years as leaders at the school. Having Mrs. Godfrey as principal will ensure that the great progress the school has made will not be derailed with this change.

To replace Mrs. Godfrey, I have asked Mr. Scott Carroll to become the school’s assistant principal. Mr. Carroll is an excellent FMS sixth grade teacher who I know will become an outstanding assistant principal. He has been the school’s AVID and advisory coordinator this year. And, he has been the administrative designee for the past two years.

The school has made great strides under the leadership of Mr. Schieferle and Mrs. Godfrey. I know the school will continue to improve under the direction of Mrs. Godfrey and Mr. Carroll. All three will begin their transition to their new positions after our spring break. I look forward to seeing each assume their new job responsibilities and witnessing great things in the future.

Sincerely,

Jeff Sweeney, Superintendent

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