Fillmore Unified School District

As Held says, "This will be a learning and planning year."
Facilities improvements at the high school include a new stadium, track, and exterior paint. The staff is preparing the classrooms. Eight new teachers have been hired, including two Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) teachers. Just two years ago, the students in those two classes would have been sent to other districts, including El Rio, for instruction that could meet their educational needs. Last year, the county ran an SAI class on the FHS campus, but this year the classes are part of the high school. After the first week of school, school will start late on Wednesdays to provide collaborative time for teachers.
Wilber considers the ongoing challenge of FHS to be improving student achievement and test scores. Last year, the students set a new record for passing the required exit exam. 80% of students taking the test for the first time passed the English and Language Arts portion of the test. 75% of students taking the test for the first time passed the Math portion of the test. He hopes to match or exceed those numbers this year.
Wilber had left his position as FHS Principal because being a teacher at FHS allowed him to spend more time with his children and volunteer with their sports teams. He is happy to be back as Principal now that his children are four years older. Wilber is looking forward to working with students, parents, and staff to make it a great year for everyone.
The School District's motivating theme this year is "Be the Change". At Board meetings, the School Board will be recognizing key people who are positive influences.
The School District's goals this year include increasing parent interaction and involvement, improving communication, maintaining facilities, improving discipline and attendance, increasing student achievement, and providing the highest quality staff.
Superintendent Jeff Sweeney believes that a major challenge in the upcoming year will be to raise student achievement despite a budget cut of roughly one million dollars. Some one-time funding sources were found to cushion the blow, but the school district worked hard to find ways to reduce spending without affecting school quality. The effects of the cuts will be mostly indirect and have not been determined. For example, school busing was significantly reduced. Schools will not be busing students from the main part of town, where most schools are located, unless the students have special circumstances, such as a disability. Students will still be bused from Bardsdale and other outlying areas.
The Bridges free after school program continues. It is designed to keep children safe and provides exercise, nutrition, and recreation, as well as an academic component. Participants are required to attend regularly. Parents who are interested in having their children attend should contact Carol Barringer in the district office.
Sweeney said that when the school campuses have a fresh and clean look it instills a sense of pride. Sweeney mentioned that the students in football practice this week seem motivated by the new stadium complex, and that the complex will benefit the entire community. Sweeney anticipates great things for the community and stated, "The new school year affords us all an opportunity for a fresh start."
Parent-School communication is very important to the school system. The Superintendent and Principals are interested in both positive and negative comments from parents. They want to encourage parent involvement. FHS will have back-to-school night on September 10th. Other schools will have back-to-school nights in August.
FHS is holding Freshman Orientation on Monday, August 4th, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration will be August 7th for Freshmen and Sophomores, and August 8th for Juniors and Seniors. The Student Store will be having a sale during registration: students who purchase both an ASB card and an Annual will save $15. If parents have not received registration materials, they should contact the school at 524-6100.
FMS will be distributing schedules and registering students on August 11th and 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Parents of elementary students are encouraged to contact the school if their children are not yet registered. Registration packets will also be sent home on the first day of school.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On Thursday, July 31, 2008, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Aviation/ S.A.R. Unit was dispatched by the Ventura County Fire Department to an injured person who was electrocuted while working in an orchard near Bardsdale Cemetery.

Air Squad 8 was sent staffed with a pilot, two rescue crew chiefs and a flight paramedic. A landing zone was secured a short distance away from the accident site. Daniel Torres 22, of Fillmore, was transported to the landing zone in the back of an ambulance. Once the Air Squad arrived the flight paramedic and a crew chief walked to the ambulance to help prepare Torres for air transport. Torres was brought to the awaiting helicopter and flown directly to Ventura County Regional Medical Center where his care was transferred to the emergency room staff. Torres’ condition and the events leading to the non-fatal electric shock are unknown at this time.

Airman Kailey Andrews

Life-long Fillmore resident, Kailey Andrews, 19 years, a graduate of Fillmore High School (FHS) in 2007 recently finished United States Air Force Recruit Training. Kailey attended Los Nogales Elementary and Camarillo Heights Elementary Schools, and Los Altos Middle School in Camarillo before attending FHS. After graduation from FHS Kailey attended Ventura College before enlisting into the United States Air Force. Kailey was an avid softball player since she was 4 yrs. old and played year-round softball through high school at both second base and center field.
Kailey is the daughter of Greg and Stacy (Robertson) Andrews of Fillmore. Kailey has one brother, Ryan Andrews, 23 years, a graduate from Fillmore High School Class of 2003, now attending Cal Poly Pomona studying Kinesiology. Ryan is employed with 24 hr. Fitness as a Personal Trainer.
Kailey’s maternal grandparents are Grandfather Charles Thomas Robertson of Fillmore and Grandmother Vicki Robertson (deceased). Grandfather Charles Thomas Robertson is a retired Assistant Fire Chief from the Point Mugu Naval Base, Point Mugu Fire Department. Kailey’s paternal grandparents; Grandfather Norman Andrews (deceased) and Grandmother 'Mike' Andrews (deceased). Norman and ‘Mike” were long-time Fillmore community leaders. ‘Mike Andrews’ was a school teacher for many years at the then Fillmore Jr. High School before switching careers to become a Realtor/Broker/Owner from 1977-2006 of Andrews Property Store. Both Norman and ‘Mike’ were active Rotarians and members of the Fillmore Sunrise Rotary Club.
Kailey follows a long line of family members with military service with three of her grandfathers also serving in the Military: Grandfather- Charles Thomas Robertson in the United States Navy, Grandfather- Norman Andrews, United States Navy having served in the Korean War and Great grandfather-Marvin Brandt serving in the United States Army seeing action during The Battle of the Bulge.
Kailey enlisted in the United States Air Force in December of 2007 and completed 6 1/2 wks. Training with the 326 TRS/FLT 444TRS (Training squadron) FLT (Flight) at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas graduating on July 11, 2008. At graduation Kailey was awarded the "Thunderbolt" award in physical fitness which is the second tier from the top of the three awards given for physical fitness to graduating recruits. To be presented with the Thunderbolt Award a woman recruit must complete the following tasks within the minimum criteria; Run (1.5 mile) in 12:00 minutes, complete 32 push-ups, 55 sit-ups and 2 pull-ups in the technically correct manner. Airman Kailey Andrews is currently attending Technical School in Wichita Falls, Texas for training as a surgical apprentice.
All of us here in the Fillmore/Piru area are proud of United States Air Force Airman Kailey Andrews’ service, appreciate the sacrifices she and her family have made and wish her safe travel and a successful tour of duty in the United States Air Force.

The first day of school is only two weeks away on August 13th; schools are gearing up for the start of a new year. Over 3,800 children will be enrolled in Fillmore public schools this year.
Four schools have new principals. The Larkins’ retirements created two openings, and Superintendent Jeff Sweeney took the opportunity to shuffle staff so that the right people are where they need to be to accomplish the most good. John Wilber has returned from teaching to be principal again at Fillmore High School (FHS). Todd Schieferle, formerly Dean of Students at Fillmore Middle School (FMS), was promoted to Principal of FMS. Tony Held, who had been the Principal of FMS, is the Principal of the recently re-named Sierra High School (previously known as “C” School). Chrissy Schieferle is now Principal of Mountain Vista Elementary School.
Ms. Schieferle was an Assistant Principal at FHS last year, and had been a teacher at FMS. She explained that her first quasi-administrative position as a coordinator, "Opened my eyes to the big picture and the impact that administrators have on school systems." She is an idea person who appreciates the opportunity to make her ideas happen, and is looking forward to bringing teachers together and supporting them. She grew up in Fillmore, and her children are attending public schools here.
This is the third year Mountain Vista has been open. This year's motto is "Be kind, be responsible, be the change." There is a new character development program with monthly character education assemblies and a rewards system. The staff is disseminating a Wildcat Pledge for Success which includes listening, treating others as I would like to be treated, respecting diversity, remembering that people care about me, and trying my best. There is also a new staff development plan. Mountain Vista will be having a kindergarten orientation August 8th from 6:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will also be a Parent Tea August 13th at 8:30 a.m. to allow parents to meet school staff and ask questions.
San Cayetano Elementary School enters its second year of being a NASA Explorer School. Teachers Melanie Schrock and Brandi Walk attended a one-week robotics workshop at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. This year fourth and fifth graders at San Cayetano will have the opportunity to participate in a beginning robotics program, which will culminate in a team being sent to a robotics competition this spring. Principal Jan Marholin and Teacher Inger Overton attended a one-week workshop at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia regarding the NASA Explorer program. San Cayetano will continue to be a NASA Explorer School possibly forever, and NASA will continue to provide resources and opportunities, but NASA will not provide funding beyond the third year, so San Cayetano is looking into alternative funding.
San Cayetano has purchased digital learning network equipment that will allow video conferencing. Marholin plans on using the equipment in assemblies to provide virtual educational field trips. The school will be able to connect not only to NASA-related researchers and test pilots, but also to California state parks and museums. The researcher would appear via a projector and the assembled students would be able to ask questions. This equipment could also be used between schools; for example, an assembly of students at a school in Missouri could meet with the assembled San Cayetano students.
San Cayetano's field has been graded and re-seeded. San Cayetano also has a new classroom, a new cafeteria floor, and new blue exterior paint. Eagle Scouts from Boy Scout Troupe 406 have landscaped the front of the school.
Some storage buildings were eliminated at Piru Elementary School to clean up the campus, but otherwise education continues as expected. Principal Richard Durborow commented, "This school year we will continue to offer challenging and information-rich learning environments where students are encouraged to become critical thinkers who not only learn California content standards but also learn invaluable lessons of self-control and mutual respect. . . . We look forward to a great year working with [students and their families]."
Sespe Elementary School is closed for vacation this week, so staff were unavailable for comment, but the office will re-open on Monday.
Todd Schieferle, the new Principal at FMS, had been an Academic Counselor for over 10 years before becoming Dean of Students. The Dean of Students is similar to an Assistant Principle, but mostly handles discipline. Mr. Schieferle states, "My personal vision for the school includes three main priorities: school safety, high quality education, and creating a positive school environment." He believes middle school is "one of the most important times for parents to be involved in their children's lives at school." He encourages parnets to visit and volunteer, and wants them to feel welcome. For more information, parents can contact the Academic Counselors Dena Wyand and Ronda Reyes at 524-6055.
FMS is implementing a new rotating schedule. Although the classes will stay the same, the order of the classes will rotate every three weeks so that teachers will be seeing each class at a different time during the day. There will also be an advisory period for students to receive extra help or enrichment. FMS will also have a late start on Wednesday mornings, starting the second week of school, to provide teachers with collaboration time.
There will be new drop-off and pick-up procedures at FMS this year. Cars are required to enter at the 2nd and Yucca St. entrance, and exit only through the A St. gate. This is expected to reduce the risk of accidents.
There are six new teachers at the middle school. FMS is continuing the skateboarding program which started last year as a part of P.E. This year's school mission is "Together we will . . . think, believe, create, achieve."
FMS and FHS have new Assistant Principals. Tricia Godfrey used to teach at FMS. Last year she was the district office coordinator for the Bridges after school program. This year she will be back at FMS as Vice Principal. Carol Barringer takes over the Bridges coordinator position, and will also be job sharing with Geri Lunde, who continues as Principal of Sespe Elementary. Geri Lunde will be principal 80% of the time and Carol Barringer will cover the remaining 20% on a pre-arranged personalized schedule. Ellen Green, previously at Maricopa High School in Kern County, will take Chrissy Schieferle’s place as the new Assistant Principal at FHS.
Fillmore Community High School, commonly known as "C" School, was renamed at the end of the last school year. The students themselves, through their own ASB, suggested a new name and made their case to the School Board. The school is now Sierra High School. The students also selected a motto and a new mascot, the Warrior. According to Tony Held, the new name reflects a shift in philosophy. The school is moving away from being a continuation high school and becoming more of an alternative high school. An alternative high school combines elements of a traditional high school with a focus on individual needs; it provides allowances for alternative learning styles and smaller classes. Sierra will be offering more direct instruction than "C" School did. Plans are being made to move the school to a new campus, located where a few old junior high buildings still remain, for the 2009-2010 school year. Held is looking to expand the program when the school has more space, but for now he is looking forward to getting to know the students and school.
FHS is holding Freshman Orientation on Monday, August 4th, from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Registration will be August 7th and 8th. If parents have not received registration materials, they should contact the school at 524-6100.
FMS will be distributing schedules and registering students on August 11th and 12th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s investigation into allegations of misuse of funds by Fillmore Fire Chief Pete Egedi has been completed and sent to the District Attorney’s Office, according to VC Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Ross Bonfiglio. The DA will now decide whether to file charges.

Egedi was placed on paid administrative leave on Monday, April 7th, 2008. He receives base pay of $79,987, and benefits of $70,887. Egedi became fire chief three years ago, is an at-will employee of the city, and does not have a contract with the city. He has been on paid administrative leave since early April.
Reports state Egedi has hired Camarillo attorney Mark Pachowicz to represent him in the matter. Pachowicz was a senior deputy district attorney with Ventura County before going into private practice.

The theory behind Rain Gardens is that they will soak up rain water, mainly from roofs, but also from driveways and lawns. They are landscaped areas planted with wild flowers and other native vegetation to replace areas of lawn. The gardens fill with a few inches of water and should allow the water to slowly filter into the ground rather than running off into storm drains.

Holding back the runoff helps prevent pollutants such as fertilizers from washing off of yards into storm sewers, and eventually into nearby streams, rivers and lakes. By reducing the amount of water that enters the local storm drain systems, rain gardens can reduce the chances for local flooding, as well as bank and shoreline damage where storm drains empty into streams and lakes.

Go to http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/pdf/home.gardens.pdf for more information. One of the reasons given for rain gardens at the site is “reducing the need for costly municipal storm water treatment structures.”

The Gazette received a frantic phone call Tuesday from someone who told us that “They’re cutting down the sycamore tree on Kensington!” The tree is estimated to be more than 200 years old. It grew beside Pole Creek when the creek passed through the center of what later became Fillmore. It turned out that Donald Ebell, owner of that tree, was just giving it a much-needed trim. The enormous, triple-trunk tree was suffering from a drought condition, and limbs had fallen recently. The historical tree had been a meeting place for local Indians,
early Spaniards, and Franciscan friars for many years. Ebell has unearthed horseshoes and square nails around the tree over the years.

Arnold Schwarzenegger
California State Governor

Continuing his commitment to public safety, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed legislation to hold offenders accountable for crimes of vandalism and to remove graffiti from California's streets and neighborhoods. AB 1767 by Assemblymember Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) mandates community service for a person who has committed a criminal act of graffiti vandalism, and AB 2609 by Assemblymember Mike Davis (D-Los Angeles) requires defendants convicted of graffiti vandalism to clean up or repair the defaced or damaged property.

“As Governor, I have made the safety of our communities my top priority,” Governor Schwarzenegger said. “By cleaning up graffiti and holding offenders accountable for their actions, this legislation will make our streets and neighborhoods a safer and cleaner place to live.”

AB 1767 authorizes the courts in San Francisco to launch a pilot program where violators of graffiti vandalism are ordered to participate in a minimum of 24 hours of community service, when available, if they have reached a civil compromise with the victim. This law targets graffiti abatement service programs as the community service outlet for offenders and remains in effect until January 1, 2012.

Similarly, AB 2609 requires the court to order offenders paroled for a graffiti violation to clean up, repair or replace the damaged property. Defendants would also be required keep the damaged property or another specified property in the community free of graffiti for up to one year.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude 5.4

Date-Time Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 18:42:15 UTC
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:42:15 AM at epicenter

Location 33.955°N, 117.765°W
Depth 13.6 km (8.5 miles)
Region GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA

Distances
4 km (3 miles) WSW (240°) from Chino Hills, CA
7 km (4 miles) SE (135°) from Diamond Bar, CA
8 km (5 miles) NNE (16°) from Yorba Linda, CA
12 km (7 miles) S (184°) from Pomona, CA
46 km (28 miles) ESE (104°) from Los Angeles Civic Center, CA

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 0.3 km (0.2 miles); depth +/- 0.6 km (0.4 miles)

Parameters Nph=095, Dmin=9 km, Rmss=0.34 sec, Gp= 25°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=S

Source California Integrated Seismic Net:
USGS Caltech CGS UCB UCSD UNR

On July 16, 2007, the Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved the City of Fillmore's plan to annex 41 acres for the development of a business park, despite a LAFCO staff report recommending that Fillmore not be allowed to annex the land. Staff had cited FEMA's preliminary flood map as the main reason for the negative recommendation. Supervisor Linda Parks and Special District Member George Lange of Thousand Oaks were the only two Commissioners who voted against the annexation due to safety concerns. The annexation passed by a 5 to 2 vote. The proposed business park would be approximately 90 acres, and 41 of those acres are currently outside Fillmore city limits.
The annexation is now in its 30-day reconsideration period. If no one requests that LAFCO reconsider its decision, next step will be for LAFCO to complete protest proceedings. During protest proceedings, people who own property in the area to be annexed can file written protests against the annexation. According to Fillmore Special Projects Manager Roy Payne, “Not all property owners have consented to the annexation.” Payne explained that one property owner has not signed the consent form, but emphasized that this does not necessarily mean that the man is opposed to the annexation. Protest proceedings must culminate in a public hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. When these and other qualifications have been met, LAFCO can issue an order of annexation and a certificate of completion that will finalize the annexation.
Mayor Steve Conway was pleased by the news that LAFCO has approved the annexation. He said, “The Business Park is an important addition to our community which will provide job opportunities for our residents. I'd like to thank the council members, staff and consultants who spoke before the Commission and advocated for the annexation. Clearly their message was heard by the LAFCO Commission Board Members and I'm pleased a majority supported our efforts.”