By Kimberly Rivers

Now is the time of year when parents realize that they are running late if they haven’t registered for kindergarten and if they are wanting to make a change for older kids they need to make some phone calls now. Over the past few months I have chatted with parents throughout Ventura County about schools, education and what they look for in a school for their child. And the common thread through all these discussions is that there is no one school that is perfect for every child, but that parents are seeking the school that works for their son or daughter. But what do they look for?

Some Things to consider (not necessarily in order of importance, each family knows what is most important for them):
-Academics/State rankings
-Experience level of teachers (prospective parents should be able to visit classrooms when in session, contact the principal to set up a day to visit)
-Services for students with special needs
-Programs/services for non native english speakers & assessment
-School environment (visit the campus when school is in session, and out. How does staff respond? What does the campus "feel" like?
-District environment (attend a school board meeting, meet with the superintendent)
-Matriculation (remember to check middle school and high school. Elementary parents sometimes forget to visit these schools as it may be years before their child attends them.)
-Athletics
-Student Assessment (some districts only rely on state tests, while others conduct their own periodic assessments based on district benchmarks)
-Music & Art programs
-Quality of School Counselors
-Credentials of Teachers, Principals
-Focus of curriculum (magnet school, focus, charter)
-Parent Involvement Encouraged
-Technology used in teaching
.... and so on...

Academics surely play an important role. Every parent wants their child to attend a school that will provide a quality foundation for learning, achievement and success throughout their lives. Schools and districts are scrambling to meet state requirements with ever shrinking budgets. Some schools are making it happen. Recently in FUSD we’ve heard board members ask District staff what the district needs to do in order to attract students. Having a quality program was the response. Yes, I agree with that. But for many parents, myself included the environment and culture of the district is equally if not more important.

Parents want to know that they and their child are welcomed at the school and not only when they are happy but especially when they have a complaint or concern. For several years this has been a struggle of FUSD. Some parents and staff report feeling that FUSD is a hostile environment for anyone who has questions or concerns. Over recent months the school board has heard from several parents expressing these feelings and seems either unwilling or unable to make any real changes, give any directives to staff, or even add an item on the agenda to discuss it. One way that the Board could make a change is to bring more of it’s business into the light of day. Recently the Board voted to approve the recommended action of serving notices on many staff members that they may not have a job next year. Yes, this is needed now because no one knows what is going to happen with the state budget. BUT, the Board made this vote in less than two minutes. No discussion. No questions. No mention of how it might actually affect the students. What is this year’s motto? Oh yes, “Students First”. Now I am sure that Board members made phone calls, had meetings and gathered info on their own time, but what they continually fail to do is report these findings to the public when the item is on the agena. The main reason they are sitting at that table is to hold public meetings in order to report on the processes they are involved in while making decisions. The public has the perception, and I think rightly so, that the Board is making it’s decisions before it sits down at Board meetings. This is not the way for a publicly elected body to conduct business. It is legally required and ethically necessary to have these discussions, provide information and explain their positions in an open and transparent manner to the public. If it’s on the agenda for open session the discussion MUST take place in front of the public. Remember that not only is the Board ultimately responsible for the District acting in a legal and forthright manner in ALL things, but also it is also responsible for the publics’ perception of how it does business. It appears that when a parent, staff member or resident perceives a level of deception the Board blames that person, instead of asking “How can we conduct business in a way to improve the publics perception?” the Board has the power to alter the way it conducts business and bring it out into the light of day. Board reports are not intended to inform the public about dinners, basketball games and art shows, but for the Board members to report on issues of concern, what are they doing about the issues that are brought to them. Ms. Rangel, you have tried to get AR on the agenda and you don’t seem to have support from fellow board member or staff, so prepare your own report and present during “Board Reports”. Mr. Garnica, you have asked staff about test scores (state and AP) you can find all this info online and report it promptly during “Board Reports”. (Sidebar: I do want to commend Mr. Garnica on actually having the where-with-all to want to see the actual contract the Board was recently asked to enter into. The actual text was not included in the packet prepared by staff. He and Ms. Rangel objected to entering into the contract "site unseen". I think that may be the only 3-2 vote of the school board in recent memory.) The public wants the Board to show leadership and get those administrators that sit around you to demonstrate why taxpayers should continue to pay their salaries. If you have questions, ask them in those public meetings, and don’t let them off the hook by saying “Don’t answer this now”. I think that the School Board changing the way it conducts business would do wonders for the publics perception.

Tearing down fences. FUSD has spent tens of thousands of dollars to put up fences around the schools. The idea is that this is for safety, and surely it is appropriate at many places on a school campus, around play areas and ball fields for example. But how does it make you feel when you walk onto a campus closed in by iron fences? I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m walking into a prison. Have you ever walked onto a high school that does not have these fences? They are getting rare, but they do exist. Try it sometime. Imagine you are a student, which campus would you prefer? And I will suggest that this holds true whether the student is an “A” student or one who’s GPA is less than ideal. I have asked our local law enforcement officials to comment on the use of fences around school, and whether or not it has reduced crime on campuses, I expect their response soon. Piru Elementary alone has received over $19,000.00 in new fences this year, and I’ve asked about whether or not there were incidents that warranted those fences. Perhaps our community is a place where prison-like fences are needed around schools. If so, it makes you think. Is that the community you want your kids attending school in?

Parent Involvement Opportunities. My son attends school in a different district. A major reason for that is the environment on campus and throughout the district. When we go on campus, at his school, the middle school, or the high school, we are greeted with “hellos” and smiles. We feel welcomed. My experience on FUSD campuses is quite different. Parents I have spoken with share similar reports. They do not feel welcomed when they come onto campus. A school can offer many so called opportunities for parents to volunteer and help, but if parents don't feel comfortable and welcomed, they won't come. This seems like common sense. The experience of a welcoming environment is an intangible and sometimes hard to articulate experience, but it starts with culture. What kind of culture does this district cultivate when it comes to parental involvement? What kind of feeling do parents get when they call the office? Are they ever thanked for bringing something to the attention of administrators?

Choosing a school involves many things. Quality academics are just one aspect. I continue to hope that the FUSD school board will soon begin to model the type of open and accountable culture that the public has been asking for. Maybe then the district won’t have to worry so much about declining enrollment and will be able to lure students from other districts.

Next week: Transfer Options for Families in Ventura County