Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) will bestow honors on high-achieving graduating seniors during its 2016 Honors Convocation, Saturday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. at the John Spoor Broome Library Plaza. The ceremony is open to all students earning honors and graduating from fall 2015 through summer 2016.

To receive honors at graduation, a student must have completed a minimum of 30 units at CI for a letter grade and earned a grade point average of 3.50 or above in all CI and transfer coursework. Graduates may receive honors at one of the following three levels: Cum Laude for GPAs of 3.50 – 3.74; Magna Cum Laude for GPAs of 3.75 – 3.89; and Summa Cum Laude for GPAs of 3.90 – 4.0.

CI also celebrates the outstanding achievements of graduating seniors in areas that span the campus. Graduating President’s Scholars will be recognized during the ceremony. The CI President’s Scholars Program provides stellar incoming students with a scholarship that is renewable for four years, and includes full resident fees, a generous textbook allowance, and the use of a laptop computer.

CI also recognizes outstanding students in each major with Program Honors, and acknowledges students with achievements in the areas of community engagement and integrative, multicultural, and international perspectives with Mission Center Awards. Graduating students who are members of the Mortar Board Four Pillars Chapter, the nation’s premier honor society, will also be recognized during the event.

Students and guests may park in any ‘A’ lot. Parking permits are not required during the event and citations will not be issued. Please follow the directional signs indicating event location and parking areas. Free bus service to and from the campus is also provided for attendees from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

For additional information, visit http://www.csuci.edu/provost/honorsconvocation.htm or contact Andrea Skinner, Curriculum Coordinator and APDB Coordinator at andrea.skinner@csuci.edu or 805-437-2749.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

MOORPARK, CA - America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College is now accepting enrollment applications for its Junior Safari Summer Camp program that begins June 20 through August 5 for children entering grades 1st through 6th in fall 2016. Junior Safari Summer Camp allows campers the unique opportunity to interact with the Zoo’s animal collection while participating in age appropriate science-based learning experiences. Camp activities include animal presentations and handling opportunities, as well as art and science projects. Activities occur within the safety of Zoo grounds (7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, CA) under direct supervision of trained camp staff. Camp hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with “early bird” and “night owl” options available. All camp sessions begin with a drop-off/sign-in with a camp counselor.

Grade level (students going into that grade in fall 2016) and themes for summer 2016 include:
Grade 1st/2nd, June 20-24, Zookeeping 101
Grade 3rd/4th, June 27-July 1, Wild in the City
Grade 1st/2nd, July 4-8, Planet Superheroes
Grade 3rd/4th, July 11-15, Zookeeping 101
Grade 1st/2nd, July 18-22, Animal Detectives
Grade 3rd/4th, July 25-29, Animal Dream Jobs
Grade 5th/6th, Aug 1-5, Zookeeeping 101

For detailed information, camp availability, and registration forms, visit the “Teaching Zoo” at www.moorparkcollege.edu or contact Kris Romero, Zoo Operations Assistant at (805) 378-1441, kromero@vcccd.edu.

MOORPARK COLLEGE, one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District, was founded in 1967. It is set on 150 beautiful acres, nestled in the foothills on the southeastern flank of Ventura County, about 40 miles from UCLA, and approximately 75 miles from UC Santa Barbara. It is also a short drive from CSU Northridge, CSU Channel Islands, and California Lutheran University. Moorpark College was recognized in the Huffington Post in March of 2015 as the fourth-best community college in the nation. It has an excellent reputation for university transfer preparation, and its signature career/technical programs include nursing, radiation technology, biotechnology, and exotic animal training, which incorporates the world-renowned America’s Teaching Zoo. The college also offers a dynamic range of classes and programs in the visual and performing arts, and its pristine athletic fields and mild climate provide an excellent home for student athletes.

FHS is having its 2nd Annual Talent Show this Friday at 7pm in the gym. Admission is $5.00. Children 5 years and under is free. Students and staff will be performing with all proceeds going to the drama program.

2016 Fillmore High School Open House
You Are Invited!
Fillmore High School Spring Open House
and 8th Grade Parent Orientation
Thursday, April 21, 2016
4:00 – 6:00 – Garden Market Dinner - Cafeteria
Sponsored by: Cross Country
$8.00 – Presale tickets only. Purchase ticket from any cross country member or Coach Tafoya.
5:00-5:50– Entertainment in the Quad
FHS Band
FHS Drama Club
FHS Ballet Folklorico
HS Clubs & Organizations
5:50 – 6:00 – Welcome from Mr. Ito - Quad
9th – 12th Grades:
6:00 – 7:30 – Visit Teachers in Gym
8th Grade Parents:
6:00 – 7:00 – Parent Orientation – Cafeteria
7:00-7:30 - Visit Teachers in Gym

Fillmore Unified School District

Elementary schools in Fillmore Unified School District will be hosting their first ever “Day with an Author” on Tuesday, April 12 to celebrate reading and writing. This marks the first time that students have interacted with award-winning published authors.

Author /Illustrator Joe Cepeda will be visiting Piru Elementary School. Cepeda, who began life as an engineer, has illustrated over twenty books for children. His bilingual book, Lado a Lado, tells the story of the partnership between Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. From North to South, tells of the separation of a Mexican family because of a lack of papers. Cepeda is president of the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles.

Author Alexis O’Neill will be visiting San Cayetano Elementary School. O’Neill authored the popular bully book, The Recess Queen, which has won children’s choice awards in several states. Her newest book, The Kite That Bridged Two Nations, has been nominated for a California Young Reader Medal Award.

Bilingual author Amada Irma Perez will be visiting Mountain Vista Elementary School. She will share two of her books, Nana's Big Surprise/Nana, Que sorpresa! and My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aquí hasta allá’. Perez has been a bilingual educator, consultant and presenter for more than twenty-five years. Her books have won a prestigious Pura Belpré Honor Book Award and a Tomás Rivera Children’s Book Award.

Picture book author and novelist, Paula Yoo, will be visiting Rio Vista Elementary School. Yoo’s latest book, Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank, is a 2014 Junior Library Guild selection. Paula Yoo is a classically trained violinist who also specializes in rock, prog rock, Celtic fiddle and country music. As a screenwriter, she has written for television shows including West Wing.

Each author will present assemblies to primary students and then intermediate students. Fourth graders will have a chance to meet the authors in special sessions following main assemblies to ask further questions and to discuss the writing process.

The visits are being done in cooperation with an author visit study sponsored through the Ventura County Reading Association and California State University Northridge.

Ventura College will host a grand opening celebration and building dedication of its new state-of-the-art Applied Science Center on Thursday, April 21, from 3-4 p.m. at the campus located at 4667 Telegraph Road. The event will include tours, a short presentation and remarks by school administrators, Chancellor Bernard Luskin and Board of Trustees Larry Kennedy, Chair. Established in 1925, Ventura College is one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District that include Moorpark College and Oxnard College

“Imagine students welding with a computer instead of a blowtorch and fixing the brakes on a car without touching a vehicle,” said Ventura College President Greg Gillespie. “This is the future of learning in the brand-new, state-of-the-art Applied Science Center at Ventura College.”

The 20,000 square foot center opens to students for the summer 2016 term. The facility is the brainchild of Vice Chancellor of Business and Administrative Services Dave Keebler, and features three types of learning to ensure a deep understanding of a concept or skill: traditional textbook learning, virtual simulator experiences and a hands-on simulation lab where students work with smaller versions of the real project without fear of making costly mistakes.

Features of the center include large glass windows so that passersby can watch students and robots inside the classrooms at work; virtual simulators that provide a 3-D video model that can rotate items; and an Imax projection screen that can be used by college staff, students and the community for training, web conferencing and teleconferencing.

“We are pleased to invite members of our community to the dedication of the Applied Science Center on Thursday, April 21st,” said District Chancellor Bernard Luskin. “The center curriculum was designed to train students for high-demand positions within the manufacturing industry, where demand exceeds the supply,” said Larry Kennedy, Chair, Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees.

For more information on the Applied Science Center’s Grand Opening or to RSVP, please contact Vice President of Administrative Services Tim Harrison at 805-289-6354 or tharrison@vcccd.edu.

About the Applied Science Center
Funding for the Applied Science Center was approved through the Measure S Bond in 2002. Construction of the Center began in 2014. The Center has three classrooms, an outdoor area that can be used by classes and high-tech Career Technical Center. The Visualization classroom seats 80 students and is equipped with a wall-sized Touch Screen. A lecture hall, which seats 160 students, features two large independent rear screen projectors and will be used for a wide range of classes. The Career Technical Center is a multi-discipline classroom and lab.

About Ventura College
Started in 1925, Ventura College is an accredited two-year institution of higher education within the Ventura County Community College District. The 112-acre campus has an enrollment of 14,500 students. It serves a diverse student body through credit and non-credit offerings. The college offers associate’s degrees in 33 majors, certificates of achievement in 35 career and technical education fields and proficiency awards in 26 fields.

Moorpark, CA - Moorpark College President Luis Sanchez, JD, LLM, today announced the launch of a new program in Game Design beginning this fall. The program was recently approved by the Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees as a Certificate of Achievement and an Associate in Science degree program. The only program like it in the region, the Game Design program at Moorpark College provides core competencies in the cultural, theoretical, artistic, and narrative aspects of game design, as well as a broad background in the creation and development of playable media.

“In response to the cultural ubiquity of games, as well as the success of both the industry and other schools who have begun offering courses in game design and development, Moorpark College is proud to be at the forefront of this technology,” said Sanchez.

“The demand for a Game Design program is clear,” said Game Design and Multimedia faculty Tim Samoff. “The goal of the program is to serve students who want to transfer to game-oriented programs at four-year institutions and students who are looking to get into the industry.”

Game development and associated industries generate more than $20 billion per year in the US alone. The program is designed to prepare students for freelance careers and/or entry-level employment as independent game developers or with game design and development companies. Students explore creative, technical, critical, and design-based solutions to real world issues in order to meet the rigors of a dynamically evolving array of game-oriented professions.

For more information, go to moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/game-design or contact Moorpark College at (805) 378-1400.

VENTURA, CA - Ventura College announced today its plans to offer a Social Media Marketing degree beginning the fall of 2016. The program was recently approved as a Certificate of Achievement and an Associate in Science degree to provide education and training on how social media has changed the way businesses communicate, including the use of mobile technology to increase interactivity between businesses and consumers. Twitter, Facebook, Snap Chat, You Tube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram are just a few of the top social media sites organizations are using to directly communicate with their customers and suppliers. According to the 2013 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, more than 3,000 marketers surveyed indicated the following:

• 86% of marketers reported that social media is important to their business
• 88% of marketers want to know more about the most effective tactics and the best ways to engage their audience with social media
• 89% of all marketers reported that use of social media increased their market exposure

“The inclusion of social media for marketing and planning can mean success or failure for a business,” said Dr. Greg Gillespie, Ventura College president. “We are thrilled to offer such a relevant and innovative degree that will enable students to develop skills and strategies to integrate social media into the conventional marketing mix.”

“Ventura College will be one of the first to offer a degree in Social Media Marketing. Based on current research, most institutions offer social media courses, but no degree,” said Ventura College Associate Professor Debbie Newcomb, Business Department Chair and Student Learning Outcomes Facilitator. “This program is a game changer. Students will learn how to develop more personal marketing campaigns that result in a better customer experience.”

Successful completion of the courses required may culminate in a Certificate of Achievement or Associate in Science degree, based on the number of units a student acquires. It may also contribute to requirements for the Ventura College Business Management Certificate of Achievement and Associate in Science degree. Future courses may be offered online. For more information on the required classes and units, please contact Debbie Newcomb, dnewcomb@vcccd.edu or 805-289-6268.

The Ventura County Office of Education is now accepting applications for the 2016 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. This program recognizes outstanding Ventura County teachers for the dedication and innovation they bring to their students and highlights the contributions local teachers make in our schools every day.

Candidates must be nominated by a school district, charter school, private school or service club and be at least one of the following:
• A fully credentialed pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teacher at a Ventura County public or private school
• A teacher who has previously been selected as a school district, charter school, private school, or service club’s Teacher of the Year within Ventura County
• A teacher of adults who provides instruction in the same curriculum as those who teach in elementary or secondary grades
• A teacher who has some administrative duties, but for whom teaching is the primary responsibility
The application is available at: http://goo.gl/238xHi and the deadline is May 5, 2016.

The Teacher of the Year program is administered by the Ventura County Office of Education. A panel of educators selects the winner based on the candidate’s essay, experience and an introductory letter from their sponsor. The winning Ventura County Teacher of the Year becomes eligible for the 2017 California Teacher of the Year award. The first Ventura County Teacher of the Year was named in 1973. The VCOE website has a list of past winners and additional information about the Teacher of the Year program.

About the Ventura County Office of Education
The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.

The California Lutheran University School of Management this fall will launch a new MBA program tailored to experienced professionals.

The MBA for Experienced Professionals program is designed for people with at least five years of progressive managerial or professional experience. With a focus on leadership, it will prepare students for top positions in public and private organizations. Small class sizes, skills workshops, and personalized assessments and coaching sessions will help students identify and achieve their next big goals.

The 18-month program will be delivered in a hybrid format with seven courses offered online and eight classes taught in person on the Thousand Oaks campus. Each on-campus course will be presented in a compressed format over two weekends. Classes will be offered year-round in terms lasting eight weeks each.

Students will advance through the program in a cohort as they work toward a master’s degree in business administration. This will allow them to connect and collaborate with, as well as learn from, other professionals with diverse backgrounds.

The interdisciplinary, experience-driven curriculum is organized around five key areas: leading operations, managing processes, leading people, leading strategy, and professional and personal development.

Cal Lutheran will continue to offer its traditional MBA with a newly revised curriculum for students with limited work experience as well as an online MBA, an MBA in financial planning, and an MBA in Europe.

The first cohort of the new MBA program will begin classes Oct. 17. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1. New cohorts will begin each October.

Vlad Vaiman, associate dean of the School of Management, is the MBA program director.

The university launched its first MBA program in the early 1970s. Cal Lutheran has awarded more than 4,000 graduate business degrees as the School of Management has made its mark on the region through education, research and outreach.

For more information, call 805-493-3325.

On March 2, 2016 Rio Vista Elementary celebrated Read Across America with local heroes reading to them. We were lucky to have Lt. Josh Cochran from the US. Airforce, Captain David Wareham, Deputy Veronica Graybill and Deputy Tyler. The Officers went room to room and read books to the students. The students really enjoyed meeting their visitors. Many classes had other celebrations like eating green eggs and ham, talking about Dr. Seuss and special art.

Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss.

Ventura College will hold an open house available to all those interested in learning more about the college and its programs and services, as well as those who would like assistance in applying for admission and financial aid. The Ventura College Extravaganza will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 12, at Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura. The event features presentations from various departments, informational booths, lunch and free giveaways.

Special workshops will be held to help anyone apply for college financial aid at all levels, including federal and state aid. The Ventura College Foundation will have its application kickoff for the Ventura College Promise program. Additionally, support will be available for those seeking assistance with the application process.

The Extravaganza will also feature fun and informative presentations, such as “Tips to Succeed,” “How to Budget for College” and more, from various departments including the Financial Aid Office and Counseling. Information booths will be available from areas such as Theater Arts, Athletics, Foreign Languages, Geosciences, MESA, EOPS, Transfer Center, Assessment Office, First Year Experience (FYE), Associated Student Ventura College, English as a Second Language (ESL), CalWorks and more.

“This event is a great opportunity for people of any age or educational background to come and explore the many services and program offerings available at Ventura College,” said Greg Gillespie, Ph. D., president at Ventura College. “We are working to increase access to higher education by providing hands-on support for those who are new to navigating the financial aid and enrollment process.”

Lunch, provided by Carl’s Jr., will be available to the first 250 guests who visit at least three presentations or information booths.

The event is free and preregistration is preferred, to register visit www.surveymonkey.com/r/VCExtra16. Those who preregister will receive a canvas tote and water bottle upon event check-in. For more information, contact Ventura College Financial Aid at 805-289-6369.

The Ventura County Community College District plans to hold a Public Policy Hearing on Accreditation at the Ventura County Office of Education (5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo, CA), Wednesday, March 2. The three colleges in the District (Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura) are preparing required self-study documents in anticipation of their accreditation site visits from the Association of California Community and Junior Colleges planned for late September/early October.

The invitation is extended to members of the Citizens Advisory Council, students, college constituents, and the general public. All are welcome. The hearing will cover the current ACCJC accreditation standards, reports from members of the VCCCD District Council on Accreditation and Planning, and public discussion on the District’s service to the respective communities. A brief reception is planned for 5:30 p.m. and the public hearing will follow at 6:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

“This invitation is extended to the public, because the District values the opportunity to share the accreditation process and timelines with our community stakeholders,” said Larry Kennedy, Board Chair. “We want to provide important information on how we are meeting the accreditation standards to maximize service to our students and the community.”

“The District’s Accreditation Committee (DCAP) Co-Chairs and their teams have been working diligently to ensure the District is in good standing and each college is prepared for its accreditation visit,” said Bernard Luskin, Chancellor. “We look forward to a robust and productive discussion that includes members of our Citizens Advisory Committee, staff and students.”

The Ventura County Community College District is a member of the 113-campus California Community College system, and serves more than 50,000 students annually. The District’s three colleges- Moorpark, Oxnard, and Ventura- offer programs in general education for degrees and certificates, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, career technical education, and provide opportunities to engage in co-curricular campus activities. For more information, please visit www.vcccd.edu.

Enlarge Photo

When you walk around campus near the science wing you might notice some exciting changes.

Fillmore High School has taken up the banner of landscaping with California native drought resistant plants.

Thanks to Michael Glenn from U.S. Fish and Wildlife, we were able to purchase a little more than 40 plants, and he was able to show students which ones should be planted to take advantage of the sun or need more shade, which ones attract Monarch butterflies, etc. He also showed Ms. Huxtable’s students how to plant correctly. The plants that are now part of our landscape include Toyon, Black Sage, White Sage, two different types of native sunflowers, rye grass, and more. A HUGE THANK YOU to Ms. Huxtable for creating a beautiful landscape for all to enjoy.

CSU Channel Islands (CI) graduate students interested in the field of stem cell research will get a chance to do a year’s internship at a top flight stem cell research center such as Cedars-Sinai, Stanford University, City of Hope, Scripps Research Institute or Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, to name just a few of the cooperating institutions.

There will be 10 internships available to CI graduate students, thanks to a $3,045,000 grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). The grant will fund 10 paid internships a year over the next five years.

CI’s grant is part of a larger $40.13 million grant from CIRM called the Bridges to Stem Cell Research and Therapy Awards Program. The program is open to California universities or colleges that don’t have a major stem cell research program.

Director of the Master’s in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics degree program at CI and the recipient of this award Nitika Parmar, Ph.D., is thrilled that CI Biotechnology and Bioinformatics graduate students get an opportunity to stand on the leading edge of stem cell research.

“The potential of stem cells is unprecedented,” said Parmar, an Associate Professor of Biology and the Program Director of the Stem Cell program at CI. “Stem cells have the potential to become any organ. It’s mind-boggling. A stem cell can potentially become any kind of cell, given the right conditions. You could ‘educate’ these cells to become pancreatic cells, spinal cells, cells to replace a lost limb, and so forth.”

“The goal of the Bridges program is to prepare undergraduate and Master’s level students in California for a successful career in stem cell research,” said C. Randal Mills, Ph.D., the President and CEO of CIRM. “That’s not just a matter of giving them money, but also of giving them good mentors who can help train and guide them, of giving them meaningful engagement with patients and patient advocates, so they have a clear vision of the impact the work they are doing can have on people’s lives.”

CI has received two previous grants from CIRM to help students pursue year-long internships with one of more than 150 different research laboratories at 10 research institutions, but Parmar said this grant is new and different as it includes three new components: 1) patient and healthcare engagement activities; 2) educational enhancement activities and 3) community outreach activities.

Through these new components, students will benefit from direct patient interaction, chances to attend workshops and seminars, and a series of community education events designed to educate the public on the future of stem cell research.

“There is a gap between what’s going on in the scientific community and public education about stem cell research,” Parmar said. “That’s because clinical trials may take 10 years, and the public hears about research only after the clinical trial has been successful, leading to a potential therapy.”

The two previous grants, awarded in 2009 and 2012, allowed CI students to research stem cell therapies to treat chronic disease and injury such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, macular degeneration and spinal cord injury, to name just a few areas of study. These grants led to the training of more than 70 CI graduate students, thereby filling the need for skilled stem cell researchers in California.

Biotechnology and Bioinformatics graduate student James Dunn is among the students who is currently doing an internship at Cedars-Sinai, funded by the 2012 grant.

The Simi Valley native has been researching how stem cells can help treat or maybe someday cure a neurodegenerative disorder called Huntington’s disease.

“I pretty much think that within the next decade, we will be able to re-grow stem cells from a patient’s skin cells, reintroduce those cells in to the patient, and prolong the time before the onset of the disease for as long as a lifetime,” he said.

Dunn plans to pursue a Ph.D. in molecular biology and stay involved in the future of stem cell research.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.