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Mountain Vista students have set an ambitious goal to read 75,000,000 words this year. The school is using the Accelerated Reading Program and other methods to calculate the total. Since the program was rolled out on September 18th, the students have read 5,333,517 words. A giant thermometer is being used to record the word count progress. Each grade level has also set a classroom goal. When classroom goals are met teachers will have classroom level celebrations. When a student reaches one million words, balloons will be taken to the classroom, a photo taken of the student and the picture will be displayed in the office “Reading Wall of Fame”. Reading certificates will be given at the end of the year for the number of words read by the students. A school-wide celebration will be organized when we reach our goal such as a Hawaiian Day. Teachers have reported that their students are very motivated to read this year. So far Ms. Gray’s second grade class has already surpassed their goal of 250,000 words and Ms. Butts’ and Ms. Graves’ 5th grade classes have recently passed the 1,000,000 word mark.

Mountain Vista students have also benefitted from a recent book giveaway sponsored by Paula Phillips of the Right Road Kids organization. On Friday, October 4th, Paula and her staff, with the help of Mountain Vista parents, let each Mountain Vista student select two books to take home to keep. This really excited the students. There were smiles everywhere!

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) is now accepting applications for the fall 2014 term. The priority application period opened Oct. 1 and ends at midnight on Nov. 30. High school seniors, community college transfer students and others intending to apply must visit www.csumentor.edu to complete the online application as early as possible. CSUMentor also offers detailed information about the CSU system and campuses, admission requirements and financial aid.

CI has a current enrollment of 5,100 – an increase of approximately 600 students from this past spring. Last year, 11,000 new freshmen and transfer students applied and over 7,200 were admitted. Enrollment is expected to continue to grow, dependent on the availability of additional funding from the state.

For the past several years, the CSU has had to turn away between 20,000-25,000 fully eligible new students each year due to massive cuts in state funding. With the state’s reinvestment in higher education in the 2013-14 budget, CSU’s enrollment will increase by about 6,000 students over the course of the year. This still leaves nearly 20,000 students who may be turned away because of inadequate funding. At their recent September meeting, the CSU Board of Trustees reviewed an initial budget proposal for 2014-15 that includes a request of additional funding to increase enrollment.

The 23rd and newest campus in the CSU system, CI offers 24 undergraduate degree programs, six graduate degrees, and a wide variety of teaching and service credential programs. For more information, visit www.csuci.edu or contact the CI Admissions & Recruitment office at admissions@csuci.edu or 805-437-8520.

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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.

The public is invited to attend the Moorpark College Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) Complex building dedication on Wednesday, October 23, 3:00 p.m., at 7075 Campus Road in Moorpark. EATM is a two-story, 12,400 square foot building with classrooms, offices, and an auditorium facility used mainly by EATM program students. The Complex has been designed to deviate somewhat from standard campus buildings because of the nature of its use, not only for students, but also for public access to the Zoo. The facility houses two classrooms, one vet lab, a 145-seat auditorium, and faculty/staff offices. A bus unloading area has been installed to permit a drop-off area for local school children who visit the facility. Funding for this project was provided through Measure S Bond funds. The event will include the Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees, Chancellor, Moorpark College Interim President, employees, and students. Free parking will be available.

On October 2nd 24 Fillmore FFA members competed in the Opening and Closing Ceremony, 11 of whom also took the Best Informed Greenhand Test. The event was held at Ventura High School and the participants were judged on their dress, memorization, and overall presentation of their part in the opening and closing of each FFA meeting. Fillmore took home the trophy by getting 1st Officer Team, 1st Open Team, 1st Novice Team, and 1st Best Informed Greenhand Team. Also, in individual awards for the Opening and Closing Ceremony, Jaylene Ortiz received Outstanding Secretary and Jessica Manginelli received Outstanding Reporter in the Officer Section, Macie Wokal received Outstanding President and Hanah Saviers-Wishart received Outstanding Reporter in the Open Section, and Calvin Oubinarath received Outstanding Sentinel in the Novice Section. For individual awards in the Best Informed Greenhand Test, Jose Perez got 4th, Jane Ramos got 2nd, and Sarah Vollmert got 1st. As you can see Fillmore worked very hard to do well and we succeeded by taking every 1st place available. Fillmore FFA would like to thank our teachers who spent time with us at lunch, every day a week and a half in advance, and helped us do excellent!

Jessica Manginelli
Fillmore FFA Reporter

A group of parents made news on Wednesday by launching the first Parent and Teacher Organization (PTO) at Fillmore High School.

The parents opened the meeting by sharing their vision of a vibrant PTO and expressed a firm determination to support teachers and students by creating a supportive learning environment.

The group plans to raise funds and participate in various school activities.

FHS principal Russom Mesfun told the gathering that "parent and school partnership are key to student success.”

He suggested that future meetings should be held immediately after classes so teachers and staff can participate in the PTO.

Bonnie Weigel

Camarillo, CA - The Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at CSU Channel Islands (CI) continues its Fall 2013 Speaker Series, “Insights from Prominent Executives” with chief executives from the nonprofit and health technology sectors. The speaker presentations are free, open to the public by reservation, and include lunch. All events will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in Malibu Hall 100 on the CI campus.

Bonnie Weigel, President and CEO of FOOD Share
Friday, Oct. 18, from noon to 2 p.m. in Malibu 100
As President and Chief Executive Officer of Ventura County’s food bank, Bonnie Weigel’s life
commitment is to eliminate poverty through collaborative partnerships that build paths to self-sufficiency and prosperity. She offers more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector with a focus on sustainable strategic fund, resource, and organizational development. Her role includes building relationships with the community, securing and growing donations and partnerships, and managing resources of the $19 million hunger relief organization, while establishing a sustainable plan to grow the organization’s reach.

Justin Bellante, Co-founder, President and CEO of BioIQ
Friday, Nov. 8, from noon to 2 p.m. in Malibu 100
Justin Bellante is the Co-founder, President and CEO of BioIQ, a pioneering health improvement technology company that created the industry’s first integrated, customizable approach to optimizing investments in corporate health and wellness programs. He is responsible for guiding development of strategy and execution of the company’s business plan. Since inception, he has helped guide BioIQ from concept to a well-established company. He has solidified corporate direction and strategic partnerships, developed the BioIQ wellness technology solution, and built a culture that is passionate about innovation in healthcare.

The Speaker Series is sponsored and presented by the Business Advisory Council of the MVS School of Business & Economics. RSVP at http://business.csuci.edu/events.

Complimentary campus parking will be available for all events. Once on campus, follow signs to the designated lot.

For more information, contact Merissa Stith, Events Coordinator, at merissa.stith@csuci.edu or 805-437-8548.

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.

LOS ANGELES, CA – California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today unveiled the first state-wide statistics on California’s truancy crisis which reveal that, last year alone, 1 million elementary school students were truant and 250,000 elementary school students missed 18 or more school days at a cost of $1.4 billion in lost funds to California school districts.

These findings are part a report, In School and On Track, issued today by Attorney General Harris in Los Angeles where statewide education, public policy and law enforcement leaders were convened to discuss this crisis and identify concrete solutions.

“The California Constitution guarantees every child the right to an education, yet we are failing our youngest children, as early as kindergarten,” Attorney General Harris said. “These are children as young as five years old who are out of school, falling behind, and too many of them never catch up. This crisis is not only crippling for our economy, it is a basic threat to public safety. It’s time for accountability and to craft real solutions at every level - from parents to school districts, to law enforcement - to solve this problem.”

According to the report, elementary school truancy is at the root of the state’s chronic criminal justice problems. According to the report, missing large amounts of school is one of the strongest predictors of dropping-out, even more so than suspensions or test scores. Annually, dropouts cost California taxpayers an estimated $46.4 billion in incarceration, lost productivity and lost taxes.

Information broken down by school district and county is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy and: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/ch1

Key Findings from In School and On Track:
• In California last year, 1 million elementary school students were truant and 250,000 students missed 18 or more school days.
• In some California elementary schools, 92% of students were truant last year.
• California school districts are losing $1.4 billion in funding due to truant students.
Solutions from In School and On Track:
• California must create a statewide system to collect student attendance records.
• School districts must improve the way truant students are monitored.
• School administrators must meet with parents or guardians immediately when a child is truant.
• Law enforcement must focus on early, positive intervention to empower parents and students.
• Parents must be held accountable, including prosecution in the most severe cases.

Attorney General Harris was joined at the symposium by: Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, Compton City Mayor Aja Brown, Dr. Robert Ross, President & CEO of the California Endowment, Tom Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Hedy Chang, Director of Attendance Works.

The California Attorney General’s office will issue this report annually. The office’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section spent 7 months researching this crisis and convening stakeholders to devise solutions.

As the District Attorney of San Francisco, Attorney General Harris started a citywide truancy initiative in 2006. In the course of investigating factors contributing to the city’s violent crime rate, she found that 94% of San Francisco homicide victims under age 25 were high school dropouts. Then-District Attorney Harris formed a partnership with the school district to inform parents that they had a legal duty to ensure that their children attended school, provide parents of chronically truant students with wrap-around services and school-based mediation, and prosecute parents in the most severe cases where other interventions did not work.

Over a two-year period, then-District Attorney Harris’s initiative reduced truancy among elementary students in San Francisco by 23%, according to the San Francisco Unified School District. The initiative also served as a model for SB 1317 (Leno), which defined “chronic truancy” for the first time under state law and established the initiative’s model of combining meaningful services with smart sanctions in the California Penal Code. The bill was sponsored by then-District Attorney Harris and was enacted in law in 2010.

The report is available in its entirety online at: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - More than 25 of the top undergraduate students at California Lutheran University will present their research findings to the public at the 10th Annual Student Research Symposium from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in Ahmanson Science Center.

With guidance from faculty mentors, the students conducted research in the fields of biochemistry, bioengineering and applied physics, biology, chemistry, communication, computer science, exercise science, global studies, mathematics, psychology and religion.

Six students will give oral presentations from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Richter Hall. Visitors can talk one-on-one with students presenting their results in demonstrations and posters from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Atrium. Refreshments will be served.

Many of the students spent the summer working full time on their projects in collaboration with faculty mentors. Original results shared at the symposium are presented at professional conferences throughout the country and may be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Ahmanson Science Center is located on Memorial Parkway between Regent and Pioneer avenues on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Admission to the symposium, which is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship, is free. For a complete schedule, visit www.callutheran.edu/OURCS. For more information, call 805-493-3796 or email OURCS@callutheran.edu.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - A workforce development expert and business and civic leaders will help California Lutheran University students prepare to launch their careers during the 2013 Mathews Leadership Forum on Thursday, Oct. 24.

The event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in Lundring Events Center. Keynote speaker Michael Dolphin, chief of the Employment Development Department’s Workforce Services Division for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, will discuss “Is There a Job in My Future?”

Following an opening reception, students, faculty, staff and business and community leaders will participate in round-table discussions on how to network. The facilitators will include Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County Executive Director Steven Dwyer, Conejo Recreation and Park District General Manager Jim Friedl, Natural Balance Pet Food founder Joey Herrick, Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks and Naval Base Ventura County Commanding Officer Capt. Lawrence Vasquez. The small-group discussions help build relationships and provide mentoring opportunities.

Dolphin will speak CONTINUED »

On September 7th and 8th, Fillmore High School Senior, Niki Spencer, participated in the Two-Day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Santa Barbara, CA. Niki spent the last nine months raising donations to be a participant in this life changing event. She walked in the memory of her late grandmother, Gladys Spencer, who passed away from breast cancer before she ever got the chance to meet her. Niki walked 26.2 miles on Saturday through Santa Barbara, Montecito and Summerland, and completed the journey in Carpinteria on Sunday walking 13.1 miles. Niki would like to thank her family, friends, and the generous citizens of Fillmore who made contributions and purchased raffle tickets making this amazing experience possible. Donations will be used for research, early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

Fillmore High School is launching a PTO to encourage parents and the community in supporting our teachers and staff in efforts aimed at student success. Interested FHS parents and community members are invited to attend our first meeting on Wednesday, October 2nd 2013 at 7pm in the FHS library. Refreshments will be served.

The Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library of Ventura College is one of 840 libraries and state humanities councils across the country selected to receive the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA). The program aims to familiarize public audiences in the United States with the people, places, history, faith, and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world.

The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf includes the themes of American Stories, Connected Histories, Literary Reflections, Pathways of Faith, Points of View, and Art, Architecture and Film. The books and films comprising the Bookshelf were selected with the advice of librarians and cultural programming experts, as well as distinguished scholars in the fields of anthropology, world history, religious studies, interfaith dialogue, the history of art and architecture, world literature, Middle East studies, Southeast Asian studies, African studies, and Islamic studies.

The Ventura College Library will host three public events highlighting these sources: September 25 - a food tasting and display featuring materials; October 15 - Chris Cryer, author of Tolstoy in Riyadh, will discuss the lives of Muslim women in the book Dreams of Trespass; and October 29 - Nooshie Motaref, author of Iran: A Persian Tapestry, will provide a presentation on Islam and Sufism. All three events are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the Library Reading Room, LRC Second Floor, Ventura College, 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura. For additional information, please visit http://www.venturacollege.edu/departments/student_services/library/musli... or contact Ayanna Gaines at tel. no. 805-289-6188 or by email at againes@vcccd.edu.

The Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association. Major support for the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf was provided by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. Additional support for the arts and media components was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. The Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library is a community resource for education, research, information, continuing education, and fulfilling intellectual curiosity. The Library is located at 4667 Telegraph Road, Ventura, CA, 93003. Hours are 7:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-noon Saturday.

The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) Legislative Committee invites the public to attend an informational public policy hearing regarding the California Dream Act on Wednesday, September 25, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre of the Performing Arts Building at Oxnard College, 4000 South Rose Avenue, in Oxnard. The California Dream Act became law in 2011 and increased access to financial aid for undocumented students who attend public universities, community colleges, or private colleges in California. The purpose of the informational public hearing will be to obtain information on how the California Dream Act is being implemented at public institutions. Representatives from the California Student Aid Commission, California Community Colleges, VCCCD, and other segments of higher education will testify on processes used to implement the Dream Act requirements. Public Hearing Contact: Clare Geisen, Director, Administrative Relations, Ventura County Community College District, Tel. 805.652.5504 or email at cgeisen@vcccd.edu.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) has earned its third national recognition as a “Military Friendly School” in a list highlighting the colleges and universities who excel at recruiting, retaining and supporting military veterans.

The 2014 ranking, based on a survey of more than 12,000 institutions, places CI in the top 15 percent overall for its military friendliness. The annual list is compiled by G.I. Jobs magazine, a veteran-owned publisher serving members of the military.

“We value the contributions that service members have made to our country and our campus and want to help them thrive as they transition to civilian life and pursue their educational goals,” said Jay Derrico, Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator at CI. “Being recognized as a Military Friendly School is a welcome validation of our efforts – which are expanding all the time.”

The publication commends CI for practices such as offering veterans priority registration and transfer help, assistance with G.I. Bill benefits, a Vet 2 Vet mentoring program, two student organizations, customized orientation and academic advising sessions, a veteran-oriented workshop series, a resume-writing service, and a campus Veterans Resource Center where veterans can study, socialize and meet with advisors.

The G.I. Jobs survey analyzed universities’ policies, programs, financial services, and recruitment and retention efforts for military friendliness and also sought input from currently enrolled veterans and service members.

Among CI’s 5,163 students, approximately 206 students are veterans, members of the military, or their survivors or dependents.

“After having attended three other colleges before CI, I can honestly say that this school is worthy of the ‘Military Friendly’ designation,” said Mark Scott, a senior business major who is in the Marine Corps Reserves. “No institution I have seen has had such a well-established network of support for the student veteran. CI has helped me transition back and forth from active duty during my time in the Marine Corps Reserves while attending college.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the post-9/11 G.I. Bill helped pay educational expenses for more than 945,000 service members, veterans, family members and survivors last year – a 67 percent increase since 2009. That trend is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

“As more service members return to college, we look forward to helping them successfully launch the next chapter of their lives at CI,” Derrico said.

For more information on CI’s veterans affairs programs, contact Jay Derrico, Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator, at 805-437-2745 or jay.derrico@csuci.edu. To view the 2014 Military Friendly Schools list by G.I. Jobs, visit http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.com.

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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.

You are cordially invited to an open house and town hall meeting at the Ventura College Santa Paula site on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 6pm. Come meet our new president, Dr. Greg Gillespie, and join in on a discussion about how Ventura College can help meet the educational needs of the Santa Clara River Valley Communities of Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru. Please RSVP to Sabrina Canola (scanola@vcccd.edu) via e-mail if you plan to attend. Light refreshments will be served.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) student Jeannette Herrera used her smartphone, artistic skills and a persuasive personal plea to win a national scholarship contest from online textbook-seller TextbookX.com. The 17-year-old psychology major from Santa Clarita Valley is the grand-prize winner of a $1,000 scholarship – beating out 130 other students from colleges across the country in in this year’s Akademos/TextbookX Textbook Scholarship Contest.

Students were asked to upload a photo reflecting what textbook affordability means to them. Winners were chosen based on the individuality and thought behind the words and the creativity of the photo. Herrera snapped a photo on her smartphone of herself holding a sign that said: "Textbook affordability means being able to save more money for tuition, having less stress about paying for school, and being able to have all the tools I need in order to succeed!” In addition to Herrera’s first-place prize, three runner-up winners received $250 textbook scholarships.

“It’s such an honor to be chosen for this scholarship,” Herrera said. “This money will help me purchase all the tools and books I need for my courses, so I can focus on my goals of graduating from college, going to graduate school, and becoming a psychiatrist.”

Herrera, the oldest of four daughters, is the first in her family to attend college. She is part of CI’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which provides college access and support to students whose educational and economic circumstances have limited their college opportunities. In addition to a full course load, she works as a desk assistant at CI’s student housing Village.

Herrera and all of the winners' entries can be viewed here: http://textbookx.com/scholarship.

Visit Akademos’ direct-to-students ecommerce platform at http://www.textbookx.com and its offerings to partner schools at http://www.akademos.com.

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.

The Fillmore Unified School District Board presented achievement awards to the Fillmore Girls Softball 10u gold all star team at there board meeting on August 27. The team won the ASA 10U Western National Championship last month in Peoria, Arizona. The board recognized the girls for their achievement and representing the City of Fillmore. The coaches also received awards from the board for their hard work.

The Ventura College School of Nursing is pleased to announce that it has been granted national accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), formerly the National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC). ACEN accreditation acknowledges that the nursing program has met the highest national standards for nursing education. In the state of California, only 32 of 88 eligible Associate Degree in Nursing programs have attained this level of recognition.

The quality of the Ventura College School of Nursing is further demonstrated by the consistently high performance of its graduates on the national nursing licensure (NCLEX) exam. Ventura College nursing graduates have achieved a 92-96 percent pass rate over the past three years, testifying to the outstanding quality of their academic preparation.

Fillmore Unified School District

Fillmore High School’s Back to School Night will be on Thursday, September 19, 2013 from 5:45 – 7:30. All parents and community members are invited to meet the FHS teachers and staff. Meet in the Quad at 5:45. The Cross Country and Girls Basketball teams will host a Fundraiser BBQ Dinner from 4:00 – 6:00 that includes shredded beef, rice, beans and salad. Tickets are $8.00 and can be purchased at the high school or from any Cross County or Girls Basketball team member.