Camarillo, CA. - A grant obtained from NASA by CSU Channel Islands (CI) will help engage Ventura County high school students in the science behind global climate change.

CI Science Education Professor Dr. Bob Bleicher secured the $593,000 grant to help biology and earth sciences teachers incorporate NASA climate change data, research and curriculum into their classrooms. Teachers at eight schools in the Oxnard Union, Ventura Unified and Santa Paula Union High School Districts will receive professional development and resources under the grant.

“The goal is for students to be able to interact with the best climate research tools available from NASA and form their own arguments and conclusions about climate change,” said Bleicher. “Our hope is that we get more students excited about pursuing higher education and careers in science.”

CI was one of only 14 institutions across the nation awarded the funding through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Program. The first-time grant targets schools with a high percentage of Hispanic students, who are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The grant supports professional development for up to 20 teachers over two years at all six schools in the Oxnard Union High School District and at Ventura and Santa Paula High Schools. It includes honorariums for the teachers; instruction from nationally recognized experts on climate science; access to NASA satellite data and resources; printed and online support materials and lesson plans; on-site instructional assistance; and a two-day global climate change summer camp for students. The teacher instruction and student summer camp will begin in the summer before the 2012-2013 school year.

“It’s our commitment at CI to work collaboratively with our local school partners to energize natural curiosity in high school students,” Bleicher said. “By bringing this NASA program to our local high schools, we hope we can support teacher leadership and ongoing professional development at their school sites and also excite students about science and higher education.”

For more information on the grant, contact Dr. Bleicher at bob.bleicher@csuci.edu. For more information on NASA’s education programs, visit www.nasa.gov/education.

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.

Camarillo, CA. - The Art Program at CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced an upcoming exhibition entitled, “The Parisiennes” (in English “The Parisian Girls”) at the CI Exhibitions Art Gallery located in old town Camarillo. The exhibition will run from Sept. 15 to Oct. 6. The public is invited to a reception to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22.

The exhibition’s name was given to the all-girl group of students and their artworks created during the summer while residing in the French capital. The show will be comprised of paintings, drawings, photographs and videos created by ‘Parisiennes’ Itzie Alarcon, Lisa Cruz, Amanda Eastman, Danielle Kasum, Katie-Lynn Komlos, Korinne McKinley, Natalie Nicholson, Holly Schultz, Caitlin Shea, Kagney Turville, Marlies Urbauer, Shannon Wall and Heather Wills, and also by professors Beverly Decker and Christophe Bourély.

The art gallery is located at 92 Palm Drive, Camarillo and is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For additional information contact the CI Art Program at 805-437-8570 or art@csuci.edu.

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.

Ok, so it's early in the school year. And there is a lot happening in FUSD. And in every District. But we're focused here. Even if you don't have kids in the District you should be paying attention because this is YOUR tax dollars being spent, the state of the schools affects property values, whether companies want to bring their headquarters here (Anyone need a job? )...

The numbers are right there, staring everyone in the face. Here is a link to the California Department of Educations records for FUSD... http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/Acnt2011/2011APRDstPIReport.aspx?cYear=&a...

This record shows that FUSD is now in Program Improvement year 1 (see my article in the gazette if you don't know what PI is or read about it online). Yes there are issues with NCLB and I join most folks in not being a fan of standardized testing BUT until all those educators figure out a feasible way to measure student learning, it's what we've got. And the numbers show that the way it's being done, doesn't cut it. We need to change things up. We are using OLD teaching methods and "analog" classrooms in a 3D world. Just because it's way you've done it for 30 years doesn't mean it is the "right" way. Here's the video I got that terminology (analog classroom vs. 3d) from.

We have to recognize that kids today simply live and operate in a world totally unlike that of their parents. We have to change the look, feel, culture and experience of the classroom.

Now specific to FUSD, when is the community going to demand accountability? I feel like I'm standing on a mountain top shouting all by myself. Folks are not comfortable going on the record (ie. letting me use their names in articles because they are afraid for their jobs in the District and cause they still have kids in the District... is that crazy? Not in FUSD.. it's a fact that they perceive this District as hostile to anyone who speaks out against anything going on, anyone who asks questions, or says" Hold on,, you can't do that".... ) Teachers and staff members who do speak out are reprimanded by colleagues. I am tired of it. Plain and simple. Enough is enough. The folks in charge (school board, superintendents office and ALL ASST. Superintendents) need to step up, have some guts, grow some.... oh you know... and do what is best for the kids. This does not mean we all will agree with what is done,, but going with business as usual is not working.

Last month I met with Dr. Nishino. He asked me Why I choose to take my son out of FUSD. HE WAS THE FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF MEMBER OF FUSD TO ASK ME THAT QUESTION. The staff members present when I requested my sons enrollment papers back even handed me back my letter explaining why I was pulling him out. There is an environment of fear and of "my way or the highway." Do you know how many students leave FUSD every year? And that means $$$$ lost for FUSD... ask YOUR school board what THEY are doing (they can't wait for others any longer) to bring those families back. I hope that the interim folks being brought in are ready and wiling to rock the boat a bit. To show folks that they need to adapt or get left behind, because you know what? The kids are being left behind...

I have recently attended a school board meeting in a nearby district. Wow ! can I just tell you.. what a true world of difference. Just the agenda itself had more information about the resolutions being passed so folks know what is actually being proposed. Either a school board has an interest in communicating with the community or they don't...

HELLO RESIDENTS OF FILLMORE, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION. THESE STUDENTS ARE YOUR FUTURE. ARE YOU WILLING TO ALLOW THE SAME FOLKS YEAR AFTER YEAR TO FAIL THEM ????? THINK ABOUT IT. The middle school has not met state targets for eleven years, and there are school board members still sitting on the Board. I mean really, does that make any sense?

Ask the school board about the NEW school in FUSD. Heritage Valley IndependEnt Studies. ASK ABOUT IT. Has a school board member been paid as a substitute teacher? Isn't there some policy about school board members being employed by the Distsrict? WHAT IS THE DISTRICT DOING ABOUT "AR"? REMEMBER ALL THE PARENTS WHO SPOKE OUT LAST YEAR? HAVE THEY RECEIVED A RESPONSE? DO YOU WANT THE SAME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE SAT BEHIND THE DESK WHILE FUSD MOVED INTO PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT CHOOSING THE NEXT PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT? REALLY, THINK ABOUT IT. YOU CAN INVESTIGATE. I'll be at the next Board meeting, where will you be on Tuesday night?

THE ONLY STUPID QUESTION, IS THE ONE YOU DIDN'T ASK.

****
Slightly a different topic, (and this is likely to [!@#$] some people off) and this is for Districts across the Nation not just FUSD, since when is it the role of a school District to provide jobs? This is not a cash cow, this is a public school.

Here is a great story that you may have seen about a Superintendent who reduced his OWN pay by $800,000 over 3 years to benefit the District. WOW !
www.abcnews.go.com/US/school-superintendent-larry-powell-takes-800000-pa...

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Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) invites students, faculty, staff and the public to attend a memorial ceremony, followed by a barbecue and softball game to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11.

The free public event, sponsored by the CI Recreation Center and Veterans Resource Center, will take place Sunday, Sept. 11, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Potrero Field on the CI campus.

The afternoon’s events will include a color guard presentation of the flags; playing of the national anthem; recognition of peace officers, firefighters and members of the military; and a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and fallen troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Participants also will have the opportunity to learn about and make a donation to the national 9/11 memorial in New York.

Afterward, there will be a free barbecue and games of softball, volleyball, soccer and tug of war.

For more information, contact Jay Derrico, Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator, at 805-437-2745 or jay.derrico@csuci.edu.

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.

Bill Watkins

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Bill Watkins will answer questions on the state of the economy during an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at California Lutheran University’s Oxnard Center.

The Graduate School of Education and School of Management are hosting “20 Questions in 20 Minutes on the State of the Economy.” Watkins is the executive director of CLU’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting and helped develop the university’s master’s degree program in economics. He has been providing unflinching forecasts for more than a decade and has been widely published in academic journals, traditional media and new media. Tim Gallagher, president of Gallagher 20/20 Consulting, will ask the questions.

The free public event is part of a series of celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Graduate School of Education and School of Management.

The Oxnard Center is located at 2201 Outlet Center Dr. #600.

For more information, contact Lauren Amundson at lamundso@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3445.

Fillmore High School’s Back to School Night will be on Wednesday, September 7, 2011 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.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The public is invited to celebrate the opening of California Lutheran University’s new Woodland Hills Center from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13.

There will be a brief ceremony, refreshments and tours of the new site.

At over 13,000 square feet, the new center at 5925 De Soto Ave. is about twice the size of the previous building on Oxnard Street. It has eight classrooms and two computer labs that can also serve as classrooms. The state-of-the-art rooms are filled with upgraded computers and projection equipment and more comfortable furniture.

The new location is in a more convenient and visible location with additional parking for students.

Classes begin Aug. 29 at the new center. CLU offers several undergraduate and graduate programs in Woodland Hills. The School of Management has an MBA program, and the Graduate School of Education offers master’s degrees in counseling and guidance, and in education for the deaf and hard of hearing. Students can earn bachelor’s degrees in accounting, business management and organizational leadership through the Adult Degree Evening Program. A new ADEP program in psychology is starting this semester at the center.

Currently, about 110 graduate students and 40 ADEP students are enrolled in the center’s programs.

The event is part of the series of celebrations and events marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of CLU’s Graduate School of Education and School of Management.

For more information, contact Lauren Amundson at lamundso@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3445.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will present two concerts marking the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Cellist Joyce Geeting and pianist Christine DeKlotz will present a 9/11 Memorial Concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, in advance of their Sept. 11 performance in Manhattan. They will perform Carol Worthey’s “Elegy,” a work Geeting commissioned as a tribute to those lost in the deadly terrorist attacks. Geeting, an adjunct faculty member at CLU, gave the premiere performance in London in 2003 and has performed the composition in Germany and the United States. She and DeKlotz will give the premiere East Coast performance at the Manhattan concert. At CLU, they will also perform “Vocalise” by Rachmaninoff and Sonata, Opus 78 by Brahms, works of a spiritual and healing nature. Donations will defray the cost of travel to New York.

CLU faculty member Eric Kinsley will perform a recital of 17th- to 20th-century works for harpsichord and piano dedicated to the victims and survivors of the attacks at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11. He selected compositions by Bach, Pachelbel, Chambonnières, Schrader, Haydn and Vivaldi to honor the memory of those who died and express hope for the future. A performing artist, writer and educator noted for his ability to communicate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds, Kinsley has performed and recorded internationally and on public radio and television. He earned a doctoral degree at the Manhattan School of Music and has been a member of the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and the New York contemporary music band Pacific Classical Winds. He has received grants in early and contemporary music from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Harpsichord Society, and the Sylvia Marlow Foundation. Donations will go to the Conejo Compassion Coalition.

Both concerts will be held in Samuelson Chapel, which is located south of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus. For information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu.

Camarillo, CA – Today, CSU Channel Islands (CI) launched a new partnership with Zipcar, Inc., the world’s leading car-sharing network, to offer a Zipcar car-sharing program on campus. The cost-effective and convenient transportation option is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty and staff members ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over. CI students, faculty, staff, and residents of University Glen can join today at www.zipcar.com/csuci.

CI members pay a $35 annual fee, and rates on all Zipcars start as low as $8 per hour and $66 per day. Gas, insurance, reserved parking spots, up to 180 miles of driving per day and roadside assistance are included in the hourly and daily Zipcar rates. Cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days.

“CSU Channel Islands is proud to offer the Zipcar service to students and the campus community,” said Deanne Ellison, Transportation and Parking Services. “At CI, we’re always looking for ways to encourage sustainable living, while also making transportation options more convenient and accessible to students, and Zipcar helps us meet both of those goals.”

CI will offer two vehicles to start, which will be located at Town Center and Lot A5 between Anacapa and Santa Cruz villages. Zipcars, self-service vehicles, can be easily reserved and accessed 24 hours a day. Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile applications to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles as well as honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations can also be made over the phone or by using the Zipcar website.

“Zipcar will not only help CI provide students, faculty and staff with increased mobility options, but is also intended to help to reduce traffic congestion on campus and help the University to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Matthew Malloy, vice president of Global University Operations at Zipcar. “Zipcar is an environmentally friendly transportation option, and national studies have shown that each car shared removes approximately 15 personally-owned vehicles from the road, helping reduce CO2 emissions.”

Zipcar has established partnerships with more than 230 universities including USC, UCLA, Chapman University and University of California, Santa Cruz. For more information, including how to become a member of Zipcar at CI please visit www.zipcar.com/csuci.

About Zipcar
Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing service with more than 605,000 members and over 9,000 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

Zipcar and the Zipcar logo are trademarks of Zipcar, Inc.

For more information contact Colleen McCormick, Public Relations Specialist, Zipcar at (617) 336-4342 or e-mail: cmccormick@zipcar.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.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) recently won a $1.86 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to help prepare graduate students for careers in stem cell research. The CIRM Bridges to Stem Cell Research Training Grant will support research training for 45 graduate students enrolled in the master’s program for biotechnology and bioinformatics with an emphasis in stem cell technology and laboratory management. CI is one of 16 universities and colleges statewide to receive funding through the CIRM Bridges program.

Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, director of the graduate program in biotechnology and bioinformatics, sought and obtained the grant. “This will provide a tremendous boost to our graduate students’ pursuit of their scientific careers,” Wang said. “This grant gives them financial support to complete internships with some world-renowned institutions, so they enter the workforce well-prepared to succeed in a rapidly-advancing and critically-needed field.”

The grant allows students in their second year of study to pursue year-long internships with one of more than 50 different research laboratories at 10 research institutions that are working to advance stem cell research and develop new therapies for chronic disease and injury. CI students have participated in research to treat problems ranging from Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and cancer to heart attack, macular degeneration, and spinal cord injuries at institutions including USC, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley, The Scripps Research Institute, City of Hope Beckman Research Institute, and Amgen.

Each CIRM-funded student will receive a $37,750 scholarship, internship stipend and travel fund. Additionally, each lab that provides an internship will receive $4,000 per student for research mentorship and supplies. A research institution that offers the students an advanced training course will receive $2,500 per student.

This is the second CIRM Bridges grant awarded to CI and Wang. The first, a $1.75 million grant in 2009, is helping 40 students pursue their internship and career goals. All the CIRM-funded graduates of the program’s first class in 2010 found jobs at research institutions and biotechnology companies or enrolled in doctoral programs upon graduation. CI offers the only graduate degree program in biotechnology and bioinformatics with an emphasis in stem cell technology and lab management in the CSU system. Students receive a well-rounded professional program that combines science and business with theories and practical skills, allowing them to transition easily to the workforce.

CIRM was established in 2004 after Californians passed Proposition 71, the California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative. The mission of CIRM is to support and advance stem cell research and regenerative medicine under the highest ethical and medical standards for the discovery and development of cures, therapies, diagnostics and research technologies to relieve human suffering from chronic disease and injury.

For further information about the CIRM grant or the M.S. in biotechnology and bioinformatics program, contact Dr. Ching-Hua Wang at 805-437-8870 or ching- hua.wang@csuci.edu.

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.

SACRAMENTO, CA – With schools around the state starting the fall session, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director Dr. Ron Chapman urged parents to make sure their kids’ vaccinations are up to date to help ensure their children get a healthy start to the new school year.

“As a parent myself, I know how difficult it is to remember everything you need to do to get your child ready for school,” said Chapman. “Putting vaccinations at the top of the list ensures your child can be enrolled on time and with the best protection from diseases throughout the school year.”

Most parents are aware of existing laws that require whooping cough, measles and other vaccinations before children start kindergarten. However, a new law now requires a whooping cough booster before middle and high school students can re-enter school this fall.

“It's important for parents to understand whooping cough continues to be a threat,” said Chapman. “The booster shot helps protect kids from what can be a deadly disease.”

Chapman urges parents to make an appointment with their provider now to protect themselves and their families during the pertussis peak season, which is traditionally summer and fall.

Many local school districts, county clinics and mobile vans are set up throughout the state to provide free and low-cost vaccines. Governor Brown recently signed legislation that allows schools to opt to extend the deadline for proof of vaccination by 30 days beyond the first day of school.

"Schools, counties and the state are working together to get the word out to parents,” said Chapman.

For the most complete and up-to-date information on required vaccinations, visit shotsforschool.org

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011
5:30 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:30 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
627 SESPE AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA

AGENDA
The public may review or request a copy of support materials provided to the Board Members where the word materials appears.
5:30 p.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
B. ROLL CALL
C. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION AND NONAGENDA ITEMS, PETITIONS
This is the time and place to address the Board. State law prohibits the Board from acting on issues not included on the agenda; however, requests may be made for discussion of specific topics at subsequent meetings. Upon recognition by the President of the Board, please come forward and identify yourself before speaking. The Board of Education reserves the right to limit speaking time to three (3) minutes or less per individual.
D. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to consider matters appropriate for Closed Session in accordance with Government Code Sections 3549.1, 54956.7 through 54957.7 and Education Code Section 35146. If the Board does not complete Closed Session discussions at this time, the Board may adjourn to Closed Session at the end of the regular meeting. DISCLOSURE OF ITEM(S) TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6)
o Update; Direction to District Negotiators (Dr. Alan Nishino, Dr. Michael Bush, Todd Schieferle, Margaret Chidester) for negotiations with the Fillmore Unified Teachers Association (FUTA), the California School Employees Association (CSEA), Confidential Employees, and District Administration. Personnel Matters (Government Code 54957)
o Hiring, Evaluating, Discipline, Dismissal
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Superintendent's Office at (805) 524-6038. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [In accordance with Government Code 54961 and Board Bylaw 9320(a).]

6:30 p.m.
E. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION Any Action From Closed Session
F. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
G. CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS
H. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS AND NONAGENDA ITEMS, PETITIONS
This is the time and place to address the school board. State law prohibits the Board from acting on issues not included on the agenda; however, requests may be made for discussion of specific topics at subsequent meetings. Upon recognition by the President of the Board, please come forward and identify yourself before speaking. The Board of Education reserves the right to limit speaking time to three (3) minutes or less per individual.
6:45 p.m.
I. COMMUNICATIONS Student Representative’s Report Board Members’ Reports Superintendent’s Report
7:15 p.m. CONTINUED »

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) is open to enroll new transfer students for the spring term, despite budget cuts. The University expects to admit more than 400 transfer applicants for the spring semester, bringing total campus enrollment to more than 4,000 students for the 2011-2012 academic year.

“This is exciting news,” said Ginger Reyes, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Admissions & Recruitment at CI. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer more students the opportunity to complete their degrees and achieve their educational goals in these challenging economic times. We love to see more CI graduates.”

“After being in a period where we’ve been forced to limit our enrollment, we hope this signals that we will be able to provide more opportunities to students in our region,” said Dan Wakelee, Assistant Provost. “It’s great to see things are going up instead of down.”

CI began accepting applications on Aug. 1 and will continue until midnight Aug. 31. Upper division transfer students with 60 or more transferable semester units are encouraged to apply. CI received more than 10,000 applications for admission to the fall 2011 class, but the campus was only able to accommodate about 1,500 new students.

“Unfortunately, we had to turn students away if they missed one of the admissions deadlines,” said Darius Riggins, Associate Director of Admissions & Recruitment. “Some of these students may have been fully qualified but just failed to meet our strict criteria for the admission process. That’s tough on everybody.”

Although the campus is not open to freshmen mid-year, CI enrolled its largest freshman class ever, with 650 new students entering this fall. In the past few weeks, the campus has added sections to ensure that students have classes available.

“Although demand is high for some classes, CI students are able to get classes they need to graduate,” said Jane Sweetland, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management. “That means as seniors graduate, we gain room in classes for new students.”

Requirements and applications for eligible transfer students are available online at www.csumentor.edu or on CI’s website at www.csuci.edu.

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.

Dr. Debbie Bereki

Debbie Bereki, a prior Ventura County educator who received several awards in the 1980s and 1990’s for her innovative teaching, was conferred a Ph. D. in education at the June 12th commencement ceremony for UC Santa Barbara. Dr. Bereki’s focus while attending the UCSB Gevirtz Graduate School of Education was on science education reform and professional development. She conducted an ongoing professional development for teachers with scientists and observed two teachers in the classroom to analyze how they implemented new science curriculum and the resulting change they experienced.

What is so amazing about Dr. Bereki, though, is that she achieved this milestone following a serious car accident in 1998 that left her with multiple injuries including a traumatic brain injury. Her injuries prevented her from returning to her job teaching science at Fillmore High School. Dr. Bereki had to relearn to read and write following her accident, and was extremely challenged to complete her program of study, including writing a thesis for her Masters degree and a dissertation for her Doctorate.

Currently Dr. Bereki is doing consulting work in science education and also working on several books, including the story of her life experiences for the past 13 years. She is grateful that the years spent working on her graduate studies helped her to regain many of the cognitive skills that were lost do to her brain injury. Dr. Bereki would like her former students to know how much she enjoys hearing from them.

The Tuesday, August 2, 2011 School Board Meeting Has Been Cancelled.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer. With the first day of school just around the corner (August 16) for FUSD families, I bet many have questions about what this year will be like.

Not only has FUSD hired it's interim Superintendent, Dr. Nishino, but FUSD has a fabulous looking new website.
Have you seen it recently? If not, then you need to check it out. What else is new?
The look is up to date and makes it easy to navigate. Each school's site has the same format, and has a place for a photo of the front of the school, with places for a school calendar and other info for each school to customize.

AND, the entire website can be read in Spanish by clicking once at the top of the site. This is a big deal and I hope it's used by the Spanish speaking families served by FUSD.

I really like the look and feel of the new website. I especially like the photographs added. The revamped site brings it up to date and makes it an "attractive" site to visit. I hope that it will make it easier for the community to connect with their childs school and the District as a whole.

Here's the link to the FUSD site: http://www.fillmore.k12.ca.us/home/

News is coming on the interim superintendent and on other news from the District. Stay Tuned.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA – CSU Channel Islands (CI) recently earned a silver rating for its environmentally friendly practices from the nation’s leading advocacy group for sustainability in higher education.

The rating, awarded by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS® (Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) program, signifies that CI is doing a good job of going “green” in areas ranging from curriculum to construction to conservation of resources.

“We call ourselves a ‘green’ campus and this validated that we’re doing things sustainably here,” said John Gormley, campus architect and director of planning, design and construction. “It also demonstrated we’re on the right track in identifying areas for future improvement.”

The university’s rating was the result of a thorough, year-long self-evaluation process that involved staff, faculty and students.

CI is one of more than 250 universities participating in the STARS program – and among the first 70 to complete the evaluation. STARS is the only sustainability self-assessment tool that helps colleges evaluate and publicly report how they’re doing, where they can improve, what peers are doing and mark progress over time.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland. “CSU Channel Islands has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS silver rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

Examples of some of CI’s highest-rated sustainable practices include:

· Water conservation – CI irrigates the campus entirely with reclaimed water and uses drought-tolerant landscaping, low-flow faucets and toilets, and waterless urinals.

· Energy efficiency – CI reduced energy use on campus by 20 percent over the last two years.

· Curriculum and research – Roughly 30 percent of courses offered focus on or relate to sustainability. Nearly 33 percent of the tenure-track faculty is involved in sustainability-related research.

· Waste reduction – CI has programs to reduce student move-out waste through swap meets, donations and recycling. Many materials, such as student orientation packets, are offered electronically.

· Human resources, diversity and affordability – CI scored high in areas such as employee compensation and satisfaction, as well as in promoting diversity and affordability for its students.

With the evaluation complete, Gormley says CI is already hard at work on advancing its next sustainability initiatives. The next priority is creating a Climate Action Plan that outlines how the university will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in the short and long-term.

“As a public institution, we have a moral responsibility to be leaders in this effort to educate the next generations on ways to be in balance with the environment,” he said.

CI joins 52 other institutions that have completed the STARS assessment in receiving a silver rating, including Yale University, the University of Oregon and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Fourteen colleges achieved a gold rating and 15 earned a bronze rating.

AASHE is a national leader in campus sustainability with more than 850 higher education institutional members. For more information on the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s STARS program, visit https://stars.aashe.org.

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.