Amgen biotechnology pilot program a success for FHS students
Courtesy Steven Geddes
Teacher, Amgen Biotech Summer Experience 2016

The week of June 20th Fillmore High School completed a successful Amgen biotechnology pilot program, the “Amgen Biotech Summer Experience” (ABSE). ABSE serves incoming freshman students from diverse backgrounds who are preparing for their first year at Fillmore High School. The intensive course lasts five full days, during which students are introduced to biotechnology theory, practice, and laboratory techniques.

In a safe and controlled laboratory setting, students used sophisticated procedures (including the use of micropipettes, gel electrophoresis, gene cloning, transforming bacteria with recombinant plasmids, and verifying results using column chromatography) to produce bacterial cultures that glow with a red fluorescent protein (rfp) normally found in sea anemones. Using recombinant DNA in bacteria for rfp production reflects, albeit on a smaller scale, the process used by Amgen in its production of human insulin for the treatment of illnesses, such as diabetes.

ABSE was a fun and productive learning experience for everyone involved. Our 28 students completed the program with fantastic results. Throughout the week, they received help from four well-trained and effective incoming sophomores, Ariana Schieferle, Mireya Avila, Savanna Garcia, and James Chandler. Carol Fujita, a former AP Biology teacher and current Amgen Biotech Experience site coordinator, provided instruction and distribution of equipment and materials. Karin Steinhauer provided much-needed technical and distribution support throughout the week. Leading up to the ABSE week, FHS biology teacher Nichia Huxtable was not only crucial to bringing ABSE to the high school, she also provided the classroom space for the program. Fillmore Middle School’s eighth grade science teachers, Emily DuBois and Ashley McClain, were instrumental in providing incoming freshman students an opportunity to apply for ABSE. Finally, FHS Principal Tom Ito supported the program throughout its inception and execution.

Ultimately, this experience offered students who wouldn’t otherwise have been exposed to sophisticated biotechnology an opportunity to learn from and contribute to a challenging classroom laboratory, which will directly and positively impact their ability to engage in their future college and career pathways.

It’s that time again – REGISTRATION TIME!!!

We need help again this year, so if you have a day or two or even a couple of hours we can use all the help we can get .

Wednesday, August 10th – 8:30 – 3:30

Seniors: A-H 9:00 a.m.
I-P 9:30 a.m.
Q-Z 10:00 a.m.

Juniors: A-H 10:30 a.m.
I-P 11:00 a.m.
Q-Z 11:30 a.m.

LUNCH BREAK 12:00 – 1:00

Sophomores A-H 1:15 p.m.
I - P 1:45 p.m.
Q-Z 2:15 p.m.

Thursday, August 11th - Freshmen Orientation & Registration

The 9th graders will have an assembly in the morning . They will begin to register at 11:00

Registration 11:00 – 3:00

We need help beginning at 10:30. We will not get a lunch break that day (I’ll see if we can get the firemen to add a few extra hot dogs on the BBQ – They are feeding the freshmen!)
 
Please let me know via email if you are able to help! The office will be closed until July 25th, but I will check my emails during my time off.

I know that registration coincides with fair again this year. I am sorry, but at least students will be back from fair in time to start school the following week. If your student is at the fair, and he/she has any free time on Wednesday from 9 – 2:30 or Thursday from 11 – 2:30, please feel free to have them come in to get their picture taken and turn in their paperwork. They might not be able to get their books, but they will be able to get their ID card and turn in all the paperwork.

On Thursday, June 2nd the drama students from Fillmore Middle School had the amazing opportunity to attend the Acting 101 Class at the Disneyland Resort. Students were taken backstage to a rehearsal space, and had a private acting seminar with teaching artist and Disney TV actor, Scott Dreier. Mr. Dreier started by stressing the importance of actors being prepared and being easy to work with, if they want to be successful. He then led students through acting warm-ups, how to “slate” for an audition, and coached them through audition scenes to practice enhancing their performances with direction. With his guidance, students added complex emotional backstories to their characters to enhance their performances and make them more engaging. Mr.Dreier challenged students to be fearless, and students rose to the occasion delivering some of their best performances of the year. At the end of the session, Mr.Dreier answered student questions about working in theatre, film, voice over, and television, and shared some of his experiences working in the industry. Students had a fun and inspirational day, and Disney staff were so impressed with the students’ enthusiasm and dedication to acting, they remarked that Fillmore students were the best group they had ever seen go through the workshop. At the conclusion of the workshop, students were presented with a plaque honoring their commitment to the Performing Arts. It was truly a great day for Fillmore Middle School Drama students.

On Thursday, June 2, from 3:30 – 5:30pm, the MERITO Foundationwill award prizes to the top 12 teams of middle and high school students from Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties who authored energy efficiency or other sustainability project proposals for their school campuses at the Museum of Ventura County in downtown Ventura, CA. Glenn Hening, Founder of Surfrider Foundation will serve as keynote speaker at this inaugural event. Project sponsored by EPA, NOAA, NAAEE, MERITO Foundation and supported by 5 school districts including Fillmore Unified SD.

The awards ceremony and celebration will recognize the creativity, innovation, work and environmental stewardship of students and teachers participating in the EECCCOA (Energy Efficiency to Mitigate Climate Change and Ocean Acidification) program during the 2015-2016 school year. The top twelve project proposals that provide a plan to reduce the carbon footprint of their school campuses will be presented with cash and in-kind prizes for each student group.

The following schools will have students present or display their project proposals: Buena and Ventura High Schools (Ventura), Haydock Middle School (Oxnard), Fillmore High School (Fillmore),Santa Barbara High School (Santa Barbara), Anacapa Middle School (Ventura), and Rigethii High School (Santa Maria). Project proposals authored by the awarded students are innovative, realistic, and attainable according to each school campus needs and realities and when implemented will all make an environmental and economic difference.

About MERITO Foundation:
MERITO (Multicultural Education for Resources Issues Threatening Oceans) Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Ventura, CA, dedicated to protecting the ocean by facilitating education, conservation and scientific research opportunities to multicultural youth and their communities. MERITO strives to enhance ocean and climate science literacy among multicultural communities while supporting marine research and conservation in order to promote healthy ocean ecosystems and inspire the new generation of ocean professionals.
For more information, please visit www.meritofoundation.org

About EECCOA (Energy Efficiency to Mitigate Climate Change and Ocean Acidification) Program:
EECCOA is a project-based science education program of the MERITO Foundation that provides energy, climate and ocean literacy services and products to 8th – 12th grade teachers and their students. EECCOA empowers students to address climate change and ocean acidification by providing them the tools to research, design and innovate Energy Efficiency or other sustainability models their schools can adopt, or develop Ocean Acidification (OA) awareness campaigns that inform their communities.

For more information, please visit www.meritofoundation.org/services/eeccoa

Ventura College Water Science and Environmental Technology Department Associate Professor and Program Chair Dr. Richard Forde and students Tristan Anderson, Domanique Madrid, Brianna Ruiz, Dawn Gottschalt, and Garrett Russeil presented research on clean water solutions to more than 6,000 attendees at the American Water Works Association meeting in Sacramento, California.

The AWWA is the largest water agency in the world. It creates the standards and terminology for the water industry for all 50 states and Canada. Ventura College students made such an impression that the AWWA has inquired about forming internships for the Water Science and Environmental Technology program and students from the University of California, Davis and California State University, Sacramento are interested in taking classes in the program.

“This research involves developing equipment and methodology using over-the-counter products to filter dirty water through diatomaceous earth to clean the water,” said Forde. “The idea is to provide clean drinking water to people in developing nations.”

“We are so proud of the work these outstanding students have put into this project,” added Ventura College President Dr. Greg Gillespie. “They will complete their work by the end of the semester and hope to publish their findings.”

“Some of these people have never had a glass of clean water or washed their hands in clear water,” added Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees Larry Kennedy, Chair. “This research will make a tremendous difference in the lives and health of so many people.”

The Water Science program provides students with the technical training they need to pursue a career in the municipal potable water and wastewater industries. Waterworks operators protect public health by ensuring that plant operations comply with state and federally mandated drinking water and wastewater disposal standards.

Ventura College, an accredited two-year institution of higher education, has been a part of the beautiful seaside community of Ventura, California, since 1925. It is conveniently located approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Santa Barbara. The 112-acre campus, set in the rolling hills of Ventura, has an enrollment of 14,500 students. Ventura College offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Sciences Degrees in 33 majors, and Certificates of Completion and Proficiency Awards in 61 areas of study. Ventura College also has Transfer Guarantee Agreements with CSUCI, CSUN, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Class schedules are posted at www.venturacollege.edu. For more information, contact the Ventura College Welcome Center at 805.289.6420.

Ventura County Office of Education

Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with $14,000 in grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony Wednesday night in Oxnard, the Ventura County Office of Education presented 21 IMPACT II grants to teachers from nine schools in four local districts. The grants are funded by local businesses and organizations that wish to promote unique and creative teaching practices.
The 15 winners were selected from 63 applicants by judging teams comprised of educators and community members. The winning applications cover topics ranging from art to physics.
2016 Ventura County IMPACT II Grant Recipients:

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Christa Lamb and Kari White
School: Colina Middle School
Grant Title: Bugging Out

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Ivy Brown and Jessica Murphy
School: Ventura Charter School
Grant Title: Celebrating Californians Both Past and Present

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Peter Daland
School: Moorpark High School
Grant Title: Economics of Starting a Small Business in Moorpark, California

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Kevin Downey and Joel Levin
School: Buena High School
Grant Title: Making Records in the Digital Age: Recording and Sharing Student
Voices

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Dave DeLos Santos, Debbie Maulhardt and Ernie Rodriquez
School: R.J. Frank Academy of Marine Science and Engineering
Grant Title: If You Have Knowledge, Let Others Light Their Candles in It

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Debbie Maulhardt
School: R.J. Frank Academy of Marine Science and Technology
Grant Title: "Knowledge is Having the Right Answers, Intelligence is asking the
Right Questions"

Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Cathie Kourounis and Julie Roland
School: St. Paschal Baylon School
Grant Title: Math + Reading = Art

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Allan Viscarra
School: Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Grant Title: Do You Hear What I Hear?: An Investigation of Sound and
Vibration

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Jocelyn White, Diane Winter-Walorinta
School: Pacifica High School
Grant Title: Teaching Chemistry Through the Story of the Penny

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Laurie Curtis-Abbe
School: Anacapa Middle School
Grant Title: Read Across America Middle School & Elementary Schools
Collaboration

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Tiffany Armas, Karen Davis, Angela Jaquez and Kathy Wadley
School: La Mariposa Elementary
Grant Title: Let's S'more About Animals

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Jennifer Dobbie
School: Isbell Middle School
Grant Title: There's an App for That! Apps and Time Travel

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Maria Geib
School: Junipero Serra School
Grant Title: Chumash Interactive Museum

Sponsor: SAGE
Participants: Monica Lukins
School: DATA
Grant Title: GMO Mission Impossible Project

Sponsor: Ventura County Reading Association
Participants: Kimberly Hansmeier
School: Ventura Charter School of Arts and Global Education
Grant Title: The Power of Publishing

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Clark Barnett
School: Lang Ranch Elementary
Grant Title: 3D Printed Entomology

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Laura Bingham and Holly Johnson
School: Ventura Charter School
Grant Title: Home Is Where The Habitat Is

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Jena Branstetter, Nancy Escamilla, Francis Flores, Peri Froedge
and Judy Neumann
School: E.P. Foster STEM Academy
Grant Title: 2nd Grade Engineers: Building a Boat that Floats

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Ashley Cooper and Toni Young
School: Thousand Oaks High School
Grant Title: Expressing Yourself: Creative Writing in Biology

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Beth McGrath
School: LCMS
Grant Title: Dynamic Earth Pyramid

Sponsor: Amgen
Participants: Steve Rowley
School: Mound Elementary School
Grant Title: Healthy Farming = Healthy World
Special Awards
Title: Superintendent's Award
Sponsor: State Farm
Participants: Monica Lukins
School: De Anza Academy of Technology and the Arts
Title: Ed Lyon Excellence in Education Award
Sponsor: Blois Construction
Participants: Jocelyn White and Diane Winter-Walorinta
School: Pacifica High School

More About IMPACT II

IMPACT II is a curriculum sharing and recognition program for educators in kindergarten through grade 12 in all subject areas. Since 1993, Ventura County educators have received more than $300,000 in sponsor-funded grants.
Educators submit grant proposals about classroom-tested curricula they have developed. Individual educators whose proposals are selected receive $500. Collaborative efforts receive $750. A committee of educators, school administrators and business partners select the most unique, innovative and ready-to-share ideas to receive the sponsored grants.

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.

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.