On Thursday, October 20th the Sespe English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) hosted a parent workshop entitled, “How you can support your child when they are bullied.” The presentation was put on by the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) and was facilitated by Lucia Gonzalez.

One of the key messages delivered by Gonzalez was that parents can support their child by educating them how to avoid being a victim. Gonzalez also noted the importance of frequently speaking with your children about what is happening at school. She added that it may be helpful to specifically ask your child what they worked on at school, who they hang out with, what they were happy about at school, and in what areas they were having problems. She also mentioned that it is crucial to teach children to communicate with parents and teachers when they are experiencing bullying or harassment. Gonzalez answered specific questions from parents and discussed how families and schools should work together to address bullying issues.

The workshop was attended by over 50 Sespe parents. Bullying is an issue at all schools and nearly every child is bullied at some point in their schooling years. The more communication that takes place between families, teachers, and schools the quicker we can address this difficult issue. The next parent workshop, Building Children’s Self-Esteem, will take place in the Sespe Cafeteria (on Orchard Street) on Thursday, November 17th from 8:30-9:30. All parents and community members are welcome.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will highlight its increasing number of international students during a variety of International Education Week activities from Nov. 14 through 18.

The Thousand Oaks university has more international students than ever this year, with particularly strong growth at the graduate level. The number of foreign nationals taking classes this fall is 330, about 20 percent higher than last year and more than five times the level of 10 years ago. When all U.S. permanent residents who were born in other countries, students with dual citizenship, and students with a principal home address abroad are included, the number of CLU students with an international affiliation rises to 503.

The international MBA program that began in 2002 has been the biggest driver behind a decade of increases. More recently, CLU this year started an MBA program in Austria that includes an intensive two-week program on campus.

Meanwhile, international enrollment among traditional undergraduates has risen steadily and stands at 112 students.

CLU’s foreign students come from 38 countries. The largest sending countries this year are China, Taiwan, Norway and Saudi Arabia, which boosted its scholarship offerings for study abroad.

The week also highlights study abroad experiences offered by CLU. This year CLU is sending more than 200 students on programs abroad, a 33 percent increase over last year.

International Education Week is a joint initiative of the U.S. Departments of State and Education. With the theme “Our World,” CLU’s observance will open at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14, with a parade of students carrying their national flags from Samuelson Chapel to the flagpole on the north side of Memorial Parkway, where a ceremony will be held. A panel of international students will discuss their experiences at CLU from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15 in Lundring Events Center. An International Chapel Service will be held at 10:10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Samuelson Chapel.

A World Fair will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Pavilion. Performances by the CLU Poetry Slam club, a gospel choir and the Jishin Taiko Drummers from California State University, Northridge, are slated, as well as a Saudi Arabian sword dance and hip-hop presentation. There will also be food and at least 20 interactive displays on cultures represented at CLU. A closing ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18 at the flagpole and end with a parade of the flags back to the chapel.

All activities are free and open to the public. CLU’s Office of Multicultural Programs and International Student Services and Office of Campus Ministry are sponsoring the events. For more information, call 805-493-3323 or 805-493-3228.

Dr. Elizabeth Hartung

Camarillo, CA - Dr. Elizabeth Hartung has been appointed as the new Director of the Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies (HLI) at CSU Channel Islands (CI).

The HLI launched in 2010 is named for workforce and community leader Hank Lacayo, who has served as an advisor to United States presidents and governors. As a vital part of the University, the HLI is CSU Channel Islands’ latest effort to apply CI’s highly qualified faculty and student talent toward addressing issues on behalf of the larger community.

The work of the Institute will help provide valuable resources and information critical to the prosperity of businesses at the local, state, and national level, as well as a focus upon the complexities of sustainable workforce and business practices such as recycling and green technologies. The work of the HLI directly contributes to the growth of small businesses throughout the region through student consulting assignments – applying, in a real-world setting, the business and technology skills learned through entrepreneurial studies coursework. The HLI has received funding from Southern California Edison, Verizon, Southern California Gas Company, and AT&T, among others.

In keeping with the core values of the University, studies will be interdisciplinary, balanced with environmental sensibility, and will consider international and ever-evolving demographic influences.

"I am very pleased that Dr. Hartung has accepted the offer to lead the HLI. Her impressive background and experience will serve the HLI well in enhancing the Institute's role on campus, the surrounding communities and the Pacific Rim,” said Hank Lacayo.

Hartung, who earned her doctorate at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln will serve as the director of the HLI. She is currently the chair of the Sociology and Anthropology programs, a role she has held since 2005. Hartung stated, "I am delighted to have this opportunity to both extend and build new relationships between the University and community as we serve our students and their future employers in Ventura County and beyond, and to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Hank Lacayo.”

“Dr. Hartung is a trusted and respected colleague whose expertise in community issues will serve us well. Under her leadership, faculty and students will have the opportunity to research important workforce issues and provide valuable information to local small businesses,” said President Richard Rush.

As well as Hartung’s work with the HLI, she maintains her research interests in the areas of stratification and inequality, especially as expressed in housing issues. She is also committed to the interdisciplinary focus of the University’s mission, the importance of cultural exchange and internationalism for learners of all ages.

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.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Educators will receive free hands-on training for using art, dance, drama and music to teach a variety of subjects on Saturday, Nov. 5, at California Lutheran University.

The Arts and Learning Symposium: Crossing Curricular Boundaries will be held from 8 a.m. to noon in the Lundring Events Center.

This is the first event in the Susan Greiser Price Arts Integration Program, which was funded by a recent $150,000 gift to CLU’s Graduate School of Education. Expanding on a pilot that CLU started in the Moorpark Unified School District for using drama techniques as a teaching strategy in all subject areas, the new program will include additional schools and incorporate music, art and dance as well as drama.

Ventura County teachers and CLU graduates and students will lead interactive breakout sessions where educators will paint, dance and act as they learn to integrate arts in the classroom. The presenters will provide participants with opportunities to try research-based strategies for blending visual arts, music, dance and theater with language arts, math, science and history. The presenters will also cover the elements of art, visual-thinking routines, color theory and classroom organization. Separate sessions will be held for elementary and middle school teachers. Participants will leave with a variety of tools and ideas that they can use in their classrooms the next week.

Rio Mesa High School’s Folklórico Club will perform and teach participants some traditional dances. Joe Mendoza, director of special populations educational support for the Ventura County Office of Education, will give the keynote address. The program will also feature breakfast, music by Los Cerritos Jazz Band and artwork by Ventura County students.

The initial pilot program was funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Called Project ACT (Active, Collaborative, Transformative), it has been implemented in six elementary schools in Moorpark. Led by 60 teachers who have been trained through the program, students are learning about and demonstrating their understanding of various subjects through theater games, creative dramatics, drama enactments and process drama.

Initial results show that student’s grades have improved. English learners are more engaged, teachers are reenergized and CLU teacher candidates and undergraduate interns involved in the program are developing a better understanding of the teaching and learning process.

Space at the symposium is limited. To register, go to http://www.callutheran.edu/artslearning or contact Christina Houston at chouston@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3423.

Enlarge Photo

On Monday, October 3, 2011, San Cayetano School recognized good citizenship and character at their Peacebuilder Assembly for the month of October. Paul Capra from John Paul Pet, came to speak to the students about what a good citizen is and how respecting others is important. He shared how we can be good citizens to help our school and community. In addition, he spoke about our animal companions, to treat them with respect as well and groom them. Each teacher chose a student from his or her class whom showed excellent character and respect during the month. Hailey Avila and Bryan Arnett, the San Cayetano ASB President and Vice-President assisted Paul in handing out the Peacebuilder Awards. The Peacebuilders for October are: John-Quentin Hernandez, Izabelle Estrella, Della Alamillo, Cynthia Valecillo, Andrea Laureano, Yulisa Lopez Sajardo, Miranda Magaña, Jazmin Patiño, Juan David Linares, Emilia Magdaleno, Evan Alamillo, Noah Montañez, Samantha Cabral, Cesar Magaña, Abby Sanchez, Dylan Crawford, Lilian Diaz, Wendy Carrillo, and Michael Priebe. John Capra then announced the San Cayetano Character Counts Award of a $100.00 savings bond sponsored by the John Paul Pet Foundation. Paul Capra presented the Character Counts Award to a deserving second-grade student. Julio Negrete was chosen by the second-grade teachers as a model of kindness and respectfulness to the other students and school community. To conclude the assembly, students were reminded to turn in their Perfect Attendance tickets. Each month all students who come to school, each day, on time, are given a raffle ticket. The students place their tickets in a box and one ticket is drawn. The student whose ticket is drawn is given a NASA backpack with the book Max Goes to the Moon in it. This month’s perfect attendance winner is Bryan Arnett, from Ms. Dewey’s classroom. Each month, the tickets will be put into a larger box that will be kept until the end of the year. In June, Mrs. Marholin, the principal, will draw from the tickets to give away two new bicycles.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will dedicate William Rolland Stadium and Gallery of Fine Art at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29.

A short ceremony will be held in the new $8.9 million stadium before the 1 p.m. football game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Highlighted by a 70-foot clock tower, the two-story stadium has about 2,000 fixed seats and can accommodate additional portable bleachers for visitor seating. It has a top-quality permanent artificial turf field and outdoor sports lighting. Built to current National Collegiate Athletic Association standards, the facility also includes home team locker rooms, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and a press box.

The stadium will accommodate football, soccer and intramural athletic games and practices as well as commencement ceremonies.

Inside the 6,000-square-foot facility, the art gallery will initially house pieces of donor William Rolland's extensive and eclectic collection of bronze statuary, paintings and high-performance racecars.

William Rolland Stadium replaces Mount Clef Stadium, which CLU had used since 1963. The former stadium was built not only for the college’s then-fledgling football team, but also as a summer training ground for the Dallas Cowboys.

CLU had long outgrown the original stadium, which has a grass field, no lighting, an unusable concession stand and limited parking. The Kingsmen clinched spots in the NCAA Division III football championship tournament for the last two years in a row, but lost their bid to host playoff games to universities with bigger and better facilities.

The stadium is located on the north side of Olsen Road between Campus Drive and Mountclef Boulevard on the Thousand Oaks campus. Other state-of-the-art sports facilities that have opened in this area in recent years include the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, Samuelson Aquatics Center, George "Sparky" Anderson Field and Ullman Stadium, Hutton Field and the Poulson Tennis Center.

Rolland, a real estate developer and founding resident of Westlake Village, donated $5.45 million for the project. It is the largest single gift in the history of the university. Rolland, who played football in the Army, rose from humble beginnings to achieve great success. A former firefighter, he received a Medal of Valor from the Los Angeles Fire Department and established the William Rolland Firefighters Foundation and William Rolland Firefighter Educational Institute in Hollywood.

Admission to the ceremony and game is free.

The annual Fall Harvest Festival/Carnival will be at San Cayetano on Thursday October 27, 2011. The time of this event will be from 5-8PM. We are fortunate to have the Wells Fargo Foundation once again sponsor this community event. The proceeds from the event will support all for elementary schools in Fillmore and Piru. The funds generated from the cinnamon rolls will be split between the local fire and police departments for their annual holiday toy drive! High school students will be donating time for community service hours. This fun event will feature games , lots of prizes and food booths. Come join the fun!!!

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 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 (Alan Nishino, Mike 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, Release, Reassignment, Transfers Public Employee Performance Evaluation: Superintendent (The Board and
Superintendent meet periodically to provide feedback to one another concerning
the achievement of goals.)
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 CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) has been named a “Military Friendly School” in an annual list that highlights colleges and universities who are doing their best to recruit, retain and support military veterans. The ranking, which resulted from a survey of more than 8,000 institutions nationwide, places CI in the top 20 percent of all colleges and universities for its military friendliness. The annual list is compiled by G.I. Jobs magazine, a respected, veteran-owned publisher that targets members of the military.

“This is a great honor for CI to achieve this recognition at such an early stage in our growth as a university,” said Jay Derrico, Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator at CI. “It validates that we’re already doing a good job of embracing military students and veterans – and we’re just getting started.”

In its 2012 listing, G.I. Jobs commends CI for practices such as offering veterans priority registration and transferring 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 and services for military friendliness and also sought input from currently enrolled veterans and service members. “The Military Friendly Schools designation is the result of an arduous survey process that takes into account both effort (policies) and results (various enrollment and graduation rates),” said Sean Collins, Senior Brand Manager at G.I. Jobs. “Earning the Military Friendly Schools moniker is recognition that CSU Channel Islands’ policies and results are best of breed.”

Currently, 171 students at CI are veterans, members of the military, or their survivors or dependents – approximately 3 percent of the total student body. River Rose, a nursing student who retired from the Navy after 24 years as a sonar technician, said CI’s “Military Friendly” designation was well-deserved. “Long before I even set foot on the campus, the people at CI were reaching out to me and making me feel welcome,” Rose, 50, said. “They work hard to foster a caring network and promote the awareness and development of their veterans. Not only do they care, but they’re also extremely efficient at working to ensure our benefits run smoothly with the Veterans Affairs office.”

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 800,000 veterans took advantage of the G.I. Bill to continue their education in 2010 – a 42 percent increase over the previous year. As a growing number of veterans return to school, favorable ratings from G.I. Jobs’ “Military Friendly Schools” will be helpful to the institutions they recognize as well as to service members seeking a college, said Michael Dakduk, Executive Director for the Student Veterans of America. “The Military Friendly Schools list is the go-to resource for prospective student veterans searching for schools that provide the greatest opportunity and overall experience,” Dakduk said. “Nothing is more compelling than actual feedback from current student veterans.”

For more information on CI’s veterans affairs programs, contact Jay Derrico, Veterans Affairs Program Coordinator, at 805-437-2745 or jay.derrico@cusci.edu.

To view the 2012 Military Friendly Schools list by G.I. Jobs, visit http://www.militaryfriendlyschools.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.

Time Warner Cable is supporting C-SPAN's documentary competition to encourage middle and high school students to learn about the basic principles of democracy.

Students are required to create 5-8 minute video about this year's topic: The Constitution and You. They are asked to select any provision of the U.S. Constitution and create a video illustrating its importance to them.

Videos must reflect varying points of view and include C-SPAN video to support the topic.

Winners will receive cash prizes, and teachers who are listed as advisors can win school equipment. One student and a parent from California will win a trip to Washington, DC, which will include a VIP tour of the C-SPAN studios!

Entry forms and completed videos must be submitted online by Friday, January 20, 2012. For those interested, please go to www.studentcam.org or if you have questions, please email C-SPAN Classroom at educate@c-span.org.

Camarillo, CA - Ventura County students, grades K-8, are invited to launch marshmallows, make glow-in-the-dark goo, mix their own lotion, torch gummy bears and electrocute pickles as part of CSU Channel Islands’ (CI) Third Annual Science Carnival.

Just don’t tell them that all 50 of the free, interactive demonstrations featured at the event are actually science lessons disguised as fun. “It’s designed to be a hands-on science night where students can experience science in a carnival-like atmosphere and see that science is fun, interesting and something they can make a career out of,” said Dr. Phil Hampton, the CI chemistry professor who created the event.

The Science Carnival will be held Friday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at University Charter Middle School, 700 Temple Ave., in Camarillo. The event is free and open to all Ventura County K-8 graders and their families.

The Halloween-themed carnival will also include a “haunted suitcase” that levitates in the air, fluorescent “Gak” (slime), cauldrons of spooky smoking punch, and other Halloween and Carnival-themed refreshments. Students will be able to create and take home science experiments and win prizes in science-based contests. Kids are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes.

It’s the third year that CI has organized the Science Carnival for local students, with help from the Free Radicals, the student chemistry club. For the first time this year, 15 CI students are developing the Science Carnival for credit in their CHEM 492 Service Learning class.

“It gives CI students the opportunity to promote to younger kids why they like science, while at the same time applying their science coursework and explaining the concepts behind the demonstrations they’re doing,” Hampton said.

Hampton also enlisted students from Hueneme High School and University Charter Middle School to help conduct demonstrations and staff booths at the Science Carnival. The event is part of a broader effort by CI to inspire more Ventura County students to pursue educations and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which are vital to the maintaining the nation’s stature as an innovator and job producer. The Science Carnival is funded with the help of a federal grant awarded to CI that encourages STEM opportunities and outreach.

For additional information, contact Dr. Phil Hampton, Professor of Chemistry, at 805-437-8869 or Philip.Hampton@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.

As every Fillmore citizen knows, Homecoming Week is a big deal for not only FHS but the community as well. The preparations for this - one of the school’s most momentous events- were well underway by Monday the 19th when the festivities began with a dress up day on campus and the float building kickoff party after school. There, at around 8o’clock the Homecoming Court was announced and Homecoming truly began.

Every day was a different dress up day, and every day after school the trucks in the bus garages ceased to be trucks and evolved into the “Fables” themed floats. On Friday, the floats were all (more or less) completed and the homecoming rally began after sixth period at FHS. Homecoming Court was presented and the Queen was revealed: Jaynessa Lopez, an academically and athletically gifted senior was crowned with Robert Bonilla, the Flashes football quarterback as Homecoming King. Our Grand Marshal was Nada Vaughn, and toward the end of the rally the court was dismissed to prepare for the Homecoming Parade, which showcased not only court, but also Miss and Miss Teen Fillmore, Flashes varsity cheerleaders and football players, the Floats, and the FHS band- among other participants.

All this fanfare and celebration- preparation for what? The football game of course! It wasn’t looking good for the boys as halftime approached and the Flashes held the lead by only one point, not to mention lightning that lit up the sky before the game even started, delaying it a full fifteen minutes before it was sanctioned to continue. Things only got stranger when, as the Homecoming court lined up in all their finery to walk down the field, the heavens decided to open up at that exact moment and, though their presentation continued, it made for some very waterlogged memories.

Despite all these unusual and almost discouraging events, the lightning strikes earlier in the night plus the rain must have been good luck, because the Flashes came back after halftime and soundly defeated the Frazier Mountain Falcons with a final score of 59-30.

On Saturday the 24th the Homecoming dance brought the festivities to a close- the turnout and reception of the dance was more positive than it has been in a long time. Hopefully it will encourage equal enthusiasm in school events for the rest of this term!

With the last song, Homecoming ended and FHS has since returned to the less intense business of normality, though the fond memories of this week’s events will surely last much longer.

Harvest Festival/Carnival at San Cayeatno Thursday October 27, 2011
Wells Fargo Foundation will once again sponsor this event.
Games, Food and Fun! 5-8PM More Details Later.

Camarillo, CA - A $6 million federal grant will be used to help inspire and educate the next generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates at CSU Channel Islands (CI) and nearby community colleges.

The grant, awarded to CI by the U.S. Department of Education, will be disbursed over five years in installments of $1.2 million. It targets Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) with the goal of enhancing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) opportunities for Hispanic and low-income students.

The grant was secured through the efforts of CI Professor of Chemistry Phil Hampton and his colleagues: Sadiq Shah, Associate Vice President for Research & Sponsored Programs; Cindy Wyels, Professor of Mathematics; and Don Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management.

“It’s important that we prepare the next generation of graduates to tackle the changing world environment and make scientific and technological advances,” said Hampton, the grant’s principal investigator. “With the tight economic times and challenges of growing as an institution, this grant gives us the resources to reach out to students, increase their knowledge of science and fulfill our mission of being student centered.”

The grant will enable CI to partner with Oxnard College, Ventura College, Moorpark College and Santa Barbara City College, as well as with Ventura County K-12 schools, to inspire Hispanic and low-income students to pursue STEM disciplines and support them with services to transfer, graduate and succeed. Though the grant targets underrepresented minorities, the activities and services it funds will encourage interest and success in STEM disciplines among all students of all ethnicities.

“This grant will benefit many students throughout Ventura County and enable CSU Channel Islands to continue to provide an outstanding education to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in STEM disciplines,” said CI President Richard R. Rush. “Moreover, the additional funds will strengthen our partnerships with community colleges to help students transfer to CI and be successful in STEM majors.”

The effort, dubbed “Project ACCESO” (Achieving a Cooperative College Education through STEM Opportunities), will provide tutoring, peer mentoring, research and employment opportunities, STEM equipment and facilities, outreach into local schools, analysis of STEM curriculum and student performance, and collaborative efforts on all campuses to engage, retain and graduate STEM students. Outreach programs will include hands-on science demonstrations in local classrooms and “Science Nights” where students and parents will learn about STEM career paths. A STEM center for students is scheduled to open on the CI campus in January and a campus greenhouse is also planned.

To obtain the grant, Hampton and his colleagues spent a year planning and honing a 93-page proposal for Project ACCESO. CI was one of approximately 100 institutions nationwide to receive the highly competitive award. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, CI’s full-time, undergraduate student enrollment is more than 25 percent Hispanic. The HSI designation, obtained in 2010, allows the University to compete for U.S. Department of Education Title V funding as well as other financial support available with the HSI status.

“We’re excited that this grant will help encourage and educate the next generation of innovators, scientists and mathematicians right here in Ventura County,” said Hampton.

For additional information, contact Professor Phil Hampton at 805-437-8869 or Philip.Hampton@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.

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2011
5:00 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.
5:00 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 5:00 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 School District Pupils (Education Code 35146)
o Consideration of Recommendation for Readmission of Student Who Has Completed Term of Expulsion 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 Public Employee Performance Evaluation: Superintendent (The Board and
Superintendent meet periodically to provide feedback to one another concerning
the achievement of goals.)
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).]
Ag 100411 page 2
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. 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.
H. COMMUNICATIONS Student Representative’s Report Superintendent’s Report
7:00 p.m.
I. CONSENT ITEMS (Materials: Corresponding to numbers 1-5)
Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and will be enacted by a single motion. None of the items will be discussed unless a Board Member or member of the audience requests discussion.
1. Approve Minutes: Regular Board Meeting Held September 20, 2011
2. Approve Personnel Order 11-12-4
3. Donations
4. Obsolete Items
5. Contracts
J. ACTION
6. Approve Request for Overnight Field Trip From Kimberly Tafoya for High School Cross Country Teams to Attend Clovis Invitational in Fresno, CA on October 7-8, 2011. (Materials)
7. Approve Board Policy and Administrative Regulation Updates (Materials previously provided) BP 5142.2 Safe Routes to School Program AR 5142.2 Safe Routes to School Program
7:30 p.m.
K. INFORMATION/DISCUSSION
8. Essential Standards Committee: Pacing Guide Task Force (Open Court)
Ag 100411 page 3
9. Board Policy and Administrative Regulation Updates (1st Reading) (Materials) BP 5022 Student and Family Privacy Rights AR 5022 Student and Family Privacy Rights BP 5131.62 Tobacco AR 5141.32 Health Screening for School Entry BP 5141.33 Head Lice BP 5141.52 Suicide Prevention AR 5141.52 Suicide Prevention AR 5143 Insurance BP 5144 Discipline AR 5144 Discipline E 5145.6 Parental Notifications BP 5148.2 Before/After School Programs
8:15 p.m.
L. FUTURE MEETINGS
October 18 5:30 p.m. Closed Session – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting – Board Room
November 1 5:30 p.m. Closed Session – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting – Board Room
November 15 5:30 p.m. Closed Session – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting – Board Room
M. BOARD CLOSING COMMENTS AND AGENDA BUILDING
8:30 p.m.
N. ADJOURNMENT

For the past few decades, the federal government has continuously increased its power over local schools, through funding with strings attached, with depressing results. Since the 1970′s federal spending on education has nearly tripled, yet student achievement has remained flat and graduation rates have not improved. However, that increased spending has had a major impact on the amount of red tape, paperwork and administrative costs imposed on local schools and teachers, taking valuable time away from their core mission – educating children.

While federal policymakers are busy spending billions to make matters worse for public schools, they’re also busy preventing students from having better choices, at the behest of powerful teachers unions. While charter, parochial and private schools offer better results and graduation results, President Obama and his allies are trying to prevent children from enrolling in them through cost-effective aid for school choice that measurably puts them on a path of success.

In many cases, Washington... http://blog.heritage.org/2011/09/26/morning-bell-obama-circumvents-congr...

Camarillo, CA - Three CSU Channel Islands (CI) School of Education faculty members who were awarded fellowships and a grant from Google are developing a program to help teachers use technology more effectively in the classroom.

CI Professors Dr. Jeanne Grier, Associate Professor Dr. Jill Leafstedt and Adjunct Lecturer Catharine Reznicek of the Ventura County Office of Education earned fellowships to take part in Google’s first-ever Faculty Institute, held over the summer at its Mountain View headquarters. The three-day institute explored ways of using new technologies to enhance student learning. It brought together Google staff with 39 faculty members from 19 CSUs, Stanford and UC Berkeley, along with innovative teachers from across California, for expert advice, hands-on workshops, case studies and brainstorming.

Google focused on CSU because CSU programs credential 60 percent of California’s teachers – or 10 percent of all U.S. K-12 teachers.

"There is so much technology available to educators today, but unless they learn how to use it effectively, it does little to change what is happening in our classrooms,” said Google Education Research Engineering Manager Nina Kim Schultz. “Without the right training and inspiration, interactive displays become merely expensive projection screens, and laptops simply replace paper rather than shifting the way teachers teach and students learn. There’s an essential challenge to help teachers develop the dispositions and confidence to be lifelong evaluators, learners and teachers of technology, instead of continuing to rely on traditional skill sets that will soon be outdated."

While at the Institute, Grier, Leafstedt and Reznicek developed the idea for UDTech, an online program that helps teachers create lesson plans using technology to engage all different types of learners in the classroom. The concept is based on applying the principles of universal design, which are rooted in engineering and architecture, to technology in education.

"Teachers often make their lesson plans and then adapt them for different learners and use technology as an 'add-on,'" said Grier. “Our hope is that UDTech will help teachers build a game plan for using new, interactive technologies so that their subject matter is more accessible and engaging to everyone in the classroom.”

Google funded the proposal with a $20,000 grant and has asked the three faculty members to return in May to present their project. Grier, Leafstedt and Reznicek plan to pilot the program with teaching credential candidates at CI and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in the spring. Ultimately, they hope to make UDTech available to the entire CSU system and the broader education community.

“Our experience with Google really opened our eyes about how technology, employed purposefully, can provide a much more profound learning experience,” said Leafstedt. “As educators, it’s our responsibility to adapt to changing technologies. We can’t afford to miss opportunities to connect with students and engage them on their terms.”

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.

Jack Scott

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The chancellor of the California Community Colleges will speak at California Lutheran University on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Jack Scott will present “Preparing 21st-Century Learners Through the California P-20 Pipeline” in Lundring Events Center as part of the Silver Anniversary Distinguished Speaker Series celebrating the formation of CLU’s Graduate School of Education and School of Management. The event begins with networking at 6 p.m.

Scott will discuss high-impact education practices in California’s P-20 pipeline of preschools, K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, also referred to as cradle-to-college. As chancellor of the nation’s largest system of higher education, he oversees 112 campuses, nearly 90,000 employees and 2.76 million students. Since taking office in 2009, he has worked with legislators on a historic law to simplify the transfer pathway for community college students to state universities, guaranteeing them junior standing when they earn an associate degree in certain majors. He also created a Student Success Task Force of academic, research and business leaders that is developing a plan to increase student retention and degree completion rates.

As a California state senator and assemblyman from 1996 to 2008, Scott authored 146 bills that were signed into law, including landmark measures that increased community college financing, eased the nursing shortage and strengthened career technical education. He served as chair of the Senate Committee on Education and the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee on Education. Many organizations including the California Federation of Teachers, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Association of California Community Administrators independently named him legislator of the year.

Prior to being elected to the state legislature, Scott served as president of Pasadena City College and Cypress College. He is past president of the Association of California Community Colleges Administrators and former chair of the Accrediting Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Scott holds a master of divinity from Yale University and a doctorate in American history from Claremont Graduate University.

CLU’s higher education doctoral program, ELS Language Centers, the Pacific Coast Business Times, the San Fernando Valley Business Journal and Corwin are sponsoring the free presentation.

Lundring Events Center is located in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, which is north of Olsen Road near Mountclef Boulevard on the Thousand Oaks campus.

RSVP by Friday, Oct. 7, to Lauren Amundson at lamundso@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3445.