Camarillo, CA. - CSU Channel Islands (CI) will host the 6th Annual Children’s Reading Celebration and the 35th Annual Young Authors’ Fair on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at CI’s John Spoor Broome Library. The program is sponsored by the Library, the English Program, Ventura County Reading Association (VCRA), Target Foundation, and the Ventura County Office of Education.

The featured author this year is Kristine O’Connell George, author of the multi-award winning children’s book Old Elm Speaks. George is not only a writer and poet, she is a tadpole rancher who lives in the Santa Monica Mountains with her family. Children and their families will be able to meet the author and receive a free autographed book. This gift is funded by an early childhood literacy grant from the Target Foundation.

The day will feature hands-on participation in crafts and various activities. CI students in the English Program, as part of their service learning component, will be reading aloud to children. Children will also have a chance to read dozens of books written and illustrated for the Young Authors’ Fair by K-12 students in Ventura County. If a child’s school participates in the Ventura County Reading Association’s Young Authors’ Fair, then that child is eligible to write a book and have his or her teacher enter it to be displayed and read at the Celebration on April 9.

Kristin Storey, VCRA President, said, “Honoring all students’ voices is critical and the earlier the better! Words are power and events like the Young Authors’ Fair empower all of our children to share their stories, to speak out for a better world and to be inspired by the other young authors in their schools and communities.”

The event is free and open to the public. Free parking will be available on campus in specific lots. Once on campus, follow the directional signs to the designated parking lot. For additional information about VCRA’s Young Authors’ Fair please visit http://www.vcrareading.org/YA.shtml. For more information or to RSVP to the Celebration, visit http://library.csuci.edu/reading/index.php.

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.

A showcase of healthy and environmentally green fundraising ideas, activities and vendors is scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2011 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Road in Camarillo. This inaugural event is co-sponsored by the Advocates for a Lifestyle of Exercise and Nutrition in Ventura County (A LEAN VC) and the Ventura Unified School District Healthy Schools Project. Parent, teachers, students, administrators, coaches and the community at large are invited and welcome to attend this free event.

This showcase will model and demonstrate a variety of vendor products that are not only healthy and/or environmentally green, but are also popular products that will sell well and bring in much needed funds for parent groups, booster clubs and other youth-serving organizations. Many of our youth serving organizations are not only facing reduced revenues from fundraising, but also an increased focus on providing our youth with healthy and environmentally appropriate activities and products. Also highlighted will be examples of successful fundraiser activities that don’t involve selling a product that have been implemented by teachers, parent groups and coaches throughout Ventura County.

Several guest speakers will also present information at the Healthy & Green Fundraiser Showcase, including local Ventura County pro-surfer, Mary Osborne. There will be a balance of emphasis on both health and wellness and healthy environments – how to make money for your organization while helping the community stay healthy and clean! “The committee has worked hard to bring in local vendors and products to this event as we recognize the importance of local involvement in nutrition, wellness and the environment” said Anne Thille, Project Director of the Ventura Unified School District Healthy Schools Project.

“Visitors are welcome to come by anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 to visit vendor booths, hear our distinguished guest speakers and gather information about many of the available healthy and green fundraisers” said Nancy Maxson, the event coordinator. The first 100 visitors will receive a reusable bag to gather materials and information. In addition, each person will receive a ticket for a series of drawings that will be held throughout the event with prizes donated by participating vendors.

There is no charge to attend and everyone is welcome. For more information or to become a vendor, please contact Nancy Maxson at (805) 641-5000 ext. 1135. For more information on A LEAN VC, please contact www.healthyventuracounty.org

Sespe Elementary is hosting a Parent Involvement Night on "Bullying & Cyber Bullying" on Wed. March 30

FUSD seems to have an ongoing struggle to open it's arms to parents and the community at large. When parents come forward with concerns, or even with specific requests that the district do a better job at involving the community both the Board and District display little interest and effort in making any changes.
To be fair, individual schools seem to be making an effort by having parent involvement nights (Sespe), creating Parent and volunteer centers (Piru), and by sending in articles to the local paper about various events (San Cayetano), but this District needs improvement from the top and across all sites, a real change in the culture.
So what specifically would help? What does the public want the District to do in this regard?

Well I have been seeing what other Districts in our area are doing, here are just a few examples, none of these Districts operate in a perfect way, but these small efforts would be a great step for FUSD:

-Ojai Unified: Holds District office organized Parent Forum nights every month with posted topics including "bullying", homework, etc. The topics were picked based on what parents wanted. These forums are free and open to the public.

-Santa Paula Elementary District: They are looking for a new superintendent, and they held a Public Forum early in the process to hear what the community wanted in it's new superintendent, they posted this information online here: http://www.spesd.org/apps/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=175165&id=0
Here is what their request for input says: "The Santa Paula Elementary Board of Trustees is seeking your thoughts on the personal qualities, professional skills, knowledge and experience desired of the new superintendent of schools for our district. The board would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to reduce your thoughts to writing. The board will consider this information when making its decision on whom to employ. Please see attachment below. "
They even post the recruitment brochure online for all to see and learn about the process involved in hiring for this position.

-Santa Paula Elementary District: Board member profiles online. During the recent campaign for FUSD school board I was surprised that many people 1. did not know that they voted for their local school board members and 2. They did not know who was on the Board or that you didn't need to be a teacher (in fact some folks don't think that teachers make good school board members because they are too "entrenched" in the current status quo but that's another story). At the link below, SPED posts profiles and photos of each Board member, this is a small step in reaching out to the public, letting them know who their elected trustees are, and making a small connection: http://www.spesd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?userGroupREC_ID=30461&uREC_ID=...

-Santa Paula High District: Superintendent background, profile, goals etc. Posted online. This goes a long way to connect the public to the Superintendent. If the District wants the community to recognize that the schools are a vital part of the community then the person in the leadership role for the district needs to be "out in the community" a good way to start that is for the background information and specific goals of that person to be public. The public shouldn't have to search and search for this information. It should be easily accessible. An example: http://www.spuhsd.k12.ca.us/Default.aspx?tabid=135

-Providing Choices & Options: Ventura Unified School District: VUSD has many options for parents. They have homeschooling programs (K-8), open classrooms (K-8), dual immersion programs (K-12 avail), charter schools, magnet schools. Having options and choices shows a willingness from the top (school board) to serve the needs of ALL students within it's boundaries. Of course VUSD is a larger district, BUT FUSD is getting ready to build a new school, might it make sense to find out from the community what options/choices could be provided that are not currently available?

-Budget available online: Many area Districts have their most recent complete (usually from previous school year) budget posted online. Demonstrates a true desire to engage the public, provide transparency (as required by law) and just a general feeling of not wanting (or needing) to hide anything.

-Community Budget Forums: Several Districts have had community forums on this topic. While FUSD has held "Board Study Sessions" which is a good effort for the Board to get educated about the issues it is facing, the tone and structure of these sessions has done little to get the community in on the conversation. The subject of these study sessions is not even included in the public agenda. Other Districts are having "Community Forums". Events specifically designed for the community to take part in the discussion, to hear from all affected. Some Districts directly ask community members what ideas they have about ways to help. Here's a link to OUSD Budget page of their site, http://www.ojai.k12.ca.us/DistrictBudget.aspx it asks "How can you help?

There are a number of ways that community members can help in this situation. You can:

1. Write to your legislators and let them know your feelings regarding state funding for our schools.
2. Work with your local PTA/PTO or the Ojai Educational Foundation to help generate funding for the district.
3. Make a direct contribution to the OUSD.
4. Help generate additional ideas and solutions for the district’s financial problems.

***Did you know that Fillmore Middle School does NOT have a PTO? Community members can even form their own (separate from the district) organization to raise money and fund school needs (that is what the OJai Education Foundation does, a non profit org, not under the control of any school, it raises money and gives based on it's own mandates as determined by it's board.... is this something Fillmore area residents/parents are interested in? )

And those are just a few examples that I could find quickly online. What are some specific (remember we need low cost options) things that YOU think FUSD should do to reach out to the community/parents to get them more involved?
People are assets. IN this time of declining financial resources we MUST demand that our schools use all the resources available to them, people are a valuable resource, perhaps the MOST valuable.

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A story of a principal taking things into her own hands... or feet :) A smile for your friday:
Here's the link to the full story story at CBS: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2011/03/24/local-principal-sells-shoe-col...

Local Principal Sells Shoe Collection To Save Jobs

March 24, 2011 5:09 PM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Worried about possible layoffs, school principal Michele Miller spotted a potential solution in her own home.

The principal of Jackson Elementary in El Dorado Hills, a suburb east of Sacramento, decided to part with most of a shoe collection gathered over the past 15 years.....

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THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - A Title IX forum at California Lutheran University will feature a panel discussion and the presentation of research on Conejo Valley high schools’ compliance with the law.

Know the Score: Title IX Community Forum will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, in Overton Hall on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Olympic softball medalist Jessica Mendoza, who attended Camarillo High School, and UCLA/Wimbledon tennis great Barbara Gerken Kuhl are two of the panelists who will discuss the 1972 federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational institutions. CLU volleyball standout Casy McWhirk, Thousand Oaks High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Mary Ziegler and Newbury Park High School Varsity Basketball Coach Darren Burge will also participate.

Attorney Elizabeth Kristen, who specializes in Title IX compliance issues for California high school athletes, will moderate the discussion on the impact of Title IX on education and in providing opportunities for students. Kristen is director of the Gender Equity Program and the Title IX K-12 Equality Project at the Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center in San Francisco. An active member of the Hayward-Castro Valley branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), she has been working with the organization to implement Know the Score, a program to improve Title IX compliance in communities.

The Thousand Oaks branch of AAUW will present its findings from a six-month Title IX compliance study of the three CVUSD high schools at the forum.

The forum is open to the public, and students in seventh grade through college and their parents are encouraged to attend. Door prizes will be awarded.

CLU’s Center for Equality and Justice and the Thousand Oaks branch of AAUW are sponsoring the free forum.

Overton Hall is located south of Memorial Parkway near Regent Avenue.

For more information, contact Greg Freeland at freeland@callutheran.edu or Sally Hibbitts at sjhibbitts@aol.com or (805) 750-3119.

A free seminar called Independent Travel Study for Educators at CLU (California Lutheran University) on five Mondays from April 4, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. The seminar addresses how educators can obtain professional development or salary advancement units through independent travel study by taking actual or virtual trips using the computer.

Discussions include Education Code requirements and tax deductions under the current law H.R. 3838. Presented by Dr. Lynnette Shifman, a teacher with over 40 years in the field of education.

Those not able to attend the seminar can obtain seminar information by emailing Dr. Lynnette Shifman: teacher_continue_ed@yahoo.com

For additional information, contact the CLU web site: http://www.callutheran.edu/education/programs/cpe or email: tiki@callutheran.edu

San Cayetano Family Science Night returns once again with an outstanding free program for all elementary students and their parents in Fillmore and Piru. This annual event is the brainchild of San Cayetano’s NASA Explorer School Team as San Cayetano’s outreach into the local community. This fun packed hands-on evening will feature many outstanding local agencies such as the Ojai Raptor Center, Mobile Marine Lab, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, Two Trees Alpacas, Associates Insectary, Channel islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, Robotics and much, much more. Pizza will be available for purchase. Come join the fun! It is free!!!!

PARENT INVOLVEMENT NIGHT
PLEASE JOIN US

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sespe Elementary School Cafeteria
6:15 - 7:30 p.m.
English/Spanish presentation will be available

Subject & Guest Speakers
Bullying & Cyber Bullying
Lynn Ruffino & Associates, Rhonda Reyes Deutsch, Deputy Leo Vazquez, Principals

Child care will be provided as well as refreshments and a raffle.

NOCHE DE PADRES INVOLUCRADOS
REUNASE CON NOSOTROS
Miércoles, 30 de marzo, 2011
Cafetería de la escuela Sespe
6:15 - 7:30 p.m.
Presentaciones en Inglés y en español

Temas & Oradores Invitados
Intimidación e Intimidación Cibernética
Lynn Ruffino & Associates, Rhonda Reyes Deutsch, Deputy Leo Vazquez, Directores

Cuidado de niños será disponible como también refrescos y una rifa.

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2011
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
BOARD STUDY SESSION
8:30 A.M.
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.

8:30 a.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
B. ROLL CALL
C. CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS
D. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NONAGENDA AND AGENDA ITEMS
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.
E. BOARD STUDY SESSION
F. FUTURE MEETINGS
March 29 5:30 p.m. Closed Session (Tentative) – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Special Meeting (Tentative) – Board Room
 April 5 5:30 p.m. Closed Session – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting – Board Room
 April 19 5:30 p.m. Closed Session – Board Room
6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting – Board Room
G . BOARD CLOSING COMMENTS AND AGENDA BUILDING
1:00 p.m.
H. ADJOURNMENT

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).]

San Cayetano is having its annual Science Fair and Family Science Night on Thursday, April 14th, 2001. All of our fourth and fifth grade students will be doing science fair projects. We are inviting everyone to come and judge this event. There is no prerequisite. You do not need to be a science teacher. Please think about donating your time, even if you can only judge 2 or 3 projects. When our students see other teachers and community members judging and taking an interest in their work, it helps them to have more pride in their projects.

We will begin the judging at 12:35 and end around 3:00. Again, you do not need to commit to the entire time.

Please let us know if you are willing and able to join in our event.
Thanks so much,
Brandi Walker
San Cayetano School

California Department of Education (CDE)

SACRAMENTO, CA. — The California Department of Education (CDE) today issues this week’s Education Roundup featuring education-related announcements of public interest.

California School Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
Assembly Concurrent Resolution 22 introduced by Assembly Member Ben Hueso (D-Chula Vista) is proposing that March be California School Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Almost 35 percent of youth in the nation are involved in bullying each year, either as a perpetrator or victim. About 8 percent of pupils in kindergarten through grade 12 miss at least one day of school every month due to a fear of being bullied. Bullying may take many forms, including verbal, physical, and psychological abuse, and can happen in many places on and off school grounds, as well as through electronic means. Students with special needs are especially vulnerable and are at greater risk of experiencing bullying on a daily basis.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Torlakson urges everyone to recognize that, “Bullying is not acceptable behavior, and schools must strive every day to make the environment safe and secure for all students.”

The CDE adopted in 2001 a policy on bullying prevention designed to help students, parents, and school staff develop a coordinated, systemic approach to bullying prevention. For more information on bullying prevention, go to http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/se/bullyingprev.asp.

CollegeWeekLive Event Returns
High school students, parents, and guidance counselors are invited to attend the free online college fair called CollegeWeekLive SPRING that features more than 300 colleges and universities from across the country and world. People can take virtual tours of campuses, see live video presentations from admissions experts, and hear about college life from current students. The event on March 23-24, 2011, also has presentations from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Financial Aid, CollegeBoard, The Common Application, ACT, Inc., and The Princeton Review. Families can learn about financial aid and scholarships, get admissions advice from experts, and how to write a college application essay. For more information, please visit http://www.collegeweeklive.com/.

The California Department of Education (CDE) is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. For more information, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov or by mobile device at http://m.cde.ca.gov/. You may also follow Superintendent Torlakson on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorlaksonSSPI.

Camarillo, CA. - CSU Channel Islands (CI) has received approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) to launch two new degrees in its two Santa Barbara locations – a bachelor of science in business and a master’s in business administration offered through the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics. The business and MBA programs will both be offered in fall 2011.

William P. Cordeiro, Director of the MVS School of Business & Economics, said, “Now that we have received WASC approvals, we look forward to offering Santa Barbara students these educational opportunities to advance their careers.”

CI’s business degree completion program will be offered at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) and the MBA program will be offered at the Goleta facility sponsored by Cottage Health Systems.

Additionally, a bachelor of science degree in Nursing will also be offered at the Goleta site in spring 2012.

The WASC approval comes as a result of years of planning by CI to fulfill their mandate of serving their entire region including the Santa Barbara community, and embodies the kind of partnership between community colleges and the California State University that is intended at the state-wide level. SBCC students will for the first time be able to continue their studies in business right on their own campus.

For further information about the business programs visit http://business.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.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - A dedication for the new $2 million Fredrickson Family Early Childhood Center at California Lutheran University will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 25.

Children from the center will perform and donors will be honored during the ceremony, which is open to the public. Afterward, people can take self-guided tours.

The 4,738-foot facility provides more than double the space of the renovated house where the center had been located. It has an infant room and laundry, which will enable teachers to care for six babies in addition to the 50 toddlers and preschoolers they can currently serve. The kitchen has a child-sized island that will allow teachers to provide hands-on cooking and baking experiences for the children. Unlike the former location, the new center has a workroom and patio for teachers and classrooms that have bathrooms and open directly onto the playground.

The fenced play yard was designed with assistance from Nature Explore, a research-based program that helps children engage with the natural world as a part of learning. The yard provides opportunities for children to climb tree-like structures, dig in the garden, play with water and climb rocks.

The center is located on Campus Drive north of Olsen Road, a more easily accessible area closer to campus than its current location. The center is across the street from University Village retirement community and staff members plan to develop intergenerational programming so the seniors and children can interact.

The Overton and Fredrickson families, which include CLU alumni, provided the primary donation for the center. Donations and grants from individuals and organizations, including the Ahmanson Foundation of Beverly Hills, covered the rest of the cost. CLU Regent Joan Young and her husband, Richard Young, of Westlake Village donated $25,000 in memory of their daughter, Lisa, who recently died. Lisa loved giving children books and there will be a Lisa’s Corner in each room where children can go to read.

The new center replaces a house that was supposed to be a temporary location when the program started in 1974. It was often referred to as the House on the Hill in the early years because of its location just below Mt. Clef Ridge. A CLU student started the program as a master’s degree project and the School of Educated operated it for many years as a training program for leaders in early childhood education. It offered innovative programs and became a model for other childhood learning centers. While the School of Education no longer oversees the center, CLU students from various disciplines conduct observations at the center to study topics ranging from motor development to language acquisition. The popular program serves CLU employees as well as community members.

"I can teach you how to be a good teacher, but I can't teach you how to care" - Anthony Smith, Principal.

Just check out this article and watch the news segment. What a great example of leadership on site. This strong leader had 9 years to create this change. Consistent quality leadership.
"Failure is not an option"

I like the story of the partnership between local business and the school to motivate and hold student accountable. When they know folks are watching and paying attention they will rise to meet the expectations.

95% graduation rate with nearly 100% of graduates going to college.
If they can do it, so can we.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/PersonOfWeek/principal-turns-school-student-tim...

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So right now not only are we focused on the events in Japan, which I hope we can all find on a map, but the events in the middle east are pulling the world's attention as well.

Do you know where the country of Georgia is?
What about Israel?
Do you know where Turkmenistan is ?
What about Syria?

Here is a great little "game" to test your knowledge. What about your kids? Do they know where Iraq is? What is your score? (Mine was 65% although I think that they don't take away points for mistakes, because I made a bunch of them)

There is a great PDF for Teachers of the maps with question sheets as well.

http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/MidEast.html

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Enlarge Photo

Ventura County Public Health is working with VUSD to promote healthier and greener options for groups that fundraise. They are hosting a FREE event for groups who want to find out about fundraising options that include healthy and green options. Perfect for PTO's, Booster Clubs, Athletic teams or any group that does fundraising for youth related activities.

What: Healthy & Green Fundraiser Showcase... A FREE EVENT!

When: April 14, 2011 4:00 - 7:00pm

Where: Ventura County Office of Education-Camarillo

Full Press Release:

HEALTHY AND GREEN FUNDRAISER SHOWCASE
Thursday, April 14, 4:00 – 7:00
Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center
5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo

A showcase of healthy and environmentally green fundraising ideas, activities and vendors is scheduled for Thursday, April 14, 2011 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Road in Camarillo. This inaugural event is co-sponsored by the Advocates for a Lifestyle of Exercise and Nutrition in Ventura County (A LEAN VC) and the Ventura Unified School District Healthy Schools Project. Parent, teachers, students, administrators, coaches and the community at large are invited and welcome to attend this free event.

This showcase will model and demonstrate a variety of vendor products that are not only healthy and/or environmentally green, but are also popular products that will sell well and bring in much needed funds for parent groups, booster clubs and other youth-serving organizations. Many of our youth serving organizations are not only facing reduced revenues from fundraising, but also an increased focus on providing our youth with healthy and environmentally appropriate activities and products. Also highlighted will be examples of successful fundraiser activities that don’t involve selling a product that have been implemented by teachers, parent groups and coaches throughout Ventura County.

Several guest speakers will also present information at the Healthy & Green Fundraiser Showcase, including local Ventura County pro-surfer, Mary Osborne. There will be a balance of emphasis on both health and wellness and healthy environments – how to make money for your organization while helping the community stay healthy and clean! “The committee has worked hard to bring in local vendors and products to this event as we recognize the importance of local involvement in nutrition, wellness and the environment” said Anne Thille, Project Director of the Ventura Unified School District Healthy Schools Project.

“Visitors are welcome to come by anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 to visit vendor booths, hear our distinguished guest speakers and gather information about many of the available healthy and green fundraisers” said Nancy Maxson, the event coordinator. The first 100 visitors will receive a reusable bag to gather materials and information. In addition, each person will receive a ticket for a series of drawings that will be held throughout the event with prizes donated by participating vendors.

There is no charge to attend and everyone is welcome. For more information or to become a vendor, please contact Nancy Maxson at (805) 641-5000 ext. 1135. For more information on A LEAN VC, please contact www.healthyventuracounty.org .

By Kimberly Rivers

Now is the time of year when parents realize that they are running late if they haven’t registered for kindergarten and if they are wanting to make a change for older kids they need to make some phone calls now. Over the past few months I have chatted with parents throughout Ventura County about schools, education and what they look for in a school for their child. And the common thread through all these discussions is that there is no one school that is perfect for every child, but that parents are seeking the school that works for their son or daughter. But what do they look for?

Some Things to consider (not necessarily in order of importance, each family knows what is most important for them):
-Academics/State rankings
-Experience level of teachers (prospective parents should be able to visit classrooms when in session, contact the principal to set up a day to visit)
-Services for students with special needs
-Programs/services for non native english speakers & assessment
-School environment (visit the campus when school is in session, and out. How does staff respond? What does the campus "feel" like?
-District environment (attend a school board meeting, meet with the superintendent)
-Matriculation (remember to check middle school and high school. Elementary parents sometimes forget to visit these schools as it may be years before their child attends them.)
-Athletics
-Student Assessment (some districts only rely on state tests, while others conduct their own periodic assessments based on district benchmarks)
-Music & Art programs
-Quality of School Counselors
-Credentials of Teachers, Principals
-Focus of curriculum (magnet school, focus, charter)
-Parent Involvement Encouraged
-Technology used in teaching
.... and so on...

Academics surely play an important role. Every parent wants their child to attend a school that will provide a quality foundation for learning, achievement and success throughout their lives. Schools and districts are scrambling to meet state requirements with ever shrinking budgets. Some schools are making it happen. Recently in FUSD we’ve heard board members ask District staff what the district needs to do in order to attract students. Having a quality program was the response. Yes, I agree with that. But for many parents, myself included the environment and culture of the district is equally if not more important.

Parents want to know that they and their child are welcomed at the school and not only when they are happy but especially when they have a complaint or concern. For several years this has been a struggle of FUSD. Some parents and staff report feeling that FUSD is a hostile environment for anyone who has questions or concerns. Over recent months the school board has heard from several parents expressing these feelings and seems either unwilling or unable to make any real changes, give any directives to staff, or even add an item on the agenda to discuss it. One way that the Board could make a change is to bring more of it’s business into the light of day. Recently the Board voted to approve the recommended action of serving notices on many staff members that they may not have a job next year. Yes, this is needed now because no one knows what is going to happen with the state budget. BUT, the Board made this vote in less than two minutes. No discussion. No questions. No mention of how it might actually affect the students. What is this year’s motto? Oh yes, “Students First”. Now I am sure that Board members made phone calls, had meetings and gathered info on their own time, but what they continually fail to do is report these findings to the public when the item is on the agena. The main reason they are sitting at that table is to hold public meetings in order to report on the processes they are involved in while making decisions. The public has the perception, and I think rightly so, that the Board is making it’s decisions before it sits down at Board meetings. This is not the way for a publicly elected body to conduct business. It is legally required and ethically necessary to have these discussions, provide information and explain their positions in an open and transparent manner to the public. If it’s on the agenda for open session the discussion MUST take place in front of the public. Remember that not only is the Board ultimately responsible for the District acting in a legal and forthright manner in ALL things, but also it is also responsible for the publics’ perception of how it does business. It appears that when a parent, staff member or resident perceives a level of deception the Board blames that person, instead of asking “How can we conduct business in a way to improve the publics perception?” the Board has the power to alter the way it conducts business and bring it out into the light of day. Board reports are not intended to inform the public about dinners, basketball games and art shows, but for the Board members to report on issues of concern, what are they doing about the issues that are brought to them. Ms. Rangel, you have tried to get AR on the agenda and you don’t seem to have support from fellow board member or staff, so prepare your own report and present during “Board Reports”. Mr. Garnica, you have asked staff about test scores (state and AP) you can find all this info online and report it promptly during “Board Reports”. (Sidebar: I do want to commend Mr. Garnica on actually having the where-with-all to want to see the actual contract the Board was recently asked to enter into. The actual text was not included in the packet prepared by staff. He and Ms. Rangel objected to entering into the contract "site unseen". I think that may be the only 3-2 vote of the school board in recent memory.) The public wants the Board to show leadership and get those administrators that sit around you to demonstrate why taxpayers should continue to pay their salaries. If you have questions, ask them in those public meetings, and don’t let them off the hook by saying “Don’t answer this now”. I think that the School Board changing the way it conducts business would do wonders for the publics perception.

Tearing down fences. FUSD has spent tens of thousands of dollars to put up fences around the schools. The idea is that this is for safety, and surely it is appropriate at many places on a school campus, around play areas and ball fields for example. But how does it make you feel when you walk onto a campus closed in by iron fences? I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m walking into a prison. Have you ever walked onto a high school that does not have these fences? They are getting rare, but they do exist. Try it sometime. Imagine you are a student, which campus would you prefer? And I will suggest that this holds true whether the student is an “A” student or one who’s GPA is less than ideal. I have asked our local law enforcement officials to comment on the use of fences around school, and whether or not it has reduced crime on campuses, I expect their response soon. Piru Elementary alone has received over $19,000.00 in new fences this year, and I’ve asked about whether or not there were incidents that warranted those fences. Perhaps our community is a place where prison-like fences are needed around schools. If so, it makes you think. Is that the community you want your kids attending school in?

Parent Involvement Opportunities. My son attends school in a different district. A major reason for that is the environment on campus and throughout the district. When we go on campus, at his school, the middle school, or the high school, we are greeted with “hellos” and smiles. We feel welcomed. My experience on FUSD campuses is quite different. Parents I have spoken with share similar reports. They do not feel welcomed when they come onto campus. A school can offer many so called opportunities for parents to volunteer and help, but if parents don't feel comfortable and welcomed, they won't come. This seems like common sense. The experience of a welcoming environment is an intangible and sometimes hard to articulate experience, but it starts with culture. What kind of culture does this district cultivate when it comes to parental involvement? What kind of feeling do parents get when they call the office? Are they ever thanked for bringing something to the attention of administrators?

Choosing a school involves many things. Quality academics are just one aspect. I continue to hope that the FUSD school board will soon begin to model the type of open and accountable culture that the public has been asking for. Maybe then the district won’t have to worry so much about declining enrollment and will be able to lure students from other districts.

Next week: Transfer Options for Families in Ventura County

Tobacco Bus Day 2: Docents – Dillon Galarza, Maria Lopez Garcia, Leslie Pizzano, Sarai Vargas, Jennifer Vega, Alistina Vasquez (Phu Pham, RN & George Arce, Public Health Educator)
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Tobacco Bus Day 1: Docents – Jenessa Barraza, Dalton Data, Joe Giunta, Anthony Morales, Alexis Roldan, Michael Thompson (Phu Pham, RN & George Arce, Public Health Educator)
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The Tobacco Bus of Horrors is provided through Ventura County Public Health Tobacco Education to our 6th graders in Ventura County. Phu Pam, RN and George Arce, Public Health Educator coordinate with FMS School Counselor, Ronda Reyes-Deutsch to share the horrors of tobacco use! And even though the County funding keeps shriveling up (Last year permitted to drive 6,000 miles and this year down to only 1,000 miles), they still keep coming back to Fillmore Middle School.

The Tobacco Bus of “Horrors” objective is to prevent future tragedies such as mouth and throat cancer, lung cancer, emphysema and even death!

All the 6th graders get to participate in the tours led by their peers. (6th grade docents are trained the morning of the tour.) The converted 1980’s school bus has been hand-painted with pictures that tell stories on the outside and on the inside all students get to walk through the mouth of a smoker! “Pretty gross!”
This program supports our youth making positive/healthy choices in their lives and how to use this information to help their family members who may already be addicted to the nicotine. There are over 4,000 chemicals in a cigarette. Some of those chemicals are poisonous such as arsenic, insecticides, formaldehyde and of course the by-product of smoke, carbon-monoxide.

Here are three important phone numbers that are shared during the Tobacco Bus tour: 800-5-ASK-4-ID. If someone sees a store clerk selling to a minor, they can make an anonymous call to report the illegal sale of tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco).

800-NO-BUTTS. This is the California Smokers Help Line which is a free service to help people quit smoking.
201-STOP. The Ventura County Public Health offers free classes to anyone in Ventura County to help them stop smoking. They also provide “free” nicotine patches to help those going through withdrawals.

Tour Dates: Tuesday, March 8th and Wednesday, March 9th 2011

Thank you Tobacco Bus of Horrors!