Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2010
5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 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.
5:15 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
II. ROLL CALL
III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON 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.
IV. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, Calif., Dec. 16, 2009 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) is pleased to announce a $300,000 grant award from the National Science Foundation to Dr. Ching-Hua Wang, Director of MS in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Program and Special Assistant to the Provost at CSU Channel Islands, and colleagues from San Diego State and Chico State Universities. The grant will be used to develop ethics education content for three different PSM fields: Biotechnological Science, Computational Science, and Environmental Science and to integrate the content into the Professional Science Master (PSM) programs within the CSU system.

The two-year PSM programs are innovative and rigorous, combining graduate education in science and technology with industry-relevant education in business, management, communication, and law. The ethics education program will be used throughout the CSU campuses and the National Science Foundation would also like the program disseminated to other campuses in the nation. Currently, there are over 120 Professional Science Master programs in the United States.

Students are admitted into PSM programs after completing an undergraduate CONTINUED »

Camarillo, Calif., Dec. 16, 2009 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) will welcome back to the campus 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Professor Muhammad Yunus on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010.

The University will host several campus activities during Dr. Yunus’ visit. His book, Creating a World without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, was selected for the CI annual Campus Reading Celebration. At a morning event, Professor Yunus will discuss the book and review social projects with CI faculty, staff and students.

At 4 p.m., the general public will have an opportunity to join students from CI, Ventura, Moorpark, and Oxnard Colleges at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza to discuss social business and the new-found corporate interest in social business.

The University expects a sold-out event and encourages the general public to buy tickets as soon as possible to assure a seat for this event. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza at http://www.toaks.org/cap/tickets/events/event.asp?eventID=1514

The list of Yunus’ awards and recognitions is lengthy and the CONTINUED »

Camarillo, Calif. Dec. 15, 2009 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) announced the receipt of a $250,000 grant for its Nursing Program. Funding was provided by the Foundation for California Community Colleges and Kaiser Permanente Fund for Health Education at the East Bay Community Foundation, through collaboration with the California Institute for Nursing and Health Care (CINHC) and the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.

The grant was one of seven awarded to California community college/university partnerships to develop model programs for fast track transitions from an associate nursing degree (ADN) to a bachelor nursing degree (BSN) program. This program will create a better educated nursing workforce as well as increase the quality of healthcare throughout the state.

CI is collaborating with Santa Barbara City College, Ventura College, and Moorpark College to discuss streamlining curriculum to make sure that all course prerequisites to continue on to a BSN would be met at the community college level and that all lower level general education requirements are also completed at the community college. This process allows students to move smoothly into upper division work without delay. Graduating with a BSN allows nursing students many more career options, such as public health nursing, and allows students to move directly into a Master’s program if he or she wishes.

Dr. Karen Jensen, Chair of CI’s Nursing Program, said a survey CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, Calif., Dec. 15, 2009 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) recently was recognized with an honorable mention in the 2008 Campus Votes Challenge. The Challenge, administered by the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, was originated to encourage voting participation in the 2008 presidential election by college and university students nationwide. More than forty undergraduate colleges and universities participated.

Tisch College’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) released figures indicating that the national average for voter turnout among the nation’s 18-24 year old college students was 59.7 percent. The seven winners of the 2008 Campus Votes Challenge had a turnout of over 70 percent. The 15 institutions receiving honorable mention, including CI, had a turnout of over 60 percent.

Tufts University President Lawrence S. Bacow stated that, “The CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009
5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 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.
5:15 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
II. ROLL CALL
III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON 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.
IV. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:15 to CONTINUED »

Camarillo, CA. - The annual California State University Media Arts Festival was held Nov. 7 at CSU Fullerton. Student entries from various campuses in the 23 campus CSU system were submitted to the Festival, out of which 30 finalists were chosen for award competition within nine categories: Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Interactive, Music Video, Narrative, Television, Feature Screenplay, and Short Screenplay.

CSU Channel Islands (CI) announced that four students from its Art Program received place recognition for their films: Charlotte Ferguson, Director and Producer, Second Place for her Interactive entry, Velouria Vodka; Kellam Cunningham, Director, and Luke Sommer, Producer, Second Place recognition for their Television entry, Xtreme Dog Walking; Katherine Thompson, Director and Producer, Third Place recognition for her Interactive entry, KMTdesign.com. The finalist projects were screened at the Festival and Rosebud Award (first place) winners were announced.

The Media Arts Festival is conducted under the umbrella CONTINUED »

Piru parents, teachers and students listen as Fenton Charter School Director Irene Sumida explains why becoming a charter school will benefit Piru students, like it has benefited the students of their school.
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Fenton Charter School Family Center Director Tony Peña and Fenton parents share why they are so happy that their children attend a charter school, and say why they think it would be better for Piru children, too.
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Piru visitors tour the primary grade science lab at Fenton Charter School, while Fenton students are working cooperatively on a project about ecosystems.
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Piru visitors see Fenton Charter School's upper grade science lab, where students are learning about the geology of the sea floor.
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Every classroom at Fenton Charter School is equipped with a modern teacher workstation, where the teacher can present information on the LCD projector, control all the students' computers, and speak through a sound amplification system, so that all students can clearly hear, as well as see, every lesson.
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Are charter schools private? Do they charge money to attend? Do they provide fewer programs and services than regular public schools? Rumors and myths about charter schools have been spread around the Piru and Fillmore communities since nine Piru teachers submitted a petition to the Fillmore USD on September 16th to convert Piru Elementary into an independent charter school. On the day before Thanksgiving, a group of seven Piru school parents took a break from their holiday meal preparations to spend the morning finding out the facts for themselves by visiting a real charter school. They went, along with a small group of Piru teachers, to visit Fenton Charter School, in the northeast San Fernando Valley. Only 37 miles from Piru, Fenton is one of the oldest charter schools in California; it started in 1994 as one of the first independent conversion charters in the state, and its demographics almost exactly mirror those of Piru School: 87% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch, 54% are in the English as a Second Language program, and come from a primarily Hispanic community. The visitors were greeted by Fenton Director Irene Sumida, who started at Fenton as an assistant principal before it became a charter school. “Districts tend to treat all schools as if they are the same,” Ms. Sumida told the group. “Why should you be treated that way? If your school is isolated from the District, don’t you (parents and teachers) know what is best for your school?”

Also leading the tour was Tony Peña, the director of the Family Center at Fenton Charter School. Here parents come during the day to take ESL classes while a daycare and preschool is provided for their young children. Mr. Peña explained that he grew up in the neighborhood and attended Fenton before it was a charter, going on to Maclay Junior High and San Fernando High School, then returned to Fenton to work at the school before it became a charter, and has been working there since 1992. He still lives nearby, and both his daughters attended Fenton Charter School. He made the point that becoming a charter is so popular with the neighborhood parents that“98% of parents (at Fenton) prefer keeping their kids in a charter school (when they leave Fenton), and I was one of those parents.”

At the Fenton Family Center, in the middle of the school’s campus, Mr. Peña introduced us to four of the parents who were taking ESL classes there, while their young children attended preschool right next door. They chuckled when asked if they were required to pay for services and were emphatic to stress that no fees are required from parents for any services. They all agreed with him that because Fenton is a charter school, it provides more services to the children and parents, from parent ESL classes, afterschool programs, more technology for the students, and a bigger voice for parents in how their school is run, and how the funds are spent. As Mr. Peña emphasized, because Fenton is an independent charter school, the money for the children’s education comes directly to their school, and the charter doesn’t “have to share (it) with the District office.”

Ms. Sumida and Mr. Peña showed parents the clean, neat facilities, the well-provisioned cafeteria, and some of the 900 computers on the Fenton campus, introduced them to the four full-time technology specialists who keep those 900 computers up and running, guided them through Fenton’s own TV studio, which also serves as their school’s board room for council meetings, and took them through the science labs, art room and several regular classrooms, which have no more than 25 students. The lower grade classes get an aide for three hours daily, and the upper grades for 1.5 hours daily. At the end of the tour, the parents agreed that being a charter allowed Fenton the opportunity to do great things for kids, and hoped that other Piru parents would take the opportunity to visit charter schools, like Fenton, so they could see for themselves what becoming a charter could mean for Piru Elementary. Several of the parents offered to take back other interested parents who might like to visit Fenton Charter School for themselves. To reach them, please send an email to pirucharterschool@earthlink.net
So what did the Piru parents learn from this trip? Charter schools are free, public schools, just like regular public schools, they do not charge money to attend, and charter schools provide MORE services and programs than regular public schools. These parents saw what the parents at Fenton already know: charter schools are better equipped to respond to the desires of parents in order to meet the needs of their children.

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY DECEMBER 1, 2009
5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
627 SESPE AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA

AGENDA
5:15 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
II. ROLL CALL
III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON 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.
IV. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:15 to 6:00 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 Expulsion Case Number 09-10-07 Conference with CONTINUED »

The purpose of the organization is the children. To make a commitment and give up some personal time to perform at the groups highest level and serve. That consists of all welcomed and invited who choose to do so.

As stated and mentioned before FOP'S sincerely thanks and appreciates the tremendous support of the Piru and Fillmore community for always supporting us and our fundraisers. This has allowed us to be able to have educating Field trips, the first out door school camp trips teaching respect and inspire wonder, educating and rewarding field assemblies, bus transportation's, High School Scholarship's, Ice cream socials, prizes for children for rewards, class parties, computer supplies, books, paint supplies and materials for projects, school farm necessities, printers, laminator, nurse office supplies, fun festivities with everyone and more. Despite all it has been so rewarding to have been apart of all that his been accomplished.

Teachers and staff that have been so truly recognized and greatly honored. Where would we and the world be with out these great mentors.

Due to the current situation FRIENDS OF PIRU SCHOOL has been under tight scrutiny. FRIENDS OF PIRU SCHOOL has a huge job now to try and re earn the trust of parents and community. I know from personal experience that we as a group can survive and strive forward. It will just take time and everything will be better with FAITH, HOPE, PATIENCE, HOPE and the WILL.

Sincerely,
FRIENDS OF PIRU SCHOOL
Katharine Warring Ponce

Several weeks ago we asked the Piru Neighborhood Council for the opportunity to have a half hour on their agenda to present our plans and hopes for creating a charter school in Piru for next school year. We were told that we could be placed on the November 18th meeting agenda, and planned to make a formal presentation and answer questions.

However, at the end of last week, we were informed that the format of our appearance must be changed. We would not be allowed to make a presentation, instead we would simply answer questions put to us from those in attendance. Then we learned that one of the minority of teachers at Piru who opposes the charter petition would be given his own table, and the opportunity to answer the same questions, as well.

Everyone should be given an opportunity to address the Neighborhood Council, and that includes us. However, the weekend before the meeting, the presentation had been changed into some sort of debate. We must decline such a meeting, as it is our goal, especially after the way the District conducted their meetings at Piru School, to lower the amount of conflict in the community.

It would not be of benefit to our children nor the community to continue such confrontation and accusation. Instead, we welcome opportunities to share information, clarify facts, answer questions and correct misinformation. We are convinced that allowing Piru School to become independent by converting into a charter school will most greatly benefit Piru's children and the community, and we are willing to stake our careers, our seniority and our job security upon it, because we believe the benefits to the children far outweigh our personal risks.

Hace varias semanas hemos pedido al Piru Neighborhood Council para la oportunidad de tener una media hora en su programa a presentar nuestros planes y esperanzas para la creación de una escuela chárter en Piru para el próximo año escolar. Nos dijeron que podríamos el 18 de noviembre hacer una presentación formal y responder a preguntas.

Sin embargo, al final de la semana pasada, nos informaron que hay que cambiar el formato de nuestra apariencia. A nosotros no se les permitiría hacer una presentación, en su lugar solamente pudieramos simplemente responder a las preguntas de personas en asistencia. A continuación, nos hemos enterado de que uno de la minoría de los maestros de Piru quien esta opuesto a la petición de la Carta se diera su propia mesa y la oportunidad de responder a las mismas preguntas.

Estamos de acuerdo que todo el mundo debe tener una oportunidad para abordar al Piru Neighborhood Council, y eso incluye a nosotros. Sin embargo, al fin de la semana pasada, antes de la reunión, la presentación se había cambiada en algún tipo de debate. Nosotros debemos rechazar tal reunión, ya que es nuestro objetivo, especialmente después de la forma en que el Distrito llevó a cabo sus reuniones en la escuela de Piru, para disminuir la cantidad de conflictos en la Comunidad.

No sería de beneficio para nuestros estudiantes ni la Comunidad para continuar tal confrontación y acusaciónes. En su lugar ,agradeciremos las oportunidades para compartir información, aclarar los hechos, responder a las preguntas y correctar información errónea. Estamos convencidos de que permitiendo que la escuela de Piru llegue a ser independientes en convirtiendo en una escuela chárter beneficiará más enormemente a los niños de Piru y la Comunidad, y estamos dispuestos a riesgar nuestra carrera, nuestra antiguedad y nuestra seguridad en el empleo en él, porque creemos que los beneficios a los niños superan nuestros riesgos personales.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA — California State University Channel Islands (CI) Business & Technology Partnership (B&TP) will host its seventh-annual Holiday Mixer on Thursday, Dec. 3 at the campus. The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. that will feature student, faculty, and staff demonstrations on how the campus is furthering its sustainability efforts.

A presentation entitled, ‘The Future of Sustainable Agriculture’ will begin at 6:30 p.m. by keynote speaker Casey Houweling, President and Owner of Houweling Nurseries Ltd., the third largest greenhouse production operator in North America. Casey Houweling has over 33 years of experience as a grower, having joined his father’s agricultural business in 1976 in Delta, British Columbia (Canada). In 1985, Houweling Nurseries became the first large-scale commercial greenhouse vegetable producer in British Columbia, a facility that has grown from 6 to 50 acres.

As demand for fresh greenhouse grown produce grew, CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2009
5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
627 SESPE AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA

AGENDA
5:15 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
II. ROLL CALL
III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON 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.
IV. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:15 to 6:00 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 Expulsion Case Number 09-10-06 Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6) CONTINUED »