Ventura College East Campus at 105 Dean Drive in Santa Paula is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Access 21 GED Preparation software program. This computer-based, interactive, self-paced program includes extensive practice in all the areas of the GED exam including language arts (reading and writing), social studies, science and math.

Any member of the community desiring to prepare him or herself to take the GED high school equivalency exam is welcome to use the program and check out additional GED instructional support textbooks for home study.

There is no charge to use the computer software or the accompanying textbooks. All that is required is to fill out a Ventura College student application (at no charge) in order to obtain an access number.

Erika Hurtado, instructional lab technician, is available to assist anyone interested in getting started. The computer lab is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more information, please call the East Campus at 525-7136.

Seeking charter status, as provided under state law, is simply an exciting educational process that is happening all over California and the nation. It needn’t be confrontational. All students and all staff still have a choice of elementary schools to attend and to work at. Charter School simply provides another option for those who choose it.

All of us are in education because we want to help kids learn. Each school is different and different solutions are needed to maximize each school’s success. Piru is fortunate to have a staff that has demonstrated they are capable and willing to accept the challenge of becoming a Charter School. By completing many district tasks on site, we expect save enough money to be able to offer not only smaller classes to our students, but to purchase and develop programs and curriculums which best suit the needs of our students and our community.

Having made both our state API and federal AYP goals last year, Piru staff want to work hard this year to continue to increase their California Star Tests in CONTINUED »

On Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Fillmore Unified School District, in conjunction with the City of Fillmore, will be participating in the nationally celebrated event, Walk To School Day. This event gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of walking and riding bicycles to school. It also provides a chance to discuss and address finding and creating safe routes to school and in our communities. In 2004, more than 3,000 schools in the US and approximately 3 million walkers from 36 countries walked to school together on Walk to School Day. Last year, all of FUSD schools participated in a variety of ways, unique to each school site. Events at schools will follow which include informational outdoor assemblies, physical activities, nutritional education, and pedestrian safety education through Safe Kids of Ventura County, music, fresh fruit and healthy snacks, jump-roping, families visiting school sites, running, and more. Look for us next Wednesday, as students, FUSD staff, parents, families, community members, police and city employees all join in and walk alongside each other for the benefit of our students, their safety and their health! http://www.walktoschool-usa.org/index.cfm.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA. – CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced students who have been named to the Semester Honors list for the spring 2009 semester. For each city, the names of students earning honors are listed alphabetically.

Students named to the Semester Honors list are CI undergraduate students completing 12 or more units with a letter grade in a single semester or academic year who have earned a 3.75 or higher grade point average.

Fillmore

Iris Cortez

Isela Larin

Jessica Vasquez

Agoura Hills

Lucas Allen

Britany Arledge CONTINUED »

California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is offering a traffic safety program for teenage drivers and their parents. The Start Smart Program is aimed at helping future and newly licensed teenage drivers become aware of the responsibilities that accompany the privilege of being a licensed California driver. The program is designed as an educational tool for parents and teenagers in an effort to reduce the number of teenage injuries and deaths resulting from traffic collisions. Traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds. The primary objective of the program is to provide teens and parents with an understanding of how poor choices behind the wheel can affect the lives of numerous people. The Start Smart program also provides teens and parents with information on defensive driving, traffic laws in California, dynamics of traffic collisions, tips on avoiding traffic collisions, and DUI awareness.

Smart Start classes are free of charge. The next class will be on Tuesday October 6, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ventura Area CHP office. The address for the Ventura Area CHP office is 4656 Valentine Rd. Ventura, CA 93003. For more details or to make a reservation for the class, please call Officer Steve Reid at (805)477-4130.

Wayne Davey

Camarillo, CA. — The Tenth-Annual CSU Channel Islands President’s Dinner will take place under the stars at the campus on Saturday, Oct. 3. The gala event – Cruisin’ at CI – will celebrate the University’s accomplishments, and will include the presentation of the California State University Channel Islands Robert J. Lagomarsino Award.

Wayne Davey has been named the 2009 recipient of the Lagomarsino Award. The award will be presented to Davey at the President’s Dinner event. The award, named in honor of the Honorable Robert J. Lagomarsino, a former United States congressman and a longtime supporter of the University, is presented to an individual who has contributed to and supported CSU Channel Islands.

Davey’s involvement with the University began in 1999 when he and his wife Barbara became founding members of the President’s Circle. Davey served on the CSU Channel Islands Foundation Board of Directors from 2002-2008, and was Chairman of the Board from 2005-2007. Davey was also a co-founder of the University’s Business & Technology Partnership that assists the University in developing business and technology programs that will serve the business needs of the county, as well as serving on the University’s Biotechnology Program Advisory Board. Davey has been active with several organizations in Ventura County including the Ventura County Economic Development Association (VCEDA), Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, Camarillo Art & Jazz Festival, Camarillo Healthcare District Community Leaders Advisory Panel, CONTINUED »

2009 CSUCI Hearst Scholarship Winner Josue Magana

Camarillo, CA. - California State University recently announced the recipients of the 2009 William Randolph Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. Among the winners was CSU Channel Islands (CI) student Josué Magaña.

The award is given to students who have overcome great personal challenges to pursue their education. Magaña, currently a senior at CI, personifies the commitment, drive and perseverance needed to achieve this goal.

The award, which is given annually, provides a $3,000 scholarship to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service, and financial need.

Josué Magaña, a first generation Mexican-American and the second of eleven siblings, had finished high school and was working at a minimum wage job. After getting into some trouble, he decided he needed to take charge of his life and enrolled at CI. It turned out to be a life-changing decision which showed results in his first semester when he produced a 4.0 GPA.

Now a senior at CI, he is majoring in business with a focus on finance and management. Not only does he manage a 3.3 GPA but volunteers 20 hours a week tutoring students with learning disabilities at Ventura College. Additionally, he volunteers with several outreach programs, CONTINUED »

FILLMORE CITY COUNCIL AND FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINT MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2009
6:30 P.M.

FILLMORE HIGH SCHOOL – CAFETERIA
555 CENTRAL AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA 93015-1907

(A Social and BBQ dinner will be server to the Board and Council Members and their invited guests at 6:30 p.m. with a meeting to follow at approximately 7:15 p.m.)

AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Oral
2. ROLL CALL Oral
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Oral
Oral Communications is the time for citizen presentations or comments on items not on the agenda, but within the responsibility of the City Council and School Board. Please complete an Audience Participation Form prior to the beginning of oral communications and hand it to the clerk if you wish to speak. Please stay within the time limit indicated by the Mayor. If you wish to speak on an item on this agenda, please fill out an Audience Participation Form and hand it to the clerk prior to that item.
4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS CONTINUED »

(l to r) Briana Mendoza, Jimena Cortes, and Aurora Aguilar with Mrs. Catalano listen and sing to “This Land Is Your Land.”
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Piru students listen to guest speakers.
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Serviceman Val Pillado speaks to Piru students.
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Story and Photographs courtesy Luanne Schaper, Teacher, Piru School.

September 11, began with a celebration of “Patriot’s Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance” at Piru Elementary School. Students, staff, and community members gathered at the school’s flagpole to honor and recognize the dedication of community members in the military and all those who contribute to preserve the freedoms students and all people have in the United States.

Principal Leticia Ramos welcomed those gathered and offered a salute to our soldiers and local heroes, the police men and women and firefighters, who keep our communities safe. On behalf of the school she thanked and remembered all the men and women who gave their lives so that all of those attending can continue to enjoy the freedoms they have. Students sang “This Land Is Your Land.” Then school employee Tom Rodriquez raised the flag to the gathering’s chorus of “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Ms Ramos introduced community members Reggie Ruiz and Val Pillado who are servicemen and school employees Sam Cardona and Frank Hernandez who are veterans. Guests spoke briefly to those attending. Students were reminded that they too can aid our country by taking part in community service. Teacher Claudia Cornejo, then encouraged students and parents to join her on Saturday, September 19 for a beach clean up in Ventura. The ceremony ended with the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and a procession past the flag pole where students placed flowers and notes to those who have served.

Fillmore Police Chief Tim Hagel is shown with San Cayetano School Peacebuilder’s and their certificates: Andreah McElroy, Justine Pacheco, Luis Carrillo, Anateresa Jimenez, Mariah Garcia, Julia Pace, Daniela Piceno, Serina Valenzuela, Jared Rhett, Anissa Rhodes, Wendy Carrillo Garcia, Alina Cardenas, Stephanie Magana, Joe Guinta, Taylor Wright, Jazmin Gil, and Rubi Torres.
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San Cayetano Principal Jan Marholin is shown with the Peacebuilders for September: (l-r) Isabela Regalado, Alyssa Andrade, Elissa Johnson, and Austin Gunter. Congratulations!
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On Monday, September 14, 2009, San Cayetano School kicked off its citizenship assemblies with Captain Tim Hagel, Chief of Police. Students were recognized for good citizenship and character. Captain Hagel spoke to the students about what a good citizen is and how being a good citizen can help the students in their everyday lives as well as highlighting the positive character traits. Each teacher chose a student from his or her class whom showed excellent character and peace-building skills. President, Julian Calderon and Vice President, Christina De La Mora assisted Capt. Hagel in handing out the Peacebuilder certificates. The Peacebuilders for September are: Elissa Johnson, Austin Gunter, Isabela Regalado, Alyssa Andrade, Andreah McElroy, Justine Pacheco, Luis Carrillo, Anateresa Jimenez, Mariah Garcia, Julia Pace, Daniela Piceno, Serina Valenzuela, Jared Rhett, Anissa Rhodes, Wendy Carrillo Garcia, Alina Cardenas, Stephanie Magana, Joe Guinta, Taylor Wright, Jazmin Gil, and Rubi Torres. Julian and Christina then introduced the Character Counts Award. The Rainbow Foundation sponsors one deserving student each month with a one hundred dollar savings bond. The award went to a responsible, kind, and hard-working fourth grade student. Zachary Tipton, from Mrs. Walker’s class, was chosen by the fourth grade teachers as a model of outstanding behavior and kindness to the other students. To conclude the assembly, Julian and Christina introduced the Attendance Award prizes. Each month all students who are at school, on time, are given an orange 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. 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 will draw from the tickets for two new bicycles.

Megan Louth

Many congratulations to the Fillmore Flashes Football team on their victorious win over Bishop Diego this past Friday. The first home game of the football season is this Friday September 25! Be sure to come out and support the team and show your Flashes pride. The first Renaissance night of the school year is being held on Wednesday at a new venue; the Sespe Auditorium at the District Office. The theme this year is Renaissance Round Up, a flashback to the old west. Renaissance scholars from the past school year who reached a 3.5 and above will be honored. In other academic news, the high school exceeded their API goal from the previous year. We were supposed to reach a goal of 700 and accomplished a 725. Students will be recognized throughout the year with reward cards and an API Celebration Day is planned for the spring.

Camarillo, Calif. Sept. 22, 2009 – The Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at CSU Channel Islands (CI) recently won two awards in a national Business Strategy Game program run by a company of the same name.

Dr. William P. Cordeiro, Director of the MVS School, said that each semester students in Business 499 are divided into teams and enter an online business strategy game with teams from all over the world. Last year there were 3600 teams competing from 209 universities worldwide.

The business simulation game starts all competitors on an equal footing: equal sales volume, revenues, profits, costs, and so on. CI business student groups are in competition with other student companies in other universities as they begin their competitive decision making and strategy formation.

“This is as close to real life business applications as you can get,” said Cordeiro. “In accordance with our interdisciplinary approach to learning, this project includes a group approach to work, pressure under deadlines, and integrated decision-making.” All of the simulated activity parallels CONTINUED »

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Last week San Cayetano Elementary School had student speeches for those who were running for the office of ASB President and ASB Vice-President. Pictured here is Christiana De La Mora who is giving her campaign speech to San Cayetano students. Christiana ended up winning her bid for the Vice-Presidency. Our new San Cayetano ASB President is Julian Calderon. Both students are 4th graders. Upon the election results the student officers were immediately put to work a few days later, hosting the monthly Peacebuilder Assembly. The ASB staff leader is Ms. Dewey.

Hello community! My name is Megan Louth and I am the new Commissioner of Publicity for the high school. As we enter the fifth week of the school year, I am excited to report that FHS is in full progression. In the welcome back festivities Back to School Night was held with a great turn out and the seniors won the welcome back rally. Fall sports have all started their seasons; football, cheerleading, cross country, girl’s golf and girl’s volleyball. Girl’s volleyball did an excellent job defeating Channel Islands in their season opener. Coach Woods is asking for all the support for the team so please stop by and cheer the girls on. He is also requesting any generous donations to help the girls have the best season possible. Please contact him at 805-794-7439 for more information. The first home game for football is Friday the 25th, please mark your calendars. The entire high school staff and student body would like to encourage the public to have Flashes pride the whole year; celebrating a hundred years of Fillmore excellence.

James Botting is Author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk.

Ventura, CA - Over the course of his career, James Botting would rescue hostages from an armed gunman; save airline passengers from a desperate skyjacker; deliver a kidnapped baby back into its parents’ arms; watch helplessly as a crazed madman commits mass suicide with his followers; help calm a prison riot; and much more. He’d come close to death a few times—sometimes perilously close, escaping in various ways. As he writes in his book, “Sometimes we were good, and sometimes we were lucky.”

After Botting’s retirement from the FBI, he worked in the film industry serving as head of security for a major studio. He then served as Chief of Police for the Ventura County Community College District for six years, from which he recently retired. He will be speaking on his life in the FBI and signing books available for purchase on Thursday, September 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Reading Room of the Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library on the Ventura College campus. Light refreshments will be served. For information on the event, please call 805-654-6462.

Sounds like the latest fiction hero from Vince Flynn or James Patterson, but Bullets,
Bombs, and Fast Talk isn’t a novel, and James Botting isn’t a fictional character. He was an FBI agent whose career saw him take part—sometimes peripherally, more often personally—in almost every major hostage incident over the course of his twenty-five years as a hostage CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 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 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 Conference with Real Property Negotiators (Government Code 54956.8) 707 First Street Negotiators: Mike Bush, Constance Swindt School District Pupils (Education Code 35146)
o Expulsion Case Number 09-10-01 Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6)
o Update; Direction to District Negotiators CONTINUED »

Grad Nite Live's Sandwich Meal fundraiser put on by Central Station is coming to a close Wed. Sept 30th, if you have purchased a ticket you have to use it on or before the 30th of September. Thank you for supporting Grad Nite Live and a big thanks to the senior students that participated in selling........Good Job!!

Principal Chrissy Schieferlie and 4Th grader Nathan Granados.

As students arrived for school at the drop of area Thursday morning they noticed something special had arrived for picture day. A mommy wildcat had moved her family of three little kittens into a dry drain just under the sidewalk. The wild kittens appeared to be about 5 or 6 weeks old and looked liked "little gray tigers". After the students settled into class the wildcat family was rescued from the drain and were placed in loving homes. Mountain Vista's school mascot is the "Wildcat", how perfect that cats showed up for picture day.