Sierra High School Crest

“It Takes a World of Difference to Make a Different World”, that is the motto chosen by the students for the school they named Sierra High. On Wednesday, September 22 over 75 community members, students and parents attended the dedication and back to school night of the sparkling new campus for the Fillmore Unified School Districts alternative learner high school. In her public remarks Sierra High School Principal Cynthia Frutos commented that Sierra High’s history dates back to 1980 when FUSD formed it’s own alternative learner high school. Prior to that Fillmore area students had to travel to Santa Paula in order to attend such a school. The school was first located at an empty storefront on Central Avenue in Fillmore. In 1982 it was relocated to the site on “A” Street where it has remained until now. The new campus is located off of Second Street next to the baseball fields in completely renovated buildings that previously housed locker rooms.

According to Frutos the school currently serves 60 students in the regular program and 20 students in the Independent Studies program. Frutos explained Sierra has the same board approved curriculum that Fillmore High School uses and the same graduation requirements. In addition to the standard curriculum Sierra offers ROP (Regional Occupational Program) classes in Camarillo and students may also attend classes at Ventura College. The school also has a software program that students can use at home. These options allow great flexibility for the student’s schedules.

When asked about what brings students to Sierra, Frutos commented that about 95% are “credit deficient” essentially because of attendance issues at Fillmore High School. Very few students at Sierra have “disciplinary” issues. Frutos emphasized that most students simply were not attending school and that Sierra is able to create a flexible program that works with the unique needs of these students. When a student needs work in basic skills the Sierra staff is able to spend one on one time with that student to get them caught up, get them the skills they need, and then they can return to Fillmore High School “[feeling] empowered… [Because] they have the basic foundation.” Some students are too ill to attend school, so they benefit from the independent studies program. Sierra is also able to accommodate the scheduling and flexibility needs of those students that are also parents.

When asked what she wants the community to know about the students that attend Sierra, Frutos responded “These are our students, these are Fillmore students, they are not ‘those’ students… if we [help them] believe in themselves, they can be successful.”

The dedication made by Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Superintendent Jeff Sweeney recognized the importance of the “visionary” School Board in order to get this project completed and the achievement of creating a facility where the students felt “comfortable and valued.” Sweeney also recognized FUSD Director of Facility and Construction Robert Sube as an “unsung hero in the District” and in having the ability of “taking facilities and creating a mecca for our students”, Sweeney continued by suggesting that those in attendance walk through the new campus and view the “state of the art classrooms, [the] smiles on our students, and teachers faces” to know the project is a success.

Sierra High Associated Student Body President Marcos Hernandez spoke for the students, saying “[We are] grateful to have this new and improved school built for us, including the great staff providing us with great learning opportunities. The old site was worn down, crowded and [unknown] to most people around Fillmore, this made us feel like were also not noticed or valued. We were stereotyped by the way the school looked…but now … we have an amazing new campus. This makes us feel like we can accomplish our goal.” Hernandez mentioned that many students are at the school due to medical reasons, family situations, with many students who must work to support their families, he commented “Sierra staff understand our situation this motivates us to do our best and be successful.” He closed his remarks invoking the mascot of the school “Go Warriors, Warriors are here to stay”.