CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) graduate and undergraduate students who would like to teach high school math will soon be able to apply for $10,000 scholarships, thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The NSF recently awarded CSUCI with $1,176,577 for a joint project entitled “California Coast Noyce Mathematics Partnership.”

The program is intended to increase the number of high school teachers with strong science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) content knowledge to teach in high-need school districts.

CSUCI’s Professor of Mathematics Ivona Grzegorczyk, Ph.D. applied for the grant in collaboration with CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB), which also serves high-need school districts in the area.

“What is happening right now in the United States is a shortage of mathematics teachers,” Grzegorczyk said. “It’s the most acute need that we have. We’re importing teachers now, mainly from India because they speak English already, but from other countries as well.”

Each Noyce scholar may receive $10,000 annually for up to two years to fund their education. In return, scholars agree to teach for two years in a “high needs” school district, one year for each year of funding.

Seven CSUCI students were chosen to receive Noyce scholarships this year: juniors Natalie Huerta; Jerome Manion; Kyle McHugh; Jessica Silva and Dale Perizzolo will receive two years of funding for a total of $20,000 each.

The other two, seniors Michael Ruiz and Ana Rodriguez, will receive a year of funding as they pursue their teaching credential for a total of $10,000 each.

Grzegorczyk said the idea is to attract those who want to teach and do research in mathematics, and she wants to see graduates highly qualified to do both. The collaboration with CSUMB allows scholars from both institutions to share research and build networks.

California Coast Noyce scholars are chosen based on a number of criteria including a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester units of coursework and a 2.75 GPA overall in the most recent 30 units of college classes. Applicants must be majoring in one of the sciences.

Chair of Liberal Studies and Professor of Education Robert Bleicher, Ph.D., is assisting Grzegorczyk with selecting applicants and other aspects of the grant. Both Bleicher and Grzegorczyk said diversity is always welcome, especially when it comes to Spanish speakers and women.

“Women actually are doing as well as men in high school mathematics,” Grzegorczyk said. “It’s college when they fall behind. This may be some sort of social pressure. Even if they finish with a mathematics degree, they do not go on to graduate schools.”

"Our graduates did as well or better than average on the teachers' tests," said Grzegorczyk.

Recipients must be U.S. Citizens or have U.S. National or Permanent Resident Alien status. Scholars must also have a commitment to teach mathematics.

This is the second time CSUCI has received the grant, the first being for 2009-2014. CSU Humboldt was a partner with CSUCI and CSUMB for the earlier grant, but the grant seemed to have the most impact at Channel Islands and Monterey Bay.

The Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship program is designed for higher education institutions across the country that have a successful record in preparing math and science teachers.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is the only public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CSUCI’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. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.

Submitted by California Teachers Association (CTA)

Fillmore Unified Teachers Association June 1, 2017

Fillmore Unified School District Still Holds Up 201 7-18 School Year Calendar

Fillmore Teachers met Wednesday with Fillmore Unified School District to continue labor negotiations. The goal for both sides was to finally get a 2017-18 school calendar and possibly agree on a weekly or monthly meeting program for teachers to collaborate.

The Fillmore Teachers have been trying to get an agreement on the calendar since December 2016. The District’s delay has placed many families in limbo as they try and plan vacations, etc. for the coming months, but FUSD kept insisting there would be no agreement on a calendar unless the fall break was eliminated. Teachers wanted to continue the week-long fall break that they believe has benefited our students for over 25 years.

After a grueling long day of negotiations both sides thought there might be an agreement in sight. It came down to FUSD insisting that students must stay in school an extra 15 minutes a day for there to be a late start day on Wednesday to hold teacher collaboration meetings. The students in Fillmore Unified School District currently exceed by the thousands the required number of minutes in the CA Ed Code and there is no need to make students stay an extra 15 minutes. Teachers believe the students already have reached their maximum learning capacity by the end of the day and that adding more minutes will create student burnout and behavior problems. Making students stay an extra 15 minutes is not going to affect student achievement.

Yet despite the teachers’ educational beliefs on the lack of academic and emotional benefits for adding minutes to the end of the school day they were willing to agree to adding 7 extra minutes to get an agreement on a 2017-18 school calendar. FUSD refused and left the negotiation table insisting on adding the 15 extra minutes for teacher collaboration meetings or no calendar with a fall break!

Yes, you read that correctly, for only 7 minutes a day or at the secondary level about 1 minute per class period FUSD is holding up establishing a calendar for students, parents and employees for the 2017-2018 school year.

Please come and support the teachers and educators at the next school board meeting on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 6:30.

F U T A is an affiliate of the 325, 000-member California Teachers Association and is also affiliated with the 3 million-member National Education

Fillmore Unified School District

Submitted by Fillmore Unified School District

The District and FUTA held a second negotiations session on May 31, 2017.

Proposals were exchanged on calendar, salaries, hours of employment, extra pay positions, transfer and reassignment, leaves, class sizes, and teachers on special assignment (please see attached proposals from May 8 and May 31).

The District proposed that the parties agree to implement an agreement for 2017-2018 bargaining unit member work calendar including a fall break in exchange for agreeing to pilot a collaboration time proposal for one year. (Please see the attached MOU proposal from the District to FUTA, including the proposed calendar and daily schedules to accommodate collaboration time).The District's proposal would retain current grade 4 and 5 preparation time, would bank instructional time and would reduce the 30 minute additional teacher duty obligation before and after school to establish 1 1/2 hours per week of collaboration time. However, the District does not wish to sacrifice as much instructional time as FUTA proposed in order to implement collaboration.

All articles remain open at this time.

The District proposed to meet again on June 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, or 28. We also proposed August 8.
FUTA was not available to meet during the summer break.

The next negotiations meetings will be September 7, 14, and 28.

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Article and photos Courtesy of Jan Lee

On May 25 and 26, the kindergarten through fifth grade students at San Cayetano School participated in fun and educational Earth Day activities.

For over 20 years, teacher, Mr. Steve Miech, has organized the Earth Day activities. The students brought recyclable items to school. Then, students used some of these materials to create projects for Earth Day. For example, bottles were repurposed to make hockey sticks, golf clubs and bowling pins. Cereal boxes were reused in the arts and crafts activity. The creative students made various obstacle courses and targets from other boxes, plastic bottles and bottle caps. Over the morning of two days, all students at San Cayetano then had the opportunity to rotate through the 10 activities designed and made by their classmates. Parents and grandparents who may believe that children need expensive toys to have fun would have enjoyed the exuberance displayed by the students at the Earth Day activities.

Again this year, Otto and Sons Nursery donated trees to be planted at San Cayetano. If you have ever been on the San Cayetano campus, you have seen the row of sycamore and other trees. These trees provide shade and beauty for the school. Otto and Sons has donated all these trees. Another thank you goes to Harrison Industries. During the course of over 20 years of Earth Day events at San Cayetano, Harrison Industries has either donated or provided at a small charge all the receptacles to collect and recycle the materials for Earth Day. Fillmore High School students provide leadership at each of the 10 activity stations. It was gratifying to watch the high level of enthusiasm, kindness, patience and skill the high school students demonstrated toward the younger San Cayetano students.

On Friday afternoon, May 26, the San Cayetano students attended an Earth Day rally near the newly planted trees (thank you Fillmore Unified ground crew). Many of the classes had prepared chants, posters or songs about the earth. The third grade sang “This Land Is Your Land.” Several classes performed chants and songs from science units that were part of SEAL (Sobrato Early Academic Language) instruction. Young students use high level academic language as they demonstrate understanding of various topics of instruction. While the Earth Day activities were fun, a great deal of learning and preparation went into the success of the day.

As the end of the school year approaches, remember to thank not only teachers, but all the people who help educate our youth. Participate in activities over the summer that encourage students to read and learn.

FMS Teacher performers, Ms. Beal, Mrs. Bortins, Mrs. Barajas, Mrs. Gadbois, Ms. Musgrove, Mrs. Emhoff, Mrs. Casanave and Mr. Geddes.
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Article and Photos Submitted By Jennifer Beal

Fillmore Middle School’s Annual Talent Show last Friday night May 26th was a resounding success. There were 21 acts that performed center stage at the middle school. The FMS talent show is open to all 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at the school. All they have to do is try out and show up to the practices. Any student with the drive and determination to be in the show could. The inclusiveness is what makes this show so special. Students many had never seen before perform surprised the audience with incredible singing, dancing and jokes as well from the MC’s. The applause from the crowd motivated each subsequent group as they took their turn on the stage. The acts ranged from singing and dancing to martial arts and a scene from a musical. The teachers also performed with a singing and dance number themselves. What makes this talent show such a success is the leadership of the drama club Mrs. Bortins and Ms. Musgrove working tirelessly at lunch and after school with the diverse group of talents of the students to put on the show. Each act had their own music, costumes and props. The positive energy back stage was incredible as each act finished the other students in the wings high fived and fist pumped each other on a job well done. The feeling amongst the performers was inspirational. Great job FMS and its talented students.

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Nursing scholars in financial need will be able apply for a scholarship from the Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

The scholarship is possible because of a generous $100,000 donation from the Grossman Foundation that was presented April 20 at the 13th Annual Business & Technology Partnership Leadership Dinner at the Westlake Inn in Westlake Village.

The Dr. Richard Grossman Endowed Nursing Scholarship was presented in conjunction with the late Lon Morton, former Grossman Foundation board member and CEO & Co-Chief Investment Officer of Morton Capital Management.

Morton, a longtime friend of the late Dr. Grossman’s wife, Elizabeth Rice Grossman, suggested to the Grossman Foundation Board that the contribution be made to CSUCI’s nursing program.

“Dr. Grossman revered his nurses and gave them credit for his positive outcomes,” Elizabeth Grossman said. “He would be so pleased to honor them in this way at the school that was in his ‘backyard.’

“The Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation is honored to be affiliated with CSUCI and to continue Dr. Grossman’s legacy in such a meaningful way,” she added.

Morton was honored posthumously at the dinner as Business Leader of the Year, a celebration of his life witnessed by his family, friends and almost 180 guests at the leadership dinner.

After the tribute to Morton, CSUCI President Erika D. Beck accepted the $100,000 check for the scholarship to a burst of applause.

“This generous gift allows a promising Nursing student to experience one of the signature programs at CSUCI,” Beck said. “We are profoundly grateful to the Grossman Foundation and we intend to let this gift benefit students who want to enter one of the region’s noblest professions. We plan to pay this gift forward year after year by graduating quality, professional nurses ready to enter the healthcare community.”

Although the campus is the newest in the CSU system, CSUCI’s Nursing program has been ranked 11th best out of 127 nursing programs in the state by RegisteredNursing.org. The organization provides information for nurses and nursing students in all 50 states.

The Dr. Richard Grossman Community Foundation was founded in December 2013 to serve local communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and is located at the offices of Morton Capital Management in Calabasas. Dr. Richard Grossman was an internationally recognized plastic surgeon and pioneer in the comprehensive treatment of burn wounds.

While serving as the chief emergency room resident at Cook County Hospital in Chicago in 1958, Dr. Grossman treated victims of a catastrophic fire at Our Lady of Angels parochial elementary school, which claimed the lives of 93 children and four nuns.

The experience had a profound effect on Dr. Grossman and was a driving force behind his vision to create a world-class comprehensive burn treatment facility dedicated to providing the best burn care anywhere.

The Grossman Burn Center in West Hills is one of several comprehensive burn facilities across the United States, and has treated burn victims from around the world.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) 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. CSUCI’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. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.

Submitted By Cathy Garnica

On Wednesday, April 19, 34 Piru School fourth graders and their adult chaperones traveled to the Santa Cruz Island Academy on the largest island of the Channel Islands National Park. The trip was made possible by the “Every Kid in a Park” National Park Foundation Grant. Piru Elementary School was only one of three schools in the county invited to participate in the program after receiving the grant, which the school qualified for when fourth grade teachers took part in the Hollings Grant and MERITO training at the Channel Islands National Park center in Ventura last November.

The trip began early as the Piru students took a bus to the Ventura Harbor and climbed the Island Packers catamaran, taking more than an hour to arrive at the Scorpion Anchorage 20 miles from Ventura but actually located in Santa Barbara County. Fourth-graders from Debra Louth and Delia Silva’s classes had never been on a boat before but managed to avoid seasickness by following the advice of National Park Service Ranger Monique Navarro to “walk out on deck and look out at the horizon.”

Once on the island and the students began walking on the main trail, a small Island fox, the largest mammal on Santa Cruz Island – no bigger than a house cat -- sniffed the ground and peeked out from under a picnic bench at the group of children and adults eagerly snapping photos near the entrance of Scorpion Ranch before trotting away into the brushy hillside.

It was the first of many sightings of the fox – who lives only on six of the eight Channel Islands – San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, San Catalina, San Nicholas and San Clemente -- off the California coast. During the daylong Channel Islands National Park Service-sponsored trip to lush Santa Cruz Island, the Piru Elementary fourth graders and their chaperones enjoyed a full day of hiking, identifying unique plant life and observing the rare fox as they learned first-hand about how unique flora and fauna have managed to survive in the vast Pacific Ocean. More than 2,000 plant and animal species live on the Channel Islands, with about 145 found nowhere else in the world.

The students pulled out their field guide notebooks and began documenting their observations of the sea lions, the island scrub-jay, insects, and especially the elusive fox, who welcomed them within minutes of arriving on Santa Cruz, California’s largest island. Trekking more than a mile on a rocky trail towards the top of the island, noting succulents like the Giant Coreopsis and clusters of North Island Buckwheat, the students found discarded abalone shell left by the Chumash. At noon the students rested in Delphine’s Grove for lunch, careful to pick up their paper lunch sacks and leave no sign that they had visited the pristine habitat.

A visit to the canyon campgrounds led to more encounters with curious Island Fox as National Park Service rangers made sure the students and other visitors maintained a safe distance. As winds ruffled grassy hillside meadows, the students, teachers and rangers offered ideas about how so many species arrived on Santa Cruz Island. As they wrapped up their visit they viewed remnants of ranching life in the historic Scorpion sheep Ranch, which offered a glimpse of the past complete with ranch house, blacksmith and work barns and vintage farm implements.

Piru students will turn their island observations and photos into an upcoming presentation to the rangers and their families during the May 4 Open House, sharing their observations and field experiences in interactive science notebooks and photo collections.

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CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Computer Science students who placed third in the nation in the Second Annual NASA Swarmathon competition will demonstrate how they developed their winning algorithm during the SAGE Research Conference Saturday.

The NASA Swarmathon team traveled to NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the competition, which took place April 18 through 21. The CSUCI Swarmathon team, whose motto was “We can log in!” were competing against 19 other college teams across the nation.

Each team was given the task of developing an algorithm that would power a swarm of sample-collecting robots on Mars. NASA is using this contest to crowd source effective approaches from universities, which could be used on upcoming missions to Mars.

The competition was open to Minority Serving Institutions across the nation, who had to compete for a spot in the April competition.

Under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Computer Science Jason Isaacs, Ph.D., Computer Science students volunteered their Friday afternoons all year to develop a search algorithm that would power a swarm of robots to pick up a sample in a mechanical claw, then take it back to a central spot in the red planet. Computer Science Lecturer Kevin Scrivnor and graduate student Nicholas Dolan-Stern also mentored the team.

After a nail-biter tie-breaker round that got them into the semi-finals, the team won third place. First place and a $5,000 prize went to Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in New Mexico and second place and a $3,000 prize went to the University of Houston. CSUCI’s team won a trophy shaped like Mars and $1,000.

The team was also awarded $200 from NASA engineers and competition organizers for “Best Technical Report,” a significant win, Isaacs said.

“I am so incredibly proud of our computer science students,” said President Erika D. Beck. “Their countless hours of hard work and determination really paid off. They are shining examples of what we like to call the ‘CI Way.’”

Team member and Computer Science major Luis Torres, 23, admits he was in shock.

“I honestly feel amazed,” Torres said. “The fact that we made it to the next round and then the semi-finals and third place? It took our breath away!”

While they were there, the students got to see the launch of the Atlas 5 rocket, which carried a supply ship to the International Space Station. Many of the students had not seen Florida before, to say nothing of seeing a space launch.

“When they’re ready for liftoff, the ground shakes,” said Crystian Marron, 21, a Computer Science junior. “There is a loud sound and it vibrates all the trees and leaves! It’s so loud! It’s like hearing thunder in the distance.”

Marron said placing in the top three in the nation was “the greatest feeling I’ve had in my entire life.”

“Everyone in the competition felt it was otherworldly,” Torres added. “It made me so proud to be a Dolphin. And we had the most girls on our team compared to the other teams that went. We not only encourage minority students but females who want to pursue computer science.”

Their mentor was thrilled with the win, and with the way the students conducted themselves.

“I am extremely proud of our students, not just for their performance in the competition, but for how well they have represented CSUCI during the entire journey,” Isaacs said.

Isaacs said he definitely plans to enter the next Swarmathon team in the 2018 competition.

If you would like to see how the robots work, the 9th Annual SAGE Research competition is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the North Quad on the CSUCI campus.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) 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. CSUCI’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. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.

With their families by their sides, 70 high school and middle school students will gather at the Performing Arts Center at Oxnard College on May 11 to enter into a pact with Oxnard College and/or CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
Oxnard Union High School District students will sign a STEMpact, which requires the student to keep up his or her grades, start researching career choices in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) and completing college preparatory work, among other promises.

Middle school students will commit to one of the STEM academies at Hueneme or Channel Islands High School. Channel Islands has the Marine Science Academy and Mechatronics Engineering Academy and Hueneme has the Academy of Engineering and Design. They will also commit to STEMpact once they enter high school.

In return, CSUCI and Oxnard College will guarantee entry into one or both institutions, provided students meet the minimum admission criteria. The institutions will provide a wide-ranging support network, undergraduate mentors, information about financial aid and other academic and emotional guidance to help the student successfully enter and complete college.

“As part of STEMpact, CSU Channel Islands will provide college students as academic coaches who will help students develop social and cultural capital related to going to college,” said CSUCI Professor of Chemistry Phil Hampton, Ph.D. “Families of the STEMpact students may not have gone to college and need support in how to help their children succeed in college.”

The idea behind STEMpact is to create a college-going mentality and provide a clear pathway to college for the high school and middle school students. Designed for underrepresented minorities, the STEMpact program is the result of a collaboration with CSUCI, Oxnard College, Oxnard Union High School District and the Ventura County P-20 Council.

“The Ventura County P-20 Council is committed to building new pathways to higher education. I applaud CSU Channel Islands and Oxnard College for partnering with area middle and high schools on this collaboration that will allow more students to achieve their dreams of a college degree,” said Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth, Chair of the Ventura County P-20 Council.

With STEMpact, the students will agree to embark on one of three pathways to college: 1) Enrolling in Oxnard College and transferring to CSUCI; 2) Enrolling in Oxnard College; or 3) Enrolling in CSUCI as a freshman.

The STEMpact program is part of CSUCI’s Project PROMESAS (Pathways with Regional Outreach and Mathematics Excellence for Student Achievement in STEM), which is aimed in part at strengthening STEM pathways to and through college.

Hampton believes one of the strongest components of the program will be the mentoring STEMpact students will receive from CSUCI students.

“What’s powerful is the near-peer mentoring where you have a college student able to interact with a high school or middle school student—sharing with them the pathway they took to college,” Hampton said.

Middle school students will participate in a formal ceremony where they have a personalized STEMpact contract signed by representatives of CSUCI (Vice President for Business & Financial Affairs Ysabel Trinidad), Oxnard College (President Cynthia Azari), Oxnard Union High School District (Superintendent Penelope DeLeon, Ph.D.), and superintendents for each student’s middle school.

The STEMpact event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Oxnard College is at 4000 South Rose Ave., Oxnard.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) 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. CSUCI’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. CSUCI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CSUCI’s Social Media.

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Submitted By Kelly Myers

Mountain Vista 3rd grade held their CondorKids Parent Night last Thursday, April 27. Thanks to the Santa Barbara Zoo and the connection to Hopper Mountain Wildlife Refuge, students have been working on a 6 week unit covering the history, geography, biology, and conservation of the California Condor.

Several groups attended in support of this special night for the students. Dorothy Horn-Condor Park Ranger from Fish and Wildlife, Devon Pryor-a biologist from the Santa Barbara Zoo, and Helen from Friends of the Condor Wild and Free set up tables with actual Condor artifacts and information about being a biologist for all in attendance. The connection with these groups has provided a wonderful learning experience for all. The 3rd grade in FUSD will culminate this unit in a visit to the Santa Barbara Zoo where students will learn about the feeding of a condor, how to track with gps, meet biologists who rappel into Condor nests, metal detect microtrash, use scopes, and handle artifacts.

FUSD 3rd grade would like to thank the Santa Barbara Zoo for their continued support, both with staff and with financing the projects, unit, and trips to their zoo. Our students are better for it.