Camarillo, CA. – CSU Channel Islands (CI) unveiled on Friday renovated facilities in Napa Hall to help expand the Art program. Through the generosity of Mike Curb – musician, politician, and philanthropist – a new production and post production studio facility was also unveiled. The Mike Curb Studios, which comprises one third of Napa Hall’s space, includes the latest state-of-the-art studio technology and will provide students with hands on experience in film and video production, post-production and visual effects, animation, gaming, and music.

CI has been exploring the idea of expanding existing programs to create hybrid programs involving new technology in the area of multimedia, and the business of entertainment with an emphasis on film, video animation gaming and music. This would be a crossover of the subject areas of art, computer science, and business.

The addition of the Mike Curb Studios allows CI to further advance educational capacity both in art education and in entertainment industry management and production. There are currently courses dealing with entertainment, including a lecture series of professionals from the video, television, film, and music industries. Some of the speakers have included recording artist LeAnn Rimes; Neil Portnow, President and CEO of The Recording Academy; Orly Adelson, President and CEO of Dick Clark Productions; and Budd Carr, film music supervisor to Oliver Stone.

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California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA. – Three CSU Channel Islands (CI) Art students have been announced as finalists in the 2010 CSU Media Arts Festival awards competition. The 2010 CSU Media Arts Festival, which will be held on Nov. 6 at Cal State Fullerton, gives talented students studying film, video, and interactive media within the 23 campus California State University system, an opportunity to present their work for critical review and recognition.

Nominated in the Interactive Media category is Shannon Scobey (http://www.shannonleighdesigns.com), a senior Art major from Ventura, for her interactive website “Satisfactory Sweets” (www.satisfactorysweets.com). Nominated in the Music Video category are Claire Flores (http://kazellmulynncreations.com), a senior Art major from Ventura, for her music video “Pilar” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_uFRVmjEKI) and Ryan Hunnewell, a junior Art major from Simi Valley for his music video “Dear Chatsworth” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S20VkqfPL2w).

Distinguished CSU professors and entertainment industry professionals choose the student finalists and winners in the film, video, and interactive media competition, and all finalist works are screened at the Festival. Winning students will receive cash prizes as well as the Rosebud Award for the top entry in each of the categories.

“I'm very excited to have been chosen as a finalist, it makes me feel like the work I do is appreciated,” said finalist Shannon Scobey, “I'm also grateful I can attend a school that has such a great art program.”

Finalist Ryan Hunnewell CONTINUED »

The Grizzly Challenge Academy, an accredited high school program, is now taking applications from students for next semester. This popular military-style, self esteem boosting program located at California National Guard base in San Luis Obispo admits students who are deficient in credits, have low G.P.A.’s or want to get away from negative influences.

A student can earn between up to 45 credits in 5 ½ months time. The majority of students come back with a 3.5 to 4.0 GPA! This excellent program worth over $17,000 is FREE to males and female students ages 16 through 18½ who turn in a completed student and mentor application.

There are guidance counselors on site, students are taken on field trips, and exposed to a variety competitions, community service-oriented opportunities, including helping senior citizens and beach clean-ups.
Grizzly is on a first-come, first-serve basis and fills up. (Last semester over 500 California students applied) The applications are being accepted now for the Spring semester. Students MUST have completed student and mentor applications, personal interviews and a campus visit to the academy long done before the entry date. Those person’s interested in making a positive change in their lives can call Norma Pérez-Sandford, Fillmore High School Counselor, (805) 524-6107 to get help completing the application. Parents are encouraged to call and get answers to their questions. (Citizens wishing to make a donation towards basic student entry supplies needed can contact Norma as well.)

What are you waiting for? Give yourself a chance and make that call! You’ve got NOTHING to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.

Ron Jessee

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. – California Lutheran University is presenting a symposium on infusing art into education from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 6.

Ron Jessee, an innovative visual and performing arts professional development leader in California, will be the keynote speaker at the “Arts and Learning Symposium: Beyond Advocacy to Action” in Lundring Events Center. Jessee is the coordinator of visual and performing arts for the San Diego County Office of Education.

Jessee and Maureen Lorimer, an assistant professor in CLU’s School of Education, will lead roundtable discussions on identifying existing arts infusion programs in Ventura County, determining additional needs and developing a plan to expand opportunities.

Michael McCambridge, chair of CLU’s Department of Teacher Education, and his students will demonstrate drama techniques that can be used as teaching strategies. With the $1 million Project ACT – Active, Collaborative Teaching grant, they are working with Moorpark Unified School District on an effort to create a model program for incorporating drama in all subject areas.

Art Trek, a Westlake Village-based nonprofit organization that trains parents and volunteer docents to deliver art lessons in schools, will conduct a hands-on art activity. The symposium will also feature music by Mariachi Inlakech, a student group organized by the Inlakech Cultural Arts Center in Oxnard, and artwork by Ventura County students.

A continental breakfast will be served.

CLU’s School of Education and Project ACT are presenting the free symposium for educators, artists and members of arts organizations and nonprofit groups.

Lundring Events Center is located in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, which is north of Olsen Road near Campus Drive in Thousand Oaks.

Registration is required. Contact Maureen Reilly Lorimer at (805) 493-3836 or mlorimer@callutheran.edu or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/artslearning.

Camarillo, CA. – CSU Channel Islands (CI) has received a three year $300,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for the new California Institute for Social Business (CISB). This is the first gift to CISB and will be used to begin laying the foundation for staff building, curriculum development, and defining research.

Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, was the originator of the concept of microcredit and social business as a means to eliminate poverty among the poorest of the poor. He will participate in the strategic direction of the Institute, the first of its kind in the nation.

Steven M. Hilton, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, has a long-standing relationship with Yunus and is very supportive of his groundbreaking work in microcredit and social business. Yunus has served as a juror for the foundation’s annual humanitarian prize, the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. CI awarded the first Yunus Social Innovation Medal to Hilton, presented by Yunus, last March at a ceremony launching CISB.

Social businesses are set up to solve a social problem, such as malnutrition or poverty, and, once the business is running, the investors may stay in the business or request the return of their original investment, but they do not take dividends. All profits are reinvested in the business to sustain its work. Sustainability is the difference between a social business and philanthropy which solves social problems through grants that are not repaid and generally only last for a specified time.

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Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 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 CLOSED SESSION AND 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 Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6)
o Update; CONTINUED »

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. – California Lutheran University will host a FIRST LEGO League Robotics Tournament for fourth- through eighth-graders from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Its LEGO League program challenges 9- to 14-year-old students to build LEGO-based robots to complete a specific task.

Sixteen teams from local schools will bring the robots they designed to compete for the first time in the 2010-2011 school year. This is the first robotics competition that CLU has hosted. The university is working to become a resource for robotics teams throughout the county and hopes to host additional tournaments.

The event will be held in Gilbert Arena in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, which is on the north side of Olsen Road near Campus Drive in Thousand Oaks.

The public is invited to watch the competition. In addition, volunteers are needed to assist with registration, set-up, coordination, judging and refereeing. Volunteers can also serve as mentors to the teams.

For more information on the tournament, contact Bob Rumer at rrumer@callutheran.edu or (805) 377-8369. For more information on FIRST, visit http://www.usfirst.org/.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. A record number of California Lutheran University students will present their research to the public at the 7th Annual Student Research Symposium from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23.

The interactive event showcases the work of some of CLU’s top undergraduate students, many of whom spent their summer working full-time side-by-side with a faculty mentor on their projects.

Twenty-six students from the departments of art, biochemistry, bioengineering and applied physics, biology, business, chemistry, communication, computer science, environmental science, exercise science, geology, mathematics, psychology and religion will share the results of their research projects.

From 9:45 to 11:15 a.m., visitors can talk one-on-one with 17 student researchers as they present their results in demonstration and poster format. Grace Teague of Camarillo will exhibit how her manually operated robot can now complete tasks automatically without human intervention because of the addition of sensors. Lindsay Brittain of Fallbrook will display the watercolors she painted with color schemes designed to elicit specific emotional responses in people.

Nine CLU students will give 15-minute oral presentations from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. and from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. These will range from Nathaniel Fernandez of Valencia discussing the program he created to help high school students in the Math/Science Upward Bound program cope with stress, to David Brethawer of Palmdale sharing his work sequencing the DNA genome of a virus strain believed to cause elevated levels of iron.

Other participating CLU students are Samantha Aguinaldo of Saugus, Megan Ameche of Thousand Oaks, Alicia Costin of Santa Clarita, Erin Cyffka of Moorpark, Travis Hayden of Mission Hills, Evelyn Ibarra of Simi Valley, Matthew Jackson of Martinez, Jasmine Johnson of Livermore, Kristen Keough of Camarillo, Ryan McCarty of Simi Valley, Marcus McKinnon of South Lake Tahoe, Kao Tang Ying Moua of Anaheim, John Mussatto of Osage City, Kan., Ray Ostrander of Hayward, Wis., Tessa Page of Malibu, Jakie Rodriguez of Palmdale, Michael Rodriguez of San Fernando, Bobby Sanders of Houston, Texas, Ryan Sasada of Moorpark, Maura Schmitz of Pasadena, Travis Severt of Moorpark, Kimberly Southerland of Granada Hills, Hay Mun Win of Temple City and Keenan Woods of Poway.

Many of the students are also presenting their results at professional conferences throughout the region and country.

The free event will be held in the Ahmanson Science Center, which is south of Memorial Parkway between Regent and Pioneer avenues in Thousand Oaks.

For more information, go to http://www.callutheran.edu/our or contact CLU’s Office for Undergraduate Research at (805) 493-3795 or our@callutheran.edu.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, Calif., Oct. 8, 2010 – Kindergarten to 8th graders and their parents are invited to the 2nd Annual CSU Channel Islands (CI) Science Carnival to be held Friday, Oct. 22 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm at University Charter Middle School (UCMS), 550 Temple Avenue, Camarillo.

Students will have the opportunity to experience hands-on science activities and demonstrations presented by CI faculty and students and by UCMS students. At 7:30 p.m. the event will conclude with a Science Magic show presented by the CI Free Radicals student science club.

For additional information contact Dr. Phil Hampton, Professor of Chemistry at 805-437-8869 or philip.hampton@csuci.edu.

CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.

Sierra High School Crest
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“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.

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Paul Capra of John Paul Pet is pictured with student Peacebuilder winners for October.
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Paul Capra of John Paul Pet with upper grade award winners from San Cayetano for the month of October.
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On Monday, October 4, 2009, San Cayetano School recognized good citizenship and character at their Peacebuilder Assembly for the month of October. Mr.Paul Capra, who represented John Paul Pet which sponser the Character Counts Award each month for San Cayetano, came to speak to the students about what a good citizen is and how being good citizens can help students in school and in their outside lives. Each teacher chose a student from his or her class whom showed excellent character and respect in the month of October. ASB President, Cali Wyand,and Vice President, Lizzie Castaneda assisted Mr.Capra in handing out the Peacebuilder Awards. The Peacebuilders for October are Christopher Hernandez, Julisa Lopez, Elisabeth Mercado, Juan Martinez, Elissa Johnson, Jasmine Vega, Emilia Magdaleno, Cesar Magana, Ty Wyand, Kayla Priebe, Andreah McElroy, Noah Stoessel, Adrian Hernandez, Josiah Bernal, Roberto Magana, Rolando Cabrera, Cali Wyand, Victoria Pace, Zachary Tipton, and Diego Garcia. Mr.Capra then announced the San Cayetano Character Counts Award of a $100.00 savings bond sponsored by John Paul Pet. Mr.Capra presented the Character Counts Award to a deserving second-grade student. Justine Pacheco from Mrs.Elliot’s class was chosen by the second grade teachers as a model of kindness and respectfulness to the other students and school community. To conclude the assembly, students were reminded to turn in their Perfect Attendance tickets. Each month all students who come to school, each day, on time, are given a purple 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, the principal, will draw from the tickets to give away two new bicycles. Aaron Carranza won the Perfect Attendance Award for October. Kinders had a morning assembly with guest speaker Mrs. Carol Barringer, Director of Student Support at FUSD.

Assistance is now available to migrant children, students and their parents through the migrant after school homework centers and Even Start Program.

The homework centers offer students grades K through 12 the opportunity to do their homework in a place where they can receive help from school staff. Even Start serves the community with English classes for adults and kinder prep classes for preschoolers.

These services are offered at Rancho Sespe, César Chávez Memorial Hall, the Colina Vista Apartments in Piru and Sheriff’s North Fillmore Storefront Station. There are also homework centers at both Sespe School and Piru School.

The centers are staffed with a teacher, an adult instructional assistant and a student worker. Even Start is staffed with a teacher, pre-school teacher and an adult assistant.

These services offered by the Fillmore Unified School District Migrant Program are free to the community.
Persons wishing more information should call María González or John Zermeño at 524-8038 and cell 558-1810.

John Zermeño is the FUSD Migrant Coordinator

Thursday, October 7th, 6:15-7:30 pm at Mountain Vista Elementary School Cafeteria. The subject is "Healthy Habits and School Site Council Training." The english School Site Council training will be led by Ms. Marholin & Ms. Godfrey and the spanish by Ms. Hibler and Ms. Schiefferle. Healthy Habits presented by Ms. Dewey.

CSU Channel Islands
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Camarillo, CA. - The priority application period for students intending to enter CSU Channel Islands (CI) or any California State University campus in fall 2011 opened at midnight on October 1.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible but CI and many other CSU’s will not accept applications after Nov. 30, 2010. Challenges brought on by California's budget shortfall, have caused at least 16 campuses to declare impaction and while CI remains open to all eligible applicants, students must meet all qualifications and all deadlines. Impaction means that a campus anticipates more qualified applicants than there are spots available. Students applying to impacted campuses may face additional criteria, such as higher grade point average, with students in that CSU campus’s local area receiving priority in most cases.

Last fall, CI admitted over 1200 new freshman and transfer students and was not able to admit any spring undergraduate applicants. While it is too early to anticipate next year’s budget, students who wish to transfer from the local community colleges should plan ahead to be fully eligible to transfer in the fall semester.

Last year CI received over 6,000 applications from high school seniors and could only accommodate 500 students. The campus expects a similar volume this year. “Our regional students have priority,” said Ginger Reyes, Director of Admissions & Recruitment, “but we work hard to be fair to all applicants. This means that they must get their application in by November 30, meet all requirements, submit in-progress transcripts, required test scores, and the $55 application fee by the published deadlines. Students who fail to meet requirements, or miss deadlines will be disappointed.”

“Our reputation as a small campus, with excellent programs has made us a destination campus for thousands of students,” said Jane Sweetland, Dean of Enrollment. “We could grow faster than the current state budget is allowing us, but that’s our current reality. We owe our students a high quality education and while we hope to grow in the near future, we will not dilute the quality of our academic programs.”

For more information about CSU Channel Islands admissions visit www.csuci.edu or call the Admissions office at 805-437-8520.

CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

CI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA. – CSU Channel Islands (CI) will celebrate a groundbreaking for the University’s next big construction project, North Hall, on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 10:30 a.m. The groundbreaking will take place in the North Quad of CI’s campus and the community is cordially invited to attend the ceremony.

The North Hall facility will house a 120-seat lecture hall, seven lecture classrooms (totaling 315 stations), 3 computer labs, lecture/lab support spaces, faculty offices and support space, and administrative offices.

“This building will allow CI faculty to continue to prepare students for positions that directly contribute to the California workforce and continue our focus on being the leader in high quality, accessible, student-focused education,” said President Richard R. Rush.

The building project, whose total cost is estimated at $32.6 million dollars, has been in the planning stages since fall 2005. It entered the design phase in spring 2007 but was stalled by the funding crisis at the end of 2008/beginning 2009, when the state stopped all capital projects.

John Gormley, Manager of Design Services stated, “North Hall will be ready for fall 2012 and will meet the critical need for space to accommodate lecturers, computer labs and faculty offices.”

Parking on campus will be available in Lot A-4. Once on campus please follow the directional signs to the A-4 parking lot.

For additional information please contact 805-437-8400.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks will dedicate its first sustainable building, the Swenson Center for the Social and Behavioral Sciences, at 4:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22.

The $8.5 million building was designed to meet the sustainability criteria in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, with the target of certification at the silver level.

The center incorporates a number of energy-saving features designed to reduce operating costs. The building is situated to minimize the hotter east and west exposures and maximize north-south faces. A system of motorized windows and exhaust fans conditions the air in the lobbies and second floor hallway by pulling cool nighttime air in and drawing hot air out. Sensors turn the air conditioning or heating off in offices and classrooms when windows or doors are left open.

Windows were designed to allow natural light to provide illumination in 90 percent of spaces. Lights automatically turn off when adequate natural light is available or spaces aren’t in use. Restrooms have highly water-efficient fixtures. The landscaping features bioswales for storm water treatment and native, drought-tolerant, low-water-use plants with high-efficiency irrigation. Materials with 18 percent recycled content were used in construction, and 22 percent of the materials came from within 500 miles of campus. Ninety-seven percent of the waste generated during construction was diverted from the landfill to recycling.

The 33,000-square-foot Swenson Center has 43 faculty offices, which are replacing chicken coops that were converted into offices and classrooms when the university opened on a former ranch in 1961. Professors in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, political science, communication, languages and cultures, and public policy and administration have moved out of the chicken coop buildings into the Swenson Center. The building also features nine “smart” classrooms, two computer labs, a psychology lab, a conference room and a faculty/staff lounge. The building provides much-needed academic space at a time when the university is at record enrollment levels.

The building is named in honor of donors Jim and Sue Swenson of Dana Point. Others who contributed toward the building and a $2 million program endowment are Marv and Fran Soiland of Santa Rosa, the Ullman Family Foundation, alumni Karen and Allan Spies of Denver, alumni Kirsten and Karsten Lundring of Thousand Oaks, Jack and Carol Gilbert of Oxnard and the estate of Eleanor and Paul Culver of Lake Sherwood.

CLU plans to demolish the three vacant chicken coop buildings in a couple of months to make way for a new science facility.

The dedication is open to the public. The building is located at 141 Faculty Street near Pioneer Avenue. For more information, call (805) 493-3100.