FUSD Superintendent Adrian E. Palazuelos

At Tuesday night’s Board meeting, Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) new Assistant Superintendent Martha Hernandez described the District as being in "limbo" when asked where FUSD stands today regarding Program Improvement. This lack of a more defined definition is due to the recent change in adopting Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and eliminating the old tests used to document student progress.

Program Improvement (PI) is what the California Department of Education designates a school or district that does not make Adequate Yearly Progress. Individual schools throughout the FUSD have been in PI for several years, but last year was the first year the whole District fell into the category.

According to Hernandez, "FUSD is required to provide an end of year summary (to the State) to highlight strategies and actions implemented during the 2013-14 school year including a description of local evidence used to determine effective implementation." She went on to explain the testing normally given at the end of the spring semester was not conducted due to the tryout testing for CCSS, leaving no testing data to present the State on the 2013-14 school year status. When asked what exactly that meant Hernandez responded, "Right now we're in limbo....we're in the status we were last year."

Board Member Tony Prado asked if there was data on the different grades. Hernandez answered, "It's the District that's in IP...this is due to many years of declining scores" and explained there is no data on specific grade levels. When asked what plans they have going forward she informed the Board, "We want to target our weaknesses."
Newly hired Superintendent Adrian E. Palazuelos interjected, stating the English Language Learners (ELL) need a great deal of improvement in learning English.

"We need to have designated ELL time...It took some time to get into this (PI), it will take time to get out.
Regarding the time frame the District is looking at to present the data on progress that the State requires, Hernandez said, "We need to do it in the next three months."

Just after the meeting began Superintendent Palazuelos described some goals and improvements he hopes to implement going forward. But those goals come with a big price tag; improving FUSD's internet technology infrastructure and upgrading software. "We want all students to have full access to the new software.....bridge together all our data systems and give access to every student" he told those in attendance. The main goal Palazuelos described was full wifi access throughout FUSD. Whether the funds will be available to achieve those goals is a big question.

Associated Student Body Representative Irma Torres announced Food Day is Thursday, September 18th to help raise money for school clubs; Thursday, September 4th, Fillmore Gym will be Girls' Volleyball team vs. Louisville; Saturday Cross-Country will race at Mount San Antonio College; the Santa Paula vs. Fillmore football game will be in town on September 19th; Homecoming Week begins September 29th thru Homecoming Parade and game time on October 3rd.

On November 7, 2013 The Complaint of El Dorado Estates (Plaintiff-Appellant v. City of Fillmore (Defendant-Appellee was submitted to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. El Dorado, a mobile home park owner located in the City of Fillmore alleged that the City interfered with an application for a subdivision of its seniors-only mobile home park by causing unreasonable delays and imposing extralegal conditions because of a fear that subdivisions would lead to El Dorado opening the Park to families. El Dorado's complaint was dismissed for lack of standing. The court concluded, however, that El Dorado had Article III standing where El Dorado suffered a concrete and particularized, actual, injury, in the form of added expenses caused by the City's interference of the application. Accordingly, the court reversed and remanded for further proceedings. Dtd. September 2, 2014. See Judge Richard R. Clifton’s Opinion here: http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2014/09/02/12-55549.pdf

Sean Morris

I, Sean Morris, am announcing my candidacy for Fillmore School Board 2014.

I am a lifelong resident of Fillmore and graduated from Fillmore High School. I am married to Veronica Morris and we have two children attending Fillmore Schools.

I have served on several non-profit boards and am currently President of the Rotary Club of Fillmore. I have been involved in community literacy projects, volunteered in my children’s classes, coached and served with many teachers and parents, including the District’s Reconfiguration Committee during Superintendent Jeff Sweeney’s tenure.

My experience with our community through my work with the parents, administration, teachers, and students, is that we have an incredible human resource to achieve great things. Our district has not performed to its fullest potential and we need everyone to be involved on a consistent basis in order to become a distinguished center of learning. I will bring energy, listening skills and a desire to work with everyone to make Fillmore Unified School District a point of light for every student in our community.

My vision is for excellence in teaching, community support, and facilities which will lead to positive growth and academic achievement in our children. I would love the opportunity to speak with any parent, parent group, teacher, school staff, business leader, Fillmore Council Member and school administrator to gain more insight and express my views. Learn more or contact me by visiting Morris4SchoolBoard.com.

Morris for School Board 2014

Come out to Central Station on Friday, Sept 12th to celebrate our Alma Mater, and the Flashes, as we gear up for Santa Paula week. Our Hometown Flashes Football team plays the Santa Paula Cardinals the following Friday, and the Alumni Association wants to paint the town Blue. They will be at Central Station with all their Flashes Merchandise, available for you so you can look awesome in you Flashes Game Day Wear for the Big Game. We're talking T-shirts, Bling wear, and other Flashes Merchandise all available to you. So come out to the last Cruse night of the summer, and show your Flashes spirit on "Alumni Night" at Central Station from 5:00pm to 10:00pm. Music, DJ provided by Central Station. GO FLASHES!!

City of Fillmore

08/12/14
Vandalism
300 Blk. Los Serenos Dr.
Robbery – Alarm
300 Blk. Central Ave.
Keep the Peace
300 Blk. Blaine Ave.
08/13/14
Search Warrant
500 Blk. Main St.
Vandalism
300 Blk. Main St.
Narcotics Violation
300 Blk. Arundell Cir.
Theft Residential
1300 Blk. Waterford Ln.
Keep the Peace
500 Blk. Santa Clara St.
Disturbance Party
800 Blk. Edison Ln.
Drunk in Public CONTINUED »

Fillmore Police Chief Dave Wareham addresses council about new security cameras to be installed at different city locations.

At the August 26, 2014 Fillmore City Council Meeting Police Chief Dave Wareham announced Fillmore will have a new eye in the sky at three locations. This is due to the efforts of Sheriff Geoff Dean and Council Member Diane McCall who sits on the Sheriff's Foundation. Thanks to a state grant of $5,000 and Sheriff Dean’s contribution of $5,000 in matching funds Fillmore will be receiving three microwave cameras to help fight crime. One camera will be located on Santa Clara St. and Central Ave. providing a view of Central Park, Central Avenue and the bus station. A second camera will cover Mountain View and Delores Day Park. The location of the third camera is still being discussed.

Wareham said the cameras will provide what police and sheriffs call Real Time Incident Communications (RTIC) and... "give a direct feed secured network to dispatch, which cannot be hacked into." The information viewed is monitored at dispatch in the Ventura Sheriff Station and Fillmore Sheriff Station and can cut respond time by as much as five minutes or more. Should an incident occur where there is a question of what happened or who was involved the information is available for review at a later date. These cameras have been in use in most big cities and for about three years at Lake Piru and throughout Ventura County.

An agenda item was the contract with Quality Landscape Care that provides services to 25 Landscape and Lighting Districts, nine parks, the Memorial District, bike path and planters in town. Council Member McCall questioned the maintenance bike path around Old Telegraph. David Smallwood, Public Works, agreed that area needed greater attention. McCall responded, "My concern is that we address that." Council Member Steve Conaway asked, "Are you pleased with their work?" Smallwood answered, "Yes, they do everything I ask them to do." Mayor Manuel Minjares said he too noticed that Old Telegraph needed attention and that he would like some comparison costs with what other landscape companies are charging.

Fire Chief Rigo Landeros spoke briefly about the earthquake in Napa, California and the importance of registering with WWW.VCALERT.org in case of an emergency. He said there are two pamphlets available at City Hall, one discussing VCALERT and another from Homeland Security with a list of items needed to be prepared when a catastrophe strikes.

Landeros also spoke of the last week's outreach program at El Dorado Mobile Home Park where they collected 18.6 pounds of outdated prescription drugs in four hours and plans to expand the outreach to other locations. He reminded everyone that the prescription drug drop off barrel is located at the Sheriff's Station.

Another two items briefly discussed were the "bootleg/sandwich boards" signage being used on Central Avenue. There are City Codes against their use and businesses displaying such signage will soon be contacted. Council Member Rick Neal also asked if the City Code restricting synthetic lawn could be reviewed due to the severe drought California is experiencing.