Fillmore Unified School District

Since the filing of a petition on September 16th with the Fillmore Unified School District to convert Piru Elementary into an independent charter school, there have been a series of incidents in which certain FUSD employees and other individuals have distributed information about the proposed charter school which is either misleading or false, according to Richard Durborow and Chris Pavik, two of the charter petitioners.

In what is apparently an escalation by those opposed to the charter, this past Friday, says Chris Pavik, two of the teachers at Piru School who signed the petition were approached separately by another teacher with close personal ties to the District Office. They were both told by this well-connected teacher that the School Board will not rehire any person who goes to work at the charter school and later decides to return to the District. In addition, one signer was told that the County Office of Education has the list of the signers’ names, and that no other school district in the county will hire them because they signed the charter petition, and the other was told that the Superintendent had said that any teacher who signed the petition, but now withdrew their name, would suffer no repercussions from the District. Says Chris Pavik, “these seem like not-so-veiled threats of intimidation, and they cross the line. As far as the School Board telling Piru staff that there will be no ‘right of return’, I have heard from several sources that such a statement was made at a District administrator’s meeting on last Thursday, that principals were directed by one of the Assistant Superintendents to verbally give this warning to their staffs. Such a statement is tantamount to bargaining away from the table, because that issue is bargainable, and it is illegal for the District to go around the unions and try to negotiate with individual members. I have informed the FUTA President and a CTA organizer of what I heard, and discussed the fact that this is an unfair labor practice, and that the District must stop doing this.” At this time, the petitioners plan to turn over the name of the teacher involved, and the names of those whom the teacher implicated, to legal counsel for possible litigation.

The petitioners first became aware of this apparent misinformation campaign when CONTINUED »

From the start of this process of educational reform, it is has been the goal of Piru Charter School to value and protect the work of our school’s classified employees. During the Piru Reconfiguration Committee sessions held in the Winter and Spring of 2009, the entire staff, with input from classified staff, came up with a list of what we called ‘non-negotiables’, principles that any charter plan must include to be acceptable to the staff. Every single teacher on the staff agreed to these principles. Classified employees were informed of the meetings, given agendas and invited to participate, and those that did also agreed to these principles. The key principles the staff decided upon were:

Salary schedule equivalent or better than FUSD’s
Benefit package equivalent or better than FUSD’s
Pension- remain in STRS and PERS
Due process rights for employees (including classified employees)
Union affiliation with local association (for ALL EMPLOYEES)
Staff participation in governance and decision-making (including classified employees)
Staff selects Curriculum (including classified employees)
Retain current staff (including classified employees)

It is the intent of our charter petition, CONTINUED »

Misinformation has been given out to create fear, here are the facts:
Migrant funds will continue, All migrant programs will remain, Piru School will continue to be a free public school, More parent input (parents will be on local Piru school board), More local control, No more waiting for empty promises (how long do we wait for these long promised grant monies???? Where is the student drop-off turn around???? Where is our new safe field????). Future K-8, Smaller class sizes, Our goal is to do what is best for Piru school students; not for the district. For more information, see our web site: www.pirucharterschool.blogspot.com.

La Verdad de Convertirnos en una Escuela Charter
Mucha desinfornación se ha dado para crear miedo; aquí están los hechos: Los Fondos Migratorios Van a Continuar, Todos los Programas Migratorios Van a Continuar, La Escuela de Piru va a continuar a ser una escuela publica y gratitua, Más opiniones de los padres (padres estarán en la junta local de la escuela Piru), Tendremos un mayor control local de nuestra escuela (¿cuånto tiempo tenemos que esperar becas prometidas? Dónde está el lugar seguro que prometiero para dejar y recojer a nuestros estudiantes? Dónde está nuestra nueva cancha segura que fue prometida?). En el Futuro una escuela del kinder a octavo grado, Clases más pequeñas, Nuestra meta es hacer lo que es major para los estudiantes de Piru, no para el distrito. Para obtener más información, consulte nuestro sitio web: www.pirucharterschool.blogspot.com.

When the Piru Charter School train left the station, few passengers were on board. What was described as a “collaborative” effort now appears to represent the work of only 3 individuals with the consent of an additional few people. There was no effort to get “buy in” from more than a small handful of community members, classified staff members, nor teachers not in “the know”.

The Piru Charter School petition was written in secret. Over a year ago Piru Elementary School staff met to explore reconfiguration at Piru School to parallel the district’s conversations on reconfiguration. The conversations at Piru were to include ways to improve instruction within the current school structure, investigate the concept of a magnet school, and look at charter schools. The conversations, led by then principal Richard Durborow and long time charter advocate Christopher Pavik, began with a broad focus but were quickly narrowed by the leaders to the single concept of charter. In its discussion the Piru School staff had hoped to gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages associated with Charter Schools. However, the leaders rapidly took the discussion from investigation of charter schools to joining a charter association and writing a charter petition to make Piru Elementary to a conversion charter school. A conversion charter school requires the existing school to close then the newly incorporated sef-governed school is opened in its place. Many staff members believed at that point the discussion had been derailed and resulted in an end to whole staff collaboration. The conversations continued with a small group of teachers in secret. The product of these secret meetings was the petition presented to the Fillmore USD on September 16 to convert Piru Elementary School to Piru Charter School.

The founding group of Piru Charter School petitioners presenting their CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

The Fillmore Unified School District received a petition for the conversion of Piru Elementary School to a charter school to be known as the Piru Charter School. The District Governing Board will hold a public hearing on the provisions of the charter, at which time the Board will consider the level of support for the petition by teachers employed by the District, other District employees, and parents.

Based on the District’s review and analysis of the charter petition and the information gathered at the public hearing, the District Board will either grant or deny the charter. The meeting will occur at Piru Elementary School in their auditorium on Wednesday, October 21, at 6:00 p.m. Translators will be present at the meeting. Transportation to and from Rancho Sespe will be provided courtesy of the Ventura County Migrant Program.

Also, child care for elementary age students will be provided. A copy of the petition can be viewed at the Superintendent’s Office, 627 Sespe Avenue, Fillmore.

(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.

Piru Elementary staff and students take pride in their school.

Piru Elementary School is proud to announce that next year it will be offering a full curriculum to students in grades kindergarten though sixth grade. For a limited time we will be accepting 6th grade students from Fillmore. Bus transportation from Fillmore will be provided. Call the school office now and complete an enrollment packet.
Located just 7 miles from Fillmore, Piru Elementary is a small, dynamic elementary school that supports a vision based on "Educating the Whole Child." Piru was established more than 120 years ago and provides a strong academic program. In fact, over the last two years API scores have gone up more than 40 points! Great things are happening at Piru. Our campus farm is growing, we are looking at green school alternatives, we will be offering outstanding student extra-curricular experiences such as a camping trip to Rancho Allegre, an overnight to Fort Tejon, whale watching, La Brea Tar Pits, as well as a fine arts outreach to a variety of music and dance performances. Piru Elementary has both a music and art teacher. This year Piru Elementary began a college outreach program with students spending the day at either Moorpark College, California State University at Channel Islands, or the University of California at Santa Barbara. Now our students want to attend college when they grow up!
If you are interested in providing a unique learning opportunity for your child in a small rural setting, please come see Piru, where students can experience the best of the past and the future!

Six buses, three destinations, 300 permission slips and lots of phone calls later, Piru students all attended college on Monday, March 30th. The visit was part of Piru’s Reaching Higher in ’09 Academic Achievement Focus.
Kindergarten and first grade students went to Moorpark College and thanks to support group Friends of Piru, were able to add an Exotic Animal Show to their College Tour.

Second and third grade students journeyed further to Cal State Channel Islands where they were guided by former student Jim Schaper around one of the newest California campuses!

Fourth and fifth graders were awed by the highpoints of the University of California at Santa Barbara, including: lecture halls, the dorms, the recreation center, the Thunderdome, and of course, the lagoon and beach. All students agreed college looks like lots of fun!

Many thanks from Piru are sent to Fillmore High School Mentors, Elizabeth Fernandez and Samuel Cruz; UCSB Outreach Coordinator, Olivia Palacio; UCSB Guides, Robert Barrera and Stan Levine; Miss Breanna Christie from Cal State Channel Islands; and Mr. Khutug from Moopark College. Special thanks are offered to Mrs. Lynn Edmonds, former principal of Piru Elementary, who wrote the CDBG grant which paid for the buses, and Police Chief Tim Hagel who is constantly looking for ways to support students and facilitate life changing experiences for kids.

Piru students are back in elementary classes today, but with a different outlook and level of motivation. Piru students are going to college!