Courtesy https://www.blog.fillmoreusd.org/fillmore-unified-school-district-blog/j...
Posted: December 19, 2025
We are offering free meals for our community during winter break on the following dates:
Dates: 12/22, 12/23, 12/29, 12/30, 12/31
Time: 11:00–11:30 a.m.
Locations:
• Mountain Vista Elementary
• Piru Elementary
Meals will also be provided to:
• Boys & Girls Club of Fillmore
• Boys & Girls Club of Piru
• Many Mansions

As the year comes to a close and families begin setting goals for the year ahead, California is reaffirming its commitment to young people through CalKIDS, the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program. Backed by a $2 billion statewide investment for more than 5 million children, CalKIDS is the largest education-focused asset-building effort in the nation, providing automatic scholarship accounts to millions of California children and students to help pay for college or career training after high school.
As families think about meaningful gifts this holiday season and prepare for the opportunities a new year brings, claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship Account is a simple step with a lasting impact. Eligible children and students can receive between $175 and $1,500 in free scholarship funds, with no application, no essays, and no income verification required. These funds are already set aside for children and students and can be used for qualified higher education expenses, making CalKIDS one of the most accessible scholarships available to California families.
“CalKIDS has been an amazing success, with nearly 1 million scholarship accounts already claimed by California families,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, Chair of the ScholarShare Investment Board, which administers CalKIDS. “As we look ahead to the new year, families across the state still have a tremendous opportunity to claim scholarship dollars already set aside for their children and students, funds that can help lower the cost of college or career training and expand what’s possible for their future.”
More than 60% of public-school students in grades 2 through 12 are eligible for a CalKIDS Scholarship Account worth up to $1,500. When CalKIDS launched in 2022, the program awarded scholarship accounts to students from elementary school to high school, meaning current college students may also be able to claim and use their CalKIDS Scholarship funds today. Awardees can use their funds until age 26.
Additionally, 100% of newborns born on or after July 1, 2022 in California automatically receive a CalKIDS Scholarship Account worth up to $175. This includes an initial scholarship awarded at birth, with additional incentives available when families claim the account and link it to a ScholarShare 529 College Savings Plan where they can continue saving on their own.
CalKIDS Scholarships can be used for tuition and fees, required books and supplies, computer equipment, and other qualified education expenses at accredited institutions nationwide making CalKIDS one of the simplest and most flexible scholarships students can claim this holiday season and in the year ahead.
To date, CalKIDS scholarship funds have been used by nearly 150,000 students towards their academic success at a college or career training program. For one awardee, Bryan a student at California State University, Fullerton, CalKIDS was described as: “A financial ease into pursuing a degree.”
How Students and Families Can Claim a CalKIDS Scholarship:
Claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship takes only a few minutes at CalKIDS.org.
● For public school students, including those who are now college-aged, families will need the Statewide Student Identifier (SSID), a 10-digit number found on school portals, report cards, or by contacting the public school the student attended during the 2021–22, 2022–23, or 2023–24 academic years.
● For children born in California on or after July 1, 2022, families will need the child’s date of birth and the Local Registration Number, a 13-digit number found on the birth certificate.
Once an account is claimed, families can log in at any time to view their scholarship balance, link it to a ScholarShare 529 account, learn how the funds can be used, and request a disbursement once the student is enrolled in higher education or career training.
CalKIDS reflects California’s long-term commitment to expanding opportunity, reducing education costs, and investing early in the success of its young people.
Families are encouraged to check if they have a CalKIDS Scholarship Account available to claim this holiday season by visiting CalKIDS.org.
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About CalKIDS: The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) is the nation’s largest child development account program, providing scholarships for higher education. Administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, and Chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, the program is designed to promote the pursuit of higher education statewide by empowering families to build assets, nurture savings habits, and raise their educational aspirations. Eligible public school students can receive CalKIDS Scholarships worth up to $1,500 and every child born in California on or after July 1, 2022, is awarded a CalKIDS Scholarship worth up to $175, ensuring more families have the resources needed to support their children’s education. To learn more, visit CalKIDS.org.

The Ventura College Foundation distributed a record $1,163,994 in direct student assistance during the 2024-25 academic year and another $1.54 million to 56 college programs across 14 departments and divisions. The Ventura College Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides resources and financial assistance to Ventura College students and programs.
As part of the distribution, the foundation provided $158,000 in gap funding for tuition costs for the Ventura College Promise program after state budget cuts. The program covers tuition and fees for eligible students for up to two years, serving 4,460 first-time, full-time Ventura College students in their first and second years during the 2024-25 school year.
“The Promise enables students to complete the first two years of college without the burden of tuition debt,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “With the rising cost of education, the Promise is a life changer.” The foundation also allocated $30,000 to support the college’s equipment lending library, enabling 3,764 students to check out textbooks at no cost.
Scholarship awards totaled $945,746, with 435 scholarships awarded to 270 students.
“The Basic Needs Program helps alleviate food and housing insecurity and provides support for overall student wellness,” King said. “These types of investments in our students’ lives now mean our community will benefit as they become the next generation of workers and leaders.”
Additional funding supported the Ventura College Basic Needs Program, including food pantries on the Ventura and Santa Paula campuses. Between 450 and 500 students visit the Basic Needs Centers daily, King said.
“Our scholarships are established by donors who are strong believers in education and the positive impact it can have on students’ lives,” says King. “The fact that the foundation can distribute nearly a million dollars to well-deserving students is the direct result of the dedication and commitment of our donors.”
The foundation’s 2024-25 Impact Report is available at https://venturacollegefoundation.org/foundation-impact. To learn how to donate to the Ventura College Foundation, click https://venturacollegefoundation.org/giving.

Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) was selected for funding under the 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).
SEEAG was awarded $236,360 to support its agricultural education STEM program, “STEM Career Pathways In Agriculture.” The CDFA grant is over a 2.66-year term and will enable SEEAG to expand its three-part STEM learning model to more than 2,500 high school students in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It includes lab work, career guidance and field trips to farms and nurseries.
“Students learn about specialty crop-related science, technology and engineering. They explore career opportunities at local farms and connect with agricultural professionals,” says Caitlin Paulus Case, SEEAG executive director. “To run a successful agriculture business today requires the skills to address the many challenges facing the industry, including soil science, plant nutrition and sustainability practices.”
Specialty farms participating in SEEAG’s STEM program include Bonipak Produce, Driscoll’s, Good Farms, Gill’s Onions, Plantel Nurseries, Brokaw Nursery, Reiter Affiliated Companies, McGrath Family Farms and Rancho Laguna Farms.
SEEAG programs are 100% cost-free for students, teachers, and schools, including bus transportation to and from farms.
For more about SEEAG’s STEM Career Pathways In Agriculture, go to https://www.seeag.org/stem-career-pathways-in-ag.
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About SEEAG
Founded in 2008, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that aims to help young students understand the origins of their food by bridging the gap between agriculture and consumption. Agricultural education programs include SEEAG’s “Farm-To-Food Lab,” “STEM Career Pathways In Agriculture,” and “Youth Wellness Initiative.” SEEAG teaches schoolchildren about the origins of their food and the importance of local farmland by providing schools with classroom agricultural education and free field trips to farms. Through this and other SEEAG programs, over 100,000 elementary school students in Central and Southern California have increased their understanding of the food journey. SEEAG hosts Farm Day each year in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that attracts over 10,000 visitors to participating farms, ranches and agricultural organizations. For more information, visit www.seeag.org or email Caitlin Paulus-Case, caitlin@seeag.org.

Fillmore Unified School District’s Director of Secondary Education, Keith Derrick said, “Nearly half of Fillmore High’s Class of 2025 took college courses while still in high school—that’s 43% of our seniors earning college credit before graduation! Even more impressive: 34% completed multiple college courses, and participation has grown 3.6x since 2018. Our students aren’t just preparing for college—they’re already succeeding in it! Thank you to Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) for partnering with us to make this possible.” Courtesy https://www.blog.fillmoreusd.org/fillmore-unified-school-district-blog/b....

Student Board Member Olivia Nava of Fillmore also attended the CSBA annual conference in Sacramento. She joined other Student Board Members from across the state, at the conference. As the Student Governing Board Representative for Fillmore, she had the opportunity to participate in the Student Board Member One-Day Program. Photos courtesy https://www.blog.fillmoreusd.org/fillmore-unified-school-district-blog/fillmore-unified-attends-annual-csba-conference.

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Fillmore Unified School District Superintendent Christine Schieferle, Assistant Superintendent Educational Services Dr. Isaac Huang, Board Members Olivia Palacio, Lucy Rangel and Tricia Gradias, and Student Board Member Olivia Nava attended the California School Boards Association (CSBA) annual conference in Sacramento.
Superintendent Schieferle and Board Member Gradias both presented as part of the California Collaborative for Education Excellence (CCEE), highlighting the great work Fillmore Unified is doing developing professional learning communities.
The Ventura Office of Education said, “So proud of the work at Fillmore Unified School District being highlighted at the annual conference of the California School Boards Association in Sacramento. Great job, Superintendent Schieferle, and school board Vice President Tricia Gradias!”
The California School Boards Association (CSBA) is a nonprofit organization that represents and supports elected school board members across the state. It provides governance training, advocacy, and resources to help school boards create strong educational systems. Each year, CSBA hosts its Annual Education Conference (AEC), the largest gathering of California school board members and education leaders. The conference offers workshops, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities focused on policy, leadership, and improving student outcomes.
Fillmore Unified Student Board Member Olivia Nava and Student Board Members from across the state, also attended the conference. As the Student Governing Board Representative, she had the opportunity to participate in the The Student Board Member One-Day Program.
The Student Board Member One-Day Program is a full-day pre-conference workshop held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento.
During the day, student board members from across California work in small groups to learn about the roles and responsibilities of student board representatives, the fundamentals of good governance, district budgeting, strategies for community engagement, and how to effectively advocate for student concerns and funding — including best practices in communication and presenting information to a school board.
The program aims to build students’ governance, leadership and advocacy skills while connecting them to the broader education policy community through the larger conference.

Fillmore Middle School Principal Jenny Plugge said, “We want to celebrate our students of the week for December 5th. Sophia Robledo, Lalo Mendez, and Arianna Jaimes (not pictured). Congratulations to these Bulldogs for demonstrating Bulldog Pride.” Courtesy https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1455369249923885&set=a.103743886....

November 24, 2025
Ventura, Calif.—Ventura College Foundation is launching an awareness campaign to ensure all eligible first-time, full-time Ventura College students’ tuition costs remain covered under the Ventura College Promise (VC Promise) program.
VC Promise covers tuition and health, student center and student representative fees. State funding provides a portion of these costs. During the 2024-25 school year, the Ventura College Foundation contributed an extra $158,000 to the program after state funding fell considerably short due to state government budget issues.
During the 2024-25 school year, 4,460 first-time, full-time first- and second-year students participated in the program. The foundation also supported the college’s equipment lending library and veterans’ textbook program, which served 3,407 students.
Ventura College became California’s first community college to offer tuition-free enrollment for first-time, full-time students when it launched the program in 2007. The initiative served as the model for the statewide California College Promise program established in 2017.
Since it began at Ventura College, more than $4 million in tuition costs have been covered and over 20,000 students have been served through VC Promise.
“To continue to ensure VC Promise is fully funded, we need the community’s support,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Removing the financial barriers from our students and their families is critical to students’ success as they transition from high school to college.”
To donate, go to https://venturacollegefoundation.org/giving-vc-promise/. For more information about supporting VC Promise, contact Pete Parker, Ventura College Foundation director of development, at 805.289.6158 or pparker@vcccd.edu.
To learn about the Ventura College Foundation, go to www.VenturaCollegeFoundation.org.

Fillmore Unified School District Preschool Director Lorena Ramos presented an update on the 2025-26 Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program. Preschool Teacher Tiffany Becerra, and Office Manager Gema Servin de la Mora were both recognized for their great work and dedication to Fillmore and Piru students and families. Director Ramos also announced the preschool now accepts children who are in diapers and said, “Our nurturing teachers provide a supportive environment for every stage of development.”

Mountain Vista Elementary Principal Christine McDaniels said, “Mrs. Myers’ 2nd graders wear red to kick off Red Ribbon Week.” Red Ribbon Week is an annual drug prevention and awareness campaign in the United States, observed every October. It is the nation’s largest and longest-running drug awareness program, created in 1985 to honor DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena after he was killed in the line of duty. Courtesy https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1378069850986108&set=a.501835941....