Here is a link to the video for the School Board's special meeting on March 8, 2011.
I was ill and unable to attend and continue to be thankful that the camera was present.

Some items of interest:
Public Comment (2:58-5:06), High School Health Ed Teacher Theresa Marvel speaking on the importance of maintaining rigor in the curriculum.

Services Reduction Actions: (time 12:00 starts) Superintendent Jeff Sweeney comments on the decisions being made now to create flexibility based on "Fiduciary Responsibility". Many staff members, teachers, admin will receive notices as required by the March 15 deadline. Board Members express their apologies regarding presenting notices.

As I listen to this, there is not one question asked by Board members. Not one. Again I wonder if they are having conversation away from the dias, but they should be reporting on their fact/information finding efforts. The public is not seeing any of the process that the Board goes through to decide what programs services and therefore what staff members are being noticed. And again I heard no discussion about how these decisions will affect students and classrooms.

And notice the dynamic between the Board members and staff. Who is in charge of deciding the agenda for meetings?
Who do you think should be in charge? Who is running those Board meetings anyway?

On Monday, March 7, 2011, San Cayetano School recognized good citizenship and character at their Peacebuilder Assembly for the month of March. Todd Schieferle, Director of Human Resources for Fillmore Unified School District, came to speak to the students about what a good citizen is and how being a good citizen can help not only the students, but others around them in their community. ASB President, Cali Wyand,and Vice President, Lizzie Castaneda assisted Mr.Schieferle in handing out the Peacebuilder certificates. The Peacebuilders for March are: Andrea Laureano, Nathan Delgadillo, David Vaca, Amber Cervantez, Aleena Castaneda, David Linares, Jesus Carrillo, Joseline Galindo, Bailey Dietz, Christopher Cisneros, Alexis Rosales, Aiyanna Simental, Jose Gallegos, Adilene Garcia, Jose Salgado, Anissa Rhodes, Jesus Zamora, Bryanna Rivas, Ilene Gil, and Sissy Valencia. At the lower grade assembly, Lizzie then announced to the students that John Paul Pet sponsors the San Cayetano Character Counts Award of a $100.00 savings bond. Emma Ocegueda, a second grade student from Mrs. Capra and Mrs. Mitchell’s class, was chosen by the second grade teachers as a model of outstanding behavior, responsibility, and kindness to the other students. She was recognized with a certificate and the savings bond. To conclude the assembly, Cali reminded the students to turn in their Perfect Attendance tickets. Each month all students who come to school, each day, on time, are given a raffle ticket. The students place their tickets in a box and one ticket is drawn. The student whose ticket is drawn is given a backpack full of supplies. 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. Pedro Aceves from Ms. Dewey’s class won the Perfect Attendance Award for March.

Camarillo, CA. - Two California State University Channel Islands (CI) faculty, Kathryn Leonard, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, and Brad Monsma, Professor of English, have received a $250,000 grant from the Keck Foundation for CI’s Center for Integrative Studies. The grant will be used to develop an innovative program for CI students to begin developing research and presentation skills from their freshman through senior years.

The program offers an increasingly demanding stepladder of interdisciplinary research courses, allowing students to begin original research projects from their first moment on campus. By the time they reach the upper levels, CI students will have the problem solving skills and experience to participate in research opportunities that will lead to presentations at national conferences or to publishing in research journals prior to graduation. A student who has accomplished this type of scholarship will have an advantage when applying to graduate school or interviewing with a future employer.

“This is the most recent example of the innovative and forward-thinking projects that CI faculty are involved in,” stated Provost Dawn Neuman. “CI is a frontrunner with its development of undergraduate research. Such opportunities will give our students a competitive advantage whether they choose to pursue graduate studies or go directly into the workforce.”

The first part of the program will begin in the next academic year with two courses offered at the sophomore level. As an example, “Interfaces: Ocean, Earth, Whale, Human” involves the academic disciplines of chemistry, biology and literary studies to examine whale behavior in relation to representations of whales in literature and history. These interdisciplinary courses are student-centered. Students, in a collaborative learning experience, share academic research and work under the guidance of faculty. Sub-topics within a freshman or sophomore course may provide a student with a more focused research project at the junior or senior levels.

These courses also CONTINUED »

Applications are now available for the FILLMORE WOMEN'S SERVICE CLUB Educational Scholarships. Any graduating High School Senior who RESIDES with the Fillmore Unified School District and is continuing on to a College, University or Trade School can apply. Application are available at Fillmore High School or by telephoning Susan Banks at 524-1470. Deadline is April 6th, 2011.

Watch this short video clip here: http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/02/09/020911-news-education-day1-3-6/

What do you think?
Is our education system broken?

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2011
5:30 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION 6:30 P.M. - SPECIAL 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.

5:30 p.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
B. ROLL CALL
C. 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.
D. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 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 School District Pupils (Education Code 35146)
o Expulsion Case Number 10-11-09 Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6)
o Update; Direction to District Negotiators (Jeff Sweeney, Mike Bush, Todd Schieferle, Margaret Chidester) for negotiations with the Fillmore Unified Teachers Association (FUTA), the California School Employees Association (CSEA), Confidential Employees, and District Administration. Personnel Matters (Government Code 54957)
o Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release
E. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION Any Action From Closed Session School District Pupils (Education Code 35146)
o Expulsion Case Number 10-11-09 Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release: Government Code section 54957
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Superintendent's Office at (805) 524-6038. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [In accordance with Government Code 54961 and Board Bylaw 9320(a).]

6:30 p.m.
F. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
G. CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS
H. PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS AND NONAGENDA ITEMS, PETITIONS
This is the time and place to address the school 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.
6:45 p.m.
I. ACTION CONTINUED »

SARC (School Accountability Report Cards) are available for the 2009-2010 school year. According to the California Department of Education (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sa/) " California public schools annually provide information about themselves to the community allowing the public to evaluate and compare schools for student achievement, environment, resources and demographics"

Each District is required to have the reports available for parents. Here is a link to the reports online: http://www.fillmore.k12.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=216

What do you think? What grade would you give your local school? Post your comment here?
What looks good? What do you think should be improved?

Folks can request a print out of their schools report from the District. Forms should be available at each school, although according to recent information from the District attorney (see information this week in the Gazette) the District must respond to any written request that is presented. I would assume that the written request must be clear and legible so that the District knows what is being requested. But they must respond to an email request, and a particular form is not necessary. Although it might make it easier for District staff to respond to the request.

Johannes Van Tilburg

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - Los Angeles architect and planner Johannes Van Tilburg will discuss his work related to the slowly developing Light-Rail and Subway Transportation System at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, at California Lutheran University.

The free Artists and Speakers Series presentation on “Building Along the Boulevards in Our City: Transportation as a Catalyst for Development” will be held in the Roth Nelson Room.

Van Tilburg was one of the first to design for, and invest in, Santa Monica’s fledgling Third Street Promenade, now a landmark of urban renewal and a redevelopment model for cities nationwide. He is a member of the board of directors of the Bayside District, a volunteer organization overseeing the Third Street Promenade.

An 11th generation architect/builder, Van Tilburg was born in the Netherlands and graduated from the College of Arts and Architecture in The Hague. He immigrated to the United States in 1965 and founded Johannes Van Tilburg and Partners, Architects, AIA, in Westwood in 1971. The success of the firm led to the 1992 founding of Van Tilburg, Banvard and Soderbergh, Architects (VTBS Architects). In the same year, Van Tilburg was elected to the College of Fellows, American Institute of Architects.

A nationally recognized pioneer in mixed-use urban design, land planning, and the creation of livable communities, VTBS Architects has won design, planning and beautification awards from the AIA, building associations, and local and state civic agencies. VTBS is based in Santa Monica with offices in San Jose and Denver.

Van Tilburg is strongly committed to the greater Los Angeles community, to education and to the arts. Among other initiatives, his firm designed the first AIDS Hospice in the City of Los Angeles, pro bono, for Barlow Hospital. Van Tilburg continues to teach as a visiting lecturer in the architectural departments of USC, UCLA, Harvard University Graduate School of Design and the Southern California Institute of Architecture. He recently was appointed as Honorary Consul of The Netherlands for the Los Angeles office.

The Roth Nelson Room is located on Mountclef Boulevard between Olsen Road and Memorial Parkway on the Thousand Oaks campus.

For more information, e-mail Christine Sellin at csellin@callutheran.edu

Here is an excerpt from this blog post on the Students First website, click the link to see the full post

http://www.studentsfirst.org/blog/entry/teachers-bear-the-brunt-of-uncer...

by Ma'ayan Weinberg "Teachers bear the brunt of uncertainty"

All across the country, from California to Rhode Island to New York, budget cuts threaten the jobs of tens of thousands of teachers in the worst round of potential layoffs in decades. Just last week, it was announced that Providence, Rhode Island, for example, would send termination notices to each of the district's 2,000 teachers—a preemptive measure against a $40 million budget deficit. Meanwhile, Cleveland, Ohio projects laying off 20 percent of its teachers.

Meet Ma'ayan Weinberg, a third year high school teacher in Los Angeles, who has become accustomed to the annual spring ritual of budget cuts. Since stepping foot into the classroom three years ago, she has received a pink slip every single year. She managed to avoid losing her job because she teaches math, a difficult to staff subject. Here, she describes the threat of layoffs that are predicted for this year in not only in Los Angeles, but in districts nationwide.

During my first year as a teacher, I received a Reduction in Force (RIF) notice. As our school district faces budget shortfalls, they have turned to laying off teachers in the past years to cut spending. RIFs are used to notify teachers that they may not have a position in the coming school year. As a secondary math teacher, my RIF was later rescinded because the position is difficult to staff, but not before I saw the devastating effects of RIFs on not only my school, but my students.

I work in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) at a particularly challenging school, which suffers from high teacher turnover and a very young staff. As a result, more than half of our teachers received a RIF notice in any given year; meanwhile, other schools in the same district lost only one or two.

The first effect came with the first round of RIFs. We explained to our students what was happening, that we might not be able to return to the school next year. Our kids do not understand the seniority system. They could not understand why we would be let go when other teachers that did not teach were allowed to stay. In their minds, you are fired for not doing your job, not for being the last to get the job. The confusion was heartbreaking.

The second blow came the following year when teachers who did not want to be in our school were pushed in to fill the vacant positions. These were sometimes teachers who had made a conscious decision to no longer work in the classroom. After the RIFs, our open positions were their only option. At our school, you have to want to be here. You have to love the kids. That second year, students came to me upset because their teacher had no interest in them, did not want to teach them, and at times did not even show up to school for weeks or months at a time. .. continued on: http://www.studentsfirst.org/blog/entry/teachers-bear-the-brunt-of-uncer...

I was unable to attend this study session but luckily the Gazette was able to send the big camera to record it.
(minus a few minutes at the beginning) : Please post any comments or questions.
And remember that the second Budget Study Session is set for Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30,

I"m still waiting for the new Board members to request a review and evaluation of District Administrative compensation packages. Here are some items in the video that I think are highlights:

In this video we hear Assistant Superintendent Mike Bush state for the worst case Budget scenario it would mean "hardly any cabinet, hardly any District Office staff, hardly any site administration, very high class [size], probably every third or fourth night clean, once every two weeks cutting grass, it's radical." Later in his presentation he states that the District needs to evaluate it's Administrator to Student ratio at the High School, which is now (due to declining enrollment, many at 11th & 12th grade) at 325 students per administrator. "That is at Piru levels" he states. The middle school is at about 800 students per admin. "It's something we need to look at" he suggests.

After Bush completes his presentation, Board Member Tony Prado asks "What are the other Districts doing to raid other Districts?" Here Prado is referring to those families who choose to leave FUSD for other Districts. Some we know leave because their children require special services that they struggle to get in Fillmore but are welcomed in Moorpark or other districts with space. Some families are concerned with the low academic performance of FUSD schools and exercise their legal right to leave the District to attend a better school. Bush correctly responded "The main thing to attract people from other Districts is to have a quality program." He hit the nail on the head with that one. Can you imagine? Students leaving a district to go to a better program? It's pretty hard to imagine that. I do apologize for my sarcasm there. But this is what many parents have been saying for several years. It is likely to take more than a brand new track to lure students to Fillmore, or convince them to stay. It may actually take a budget crisis for FUSD to realize the importance of having a quality program to attract students. A big issue with District run schools across the country is that they have always had an automatic stream of students. The quality of their program didn't matter. Student would come to their schools because they were the only option. Now parents are waking up. They have school choice. District of choice. They can take their child out of district, or out of their service area to other public schools that are better for their child. It seems that there may be a silver lining to this budget crisis, that Districts, including FUSD will get improve their programs and will work harder to provide the quality education that is a legal (and I think human) right of every child. I wish I would have been there because I would have applauded Bush's statement.

Some other items of interest:
The recommendation is to "overnotice" and then in May will have a better idea about what is going to happen.
Bush recommends that the Board approve a budget planning on a $340 per ADA reduction, with enough reduction in staff to be able to handle the $640 per ADA reduction that is a possibility.
One furlough day saves the District $118,000 which is roughly the same as increasing class size at the high school and reducing teaching staff by two teachers. Currently the high school is overstaffed by two teachers, by reducing teaching staff by two, it would increase class size by two students.

I wonder about the resources that are going elsewhere, for example, according to District reports provided during school Board meetings, the District paid $22,162.23 in legal fees just for the month of January 2011. How do those attorney's serve the students in the District? How are those legal services vital to a quality education? What kind of environment is being created that requires a district to pay such high legal fees? Just asking.

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011
5:30 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION 6:30 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING 627 SESPE AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA

5:30 p.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
B. ROLL CALL
C. 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.
D. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 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 School District Pupils (Education Code 35146)
o Expulsion Case Number 10-11-07
o Expulsion Case Number 10-11-08 Labor/Negotiations (Government Code 54957.6)
o Update; Direction to District Negotiators (Jeff Sweeney, Mike Bush, Todd Schieferle, Margaret Chidester) for negotiations with the Fillmore Unified Teachers Association (FUTA), the California School Employees Association (CSEA), Confidential Employees, and District Administration. Personnel Matters (Government Code 54957)
o Hiring, Evaluating, Discipline, Dismissal
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Superintendent's Office at (805) 524-6038. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the district to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [In accordance with Government Code 54961 and Board Bylaw 9320(a).]
6:30 p.m.
E. RECONVENE TO OPEN CONTINUED »

Here is a short post regarding the events in Wisconsin and America's teachers. This posting received over 40,000 comments on facebook. What a hot topic. What do you think?
She mentions the movie "Waiting for Superman" and that it makes claims that bad teachers are responsible for low test scores, I do not agree that the movie made that claim, but it is true that teachers and their unions seem to be under attack recently. Why do you think that is?

Here is a link to the posting on CNN's page: http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-20/opinion/ravitch.teachers.blamed_1_bad...

And here is a link to that posts Author Diane Ravitch being interviewed on NPR: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/28/134134735/Op-Ed-Rage-Simmering-Among-Ameri...

And one more link to an older story with Ravitch, who was an advocate now turned critic of No Child Left Behind: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124209100

Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 25, 2011 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) President Richard R. Rush today announced a $100,000 grant from Verizon to the Henry L. “Hank” Lacayo Institute for Workforce & Community Studies (HLI).

Verizon’s contribution will fund HLI programs that will enable CI students to directly contribute to the growth of small businesses throughout the region through consulting assignments – applying, in a real-world setting, the business and technology skills learned through their entrepreneurial studies coursework. Students will assist small-business owners by analyzing their business plans, management, and technology needs.

The grant will also provide scholarship assistance to underserved students pursuing business and social science degrees.

“We are pleased to have an opportunity to collaborate with Verizon in developing these types of vital partnerships that will benefit both our local business community and CI students through scholarships, said President Rush. “Verizon’s support of the HLI will enable faculty and students to research and provide valuable information to local small businesses.”

Additionally, the grant will help to establish the Verizon Telecommunications & Conservation Lab (TCL), which will serve as a green operations model to aid small businesses in implementing eco-friendly practices. It will advance Verizon’s commitments to environmental sustainability through energy conservation, hardware recycling, and emphasis of new technologies aimed at more efficient and environmentally sound practices.

“Verizon’s intent is to challenge students to find new ways to foster economic growth and instill a sense of environmental stewardship throughout the region,” said Tim McCallion, president of the West Region for Verizon. “We consider this grant from Verizon to be an investment in our community’s economic vitality and the development of its future leaders.”

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) 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. CI’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.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving 94.1 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 194,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of $106.6 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

According to a story printed over the weekend, the non profit organization CalAware conducted an audit of Districts across the state. Many did poorly. FUSD received an "F", and it was noted that FUSD in fact did not respond at all to requests for information. School Districts are in fact required by law to respond to requests for public information. Here is a link to the article in the Ventura County Star: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/feb/24/school-district-public-access-rat...

What has been your experience in requesting information from FUSD?