Below are several segments from the January 18, 2011 School Board Meeting. Our goal is to start recording all meetings, and get the videos posted promptly. You'll notice that we've "cut" it up so that you can watch the segments that you're interested in.
Remember the next meeting is February 15th at Piru Elementary School.

Future Farmers of America report by Brooke Aguirre and "Students First" award to Janice Schieferle

Curriculum Audit Report from Principals at: Piru Elementary School and Fillmore Middle School:

Student Rep (Sean Chandler) and Board Member Reports:

Discussion on Jeff Sweeney's suggestion to begin to examine graduation requirements:
Graduation Requirements

Budget Update:

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - California Lutheran University will screen a documentary on the efforts of four families to get into a charter school at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23.

“The Lottery” will be shown in Lundring Events Center on the Thousand Oaks campus as part of the Reel Justice Film Series.

In a country where 58 percent of African American fourth graders are functionally illiterate, “The Lottery” uncovers failures of traditional public schools that cause hundreds of thousands of parents to attempt to flee the system every year.

“The Lottery” follows four of these families from Harlem and the Bronx who have entered their children in a charter school lottery. Out of thousands of hopefuls, only a small minority will win what they see as a chance for a better future.

Directed by Madeleine Sackler and shot by award-winning cinematographer Wolfgang Held, “The Lottery” explores a ferocious debate surrounding the education reform movement. Interviews with politicians and educators explain not only the crisis in public education but also why it is fixable. A call to action to avert a catastrophe in the education of American children, “The Lottery” makes the case that any child can succeed.

The Reel Justice Film Series, which examines the themes of equality and social justice, will continue with “The Stoning of Soraya M.” on March 7, “8: The Mormon Proposition” on March 30, and “Living Downstream” on April 6.

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

CLU’s Center for Equality and Justice and Black Student Union are sponsoring the free event. For more information, contact Sam Thomas at sthomas@callutheran.edu or (805) 493-3693.

School Matters Post

Questions received via email:

“How much of the budget is spent on Administrative salaries and compensation?”
- FUSD Teacher

“It may be helpful to show a breakdown of expenses in the District, including books and supplies, facilities [and so on]”. – Concerned Resident

First, I need to make a correction; in a previous blog post I indicated that the budget for FUSD is $35 million. But according to the projected, unaudited budget (I have requested a copy of the audited budget) dated June 2010 for this current school year the total General Fund budget is $30.7 million but remember budgets are fluid and ever changing, and in school districts they are based on how many students sit in classrooms each day, so we really don’t know the years budget, until the year is over. Make sense?

So if we first look at the pie chart included in the Unaudited Budget dated June 2010 the District reports that it spends 86% of its budget on personnel. According to another chart “management” (salaries only, excluding benefits) expenses makes up 6% of the total budget. Compare that to 42% for certificated employees (teachers) or 4% for books and supplies.
When we look at the actual numbers, based on a print out from the District office dated September 2010 here are the actual numbers, these numbers include salary and benefits representing the total cost to the District for each position.

Certificated Non Management Salaries: $12.4 million
Classified Non Management Salaries: 4.5
Management/Supervisor Salaries: 1.9
Employee Benefits 6.7
Books and Supplies 1.3
Operating 2.7
Capital/Other 0.3
Total Expenditures 29.7
Ending Balance 1.0
Total General Fund 30.7

Administrative Salaries, per report from District office dated September 2010.

Salary Total Expense
Superintendent: $144,046 **$180,293***

**Note: the salary was reported to me upon request. But I have been unable to obtain a report on the actual District expense of all of the benefits and compensation for the position of Superintendent. So, this number of Total Expense for the position of Superintendent is an estimate. Here is how I calculated it:
$144,046 salary
+$ 4,000 – car allowance, per contract dated 2006, $400.00 per month. The contract does not specify if this is paid for 12 months, or only for 10 months during the school year. I assumed that it would only be during the school year so I used $400 x 10 months= $4,000.00)
+$1200.00 – per contract the maximum paid annually for Term Life Insurance
+$1,829 MEDI *
+$920 SUI*
+$3,057 WC*
+$14,871 H/W*
+$10,370 STRS & STRSC*
• These are all estimates taken from the District expense for the Asst. Superintendent position, Educational services. I thought these numbers would be somewhat comparable, if a little on the low side.

=$180,293.00 Total Expense to the District ESTIMATED. Any additional expenses incurred associated with duties are compensated, as well as any additional costs of an annual physical examination not covered by the health insurance provided.
Salary / Total District Expense
Asst. Superintendent, Educ. Services $125,654 / $156,691
After Schl Prog. Coordinator/Stdnt Services $95,456 / $122,626
Asst. Superintendent, HR Director $96,082 / $123,293
Special Ed Coordinator $89,351 / $112,629
Asst. Superintendent, Fiscal Services $124,452 / $154,483
Director, Budget and Accounting $87,360 / $119,965
Director, Facilities and Construction $81,853 / $113,158
Director of Neighborhood for Learning $55,611 / $83,694
Director of Child Nutrition $70,973 / $98,034
Elem. Principal Piru $80,181 / $91, 836
Elem. Principal San Cayetano $92,259 / $110,800
Elem. Principal Sespe $92,259 / $118,986
Elem. Principal Mountain Vista $92,259 / $105,599
Sierra High Principal $81,119 / $115,315
Fillmore High School Principal $111,785 / $141,014
FHS Asst. Principal $87,054 / $110,036
FHS Asst. Principal $100,984 / $128,838

Sub-Total: $2,243,756
Superintendents Salary & Expenses= $180,293.00
Total: $2,424,049
There are some administrative positions that were not included in the report I received. I will be requesting these reports in the next few months. If there is a position that you are curious about, either request the info from the District office, or let me know. All information on compensation of any employee is a matter of public record.

Site Budgets: I thought this was an easy way view the Districts budget; again this is all based on the unaudited budget dated June 2010.

Site Budgets:

Mountain Vista:
Enrollment Projected: 554
Actual as of January 11, 2011 (per the ConAp): 578

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries; 1,650,414 / 1,555,191
Classified Salaries 101,079 / 101,230
Employee Benefits 506,705 / 530,320
Books and Supplies 33,267 / 16,210
Other Services 158,593 / 117,543
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 2,450,058 / 2,320,494

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated /10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 83,953 / 56,945
School Based Coordinated Programs 88,721 / 0
English Language Acq. Program 6,173 / 6,273
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 37,853 / 10,983
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 25,945
Total Expenditures 216,700 / 100,146

Piru:
Enrollment projected: 346
Actual as of January 11, 2011 (per the ConAp): 306

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 1,028,231 / 992,526
Classified Salaries: 86,319 / 87,104
Employee Benefits: 330,166 / 341,676
Books and Supplies 18,143 / 18,268
Other Services 81,996 / 64,236
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 1,544,855 / 1,503,810

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated /10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 70,254 / 51,079
School Based Coordinated Programs 72,497 / 0
English Language Acq. Program 3,243 / 4,827
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 28,039 / 27,840
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 55,221
Total Expenditures 174,033 / 138,967

San Cayetano:
Enrollment projected: 482
Actual as of January 11, 2011 (per ConAp): 525

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 1,411,118 / 1,312,359
Classified Salaries: 106,246 / 110,882
Employee Benefits: 459,975 / 483,695
Books and Supplies 25,361 / 12,446
Other Services 126,971 / 113,693
Capital Outlay 3,750 / 0
Total Expenditures 2,133,421 / 2,033,075

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated /10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 68,486 / 49,218
School Based Coordinated Programs 76,621 / 0
English Language Acq. Program 6,277 / 6,067
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 28,506 / 28,361
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 53,218
Newhall Grant 10,097 / 0
Total Expenditures 189,987 / 136,864

Sespe:
Enrollment Projected: 470
Actual as of January 11, 2011 (per ConAp): 472

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 1,449,887 / 1.264,003
Classified Salaries: 115,502 / 114,046
Employee Benefits: 461,931 / 448,316
Books and Supplies 24,834 / 16,941
Other Services 72,658 / 70,975
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 2,124,812 / 1,914,281

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated /10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 62,658 / 49,792
School Based Coordinated Programs 79,041 / 0
English Language Acq. Program 7,219 / 7,188
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 31,310 / 31,067
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 53,902
Total Expenditures 180,228 / 141,949

Fillmore Middle School
Projected Enrollment: 766
Actual as of January 11, 2011: 806

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 2,238,901 / 2,158,758
Classified Salaries: 187,842 / 187,552
Employee Benefits: 716,065 / 760,320
Books and Supplies 46,031 / 30,244
Other Services 204,652 / 162,682
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 3,393,491 / 3,299,556

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated / 10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 128,854 / 79,552
School Based Coordinated Programs 127,523 / 0
English Language Acq. Program 30,340 / 28,689
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 42,836 / 42,622
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 86,103
Total Expenditures 329,553 / 236,966

Sierra High School
Projected enrollment: 60
Actual as of January 11, 2011: 68

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 297,187 / 282,896
Classified Salaries: 16,359 / 16,396
Employee Benefits: 111,949 / 118,849
Books and Supplies 10,302 / 4,111
Other Services 30,468 / 21,180
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 466,265 / 443,432

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated / 10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 8,119 / 7,467
School Based Coordinated Programs 10,991 / 0
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 4,137 / 2,319
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 7,581
Total Expenditures 23,247 / 17,367

Fillmore High School
Projected Enrollment: 1085
Actual as of January 11, 2011: 1082

Unrestricted General Fund 2009-10 Estimated / 2010-11 Proposed
Certificated Salaries: 3,064,767 / 2,886,396
Classified Salaries: 337,124 / 362,991
Employee Benefits: 1,031,160 / 1,063,312
Books and Supplies 197,562 / 105,209
Other Services 366,900 / 314,871
Capital Outlay 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 4,997,513 / 4,732,779

Restricted General Fund
Expenditures By Program 09-10 Estimated / 10-11 Proposed
Title I Basic Aid 150,020 / 98,725
School Based Coordinated Programs 164,003 / 0
Title II Vocational Education 26,984 / 24,142
Economic Impact Aid-LEP 38,632 / 38,389
Economic Impact Aid-SCE 0 / 106,728
Agricultural Vocational Education 9,979 / 9,939
California High School Exit Exam 0 / 0
Total Expenditures 389,618 / 277,923

So there you are.

Do you think the money is being spent well?

My next step on this is to get job descriptions of each of the administrative positions.

Remember School Matters.
Post comments below, or send questions and comments to:
Schoolmatters@fillmoregazette.com
Fillmore Gazette Attn: School Matters, 408 Orchard Street, Fillmore 93015

Thanks for reading.
Kimberly

At last nights School Board meeting Board members Tony Prado, Lucy Rangel ad Dave Wilde all commented on this video that Assist. Superintendent Director of Educational Services Katy Hadley showed at a recent workshop they attended.

The video did float around facebook a while back. Check it out:

***************
So what do you think?
It seems a pretty daunting task to prepare students for jobs that don't even exist yet with technology that will be outdated by the time they graduate from high school.
But what about the idea that instead of preparing students for jobs.... (Ok let's really get outside the box here) public education needs to shift its goal to preparing students to become.... thinkers, problem solvers, and entrepreneurs. To provide them with skills to think on their feet and to meet the demands of whatever is thrown their way. What about preparing students to have the confidence to question the status quo? To imagine that success is not always defined by the amount of money you make or what corporation your work for but by what you contribute to your community or even something as seemingly small as making a child smile.

I was recently listening to an author from India being interviewed about the great progress happening in India. He spoke about how every single successful person he knew in India, who had risen up out of the chaste (or class) of their parents... every single one worked for themselves. They created their own job. This got me thinking, in the US we hear all about job creation, and many expect our governments to seemingly wave a magic wand, or maybe a dollar, and *poof* create hundreds of thousands of jobs. But what about the idea that folks need to start preparing to climb out of that box, to think about filling the needs of their community, and creating their own jobs. Doesnt' work for every single person, but think about even the effect of a small shift. Hummmm.

Look around our world. Egypt. Tunisia. Los Angeles. And sometimes even yes, our own Communities of Fillmore, Piru and all of Ventura County. Public Education needs to shift its goals, challenge students to build their confidence in ways that they can find their passion, their contribution, their voice and take it out into their community in a positive way. It’s beyond jobs. It comes down to do we want kids trained to get an A, B or a C (I think our current system even trains some kids to get D’s and F’s…) or do we want them to be confident enough to fail… and keep going…. and get up again and keep going.

What would they do if they knew they would not fail?

What would they do if there were TRULY no stupid questions?

Maybe they just might solve the world’s problems that we don’t even know exist yet.
Just maybe.

According the California Department of Education Piru Elementary Schools, with a 2010 Base API score of 709 has been placed on a list of 1000 "low performing" schools in California. While there does appear to be some concerns over some schools being on list that have scores over 800, Piru Elementary appears to truly meet the criteria for "low performing". http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/op/yr10ltr10.asp (Enter Ventura County, and select Fillmore)

Click here: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/op/yr10ltr10.asp to see the letter sent to all County and District Superintendents on October 8, 2010.

Here are some excerpts from the letter that may be of interest to some parents whose children currently attend Piru Elementary or who may be planned to send their children there fall 2011:

"Parents may exercise their transfer option using this list for their students to begin enrollment at another school for the 2011-12 school year. Parents must submit an application requesting a transfer to the desired school prior to January 1, 2011. Parents who opt to transfer their students under this law may enroll their students within the same district or any other district, provided the school to which they are applying has a higher Academic Performance Index (API) score than the school from which the students are transferring."

Note that the deadline for next school year was January 1, 2011. But what about parents who were not notified of this option? Or what about parents who students starting in the fall?
According to the letter you can contact Carolyn Mills, Education Programs Consultant, by phone at 916-445-7746 or by email at cmills@cde.ca.gov.

Please consider posting your findings and experience here to help other parents.

Are you choosing to transfer? Why or Why not?

Fillmore Middle School
Student Awards Waffle & Strawberries Breakfast

When: Thursday, February 3rd
8:15 am-8:45 am

To recognize student achievement.

The middle school is doing something a bit different in an effort to increase parent participation in the student award ceremonies. Usually a night time event, switching to the morning may get more parents, and adding waffles and strawberries is a fun and unique way to get kids excited and hopefully motivated to win an award.

Bill Watkins

THOUSAND OAKS, CA. - The California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting will present its Ventura County Economic Forecast in two seminars on Thursday, Feb. 17.

CERF Executive Director Bill Watkins will present the forecast. Jack O’Connell, former California Superintendent of Public Instruction, will speak on “The State of Education.”

The east county event, which will include breakfast, will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. in CLU’s Lundring Events Center. The west county seminar, which will include lunch, will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ventura Beach Marriott.

CERF provides local, state and national forecasts for government, business and nonprofit leaders throughout the country. Watkins has been providing accurate, unflinching forecasts for more than 10 years and has been widely published in academic journals, traditional media and new media. He and other members of the CERF team are quoted regularly by news organizations including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NBC, Fox Business Network, Forbes and Bloomberg News. Watkins, who has a doctorate in economics, previously served as an economist with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C.

O’Connell served as state superintendent from 2003 until term limits forced him to step down in January. A democrat, he was the state senator representing the 18th district from 1994 to 2002 and the assemblyman representing the state’s 35th district from 1982 to 1994. Currently a resident of San Luis Obispo, O’Connell attended Oxnard High School and returned to his alma mater to teach government for several years before entering politics. Quality education has been a priority throughout his career and he was the author of many landmark education bills.

Lundring Events Center is located in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center north of Olsen Road near Campus Drive on the Thousand Oaks campus. The Ventura Beach Marriott is at 2055 E. Harbor Blvd.

Registration, which includes a copy of the forecast, is $150. To register, go to http://www.clucerf.org. For more information, visit the website or call (805) 493-3358.

Fillmore Unified School District

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

AGENDA
6:30 p.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
B. ROLL CALL
C. CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS
D. 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.
E. STUDENTS FIRST Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation
F. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Notice from Ventura County Office of Education to Accept the Positive Certification for the First Interim Report Submitted by the District for the Period Ending October 31, 2010 (Materials)
6:45 p.m.
G. STANDING REPORTS 10 minutes Student Representative’s Report 10 minutes Board Members’ Reports 10 minutes Superintendent’s Report
o Farm Advisory Board Recommendation for Cooperative
Agreement with Local 4-H Clubs
7:15 p.m.
H. ACTION - CONTINUED »

Here is the Video of the School Boards Study Session on "Program Improvement" from Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Check back next week for a post on budget information for the District. Answers to the following questions:
What does the District spend on Administrative salaries and benefits?
What does the District spend on books and supplies?
How much does the District spend at each school site?

Camarillo, CA. - As part of a concerted effort to create an academically college-ready population, CSU Channel Islands (CI) has implemented a number of programs to help students get up to speed academically by the time they start classes their freshman year. The two key components are the Early Start Program and the CSU’s ground breaking Early Assessment Program, both of which have the potential to dramatically decrease the need for remediation during a student’s university experience.

In March 2010, CSU trustees adopted the “Early Start” policy to help students be better prepared in mathematics and English when they enter the CSU as incoming freshmen. Remediation at the college level is not only extremely costly but often results in students falling behind their classmates as they attempt to complete degree requirements. Since its adoption by the trustees, each of the 23 CSU campuses has been working to develop individual Early Start campus plans.

Dr. Renny Christopher, Associate Provost, said, “As a new campus, CI had an opportunity to develop some extremely innovative programs for freshman writing that have greatly helped new students reach desired levels in language skills, so we’ve been successful in our efforts in this area since even before this new initiative.”

Dr. Robert Bleicher, Professor of Education and Director of CI’s Early Assessment Program (EAP), stated that in the eight years that the program has been in place, both math and English tests have shown overall, countywide improvement. The EAP is a voluntary part of the California Standards Test (CST). “We give the assessment test to students in the 11th grade to determine where they stand academically in both math and English.”

Students who are not college ready in English can take the Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC), developed by the CSU, their senior year in high school, which qualifies as an A to G college preparatory course. Those not ready in math can take during their senior year the Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) online module to enhance their math skills. Last year, three high schools and this year 12 of the 26 high schools in the CI early assessment service area adopted the course in English or math or both.

Bleicher also mentioned that CI offers professional development programs in both English and math to high school teachers and other educators, on a district by district basis, to inform them about college readiness and strategies designed to prepare students for success in college.

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.

Josh Overton spoke at the monthly Character Counts Assembly.
Enlarge Photo

On Monday, January 10, 2011, San Cayetano School recognized good citizenship and character at their Peacebuilder Assembly for the month of January. Mr. Josh Overton came to San Cayetano to speak to the students about what a good citizen is and how displaying good character could enrich the students and others in the community around them. Each teacher chose a student from his or her class whom showed excellent character and peace-building skills. ASB President, Cali Wyand, and Vice President, Lizzie Castaneda assisted Mr. Overton in handing out the Peacebuilder Awards. The Peacebuilders for January are: Oscar Arriola, Ariel Magana, Alejandro Lanza, Bela Ibarra, Isabela Regalado, Benjamin Stoessel, Gabriela Herrera, Vanessa Cabral, Ixa Ibarra, Janeah Castro, Ruby Baez, Vivianna Ruiz, Carla Olvera, Yazmin Amaya, Jose Acosta, Hailey Avila, Gustavo Valedez, Nathan Carrillo, Clark Helm, and Tereliz. Cali and Lizzie then announced to the students that John Paul Pet is sponsoring the San Cayetano Character Counts Award of a $100.00 savings bond. Mr. Overton presented the Character Counts Award to a deserving first grade student. Miguel Valdez was chosen by the first grade teachers as a model of outstanding behavior and kindness to the other students. 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 an orange 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 new bicycles, an I-pod shuffle, and three large stuffed animals.

Mariah Perez

Fillmore High School will be starting our annual Pennies for Patients charity drive at the end of the month. The drive will begin January 31st and will end February 11th. As you all may know Pennies for Patients is a Charity that specifically benefits children with Leukemia and Lymphoma. This year the committee in charge is looking to raise at least $50.00 per classroom so that our drive can make a real impact for those in need. In addition, the classroom that raises the largest amount of donations will receive a free BBQ lunch from the Fire Department and Sheriff Department. Once again anything you can give will go towards a good cause and will be greatly appreciated.

Coming up we have our FHS campus beautification day which will be held January 22nd from 8a.m. to 12p.m. This is also opened to the community so we hope to have as many people as possible attend. By coming and helping out you also get the chance to get community service hours. Once again we hope to get as many people as possible to help beautify our school.

A teen education program, “Every 15 minutes” will take place at 1 p.m. on January 24th on Second Street at the Fillmore High School baseball field area. This is an anti-drunk driving program for Seniors and Juniors. It is sponsored by the Police and Fire Departments and the Fillmore Unified School District. It will be interactive. It is a National campaign aimed at reducing teen deaths.