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Piru Elementary students showing off the up-to-date playground.
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Piru Elementary school as seen from the Principal’s window.
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First grade students are hard at work in their classroom.
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Piru School is a joyful, peaceful place to be! Our families and community members are always welcome to visit at any time. If you would like to join me for a ”silent walk through” and enjoy a peek into the hard work and happy atmosphere in our classrooms, library, computer labs, or any of our facilities, please come by anytime! Have a donation you’d like to make? Our students are always in need of more supplies for our enrichment activities and projects, and Piru School always needs helping hands and eyes in order to keep our students safe, learning, and feeling loved.

This year our entire staff is focused on collaborating with and supporting each other in and outside of the classroom. We have a school wide focus on three things we do on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis: celebrating each other (students and adults!), keeping and reviving our traditions, and serving each other and our community.

Piru School will be hosting a monthly family and community event. Our very first monthly celebration was an ice-cream social following our Back-To-School event. Our second evening on Monday, September 27th was centered around a presentation of no-cost family services provided by Fillmore Options; a free book give- away; School Site Council elections and ELAC elections, and a kick-off for our annual Scholastic Book Fair. Despite the heat, a large number of parents and students came to have a popsicle, speak with the principal, vote, and to bring home new books. Our Parent and Community Night in October will focus on nutrition, fitness and making healthy life choices.

Our students and staff use a motto as we work and play together every day: “Safety, Learning, and Love.” Classrooms are busy, student behavior is very positive and each Piru staff member is working their hardest and best to meet our students needs. Please come by as soon as you can, and feel the magic that is unfolding at our school. Our staff and our parents are going the extra mile to make sure students truly come first. I would like to join our staff in expressing our deepest gratitude to the communities of Piru and Fillmore for your care and support of our whole school, during the launching of our brand new year.

Tricia Godfrey
Principal
Piru Elementary School

Dear School District Members,
Fillmore High School is currently participating in the state wide Governor’s Challenge and we need your help! We would like to invite you to join us in the 2009 Governor’s Challenge Competition – a contest that last year inspired more than 158,000 students from over 1,200 schools to get active, healthy and fit. As a School District Member and community leader, every day that you are physically active while taking the Governor’s Challenge will not only improve your own well-being, it will re-enforce the importance you place on health and fitness for our community. In addition, it will help Fillmore High school move up in the Governor’s Challenge Competition standings and move closer to winning one of the Competition’s great prizes. Currently Fillmore High is in 5th place and we need your help and support to move up to 1st place.

Research shows that regular physical activity during childhood and adolescence helps build healthier bones and muscles, increases self-esteem, and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, physical activity and fitness have been shown to be highly correlated with academic success.

The more students, parents, and community members who participate and log their exercise the better chance Fillmore High has at winning some hard earned money. Grand Prizes - Three brand new XRKades (retail value $100,000 each), Regional Awards – Eleven $5,000 awards to purchase physical activity equipment, Front Runner Recognitions – $1,000 awards to the elementary, middle and high schools in each region that record the most Active Days by January 31, 2010.

So go to www.CalGovCouncil.org/Challenge to accept the Governor’s Challenge today**, and once you get started… DON’T QUIT!

Thank you,
Kari Appleford
Fillmore High Schools Governor’s Challenge Administrator

Step 1:
Go to www.CalGovCouncil.org/Challenge or goggle Governor’s Challenge if you are having trouble with the link.

Step 2:
Scroll down and click the green box that says “sign up here if you
Are a parent, teacher, or other individual.

Step 3:
Fill in the appropriate boxes and be sure to remember your e-mail and password. Then click “Submit”.

Step 4:
Enter the school zip code – 93015 and pick the school “Fillmore Senior High”. Then click “submit”.

Step 5:
You will be on “Your Governor’s Challenge Homepage”. Under “Are you ready to start the Governor’s Challenge today?” Click “Start Now”.

Step 6:
This is your calendar that you will use to record your physical activity for the challenge. Every time you exercise you will click on the day with the little yellow man and it will record your activity. Be sure to record it within 48 hours or it will not allow you to record your activity for that day.

Step 7:
Sign out (to the left) and return the next day you have exercised. The next time you log on you will only enter your e-mail and password which will take you right to your calendar.

Hannah Wishart - Hannah is a positive, happy kid who always volunteers to help or contribute and answer. She is kind to others and a joy to teach.
Vincent Luhan - All around great student. Respectful, always on task, and does his work.
Tabitha Tucker - Tabitha is well-behaved and hard-working. She tries her best in everything. She is always pleasant, cheerful and respectful.
Estefany Tovar - Estefany is an outstanding student. She always goes beyond what I require in all her assignments. She is thorough, neat and always turns in her work on time. She works well in groups and enjoys helping other students.
Jazminne Romero - Jazminne always tries her best and is willing to help a classmate.
Francisco Cruz - He brightens my mornings by always greeting me with a smile. He is always one of the first students to offer help and pass out materials. In addition, Francisco has an excellent work ethic; this is evident in his current A+ in Language Arts.
Hai Tran - Hai competes, playing hard at all times, shows leadership skills and follows all procedures!
William Guess - A diligent, hard working student! Takes every assignment quite seriously, is extremely diligent in turning in work, scores high on assignments, and participates in class.
Ana Rincon - Ana is diligent, honorable, hardworking, helpful to others, and respectful of self and to others.
Donaldo Trinidad - He volunteers constantly, is very helpful and polite. He has a great attitude.
Phillip Hernandez - Phillip is always on task, is a hard worker, listens well, and helps others as needed.
Griselda Avila - She is a very hard working girl who excels at math and isn’t afraid to speak up for herself.
Cynthia Perez - Cynthia has a pleasant attitude and it is obvious she likes to be at school. She is always on task. She strives to complete assignments to show her learning, not just “get things done”.
Jeanette Rodriguez - Jeanette has been an amazing volunteer since the year began. She took on and completed an extra University project for AVID so that Mr. Schweller would also have one for Back-to-School Night, and organized a group of students to work the AVID nacho booth at BTSN to make money for our organization. She has shown excellent leadership and citizenship skills!
Rafael Regalado - He is a team player. He strives to excel on all his tests and class work. He is always smiling, and willing to answer questions in class.
Paulo Valdez - Paulo is a focused and respectful student. He is considerate to other students, and he is very helpful with questions from his peers.

Calling all “rockhounds”! The California Oil Museum located in Santa Paula, California (1001 E. Main St., Santa Paula, 805-933-0076, $4 Adults, $3 Seniors, $1 Children) will premiere a new exhibit, The Many Facets of Rockhounding, on October 17 which will run through January 10, 2011 (every Wednesday through Sunday 10am-4pm). There will be an opening reception on October 17 from 1 to 3pm with a special presentation by Jim Brace-Thompson, President of the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society and devoted rockhound. Join us in discovering the effortless beauty and design of the natural world with colorful displays of rocks, fossils, meteorites, and much more!

This exhibit is presented in association with the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, a nonprofit, educational organization founded in 1944 with the mission of promoting popular interest in geology and the earth we live on, including rocks, minerals, fossils, and the lapidary arts (gem cutting and jewelry making). They are an organization entirely of volunteers, with approximately 80 members, including adults and children. Their members have donated countless pieces from their private collections to this display. You will not see them anywhere else!

The Many Facets of Rockhounding invites visitors of all ages to witness Southern California as geologists and paleontologists see it. Come and be dazzled by art from nature in jasper, geodes, trilobites, and polished stone sculptures…just don’t be surprised if you leave us as a rockhound!

What: “The Many Facets of Rockhounding”
Where: California Oil Museum, 1001 East Main Street, Santa Paula
When: October 17, 2010 through January 10, 2011
Museum Hours: Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm
Admission: $4 Adults, $3 Seniors and $1 Youth (6-17), Free for members
Museum Phone: 805-933-0076
Museum Website: www.oilmuseum.net
Contact: Jeanne Orcutt, jorcutt@ci.santa-paula.ca.us, 805-933-0076 ext. 291

Camarillo, Calif., Sept. 29, 2010 - Sean Anderson, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at CSU Channel Islands (CI), has had a long involvement with the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. He started teaching at CI immediately after Katrina and found himself altering his course work so that he and his students could focus on coastal wetland loss and make sense of the increasingly frustrating daily headlines emanating from the Gulf that summer and fall of 2005. His students became so involved that they mobilized with students across CI to raise money for the Red Cross but wanted to do yet more to help.

With that as a catalyst, Anderson began to organize yearly trips to New Orleans with spring 2011 being his fifth trip. Through the years students have helped with all manner of reconstruction and worked deeply with Woodlands Trail and Park, where they are monitoring the long-term impacts from Katrina on the region’s wetlands and undertaking a large-scale swamp restoration. The group’s work was key in securing $40,000 from FEMA to restore public access to the site initially and more recently seed monies from several local funders to begin the initial phases of their long-term restoration. Anderson’s class expanded last year to include students and faculty from both Oregon State University and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation, who brought their talents in agriculture and stormwater management to bear and expanded students’ work to creating sustainable community food gardens for residents of Orleans and Plaquemines Parish.

After BP’s oil spill, Anderson began getting inquiries from colleagues as to what could be done. There was no money at that point to do anything, but he thought a national group of academics, scientists and researchers could be pulled together with the idea of coming up with, as he puts it, “…a thousand mile high, big picture.” As Anderson explained, “There is a lot of research going on right now, lots of little pieces that do not necessarily come together to form a valuable overall piece. While some research has begun, BP has over half a billion dollars to give out for long-term research. The problem is that what little data has been gathered to date hasn’t generally been made available to the public or to the scientific/research community.”

Anderson felt that CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo. CA. – For all those people who have been dismayed at the serial closures of public libraries, this is your chance to show support for your local library. CSU Channel Islands (CI), in conjunction with the California Library Association, is planning an event that will not only be enjoyable but will provide valuable data to offer indisputable proof that libraries consistently provide invaluable services to our community.

On Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010, CI’s John Spoor Broome Library will participate in “Snapshot Day: One Day in the Life of California Libraries,” a state-wide event sponsored by the California Library Association and held in many different libraries throughout California during the week of October 4-8.

Data collected by CI library staff will be submitted to the California Library Association for inclusion in the complete “Snapshot: One Day in the Life of California Libraries,” dataset to be presented at the CLA/CSLA conference in November. All visitors to the library will be tallied, as will the use of library services such as computers, reference interviews, database usage, circulation of library materials and other valuable library services. Comments by patrons will also be recorded. The data will be used in advocacy for library funding efforts in Sacramento and, as always, to improve and enhance the library’s collections and services.

Events planned for the day include coffee and doughnuts to be served at 9 a.m. and cookies and tea at 3 p.m. A student photography contest to capture the importance of the library and the library’s annual student book collection contest - both with prizes – will be part of the day’s activities.

Faculty, students and the public are CONTINUED »

CITY OF FILLMORE CITY COUNCIL AND FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINT MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 7:00 P.M. (SOCIAL BBQ FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD’S INVITED GUESTS AT 6:00 PM)
MEETING LOCATION: FILLMORE HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA 555 CENTRAL AVENUE FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA 93015-1907

AGENDA

1.
Call to Order: 7:00 P.M.
Meeting Location: Fillmore High School Cafeteria, 555 Central Avenue
2.
Pledge of Allegiance
3.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Brooks, Conaway, Hernandez, Washburn and Mayor Walker School Board Members De La Piedra, Garnica, Saviers, Wilde and President Prado
4.
Approval of Agenda
5.
Presentations and Announcements
A.
Proclamation to Child CONTINUED »

Camarillo, CA. – CSU Channel Islands (CI) and Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) will sign a formal agreement on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. establishing a partnership to offer CI’s Bachelor of Science Business program in the Santa Barbara area at SBCC. The signing ceremony will take place at SBCC’s Luria Conference and Press at the top of La Playa Stadium on East campus, 721 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara.

The Business program offered through CI’s Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics will begin in fall 2011 at SBCC pending approval of the site from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. A cohort of up to 30 students can take one or two courses per 12-week term on Saturdays at SBCC. The five-year agreement calls for CI to retain responsibility for both the academic and administrative aspects of the program while SBCC will provide classroom space, office space, and library use as well as cooperate in student recruitment and information sessions. In addition, SBCC transfer students who meet CI’s criteria will be automatically granted admission into the program.

“In the current economy, colleges and universities need to work together more than ever before to implement creative solutions to help our students achieve their higher education goals in a timely manner,” said Dr. Andreea Serban, SBCC Superintendent/President. “The partnership with CSU Channel Islands will be a seamless transition for SBCC business majors transferring to complete their four-year degree. It will also allow local residents who started their business majors at a CSU or elsewhere to conveniently finish their CSU degree program without a long commute.”

“Despite challenges we CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA. - The California State University has selected 23 students, one from each campus in the system, to receive the 2010/11 William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement. The Trustees will honor the scholars on Sept. 21 at the CSU Office of the Chancellor in Long Beach, California. Among the winners is CSU Channel Islands (CI) student Leticia Aguayo.

The Hearst/CSU Trustees' award is given to students who have demonstrated financial need, experienced personal hardships, and have attributes such as superior academic performance, exemplary community service and significant personal achievements. The $3,000 scholarship award is among the highest forms of recognition for student achievement in the CSU.

"These extraordinary student scholars exemplify strength, perseverance through adversity, dedication to learning and commitment to others," said Ali C. Razi, CSU trustee emeritus. "The leadership through service demonstrated by these scholars inspires deep respect on CSU campuses and within the community."

Leticia Aguayo migrated from Mexico with her parents and five siblings and never expected to attend a four-year university. Her father and older brothers worked day and night to support the family while Leticia and her two sisters attended school. Adjusting to a new language and culture and financial instability made Leticia’s transition to the United States difficult, but her father encouraged her to pursue an education so she could have a better life.

Today, Aguayo is CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION 6:00 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
627 SESPE AVENUE, FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA

5:15 p.m.
I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
II. ROLL CALL
III. 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.
IV. CLOSED SESSION
The Board of Education will meet from 5:15 to 6:00 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 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 Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to subdivision (b)(3)(A) of Government Code Section 54956.9 (one potential case)
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).]

6:00 p.m.
V. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION Any Action From Closed Session
VI. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
VII. CLARIFICATION OF AGENDA AND TIME ALLOCATIONS FOR DISCUSSION ITEMS
VIII. PUBLIC CONTINUED »

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On Monday, September 13, 2010, San Cayetano School kicked off its citizenship assemblies with Captain Tim Hagel, Chief of Police. Students were recognized for good citizenship and character. Captain Hagel spoke to the students about what a good citizen is and how being a good citizen can help the students in their everyday lives as well as highlighting the positive character traits. 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 Capt. Hagel in handing out the Peacebuilder certificates. The Peacebuilders for September are: Jennifer Melchor, Jesus Salgado, Johnny Cardenas, Alyssa Andrade, Leo Venegas, Julio Negrete, Jose Elias Leon, Taiz Razo, Angelina Delgadillo, Juan Galindo, Evan Alamillo, Lilian Diaz, Julia Pace, Mariah Garcia, Alexis Tovar, Andrea Magana Murillo, Veronica Valdivia, Gisselle De La Paz, Johanna Garcia and Dominique Alamillio-Diaz. Cali then introduced the Character Counts Award at the fourth/fifth grade assembly. John Paul Pet sponsors one deserving student each month with a one hundred dollar savings bond. The award went to a responsible, kind, and hard-working fourth grade student. Alexis Tovar, from Mrs.Goldner’s class, was chosen by the fourth grade teachers as a model of outstanding behavior and kindness to the other students.

At $578 million, the Robert F. Kennedy School in Los Angeles is the most expensive public school ever built in America. It features a high-tech swimming pool, a chic auditorium, vaulted ceilings, luxury amenities and a design aesthetic worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest. ABC News reports that the school is more expensive than the “Bird’s Nest” stadium in Beijing, China, built for the 2008 Olympics, and the Wall Street Journal notes that it cost more than L.A.’s Staples sports center.

And while a half-billion dollar public school complex would be jarring enough to taxpayers during plush budget times, this public school was constructed at a time when the district faces a $640 million deficit. It’s a red carpet reminder of why California – and so many other states – face severe budget shortfalls.

But Joe Agron, the editor-in-chief of the school construction publication American School & University, said that “Districts want a showpiece for the community, a really impressive environment for learning.” When asked by the Wall Street Journal whether the school’s plush amenities and architectural flourishes were necessary, Thomas Rubin, a consultant for Los Angeles’ bond oversight committee, was blunt: “Did we have to do that? Hell no. But there’s no accounting for taste,” Rubin stated.

But it’s neither... http://blog.heritage.org/2010/09/10/morning-bell-half-billion-dollar-sch...

John Schweller, Fillmore Middle School Principal.

Becoming the Principal of Fillmore Middle School is an honor I am proud to accept. I welcome the challenges and celebrations that come with this transition in my career as an educator. I look forward to collaborating with the excellent staff and faculty. I have a passion for working with students and their parents, during this important middle stage of the students’ development.

Fillmore Unified is the perfect fit for me both personally and professionally. I have been an educator for the past eleven years working in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties serving as a High School Counselor at both Carpinteria and Royal High Schools, and the last four years as Assistant and Co-Principal at Matilija Junior High School in the Ojai Unified School District. I have been involved in all aspects of running a junior high school program. I truly enjoy working with middle school aged students. I get the pleasure watching them grow from children into young adults.

Personally, Fillmore is a perfect home for me. My wife and I moved into our first house in Fillmore eight years ago and our second daughter was born the following year. It is a special place to raise and nurture a family; we have enjoyed all aspects of living in the community. I have coached basketball at the high school for the past seven years and have developed many great relationships during that experience. The intimacy of a small town community and the opportunity to positively affect students' lives on a daily basis were key components in my job search.

Respectfully,
John Schweller

Ventura County – Whether it’s the last-minute run to the store for the glue that will hold a child’s project together or the dozens of bake-sale cupcakes whipped up late at night, parents frequently deal with the unexpected. Being prepared for emergencies—and not just the glue and cupcake variety—is the new golden rule for having a great school year and the American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter wants you and your family to be safe as we head into fall.

Get a Kit

Most back-to-school shopping lists feature items like pencils, notebooks and folders. This year, make sure you also have items for an emergency preparedness kit.

At a minimum, have the basic supplies listed below. Keep supplies in an easy-to-carry container that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate.

Water—one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Food—non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
Multipurpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Change of clothing and shoes
Map(s) of the area
Make a Plan

Every family should create and practice an evacuation and communications plan. Each person should know how to reach other family members and where to meet if they can’t return home. You should also designate an out-of-area relative or friend as an emergency contact and make sure all household members know how to contact this person.

To make an evacuation plan, choose two meeting places: one right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire, and another outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.

Decide where you would go and what route you would take if you had to evacuate. Make sure to also plan ahead for your pets. Keep a phone list of "pet friendly" motels/hotels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes.

Be Informed

Learning the skills you need to respond in an emergency before help arrives is another important key to being prepared. Make sure that at least one member of your household is trained in first aid and CPR and knows how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Know which radio stations to tune into in the event of a disaster. In Ventura County, tune in to these stations:

KVEN 1450 AM
KHAY 100.7 FM
KMLA 103.7 FM (Spanish)

The Red Cross recommends you mark the radio stations on your radio for easy reference in an emergency.

To learn more and view CPR/AED and first aid demonstrations, visit www.arcventura.org or call The American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter at (805) 987-1514.

Come have a cup of coffee and get to know who is supporting our children at school.

They would love to get to know each and every one of YOU.

Together we can make a difference in our children’s lives.

SAVE THE DATES! 9-24, 10-29, 11-19, 12-17, 1-28, 2-25, 3-25, 4-29, 5-27 (Last Meeting)