After the review of 18 student art portfolios, the Ventura College Friends of the Arts (VCFA) will present monetary awards totaling $5,000. Awards will be presented Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 7 pm at the VCFA 12th annual “Small Images” fundraiser and exhibition in the New Media Gallery at Ventura College. Parking is free for the evening.

Of the students who submitted portfolios, the award winners are:
Ashlae M. Armenta, Camarillo
Eleni Berberian, Ventura
Robin Coblentz, Ventura
Margaret “Maggie” Donahue, Ventura
Jessica Lindley Emerson, Ventura
Shelby Farr, Ventura
Ryan Ferrey, Fillmore
Nancy Pham, Ventura
Liesel Plambeck, Ventura
Steven Reynolds, Oxnard
Cesar Rodriguez, Los Angeles
Mason Sexton, Ojai
Andrea Vargas-Mendoza, Santa Paula

Friends of the Arts is a philanthropic organization that began in 1996. Membership is open to current and former students and those who wish to align themselves with and support the Ventura College Art Department. VCFA is affiliated with the Ventura College Foundation as part of the non-profit public benefit corporation. For further information contact Cathy Day, 654-6388.

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The Fall Carnival was a huge success this year for Fillmore elementary schools. Their partnership with Wells Fargo really brought out the community. “Having the stagecoach here for the students to climb into was really awesome” states Mary Whiteford, Secretary at San Cayetano. Wells Fargo team members from various Ventura County Offices came out to support the carnival and support the Fillmore Office with Eric Iriee, Branch Manager. The carnival this year was bigger than ever with more staff members than ever participating in the game and food booths. “I estimate that we had close to 2000 community members enjoying the carnival. The two ticket booths were always a mile long “ says San Cayetano principal Jan Marholin. Lou Hoover’s famous cinnamon rolls sold out quickly and that booth is a donation booth each year and the money goes directly to a charity chosen by one of the elementary schools. This year it was Mountain Vista’s choice and the donation of $528 will be made to The Dream Fund Outreach Foundation. We would also like to thank the many volunteers who helped support the event.

It is obvious to passers by that Fillmore High School has been going through a number of facility improvements over the past few years. We have a modern science building, new classrooms, a remodeled gymnasium, a new fence, a beautiful new stadium/track complex, and a fresh coat of paint. The school is looking great! What is not so obvious to passers by is that Fillmore High School is in the middle of a very important evaluation year of the instructional program. In fact, Fillmore High School is going through two evaluations within a matter of months—a SAIT curriculum audit and a WASC accreditation.

Under the SAIT Program (School Assistance Intervention Team) schools are provided with a team which evaluates the school’s academic program, school climate, leadership, and extracurricular program, and makes recommendations for changes to improve student achievement. The SAIT program is required by the California Department of Education because Fillmore High School failed to make adequate progress in the State testing program the past two years. The SAIT team working with Fillmore High School is from the Ventura County Office of Education. The team spent time on campus last spring and this fall interviewing students, parents, teachers and staff about all aspects of the campus, collecting curriculum documents, meeting minutes, and other information to help them develop a clear picture of the school. Last month the SAIT team spent four days on campus observing each teacher in action. Since their visit in October, the SAIT team has been writing a lengthy report that will be presented to the school leadership team in December and the staff in January. The curriculum audit report will give detailed information on the quality of the instructional program and will make recommendations for changes to improve student achievement. CONTINUED »

Peacebuilders
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Peacebuilders
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On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, San Cayetano School recognized good citizenship and character at their Peacebuilder Assembly for the month of November. Mrs.Tricia Gardias, Migrant Education Coordinator for Fillmore Unified School District, came to speak to the students about what a good citizen is and how being good citizens can help students in school and in their outside lives. Each teacher chose a student from his or her class whom showed excellent character and peace-building skills. Roman Torango and Ian Overton, the San Cayetano ASB President and Vice-President assisted Mrs.Gardias in handing out the Peacebuilder Awards. The Peacebuilders for November are:Andreah McElroy, Luis Angel Carrillo, Joe Rivas, Justine Pacheco, Jhovanny Contreras, Robert McElroy, Daniela Piceno, Joshua Hurtado Mendez, Anthony Villalobos, Kaylee Serna, Leslie Lemus, Johana Garcia, Marie Hernandez, Tori Villegas, Gustavo Valdez, Monique Gonzalez, Azubah Collins, Jose Ruiz, Jamie Chavez, Ruby Contreras, and Anissa Rhodes. Ian and Roman then announced to the students that the Rainbow Foundation is sponsoring the San Cayetano Character Counts Award of a $100.00 savings bond. Mrs.Gardias presented the Character Counts Award to a deserving third-grade student. Michael Fernadnez was chosen by the third grade teachers as a model of outstanding behavior and responsibility 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 two new bicycles. , Ty Wyand, Mrs. Chavez’s class room 17, won the Perfect Attendance Award for November.

Natalie Garnica
Student, Fillmore High School

The High School has been a flurry of activity this week, for not only is it Santa Paula Week, but it is also Red Ribbon week.
Red Ribbon week is a nation-wide campaign against drugs. Students are encouraged to wear a red wristband to show that they are proud of being drug free, and there is a dress up day every day of the week that corresponds to an anti-drug message.
However, because this week is also our campaign against Santa Paula in preparation for the big game on Friday, the dress up days cannot be too “red friendly”. The student government has been creative and the week included days such as “Give Drugs, and Santa Paula the Blues” and on Halloween, “Say Boo to Drugs and Santa Paula”.
We have had a variety of noontime activities this week to get students pumped up for the game. On Monday, the Juniors won the “Chicken Chuck” by throwing a rubber chicken the farthest across the quad. The games will culminate in a car-bashing on Friday, courtesy of the cheerleaders. Students can pay three dollars to hit a totaled car three times with a sledge hammer, and all proceeds support the cheer program. There will also be a costume contest, a “Food Day”, and a rally on Friday. The clubs will be allowed to sell sweets on this particular Food Day because it is Halloween.
The girls volleyball team had a home game against Santa Paula on Tuesday.
Pre-sale tickets for the Santa Paula game are on sale in the Student Store. If you buy a ticket, you are guaranteed entrance to the game, but you should still come early to grab a seat. Tickets are free with an ASB sticker, $3 for seniors, $4 for children, and $7 for adults.
For more information, contact the student store at 524-8491.

During the week of October 27, Sierra High School was visited by seven candidates running for Fillmore City Council. Marcoz Hernandez, Steve Conaway, Norris Pennington, Royce Davis, Omero Martinez, Jamey Brooks, and Gayle Washburn spent time talking to students and sharing their visions for the future of Fillmore as well as the youth. Sierra High School students were very excited to have the opportunity to voice their concerns, ask questions, and offer a “youth perspective” on local politics. Cynthia Frutos, a teacher from Sierra High School stated, “This went really well in that we used nontraditional methods to teach students about Government, English, and Electives in this integrated unit. That is why we are an alternative school.” The students were honored in knowing that no where else in Fillmore Unified School District did the candidates talk to students. Sierra High School students held their own election on Monday, November 3rd and the following candidates received the most votes: Omero Martinez, Marcoz Hernandez, and Royce Davis. Sierra High School would like to thank all of the candidates for visiting and Isela Larin, The College and Career Technician, for making it all happen.

SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced that the State Allocation Board (SAB) awarded more than $192 million to 47 schools for the construction and modernization of school facilities. Also, another $16 million for 23 schools was awarded to help pay for emergency repairs. The list of schools is attached.
“Students are our most precious investment in the future, and they must have safe and modern facilities in which to learn,” said O’Connell. “I want to thank voters who approved bond measures to support California’s aging school facilities, so the State Allocation Board can make sure schools get the funds they need to provide the proper learning environment for children.”
O’Connell is a member of the SAB that also approved final construction apportionments for the Academy for Career Education charter school in Wheatland, Yuba County; and the Maria Montessori Charter Academy in Rocklin, Placer County. The SAB approved funds as well to assist the Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District in Bass Lake, Madera County; and Nuestro Elementary School in Live Oak, Sutter County, providing much needed safety enhancements. The California Department of Education worked closely with the districts to assist them in preparing their request to the SAB.
The SAB is responsible for determining the allocation of state resources, such as proceeds from General Obligation Bond issues and other designated State funds used for the new construction and modernization of local public school facilities. The SAB is also charged with the responsibility for the administration of the School Facility Program, the Charter School Facilities Program, the Overcrowded Relief Grant Program, the Critically Overcrowded School Facilities Program, the School Facility Joint-Use Program, Career Technical Education Facilities Program, the Emergency Repair Program, and the Deferred Maintenance Program.
The SAB is the policy-level body for the programs administered by the Office of Public School Construction. The SAB meets monthly to apportion funds to school districts, act on appeals, and adopt policies and regulations as they pertain to the programs administered by the SAB. For more information on the SAB, please visit http://www.opsc.dgs.ca.gov/AboutUs/aboutSAB.htm.

New Construction
County School District School Name State Apportionment CONTINUED »

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008

5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR 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.

5:15 p.m.

I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

II. ROLL CALL CONTINUED »

“The Marble Lady” (Cathy Runyan) helps Luke Myers bag over 13,000 marbles for the fundraiser.
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Marbles have been very popular at our school since it opened. Kids can be seen before school, during their recesses, and after school out in the yard playing “Poison” a marble game that is played in the dirt. They are so popular that there are school rules just for marbles.
On Tuesday, October 21, Mountain Vista had a special visitor. Her name is “The Marble Lady.” Her other name is Cathy Runyan. She is known throughout the country. She came to our school to share her love of marbles with us. She gave 7 assemblies about the history of marbles, her interview from the Today Show, inventions made with marbles, and taught us the National Marble Tournament game called Ringer. She set up mats with hula hoops and let every child play the game Ringer during the assemblies! It was truly one of the best interactive assemblies. She even tied in positive character traits, which is a high priority here at Mountain Vista, by using “Kindness Marbles” to remind us to do at least one kind thing for another person each day.
During the same week, we had a marble fundraiser to raise money for the classrooms. We have sold over 425 bags of marbles! The students are so very excited and the classrooms will benefit, also!
Marbles are amazing little balls of glass. They are so simple in structure, but can be used to do mighty things. Many inventions included marbles, they teach kindness, bring together children who may not normally get together, teach patience, perseverance, and just bring joy to a child…or an adult. If you have not tried marbles, give it a shot! You may find like many of us that even a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent can enjoy the game. Marbles do not discriminate based on age, sex, size, athletic ability, or race. So knuckle down and have fun!
*We want to thank Cathy Runyan, “The Marble Lady” for all of her excitement and for her love of children and marbles. If you would like to contact her, she can be reached at themarblelady.com. We would also like to thank Peter Caperelli at landofmarbles.com for selling us all of the amazing marbles and sharing discounts with all of the students.

Yes, it is true, the Wells Fargo Stagecoach is coming to the Fall Carnival at San Cayetano Elementary School. The carnival will be on Thursday October 30th from 5-8 p.m. The Annual Fall Carnival is very special this year as it is being sponsored by Wells Fargo. The carnival benefits all four Fillmore and Piru elementary schools. The stagecoach will be available by 5PM and courtesy of Wells Fargo everyone who wishes may have the opportunity that they have always wanted--- to sit on a real stagecoach! Come and join the fun! This is truly a community event with support from our local fire and police departments, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and our secondary students working for community service hours! See you on Thursday October 30th at 5 p.m.

An FUTA sponsored Q & A with the FUSD School Board Candidates will take place Thursday, Oct 23rd, at 3:30 p.m. in the FHS Library. All candidates running for the three open spaces on the Board will be invited to participate. All FUTA members are encouraged to attend the Q & A. The Election will be held November 4th. Remember to VOTE!
Why should you care who is on the FUSD School Board? The School Board must provide financial oversight for the district; sets the tone of labor relations within the district; and sets district policies. Be sure to attend and hear the candidates’ answers.

Arnold Schwarzenegger
California State Governor

Innovative Public-Private Partnership to Provide 8 Megawatts of Renewable Power

Furthering his commitment to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions, Governor Schwarzenegger today announced the state has partnered with SunEdison to provide affordable solar power at 15 California State University (CSU) campuses and the CSU executive office. This innovative public-private partnership will protect the environment by providing a zero-emission 8 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic power system to the California state university campuses.

“California is going green and we are doing it first and we are doing it fast,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “With the partnership being announced today between California and SunEdison, we are seeing more tangible results and more follow through in reducing our state’s carbon footprint. This partnership is a good deal for the state, the planet and our economy – all at no cost to taxpayers.”

The 8 MW of energy produced by the solar panels are expected to deliver approximately 12 million kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy in the first year of operation. This amount of solar generated electricity represents five percent of the entire CSU system’s yearly energy consumption. Over the life of the contract, the partnership will offset approximately 9,485 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of removing 48,937 cars from the road.

New SunEdison solar panels will be installed on rooftops, atop parking canopies and in ground-mounted arrays at the following locations: CA Maritime Academy, Vallejo; CSU Bakersfield; CSU Channel Islands; CSU Chico; CSU Fullerton; CSU Humboldt; CSU Los Angeles; CSU Monterey Bay; CSU Pomona (Cal Poly); CSU Sacramento; CSU San Bernardino; CSU San Bernardino (Palm Desert): CSU San Francisco; CSU San Marcos; CSU Stanislaus; and, the CSU Office of the Chancellor, Long Beach.

“California's continued economic, environmental and social prosperity depends on sustainable energy and technology,” said CSU Chancellor Charles B. Reed. “As the nation's largest university system, the CSU welcomes this opportunity to lead the way.” CONTINUED »

Ventura County Office of Education

Two schools in Ventura County have teamed up to put more books in the hands of students and to create a larger student library for a new school designed specifically for students with autism. Michele Darden and Linda Goodwin, parents of students at Madrona Elementary School and Triton Academy, were the masterminds behind this creative collaborative project.

Every year, Madrona Elementary School hosts a fundraising book fair during their parent conference week. This year, Madrona Elementary School generously offered to make Triton Academy the beneficiary of their school’s donations during the “One for Books” fundraiser. Each classroom at Madrona has a “One for Books” collection jar and during the week of the book fair, the students bring in change for their classroom jar. There will be contests and prizes for the classes who collect the most money; all money collected at Madrona will directly benefit Triton Academy’s library. Triton Academy students also wanted to be part of this event; their students are participating in this fundraiser by donating their loose change, too. Triton Academy, now in their second year, is a school within the Ventura County Office of Education that utilizes evidenced-based educational practices for students with autism. CONTINUED »

VENTURA: The Survivor Empowerment Project encourages survivors and friends and family members of survivors of domestic abuse, violence and rape to design t-shirts in an attempt to break the silence and end the violence. The Project will be hosted by the Psychology Club on October 29 (Wednesday) from 8 a.m. — 2:30 p.m. on the lawn between the LRC and the Science Building. T-Shirts are provided and the public is invited to participate by creating a tribute t-shirt, visiting the resource booths and hearing the speakers.
Speakers (all in Room UV-2 – times/speakers subject to change):
• Nichole, on Tale of Violence, 8:30 a.m.
• Brittany, Domestic Violence Aftermath 9:30 a.m.
• Sebastian, Transsexuality & Associated Violence, 10:30 a.m.
• La Shonda Blunt, Date Rape & Date Rape Drugs, 11:30 a.m.
• Dawn Reid, Sexual Abuse & Prevention, 12:30 p.m.
• Susy Rios, District Attorney’s Victim Services Info, 1: 30 p.m.

Resource Booths Available:
• InterFACE Children and Family Services
• UCLA Santa Monica Rape Treatment Center
• Coalition to End Family Violence
• Rainbow Alliance
• Ventura College Student Health & Psychological Services
• District Attorney’s Office, Victim Services

For additional information, please contact Professor Lucy Capuano Brewer at 654-6400 ext. 1395 or Public Information Officer Alisa Moore at 654-6462.

Nancy Latham and Steve Turner

VENTURA: After several years in the FL building plus emergency moves to the LRC and back to the FL Building after a massive flood, the Educational Assistance Center (EAC) now has a new permanent home in the Administration Building. Everyone is invited to visit their new offices on October 22, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; light refreshments will be served.
The EAC relocated their staff and counselors to the former Counseling Office and their test proctoring from Guthrie Hall to the former Admissions and Records Office, providing them with enough space to accommodate them appropriately and making them more centrally located on campus.
The Educational Assistance Center (EAC) promotes the educational and vocational potential of students with disabilities by enhancing their total integration into mainstream college life.
Students with learning, visual, hearing, speech, mobility, and psychological disabilities, as well as acquired brain injury and other health impairments, are eligible to apply for the support services or instruction needed to fully participate in the educational process.
These special services include: one-stop early registration assistance, assessment of learning problems, sign language interpreters, notetaking, readers, transcribers, tutors, mobility assistance, personal, disability-related academic and vocational counseling, handicapped parking, alternative testing, alternate media, assistive computer technology and other assistive devices. Instruction is available in job-seeking skills, adaptive physical education, learning skills, and assistive computer technology. Classroom instructional materials and college publications are available on request in alternate formats.
For additional information, please contact Coordinators Nancy Latham at 654-6400 ext. 3149, or Steve Turner at 654-6415, or Public Information Officer Alisa Moore at 654-6462.

FILLMORE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2008

5:15 P.M. – CLOSED SESSION
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR 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.

5:15 p.m.

I. CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

II. ROLL CALL CONTINUED »

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Piru School has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through some of America’s greatest works of art.
Picturing America provides large laminated artwork, which will be displayed at the Piru Library, and may be used in the classroom to further understanding and motivate students on American history and culture. Currently on display is American Pottery (1100-1960), which explores several American cultures’ creation of utilitarian vessels; now regarded as works of art. Additionally, facts, pictures, and literature are also available to support the artwork. Displays will change periodically throughout the year. So come visit the Piru Library!