Welcome to the 2026-27 school year!

August 10, 2026

Dear FUSD Community,
Welcome back to the 2026-27 school year! I hope your summer was filled with quality time with loved ones and that you are ready for a great school year.

All staff have been working diligently to prepare for the year ahead, and we are eager to partner with you to make this school year one of growth, achievement, and opportunity for all students.

This school year, we will remain committed to student academic success and creating safe and respectful schools where every student can thrive. We also recognize the critical role of mental health support and are dedicated to offering expanded resources to support emotional well-being and long-term resilience.

Additionally, we will continue to invest in facility improvements across our school district. Below are some highlights:

Student Academic Success
• Full-time bilingual community liaisons at all school sites
• Reading Intervention teachers at all elementary schools
• Block schedules with built-in academic support at Fillmore Middle and Fillmore High schools
• Dual enrollment courses offered during and after the school day through Ventura College
• Differentiated academic support within the school day at all elementary schools
• Expanded Prop. 28 visual and performing arts program at all elementary schools
• Expanded Independent Study Program (fieldtrips and enrichment activities)
• After-school ASES program until 6:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
• Expanded Learning Opportunities during school breaks and summer
• Preschool programs for children ages 2 years, 9 months
• College/university field trips to promote a college-bound culture
• Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways at FHS
• New choir, strings, and piano classes at FHS
• New guitar and Ag. Science classes at SHS
• UCSB Early Academic Outreach Program at FHS and FMS
• CSUCI Guaranteed Admission at FHS

Mental Health Support
• Wellness Centers at all schools
• Counselors at all sites, full-time social workers at Fillmore Middle and Fillmore High Schools

Facilities Improvements
• Fillmore High School (FHS): Renovated library and career center
• Fillmore Middle School (FMS): New paint school-wide, HVAC in the gym (final completion, October 2026), new outdoor shade structures
• San Cayetano School: Upgraded play yard, asphalt and fencing for extensive needs program
• Mountain Vista School: Upgraded alarm system

Future Projects
• Fillmore High School (FHS): New athletic complex (groundbreaking March 2027)

Great things are happening in our school district! It is important that we continue to work together, build relationships with each other, and maintain our collective focus to do what is best for our students. They are counting on us!

Please join and support our School Site Councils, English Learner Advisory Committees, Parent Booster Clubs, and volunteer opportunities. Connecting with these organizations and school staff is vital to your child’s success.

I look forward to seeing our students back on Wednesday, August 12, and am confident we can make this school year a safe and positive experience for everyone.

Sincerely,
Christine Schieferle
Superintendent

10 de agosto de 2026

Estimada comunidad de FUSD,
¡Bienvenidos al año escolar 2026-27! Espero que su verano haya estado lleno de tiempo de calidad con tus seres queridos y que estés preparado para un magnífico año escolar.
Todo el personal ha trabajado con dedicación para prepararse para el año que viene, y estamos deseando colaborar con vosotros para que este año escolar sea de crecimiento, logros y oportunidades para todos los estudiantes.

Este año escolar, seguiremos comprometidos con el éxito académico de los estudiantes y con la creación de escuelas seguras y respetuosas donde cada estudiante pueda prosperar. También reconocemos el apoyo fundamental de la salud mental y estamos comprometidos a ofrecer recursos ampliados para apoyar el bienestar emocional y la resiliencia a largo plazo. Además, seguiremos invirtiendo en mejorar de las instalaciones en todo nuestro distrito escolar. A continuación, algunos aspectos destacados:

Éxito académico estudiantil
• Enlaces comunitarios bilingües de tiempo completo en todos los centros escolares
• Maestros de intervención en lectura en todas las escuelas primarias
• Horarios por bloques con apoyo académico integrado en las escuelas de educación secundaria
• Cursos de doble matrícula se ofrecen durante y después del horario escolar a través de Ventura College
• Apoyo académico diferenciado durante la hora escolar en todas las escuelas primarias
• Ampliación del programa de artes visuales y artes escénicas de la Proposición 28 en todas las escuelas primarias
• Programa Ampliado de Estudios Independientes (excursiones y actividades de enriquecimiento)
• Programa ASES después de la escuela hasta las 6:00p.m, de lunes a viernes
• Ampliación de las oportunidades de aprendizaje durante las vacaciones escolares y el verano
• Programas preescolares para niños de 2 años y 9 meses
• Excursiones universitarias para promover una cultura orientada a la universidad
• Itinerarios de Educación Técnica Profesional (CTE) en la escuela secundaria de FHS
• Nuevas clases de coro, cuerdas y piano en la escuela secundaria de FHS
• Nuevas clases de Guitara y Ciencias de Agricultura en la escuela secundaria de Sierra High (SHS)
• Programa de Extensión Académica de extensión universitaria de UCSB en la Escuela Secundaria de Fillmore (FHS) y Escuela Intermedia de Fillmore (FMS)
• Admisión garantizada a la universidad de CSUCI en la escuela secundaria de Fillmore (FHS)

Apoyo a la salud mental
• Centros de bienestar en todos los centros escolares
• Consejeros en todas las escuelas del distrito, trabajadoras sociales a tiempo completo en la escuela Escuela Secundaria de Fillmore (FHS) y Escuela Intermedia de Fillmore (FMS)

Mejoras en las instalaciones
• Escuela Secundaria de Fillmore (FHS): Biblioteca y centro de orientación profesional renovados
• Escuela Intermedia de Fillmore (FMS): Nueva pintura en toda la escuela, climatización en el gimnasio (finalización final, octubre de 2026), nuevas estructuras de sombra exterior
• Escuela San Cayetano: Mejora del patio infantil, asfalto y vallas para un programa de necesidades extensas
• Escuela Mountain Vista: Mejorar el sistema de alarma

Proyecto Pendiente
• Escuela Secundaria de Fillmore (FHS): Nuevo complejo deportivo (inauguración de la primera piedra en marzo de 2027)

¡Están ocurriendo grandes cosas en nuestro distrito escolar! Es importante que sigamos trabajando juntos, construyendo relaciones entre nosotros y mantengamos nuestro enfoque colectivo para hacer lo mejor para nuestros estudiantes. ¡Cuentan con nosotros!
Por favor, únete y apoya nuestros, Concilio del Sitio Escolar, Comités Asesores para Estudiantes de Aprendizaje de Inglés, Clubes de Apoyo para Padres y oportunidades de voluntariado. Por favor de conectar con estas organizaciones y con el personal escolar es vital para el éxito académico de tu hijo.
Espero de dar la bienvenida a todos nuestros estudiantes el miércoles 12 de agosto y confío en que podemos hacer este año escolar una experiencia segura y positiva para todos los estudiantes.

Atentamente,
Christine Schieferle
Superintendente del Distrito de Fillmore

Miss Dunst

We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our amazing educators, Miss Dunst, who dedicated 22 years of her teaching career to San Cayetano Elementary. A proud Fillmore native who attended San Cayetano herself as a young girl, Miss Dunst went on to earn her teaching credential from CSU Northridge so she could return to serve the hometown she loved. Over more than two decades, she guided and mentored over 600 students, building a remarkable career anchored in patience, passion, and an unwavering commitment to her community.

Miss Dunst truly represented the values we honor in our school district, bringing joy, curiosity, and her signature "Aloha Friday" spirit into the classroom every single day. From her unforgettable holiday traditions like singing "Mele Kalikimaka" to her ability to make every child feel valued, her career left an indelible mark on generations of local families. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live strong within our hearts and across all the staff, students, and families she touched throughout her life. We will miss you, Kristy.

Summer School Enrichment

Our first two days of Summer School have been filled with engaging, hands-on enrichment experiences that inspire creativity, collaboration, and learning. Students explored music through drumming activities, applied engineering skills while building catapults, and participated in fun Fourth of July-themed projects.

These enriching experiences are helping students discover new interests, develop critical thinking skills, and enjoy learning in exciting new ways!

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend! We look forward to welcoming students back on Monday, July 6, for another week of learning and enrichment.

FHS/FMS/SHS Graduation/Promotion Live Streams

Sierra High School/Heritage Valley Independent Studies Graduation Ceremony:
June 3, 2026
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
FUSD Auditorium, 627 Sespe Avenue
Live stream https://www.youtube.com/live/L--YxuQXKcc?si=jaNofgMQ5LxrJMJb

Fillmore Middle School Promotion Ceremony:
June 4, 2026
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
FMS Gym, Pavilion
Live stream https://www.youtube.com/live/bFHjne_ZCn4?si=yezRQ0oWahdqzYVS

Fillmore High School Graduation Ceremony:
June 4, 2026
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
FHS Stadium
Live stream https://www.youtube.com/live/aN-0uDLNDMU?si=5neykpFMU-ZNcBoh

Class of 2022 Fillmore High Graduate Emma Myers Graduates CLU

Please join the entire Fillmore Unified School District in congratulating Class of 2022 Fillmore High graduate Emma Myers on her 2026 graduation from California Lutheran University. Emma graduates Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies in Education, dual credential in multiple subject and preliminary education specialist in mild moderate support needs, Teacher Candidate of the Year Dual Credential, and is getting her Extensive Needs credential in the fall.

Class of 2026 Graduate Juan Garcia's Story Featured at VCOE

Teen Journeys Solo to the US to Pursue American Dream

Fillmore High Class of 2026 Graduate Juan Garcia

Juan Garcia will soon walk across the stage at Fillmore High School to receive his diploma. For many of his peers, graduation is an expected milestone. For Juan, it is the hard-won realization of a dream that began thousands of miles away, fueled by sheer determination and an unwavering belief in himself.

He was born in Camarillo, but his family returned to Mexico when he was just eight months old. He grew up on a remote ranch perched on a mountain peak in the Mexican state of Michoacán, surrounded by sheep, horses, and chickens. While his family provided for his basic needs, there was no money to fund his dream of higher education.

At just 14 years old, Juan made a life-altering, courageous decision he would return to the United States alone.

As a U.S. citizen, he was able to board a plane, but arriving in California without his family was a daunting reality. “It was very scary because nobody was there to help me,” Juan recalls. “But I was not afraid to work to sustain myself.”

That work ethic quickly became his defining trait. Settling first in Camarillo and later moving to Fillmore to find more affordable rent, he became a student at Fillmore High School and did whatever it took to survive. Last year, he balanced a grueling 37-hour work week at a local restaurant with his full-time high school classes. “My eyes were black because of how little sleep I got,” he said, remembering fighting exhaustion while juggling the demands of work and school.

During the years he spent at his family’s remote Mexican ranch, with few nearby resources, Juan developed a talent for finding solutions to his problems out of necessity. That skill turned into a passion for auto repair. “When I lived on the peak of the mountains, I didn’t have mechanics to help me,” Juan said. “That’s why I wanted to learn how to fix cars.”

Back in the U.S., he was determined to hone his craft, so he walked into a local auto shop and asked for a job. Today, he works 20 hours a week at the shop while also running his own mobile mechanic business. It is not uncommon for him to finish a job at two in the morning before heading to school the next day.

Juan credits his English Language Development teachers for helping him find his footing and master his most important asset. “To the immigrants who come here, I tell them to learn English. It is the most powerful tool,” Juan advises. He also expresses deep gratitude to Norma Pérez-Sandford, a counselor with the Fillmore Unified School District, who he describes as “the most wonderful woman in the district.”

When asked about the increasing negativity toward immigrants, Juan responds with empathy rather than anger. “They grew up with a house, with food, not having trouble. They don’t understand how immigrants grow up. In the United States, it is easier to get food and go to school.”

Juan has already registered at Ventura College to earn a degree in automotive technology, with the ultimate goal of opening his own shop in Ventura or Los Angeles. Though his parents can’t attend his graduation, they will be celebrating from Michoacán, knowing they raised a son who took their lessons in self-reliance to heart.

“My principal dream when I came to the United States was to finish high school,” Juan said. “And I’m going to do it.”