It's back to class for Conejo Valley young people

By Joann Groff  joann@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers BUSY FOLKS—Lang Ranch Elementary School parents and students, above, gather outside on Tuesday afternoon to discover which classroom and teacher they'll have for the new school year. Checking the listings are students Jonathan Bryman, left, and Madeline Croall. A parent, Jennifer Thuillier, is behind them. Just as interested as the children is the group of parents, at right above, who are seeking the same information at Lang Ranch Elementary School. Classes officially opened yesterday morning, but the kids already get a three-day weekend, thanks to Labor Day on Monday.

Another school year has begun for Conejo Valley Unified School District, as elementary, middle and high school students returned to school yesterday. Although it may not have been too noticeable, there are significantly fewer students entering and returning to the district this year.

The district is expecting 358 fewer students this year, bringing the total number to 22,116, based on principals' projections.

Elementary school population fell from 9,211 to 9,103 students, a 108-student drop. Middle schools and high schools will each lose 125 students, from 5,111 to 4,986 and from 7,703 to 7,578, respectively.

"The bubble of kids are starting to move," said planning technician Debbie Hanna. "They're starting to feel it in the middle schools as well as in the high schools."

The district did introduce a junior-kindergarten program this year, which adds 61 more kids to the total.

Despite the continued drop in enrollment, several significant projects were completed this summer to better accommodate the students.

Thousand Oaks High School students will have access to 11 new and refurbished science labs, and two middle schools are getting a facelift.

The Los Cerritos two-summer project, which included revamping the corridors, is completed.

"The campus has really, really transformed," said Jack Wilson, the district's project manager. "It looks great."

Redwood Middle School is still knee-deep in a locker room expansion project that should wrap up by winter break, Wilson said. They've gutted the restrooms, making them handicapcompliant, added all new lockers and expanded the overall size.

Thirteen of 30 of the district's campuses now have energy-efficient air-conditioning systems. The last one was installed at Westlake High School this summer.

"It has a new energy management control system for maximizing energy savings," Wilson said. "If we can get another local bond, we can add the control systems to all the remaining schools."

This year has seen a large number of changes in administration and personnel in CVUSD this year.

At the high school level, Steve Lepire, former assistant principal of athletics at Newbury Park High School, will now serve as assistant principal of instruction at Westlake High School. Richard Urias will take over Lepire's former position at NPHS, ending his term as assistant principal at Conejo Valley High School. Bob Watson is now the assistant principal at CVHS, leaving his post as assistant principal of athletics at WHS.

Beth Bryant has moved from dean of Thousand Oaks High School to assistant principal of instruction at the school. Josh Eby is moving from assistant principal of athletics at NPHS to assistant principal of instruction at the school. Nicole Funfar, former dean at WHS, is now assistant principal of the school. Mary Ziegler, a teacher at TOHS, is now a dean there.

Jason Branham, a teacher at WHS, has been promoted to dean of the school. James Martinez, a teacher at NPHS, is now a dean at NPHS. Martin Manzer was the principal of the Ventura County Office of Education's Providence Court School. He's now the principal of Conejo Valley High.

Colina Middle School has a new assistant principal in Shane Frank, the former acting principal at Conejo. And Kim Stephenson was promoted from teacher at Colina to dean of the school.

And at the elementary school level, Jon Sand, former principal of Westlake Hills, is now the principal at Sycamore Canyon. Dena Sellers is moving from principal at Ladera to principal of Conejo Elementary. Kirsten Walker, who was an administrative intern, is now the interim principal at Acacia Elementary School.

Sheila Carlson is taking her principal duties from Aspen to Westlake Hills. Pam Chasse, former principal at Sycamore Canyon, is now principal at Ladera. Jean Gordon has moved from principal at Acacia to principal of Madroña. Amie Mills, a BTSA teacher, will serve as interim principal at Aspen.

The district has added a new face to its leadership team as well.

Jeff Davis, CVUSD's new director of secondary education, was the director of high school programs in Los Angeles Unified School District.