FUSD's own Ron Berglas recently debuted as the new host of the KVCR (Channel 24) television show, "A Conversation With. . . ."  As host, Mr. Berglas conducts one-on-one interviews with entertainers and community leaders, including Fontana Superintendent Cali Olsen-Binks in an episode that will be televised next week.

Mr. Berglas was a professional actor in England and throughout Europe for twenty-five years, performing steadily in television and movies.  However, after he returned to the United States in 2000, the film industry was really going through a dry spell.  "The parts just weren't there - for anybody," said Mr. Berglas.  He decided to leave the acting profession and tried his hand at several new ventures - even "driving an 18-wheeler in the northeast, during winter!" - before eventually ending up substitute teaching in San Bernardino.  "People warned me against it and it was difficult in the beginning.  But once I learned about classroom management, I began to love it," said Mr. Berglas.

He began his career in Fontana as the drama teacher at A.B. Miller High School.  However, after the drama program was cancelled, he landed at Citrus High School, where he now teaches freshman and junior English.  While he continued to be offered acting roles on occasion, he turns them down because he doesn't want to split his time between here and LA which he feels would take away from his students.

So, how did Mr. Berglas land this latest gig as television interviewer?  He saw a small ad in the community newspaper, thinking it was for a job as an interviewer on KVCR's radio station.  It wasn't until he came in for the interview and was asked if he had ever used a teleprompter that he realized the spot was for KVCR's television station.  As part of the interview process, he was asked to come up with three questions to ask the person he most wanted to interview.  Mr. Berglas said that the person would be Todd Palin, the snowmobile-riding husband of Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin.  One of his questions went something like, "Your family is very important to you.  When your step-mother, who is pro-choice, ran for the office of Mayor of Wasilla, your wife, Sarah Palin, publicly endorsed her opponent and your step-mother lost.  How did that make you feel?"  With such thought-provoking questions, how could he miss?

His first interview was with trumpeter/composer Chris Botti in an episode that aired on March 4 and is slated to be rebroadcast on April 30 at 6 pm (on KVCR DC Digital 24.3).  In an episode that airs tonight, April 1, at 7 pm, Mr. Berglas interviews Fiona Kennedy of Highland Heartbeat, a group of Scottish singers much like Celtic Woman, except Scottish - naturally.  His interview with Cali Olsen-Binks will air on Wednesday, April 8, at 7 pm.

"I suggested interviewing our Superintendent to the station manager, and he liked idea," said Mr. Berglas.  His conversation with Cali Olsen-Binks includes questions about her teaching career and how she came to be superintendent, as well as her thoughts on the budget crisis and how it is effecting education and our district.

For the most part, the interviewees are selected by the station manager and Mr. Berglas comes up with the interview questions.  At this point, he is uncertain who he will be interviewing in the future but with his rich and varied background, he would certainly make a fascinating interview subject himself.