Monthly Archives: February 2014

School program makes winter wishes a reality – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

A birthday cake for a grandparent, admission to the play “Sister Act” in Sacramento, a fanny pack and tickets to the prom were among surprises Friday at Will C. Wood High School for a Winter Wishes student assembly.

Students and staff were asked in October to fill out two wish cards – one for themselves and one for another person. Wishes were granted throughout the week and organizers saved the big ones for the student assembly that included a video with Austin Clements, class of 2011, and a United States Marine.

via School program makes winter wishes a reality Daily Republic.

Hill joins Solano board of education – Daily Republic

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By Barry Eberling

Katherine Hill is the newest member of the Solano County Board of Education.

The board on Wednesday named Hill to fill the 7th Trustee Area seat vacated by Rozzana Verder-Aliga. Verder-Aliga resigned effective Jan. 7 after being elected to the Vallejo City Council.

Board members interviewed Hill at the meeting. She has a master’s degree in social work, coaches a girls softball team and coordinates community outreach activities, a board press release said.

via Hill joins Solano board of education Daily Republic.

Students distribute backpacks, exceed goal – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

After initially expecting to fall short of their goal, a group of Will C. Wood High students delivered more than 60 supply-laden backpacks to the Vacaville Police Department and to the Church of the Epiphany for distribution to local homeless and disadvantaged people.

Police officers were to deliver the packs to local homeless camps, while the students took most of them to the church for distribution with its regular Friday evening meal.

The project was set up to coincide with the school’s Kindness Week and Friday’s wish-granting assembly.

via Students distribute backpacks, exceed goal Daily Republic.

Former high school athletes start ATEC – Daily Republic

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By Barry Eberling

Vanden High School senior Theodus Bohanon wants to play college football and he’s looking for an edge.

Dearic Jackson, a 1989 Armijo High School graduate, is trying to help him find it. Jackson on this recent day put Bohanon and two other high schoolers through a battery of exercises ranging from doing push ups to jump-roping.

“He’s helping me build my strength up, turning me into a better athlete,” an out-of-breath Bohanon said during a short break.

via Former high school athletes start ATEC Daily Republic.

Solano board names Kathi Hill to succeed Rozzana Verder-Aliga – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

One way or another, Kathi Hill has always been in school.

Whether it was getting her degrees in social work, coaching her kids teams or running Planned Parenthoods Real Life Real Talk program at Vallejo High School, the Vallejo resident always seems to be on campus.

Perhaps that’s one reason the Solano County board of education appointed her as the new trustee for Area 7, representing the central and southeastern parts of Vallejo.

via Solano board names Kathi Hill to succeed Rozzana Verder-Aliga – Vallejo Times Herald.

Poll: Voters would back Vacaville school bond – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

If a bond measure election were held today to upgrade Vacaville Unified schools, nearly 62 percent of registered voters would support it, a Bay Area financial adviser told the district’s governing board Thursday night.

Speaking in the Educational Services Center, Jon Isom, of Isom Advisors, reminded trustees that voter support indicated in a telephone survey earlier this month exceeded the required 55 percent voter-approval threshold required by state law to adopt a bond. He recommended the district “reach out to and educate the community about the plan on placing a bond measure on the November 2014 ballot.”

via Poll: Voters would back Vacaville school bond – The Reporter.

Two BHS students recite their way to regional Poetry Out Loud competition – Benicia Herald

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By Donna Beth Weilenman

A poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes about the shattered condition of the gallant frigate, the Constitution, and John Clare’s composition “I Am” that compares his life’s esteems to a shipwreck, propelled Ann Klingelhafer to win the Benicia Unified School District’s Poetry Out Loud competition last weekend.

Right behind her came Maya Singh-Sharkey, who recited “Love Song” by Dorothy Parker and “January, 1795” by Mary Robinson, earning runner-up honors.

via Two BHS students recite their way to regional Poetry Out Loud competition.

What Students Think About Using iPads in School | MindShift

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Katrina Schwartz

All 870 students at Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park, Calif. will soon have school-issued iPads that they can use both at school and at home. The school has slowly rolled out the program over the past three years, trying to work out the kinks before issuing the expensive devices to every student. Before students can take the devices home, they’ll have to take a course to get their “digital driver license,” which includes digital citizenship and learning their way around the device.

Eighth grade students at Hillview have had their iPads since the beginning of the school year. Read more on how teachers are using the devices in class so far and their hopes for the future. Here, they weigh in on how the devices change what happens in class, how they think about learning and how they organize their school work.

via What Students Think About Using iPads in School | MindShift.

SCOE Adult Transition Program Students Participate in Art Contest – SCOE/Facebook

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Nine students from the SCOE Adult Transition Program entered their original artwork in the Association of California School Administrators (ASCA) and F3 (Fagen, Friedman & Fulfrost LLP) “Celebrate Success” Art Contest. The Art Contest is part of the F3 Education Awards Foundation Celebrate Success scholarship program. The student artists were David DelPonte, Mark Escobia, Mathew Owens, Abigail Maxim, Carlos Jacob, Cameron Goins, Jonathan Saunders and Kaitlyn Brownlee.

From over 500 entries statewide, Mark Escobia’s piece was one of the ten winners! Mark is in Aliya Cromartie’ s class at the Fairfield-Suisun Adult school. He will receive an award of $250 for his artwork!

via SCOE Adult Transition Program Students Participate in Art Contest.

Vacaville school trustees hear bond survey results – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The school district received some good news in the form of a survey at Thursday night’s board meeting, which could pave the way for an eventual school improvement bond on an upcoming election ballot.

After hearing the positive news, Vacaville School District board members voted unanimously to enter into a consulting agreement with Isom Advisors to help with facility needs strategic and financial advice; and with Jones Hall, a professional law corporation, for bond and disclosure counsel services.

via Vacaville school trustees hear bond survey results Daily Republic.

Vallejo schools bond measure pushed to November election – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

The Vallejo school board voted Wednesday to delay placing a bond measure on the ballot until this fall.

“A November rather than a June election provides the district more time to inform the public on the facility needs,” said Mel Jordan, assistant superintendent of administrative services for the Vallejo City Unified School District.

The district has been working for the last year to develop a new bond measure, with the target date of the primary elections in June.

via Vallejo schools bond measure pushed to November election – Vallejo Times Herald.

Bond, class size top Fairfield-Suisun agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The tax parcel process and class size reduction in the primary grades, transitional kindergarten through third, are two informational items on an otherwise relatively routine school district agenda when Fairfield-Suisun leaders meet tonight in open session.

Like Vacaville trustees, those in Fairfield, who govern the largest school district in Solano County, are considering placing a bond measure on the Nov. 4 ballot to pay for facilities upgrades, among other things.

Keith Weaver of Government Financial Strategies, a Sacramento-based independent public finance consulting firm, will make a presentation to the seven-member board. He will reveal a proposed timeline.

via Bond, class size top Fairfield-Suisun agenda – The Reporter.

Number of issues top Vacaville agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

When they meet tonight, Vacaville Unified leaders face a busy agenda, from learning results of a public opinion survey of district facility needs to authorizing nearly $140,000 for computer upgrades, among several other things.

Trustees meet at 7 p.m. in the Educational Services Center, 401 Nut Tree Road, Vacaville.

Trustees will hold a public hearing, then likely pass several resolutions to approve two pieces of land for street widenings and one easement of nearly 31,000 square feet to the city for a water detention basin on parts of property at the Elementary School No. 2 site in the Rice-McMurtry area.

 

via Number of issues top Vacaville agenda – The Reporter.

Public hearing over city use of school-district owned land – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

Land owned by the Vacaville School District for a potential school site in the area of Browns Valley Road and McMurtry Lane will be the subject of a public hearing Thursday.

Public comment is being sought on the dedication and easement of a small piece of the land called “New Elementary School No. 2.”

via Public hearing over city use of school-district owned land Daily Republic.

School facilities review may include talk of bond measure – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

School board members will take a look Thursday at work that’s designed to identify the Vacaville School District’s future structural needs, which may include a future bond campaign.

The district is in the process of doing a facilities needs assessments. Board members will hear a staff presentation on facility needs, priorities and recommended funding options. One of the possible funding options is to seek voter approval for a facilities bond, Trustee David McCallum said.

via School facilities review may include talk of bond measure Daily Republic.

Grants available for K-12 music teachers – Daily Republic

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By Mike Corpos

The Solano Community Foundation is accepting applications from music teachers at all public and private schools in the county for mini-grant funding up to $1,000.

The grants are offered to support music programs and projects for all grades – kindergarten through 12th grade.

Grant funds are for the 2014-15 academic year for the purchase of musical instruments, sheet music, uniforms and accessories, and other expenses directly connected to music practice and performance, according to a news release from the foundation.

via Grants available for K-12 music teachers Daily Republic.

Vacaville school board to hear travel expense report – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

A review of Vacaville School District travel expenses will be conducted Thursday as the school board prepares to hear a report that its members asked for during the summer.

Superintendent Ken Jacopetti was directed by the board in August 2013 to review all travel requests by air and out-of-state requests for six months and provide a report of the approved travel at the February meeting.

Staff reports list the activities, or pending activities, of nearly 30 employees from July 1, 2013, until April 27, 2014.

via Vacaville school board to hear travel expense report Daily Republic.

Vallejo school bond measure could see delay – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

The Vallejo City Unified School District will ask the school board today to delay a possible bond measure until the fall general election.

The district has been developing a bond measure for the better part of a year. This included visiting every room at every school district site and creating a facilities master plan.

That plan has been completed and also will be presented to the board today for review.

The board and district officials had originally been pushing to place a bond measure on the June ballot. Indeed, a public opinion survey last summer polled likely June voters rather than November voters.

via Vallejo school bond measure could see delay – Vallejo Times Herald.

Charter schools association continues push to weed out low-scoring schools | EdSource Today

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By John Fensterwald

11Upping its campaign to root out what it views as its lowest performing schools, the California Charter Schools Association last week criticized a San Jose school district for allowing a charter school to open two more campuses next year.

“We cannot have an honest discussion about education reform and increasing accountability and then continue to allow chronically low-performing charters to replicate,” Jed Wallace, president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), said in a statement. CCSA is a membership organization representing many of the state’s 1,300 charter schools.

CCSA singled out Latino College Prep Academy, a 12-year-old high school charter with low scores on state standardized tests. The school serves about 380 primarily low-income English learners in East San Jose and has ties to National Hispanic University. Last month, the East Side Union High School District gave Latino College Prep conditional approval to expand after no one, including CCSA, testified against it.

via Charter schools association continues push to weed out low-scoring schools | EdSource Today.

California’s Progress in Advanced Placement Exams – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

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SACRAMENTO—Annual Advanced Placement® (AP) results released today show that the number of California public high school graduates taking and passing AP courses continues to climb, with the number of graduates from low-income backgrounds taking at least one AP exam tripling, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced.

The 10-year anniversary (2003-13) “AP Report to the Nation” by The College Board shows that 40.6 percent of California’s public high school graduates in the Class of 2013 took an AP exam, compared to 25.3 percent of graduates in the Class of 2003. The number of Class of 2013 students in California taking an AP exam grew from 86,303 in 2003 to 152,647, an increase of 66,344. The number of low-income students taking an AP exam during the same period increased from 18,677 to 64,539, an increase of 45,862.

via California’s Progress in Advanced Placement Exams – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education).