Vallejo school district official: We have 12 classroom vacancies – Vallejo Times Herald

By John Glidden

So far this school year, the Vallejo City Unified School District has filled more than 100 classroom vacancies, said a district official Wednesday night during the VCUSD Board of Education meeting.

Gigi Patrick, VCUSD’s Director of Human Resources, informed the board that 12 classroom vacancies have yet to be filled: Six at the high school, one middle school, two elementary and three special education levels.

“We interviewed 342 candidates and offered 176 contracts to potential hires with 109 classroom vacancies (being) filled,” Patrick said to the board.

Patrick informed the board that the number of hires for the current school year increased during the last two years from 22 and 70 teachers, respectively.

via Vallejo school district official: We have 12 classroom vacancies – Vallejo Times Herald.

Vallejo school board waives reduced meals fee for K-8 students – Vallejo Times Herald

By John Glidden

Hoping to ease the burden on K-8 students who receive reduced breakfast and/or lunch, the Vallejo City Unified School Board of Education Wednesday night approved waiving the fee for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

K-8 students placed in the reduced price category were required to pay 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch, while high school students in the same category were not required to pay any amount for breakfast or lunch, according to a staff report.

“I think this makes a lot of sense,” said trustee Adrienne Waterman. “It’s hard to remember to put 30 cents in the pocket.”

via Vallejo school board waives reduced meals fee for K-8 students – Vallejo Times Herald.

VUSD leaders get lesson in 21st-century teaching – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

A sixth-grade English teacher at Callison Elementary told Vacaville Unified leaders on Thursday that “they were going to experience what’s going on in our classrooms every day.”

After two other teachers and a student passed out small laptop computers to trustees, Tari Carolle updated the governing board on the use of technology in sixth-grade classes at the Vanden Road campus.

Among her first comments, however, was a reference to the board’s Nov. 6 approval of a resolution to buy 1,100 refurbished Google Chromebooks for $367,000.

Sitting at desk in front of the board’s dais, Carolle expressed excitement about the pending arrival of the laptops.

via VUSD leaders get lesson in 21st-century teaching – The Reporter.

Solano high school students bring robotics to Shanghai, China – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

The hubbub of last-minute trip preparations kept students busy in Doug Green’s robotics class Thursday afternoon at Vanden High School.

Ten students from Vanden were packing robots and going over details before leaving Friday morning on a teaching trip to Shanghai, China – a trip that would also take them sightseeing to various locales, including Beijing, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

The trip also includes two students from Vaca Christian School and one from Vacaville High School.

via Solano high school students bring robotics to Shanghai, China Daily Republic.

Vallejo school board trustee-elect Porter decides to stay with teaching position – Vallejo Times Herald

By John Glidden

Richard Porter has made his official decision: He’s staying with his teaching job within the Vallejo City Unified School District.

Porter — who filed candidacy papers in August to seek election to the VCUSD Board of Education this November — suspended his campaign in early September so he could teach math and science at the Mare Island Health & Fitness Academy.

Despite halting his campaign, more than 7,000 Vallejo voters decided to elect him, placing him second out of three available seats. Porter recorded nearly 5,000 vote-by-mail votes and just over 2,000 votes at the polls, according to unofficial results posted to the county website.

via Vallejo school board trustee-elect Porter decides to stay with teaching position – Vallejo Times Herald.

Technology in classrooms on VUSD agenda tonight – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Several reports, contracts and presentations, including technology use in district classrooms, are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet tonight in open session in Vacaville.

Callison Elementary teachers Tari Carolle, Diana Moore and Diane Tomovick will update trustees about technology use in district classrooms.

Their presentation will come two weeks after the governing board approved a contract to buy 1,100 refurbished Google Chromebooks for $367,000; and it will come one day after President Obama, in the East Room of the White House, told superintendents from the across the country, including Kris Corey of Fairfield-Suisun Unified, to bolster his initiative to bring more schools into the Digital Age. More than one-half of American public schools do not have high-speed Internet access in their classrooms.

via Technology in classrooms on VUSD agenda tonight – The Reporter.

Will C. Wood cheerleaders travel to NYC for holiday parade – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

More than 1,000 cheerleaders from throughout the country will converge on New York City this Friday as they begin arriving for practice for the 88th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Four of those arriving in the Big Apple will be Will C. Wood High School senior cheerleaders Alysha Baker, Liz Harris, Dominique Vega and Jessi Barnhill.

They will all be performing a choreographed routine that they began practicing as soon as Universal Cheerleaders Association sent them an Internet link to the routine in October.

Starla Studer, the Wood cheer coach, said having senior cheerleaders participate in the parade has been an ongoing Wood tradition for a while.

via Solano cheerleaders travel to NYC for holiday parade Daily Republic.

College trustees give green light to Measure Q contracts – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

The Solano Community College governing board made quick pass and approval motions Wednesday through several Measure Q contracts, setting the stage for projects at all three college sites.

The two largest contracts approved went to Swinerton Management and Consulting for construction management services worth more than $2.2 million for both the new auto technology building at the Vallejo Center and the biotechnology building at the Vacaville Center.

The contracts for both projects include management of pre-construction and construction services that include “the development of criteria documents, design/build entity pre-qualification and selection, estimating, on-site construction management during construction and final project close-out” staff stated in written reports.

via College trustees give green light to Measure Q contracts Daily Republic.

Vallejo school board to hear update on teacher staffing levels – Vallejo Times Herald

By John Glidden

The Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education will receive an update Wednesday on the level of teacher staffing throughout the district.

Currently, the district has a shortage of 13 teachers — five high school, three elementary, three special education and two middle school — according to a staff report.

In June 2014, 54 teachers retired or resigned and in July 2014, there were 68 additional vacancies in the district.

“To date, the district had interviewed more than 342 candidates and offered 176 contracts to potential hires,” according to the same staff report. “107 classroom vacancies are filled.”

via Vallejo school board to hear update on teacher staffing levels – Vallejo Times Herald.

Local students China-bound with robotics team – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

During 2012-13 school year, he eventually convinced his father, Paul Cheng, that it would be feasible to take local robotics students on a trip to Shanghai, home to the Mei Long Middle School, to teach them the ins and outs of robotic science.

The elder Cheng — director of the international education program at Solano Community College and a former Chinese language instructor at Vacaville Christian High — had for some years brought over exchange students from China for brief summer and winter sessions.

via Local students China-bound with robotics team – The Reporter.

Schools compete in friendly race to collect canned food – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

It’s the battle of the barrels as local high schools see who can gather the most canned goods in a friendly competition between Armijo, Fairfield and Rodriguez high schools, and the alternative schools, Matt Garcia Learning Center, Sem Yeto Satellite and the Public Safety Academy.

The winner brings in a catered meal for the entire school from Fuddruckers.

“Any time kids are involved in doing projects like this, raising money, gathering food for different organizations like rescue missions, we’re all in,” said George Almeida, owner of the local Fuddruckers, and seven others in the Bay Area, Oregon and Idaho. “It’s a good thing and everyone should support that.”

via Schools compete in friendly race to collect canned food Daily Republic.

New York Study Shows Nexis Between Chronic Absence and Poverty « Attendance Works

All high-poverty schools are not alike. Some manage to succeed despite a high number of students who qualify for free and reduced meals, while others struggle miserably. Some have decent attendance rates, while other see more than a third of their students missing a month of school every year.

A new report by The Center for New York City Affairs at The New School looks closely at the city’s schools and documents the risk factors that plague struggling schools. A Better Picture of Poverty: What Chronic Absenteeism and Risk Load Reveal About NYC’s Lowest-Income Elementary Schools also identifies improving attendance as a key strategy to turning around these schools.

via New York Study Shows Nexis Between Chronic Absence and Poverty « Attendance Works Attendance Works.

College administration begins move back to campus – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

A small but might contract will come before Solano Community College trustees this week – that of hiring a moving company to facilitate the move from temporary digs at 360 Campus Lane back to the newly renovated administrative building.

The $2,521 contract is Measure G money – the previous 2002 $124.5 million bond – as was Building 600’s renovation, which includes a partial new internal layout and updated features that include electrical work, new bathrooms and a dynamic pop-out feature in the boardroom where the board members will sit in an arch position.

via College administration begins move back to campus Daily Republic.

Solano College trustees to review Measure Q contracts – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

Several Measure Q items will be presented to the Solano Community College governing board during its regularly scheduled meeting this week.

The two largest contracts up for approval go to Swinerton Management and Consulting for construction management services for both the auto technology building at the Vallejo Center and the biotechnology building at the Vacaville Center. The two contracts are worth about $2.2 million.

Swinerton was selected for both projects after a request for qualification and proposal was sent out by the district and it conducted interviews.

via Solano College trustees to review Measure Q contracts Daily Republic.

Fairfield-Suisun schools leader to attend summit on digital learning – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

The U.S. Department of Education has selected Kris Corey, the superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun School District, to participate Wednesday at the first National Connected Superintendents Summit at the White House.

Corey is one of 100 school leaders who was chosen as a “Future Ready” superintendent and recognized for leadership in transitioning their district to digital learning. The conference will focus on sharing approaches with each other and with the Department of Education with regard to using technology in classrooms.

All of the district’s schools are wireless and infrastructure has been increased so “more and more” classrooms can utilize 1-to-1 device learning, Corey said.

via Fairfield-Suisun schools leader to attend summit on digital learning Daily Republic.

New Guidance on NGSS – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said the state is one step closer to implementing the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) as the State Board of Education today adopted a new plan.

“This plan lays out what the state, districts, and the community can do to ensure that the exciting new science standards are implemented smoothly,” said Torlakson. “These standards will provide all students with a deeper understanding of science so they are better prepared for college and careers, including jobs in the high-technology fields,” said Torlakson.

The NGSS Systems Implementation Plan for California (PDF) offers school districts and the community strategies on how to provide educators training and resources to teach the new standards. The plan helps districts align local testing to improve teaching and learning. There are also tips on improving communication; how to get everyone to work together; and using the new standards in before and after school programs.

via New Guidance on NGSS – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education).

FSUSD Supe Corey headed to White House educators confab – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Vacaville resident Kristin Corey, superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, is headed to the White House on Wednesday.

No, she is not being rewarded for writing a $10,000 check to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee just before the recent midterm election.

Corey, who flies to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, is going to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. because the longtime educator has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education as one of 100 top school leaders nationwide who will take part in the first-ever National Connected Superintendents Summit.

via FSUSD Supe Corey headed to White House educators confab – The Reporter.

School-home liaisons work to boost student attendance – Daily Republic

By Susan Winlow

Erik Del Real didn’t show up for most of his ninth and 10th grade years at Rodriguez High School.

During the 2013-14 year, he was a small piece of the 11.8 percent of students in the Fairfield-Suisun School District labeled chronically absent, which are students who miss 10 percent or more of the school days in the school year, excused or unexcused.

In Del Real’s case, he was bullied so much he didn’t want to go to school anymore, he said.

“I was afraid,” he said as he stood in the dimly lit living room of his family’s apartment near Travis Boulevard.

via School-home liaisons work to boost student attendance Daily Republic.

Grace Patterson students and parents craft mosaic – Vallejo Times Herald

By John Glidden

Sophia Othman watched with a smile late Thursday afternoon as several young girls ran up and inspected the new mosaic mural at Grace Patterson Elementary School.

The girls touched and pointed to their favorite sections of the mural. Some even showed off the part of the mosaic they worked on, as they danced and played in front of the mural.

Othman smiled because the girls took pride and ownership in the mural — the main reason for the creation of the colorful glass mosaic.

via Grace Patterson students and parents craft mosaic – Vallejo Times Herald.

Armijo High grad has film shown at Fairfield event – Daily Republic

By Ryan McCarthy

A 2006 graduate of Armijo High, who went on to get a degree at Harvard University, had her film “Miss Todd” shown Thursday along with others screened at the Lunafest in downtown Fairfield.

Kristina Yee said in a statement read at the event that the hometown showing of “Miss Todd” was something she would have only expected to happen at her parent’s house.

“It’s a place that has formed so much of who I am,” Yee said of Fairfield, where she was born and raised. “My love of libraries grew out of my hours spent at our branch on Kentucky Street.”

She worked at the Solano Town Center mall in between graduating in 2010 from Harvard, where she studied folklore and mythology, and going to film school in England. Yee now lives in Ireland.

via Armijo High grad has film shown at Fairfield event Daily Republic.