Monthly Archives: June 2015

Travis School District fills 2 positions from within – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

The Travis School District on Thursday announced that two open positions have been filled with hires from within the district’s ranks.

Sue Brothers will take over at the district office as the assistant superintendent for educational services, taking over for Jim Bryan, who is retiring after a 33-year career in public education, 14 of those years with the Travis district.

Brothers is currently serving as the district’s director of curriculum. Her career in education spans 30 years.

The district also announced that Bill Sarty, Vanden High School’s assistant principal, has been named the new principal at the high school, taking over for former principal Sandi Reese, who is taking a position with the Woodland school district.

via Travis School District fills 2 positions from within.

New school funding formula to get huge increase | EdSource

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By John Fensterwald

A projected big infusion of state revenue next year will inject much more money into the new K-12 education finance system than school districts and state officials expected at this point.

For the budget year starting July 1, Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing an additional $6.1 billion for the Local Control Funding Formula, the funding system that shifts more authority over operating budgets to local school boards. It also steers more dollars to “high-needs” students – English learners, low-income children and foster youth. The new dollars will take districts much closer, after only three years, to what the Legislature set as full funding when it passed the funding law in 2013.

via New school funding formula to get huge increase | EdSource#.VXmucGfbLGg#.VXmucGfbLGg.

Solano College superintendent Jowel Laguerre appointed as new district chancellor for Peralta – Times Herald

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By Peter Hegarty

Trustees with the Peralta Community College District voted Tuesday to appoint Jowel Laguerre as the district’s chancellor.

Laguerre, currently the superintendent of the Solano Community College District, will take over from Jose Ortiz, who is retiring after three years in the position. Laguerre is expected to officially begin work in July.

“It’s really bittersweet,” Laguerre said about leaving the president/superintendent position at SCC. “But I’m really excited (about the new opportunity) and the things we have done at Solano.”

Laguerre said he will miss the people at SCC, especially the faculty and staff, who are always focused on making the college better.

He added that he will need to discuss with the SCC Governing Board on who the interim superintendent/president will be.

via Solano College superintendent Jowel Laguerre appointed as new district chancellor for Peralta.

Senior manager contracts, LCAP, budget on Fairfield-Suisun USD agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Approval of budget increases, changes to several senior manager contracts, a public hearing on the Local Control Accountability Plan, and the 2015-16 budget are on the agenda when Fairfield-Suisun Unified leaders meet tonight in Fairfield.

As it has for 1,000 other California school districts, Gov. Jerry Brown’s May revise state budget means more cash for the county’s largest district, with more than 21,000 students.

According to agenda documents, some $2 million in new money will be spent to pay for release times for elementary teachers and increased staffing at the district’s middle schools and K-8 elementary schools, among other things.

The seven-member governing board likely will approve new contracts — or contract amendments — for four senior district managers. They include Kris Corey, district superintendent; Rona Portalupi, assistant superintendent of educational services; Kelly Bartel, assistant superintendent of business services; and Robert Martinez, assistant superintendent of human resources.

via Senior manager contracts, LCAP, budget on Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District agenda.

Vacaville schools leaders to mull LCAPs, 2015-16 budget, $40M in bonds – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Local Control Accountability Plans for several charter schools and Vacaville Unified School District, the district’s 2015-16 budget, and a resolution to issue $40 million in Measure A bonds are on the agenda when trustees meet tonight in Vacaville.

The seven-member governing board will hear LCAPs for ACE and Fairmont elementaries and Buckingham High, all dependent charter schools, and the district itself.

The plans are a key part of Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula. An LCAP is, essentially, the master plan that governs all district spending. Comprised of several “priority areas,” from course access to parental involvement, it describes for the public how educators will meet annual goals for all students and “identified subgroups,” such as ethnic minorities and special needs students, and how their progress will be measured.

via Vacaville schools leaders to mull LCAPs, 2015-16 budget, $40M in bonds.

Vacaville Unified School District cafeterias come to the community – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

As a light rain fell Wednesday morning, Helena Pendergraft, 10, happily munched a Granny Smith apple near the main entrance of Vacaville Public Library-Town Square in downtown Vacaville. With each bite, her eyes and smiles seemed to widen.

Standing nearby, her sister, Trinity, 6, pointed to a small box of chocolate milk when asked which item was her favorite part of the free bagged lunch. To her, the lender, foil-wrapped pizza, half-dozen celery sticks, and a red delicious apple were also-rans on the yummy meter.

via Vacaville Unified School District cafeterias come to the community.

Peabody Road closure starts Friday – Daily Republic

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By Ian Thompson

Peabody Road between Cement Hill Road and Huntington Drive is closing Friday for the next 14 months and the Fairfield Police Department is reminding motorists to plan ahead and allow for extra time if you have to drive through the area.

The roadway is being closed to allow for the construction of the Fairfield/Vacaville Train Station and the Peabody Road Overcrossing Project.

via Peabody Road closure starts Friday.

Free summer lunch program begins today – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Vacaville schools are out, but, beginning today, the school cafeterias will be coming to several Vacaville apartment complexes, a couple of city parks, and a downtown Vacaville library.

From 10:40 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until July 31, trucks and volunteers will take free bagged lunches to 15 neighborhood sites. They range from Lynwood Knolls and the Vacaville Park apartment complexes in the southern sector of Vacaville to the Brownsville Estates to Bennett Hill complexes in the northern sector.

In its fourth year — funded largely by the federal government, with in-kind donations from local charities, including The Father’s House — the program serves children, infants to 18 years. No registration is required and no questions are asked.

via Free summer lunch program begins today.

Governor’s May revise budget a boon for Travis USD – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

As it has for 1,000 other California school districts, Gov. Jerry Brown’s May revise state budget amounts to a considerable boost for Travis Unified’s 2015-16 budget.

During a regular trustees meeting Tuesday, Ken Forrest, the district’s chief business officer, told the five-member governing board that the $5 billion in additional revenues augments the district’s bottom line to $57.7 million, with a $12 million ending balance, including $4 million in a prudent reserve.

The board on June 16 will return to its regular meeting room on De Ronde Drive in Fairfield to approve the budget, in order to meet a June 30 deadline imposed by the County Office of Education, which will, in turn, submit it to the state for approval.

Still, Forrest, in a 20-minute slide presentation, suggested that budget numbers may change yet again, depending on the outcome of continued wrangling over the budget in the state Legislature. Lawmakers must approve the budget by June 30, and Brown has 15 days to sign it once it reaches his desk.

via Governor’s May revise budget a boon for Travis Unified School District.

Fairfield-Suisun schools to offer summer youth meal program – Daily Republic

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By Ian Thompson

The Fairfield-Suisun School District is sponsoring a summer food program at 12 schools and 11 community sites this summer with many starting to serve breakfasts and lunches to those 18 years old and younger starting this week.

The program provides free weekday meals to local children and teens during the summer so that their nutritional needs met during the school year are also met while school is out for the summer, according to program announcement. Times when the meals will be served and ending dates for the program vary by location.

via Fairfield-Suisun schools to offer summer youth meal program.

School trustees look to approve admin raises, new contract – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The school district’s board of trustees on Thursday will consider approval of 3.75 percent raises for three top administrators and the new two-year employment agreement with an annual beginning salary of $177,125 for Rona Portalupi, the new assistant superintendent of educational services.

The outgoing Fairfield-Suisun School District assistant superintendent of educational services, Malcolm Butler, tendered his resignation in the spring and will complete his contract with the district through June 30.

via School trustees look to approve admin raises, new contract.

Vanden Junior ROTC builds strength through teamwork – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

The movies have painted a pretty clear picture: a drill instructor, one arm tucked behind, looking over a group of ill-prepared recruits, explaining, in terse, salty language, how the lives they used to lead are now over.

Similarly, teen movies will have the protagonists laying around a room, an illuminated computer nearby, a bag of chips, clothes strewn about, the whole teen pack engaged in a conversation laced with “brah,” and “like, seriously.”

Vanden High’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program demolishes those stereotypes.

via Vanden Junior ROTC builds strength through teamwork.

High School Graduation Rates: The Good, The Bad And The Ambiguous : NPR Ed

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By Anya Kamenetz

Officially, the U.S. has a high school graduation rate of 81 percent — a historic high.

But our monthslong investigation, in partnership with reporters at 14 member stations, reveals that this number should be taken with a big grain of salt. We found states, cities and districts pursuing a range of strategies to improve the grad rate:

  • Some are mislabeling students or finding ways of moving them off the books. In Chicago, reports Becky Vevea of WBEZ, “the district is misclassifying hundreds of students who enroll in its alternative schools.” District officials say that theyre investigating the issue.
  • Schools in places like Detroit and Camden, N.J., are making it easier to get a diploma. In all, 21 states offer alternative, sometimes much easier, paths to graduation.

via High School Graduation Rates: The Good, The Bad And The Ambiguous : NPR Ed : NPR.

District partnership to increase elementary computer science instruction – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

A partnership between the Fairfield-Suisun School District and the nonprofit Code.org to increase K-5 computer science instruction and offer professional development, support and curriculum will take effect in September, the school district recently announced.

Code.org is “dedicated to expanding computer science education by making it available in more schools and increasing participation by women and minorities,” a press release by Melissa Farrar, the assistant director of professional development and educational technology, stated.

The vision of both organizations is that every child in every school will have access to computer science education and that computer science should be part of the core curriculum alone with STEM courses – science, technology, engineering and math.

via District partnership to increase elementary computer science instruction.

Travis Unified School District leaders to hold hearings on LCAP, 2015-16 budget – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

With a June 30 deadline approaching, Travis Unified trustees tonight will hold public hearings on the school district’s Local Control Accountability Plan and the 2015-16 budget.

The LCAP, as it’s called for short, is a key part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula. It is, essentially, the master plan that governs all district spending. Comprised of eight “priority areas,” from course access to parent involvement, it describes for the public how educators will meet annual goals for all students and “identified subgroups,” such as ethnic minorities and special needs students, and how their progress will be measured.

Under the LCAP, the district is expected to receive some $1.6 million in supplemental grant funding to help students in the coming year.

via Travis Unified School District leaders to hold hearings on LCAP, 2015-16 budget.

Benicia High valedictorian heads to Brown University – Times Herald

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By Irma Widjojo

Elisa Guerrant had her eye on the prize since she got into high school.

Four years later, the 17-year-old Benicia High School senior made her dream come true. Guerrant is the Benicia valedictorian with a 4.408 GPA.

“I’m excited,” she said. “It’s cool.”Guerrant will be continuing her education at Brown University in Rhode Island, with plans of having a concentration in computer science.“I’d like to work with computer security,” said the younger daughter of two.

Her mother, Yolima Guerrant, said though she was very proud of her daughter’s achievement, it didn’t come as a surprise that she was named valedictorian of her class.“She was always focused,” she said.

“She loved to read since she was a child. Always curious, searching things. She’ll reach whatever she puts her mind into it.”

via Benicia High valedictorian heads to Brown University.

Benicia High principal: Class of 2015 embodies characteristics of a warrior – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

Benicia High School Principal Damon Wright took the responsibility Saturday of informing students, parents and the public of the various “injustices” the class of 2015 has experienced from his administration during the last year.

“‘You can’t make me stay on campus during lunch, you’re violating my civil rights,’” Wright said, drawing cheers from the graduates. “‘I will be late for class if you make me park in a student lot.’”

Wright and the class of 2015 were all smiles Saturday during the 115th Benicia High School commencement, as the graduates, clad in blue gowns, received valuable advice on who they have become over the past four years.

via Benicia High principal: Class of 2015 embodies characteristics of a warrior.

Bulldog seniors toss their caps high – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Zunino Stadium was alive Saturday morning with all the trappings of a celebration, the pending graduation of the Vacaville High class of 2015.

Nearly 490 excited seniors — the boys clad in black caps and gowns, the girls in white — lined up in alphabetical order just behind the westside bleachers, awaiting the signal to walk onto the green football field: Elgar’s “Fanfare & Processional,” the traditional graduation tune.

via Bulldog seniors toss their caps high.

Dixon High graduates record number of distinguished scholars – The Reporter

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By Jessica Rogness

Despite a scandal that recently brought negative attention to the school, Dixon High School Principal Nick Girimonte was proud of his 271 graduates on Saturday morning.

“To the graduates, what a ride we’ve had,” Girimonte said on stage at Finney Field. “Through the good times and the rough patches, you’ve impressed me with your intelligence, your honesty, and most of all, your commitment to each other and this community. Today, you are the pride of our school, you are the pride of our town.”

An investigation was launched at the school after it was discovered that one student allegedly hacked into nine teachers’ electronic gradebooks and made changes.

via Dixon High graduates record number of distinguished scholars.

Grit, determination help guide TEC grads – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

Students at the Travis Education Center often arrive at the alternative education campus under a variety of difficult life circumstances.

Most are missing credits and use the independent pace to help make up their shortfalls. Some choose to re-enroll in traditional high school settings.

For those who choose to continue at Travis Education Center, the culmination of their education is a graduation ceremony. Such was the case Friday afternoon at the Vacaville Cultural Arts Center. In keeping with their alternative roots, the graduation ceremony was a little different from many traditional high schools.

via Grit, determination help guide TEC grads.