By Richard Bammer

During a special governing board workshop, Vacaville Unified leaders on Saturday will hear reports on school accountability, sometimes commonly referred to as “the district’s report card,” a review of multiple district departments, and a budget presentation.

Trustees will be asked to approve, submit and publish the 2023-24 School Accountability Report Card for 17 schools to the state Department of Education.

The report card details the condition and performance of district schools, with data that includes to conditions, outcomes of state testing in English and mathematics in grades three to 8 and 11, and engagement.

Source: In special board workshop, VUSD trustees to hear school ‘report cards’ – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville Unified trustees will meet tonight in regular session as members of the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 — some 700 school-support employees ranging from bus drivers and special education aides to maintenance workers and custodians — threaten to strike.

Chelsea Fink, a communications specialist with the union, said lead negotiator Casey Thompson and others have been in talks with district officials for a “successor contract” for some nine months and have met well more than a dozen times to resolve contract and other matters.

Source: VUSD trustees to meet as school-support employees threaten strike – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified School District leaders appear to have a relatively light agenda when they meet Thursday night in Vacaville.

The governing board likely will adopt a resolution declaring support for Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, the nationwide campaign — this year themed is “Life is a Movie, Film Drug Free” — to join in tobacco, alcohol and other drug-prevention programs, activities, and, according to wording in the agenda documents, “making a visible statement and commitment to healthy, drug-free communities.”

Source: On the VUSD board agenda: Designating Red Ribbon Week – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Five Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees candidates from Areas Four and Seven participated in a forum hosted by the Vacaville Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday night at Travis Credit Union. Asked a series of questions throughout the two-hour forum by chamber CEO Debbie Egidio, candidates expanded on their policy platforms, giving answers on spending, their priorities for the district, and their motivations for running.

In Area Four, incumbent Lindsay Kelly, elected in a 2023 special election, is running against Audra Orr, a former military member and police officer. In Area Seven, 21-year incumbent Michael Kitzes is running against challengers George Burton, a father in the district with longstanding family ties in the area and Michele Guerra, Chair of the Solano County Republican Central Committee.

Source: Vacaville Chamber holds VUSD Forum – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

A Vacaville Unified School District official will update district trustees on the 2024-25 proposed spending plans for arts, music and instructional materials for several schools, and the governing board likely will approve two related agenda items during a public meeting Thursday night.

In a computer-aided slide presentation, Ali Eeds, director of secondary education, will note the money comes from a block grant from the Arts & Music in Schools Funding Guarantee & Accountability Act, Proposition 28.

Source: VUSD leaders to hear update on arts and music in schools – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

A tutoring contract for Fairfield Charter Elementary, information about a science fiction novel recommended for an AP Literature course at Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy, and proposed revisions to the superintendent’s contract are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified School District leaders meet Thursday evening.

Fairmont Principal Shayla Bowman requests the school district’s governing board approve a contract with Next Steps Academy, aka Sylvan Tutoring, to provide academic support and tutoring services at a cost not greater than $113,100.

According to agenda documents, the contract calls for Sylvan to provide support and tutoring services to all students in small groups, in person or virtually. Services include data, pre-assessments, communication with site staff, student attendance, student incentives, student individualized learning plan, ongoing assessments and trained teachers.

Source: Tutoring contract, AP literature book, revisions to supes’ contract on VUSD agenda – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified School District leaders are set to approve a $990 bonus to all management employees, except senior managers, for the 2024-25 academic year.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, school district trustees are also expected to approve several contracts for learning materials, American Sign Language interpretation, speech therapy and special education services, among others.

Funding for the bonus, described in agenda documents as a one-time, off-schedule payment, will draw on the district’s General Fund, and total $121,532, enough to pay more than 120 management employees. The payments match the same 1 percent payments given to district teachers on July 18, notes David Robertson, assistant superintendent of human resources.

Source: Bonus for management employees, contracts on VUSD agenda – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified trustees are likely to approve a one-time payment of $619 to full-time teachers during a meeting on Thursday.

David Robertson, the assistant superintendent of human resources, recommends approval of the agenda item, a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, between the school district and the Vacaville Teachers Association, the teacher’s union.

According to a tentative wage agreement for the 2024-25 year, the one-time, off-schedule “bonus” is permitted under the annual budget resolution if the district is over the local 10 percent cap on reserve cash.

Source: Vacaville Unified board to consider a one-time payment to teachers – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Know a child who might thrive in an alternative course of study rather than a traditional public school setting?

Then you may want to attend tonight’s Vacaville Unified trustees meeting in Vacaville.

During the public gathering, board members will hear about proposed and recommended changes to the independent study portion of the Ernest Kimme Charter Academy, making it a district-operated program.

Source: VUSD board to hear proposed changes to Independent Study Progam – The Vacaville Reporter