VUSD seats Amy Tran Russell as new trustee – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Amy Tran Russell, winner of December’s Vacaville Unified School District Area 6 special election, was sworn in as a board trustee once again on Thursday.

Russell was removed from her post after being initially appointed to it last year. Enough voters in Area 6 signed a petition circulated by Vacaville Parents United to force a special election, but Russell defeated opponent Tracee Stacy at the ballot box in December. Russell, 43, a senior assistant dean at University of California, Davis, was seeking elected office for the first time.

Russell, sworn in by Superintendent Ed Santopadre, said she was honored to be taking the post, and was impressed by the high voter turnout for a special election, saying it showed that Vacaville residents are invested in education in their community. She recognized the hard work of her opponent and her supporters, saying the community does better when everyone is connected and empathetic with one another.

Source: VUSD seats Amy Tran Russell as new trustee – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville Teacher of the Year honored |  dailyrepublic.com

Karen Hamrick, the lead custodian at Ernest Kimme Charter Academy and the Muzetta Thrower Adult Education Center, was honored as the Vacaville Unified School District’s Classified Employee of the Year.

The Teacher of the Year was teacher Jayne Geist, Vaca Peña Middle School English and leadership teacher.

Hamrick, a 17-year employee with the VUSD, handles the custodial duties at the two campuses and teaches the Introduction to Custodial Training Course at Adult Ed, according to a press release from the school.

Source: Vacaville Teacher of the Year honored | Education | dailyrepublic.com

Vacaville youth sought to design Play for All Park mural – The Vacaville Reporter

By Lynzie Lowe

The Vacaville Public Education Foundation is seeking mural designs created by local youth for the pavilion at the Play for All Park.

“Designs must be colorful and include a school house, as well as an owl,” said organizers. “Other elements like trees, books, animals, stars, and other creative ideas can be included. Interior spaces of the pavilion can also be incorporated into the concept.”

According to organizers, all Vacaville Unified School District students in grades 7-12 are eligible to enter.

Source: Vacaville youth sought to design Play for All Park mural – The Vacaville Reporter

Russell officially newest Vaca Unified trustee |  dailyrepublic.com

It is official – Amy Tran Russell is the newest member of the Vacaville Unified School District board of trustees.

The Solano County Registrar of Voters certified the election on Friday and delivered the final paperwork to the county Office of Education, which called for the election after receiving a protest petition over the board’s appointment to the Trustee Area 6 post.

The school board had appointed Russell as the replacement for Trustee Kelly Welch, who moved out of district and had to step down from the board. However, the protest petition was filed, forcing what was the second special election the school district held since September.

Source: Russell officially newest Vaca Unified trustee | News | dailyrepublic.com

County Elections Office gearing up for March 5 primary | dailyrepublic.com

The Vacaville Unified School District just completed the second of two special elections to fill vacated terms on its board of trustees.

Lindsay Kelly was elected in September to represent Trustee Area 4, and Amy Tran Russell was elected in December in Trustee Area 6.

Both terms extend through the end of the November general election.Both elections were conducted by the Solano County Registrar of Voters Office, and while the last of those special elections will not be certified until Jan. 5, the county office is pivoting in preparation for the March 5 primary.

Source: County Elections Office gearing up for March 5 primary | News | dailyrepublic.com

Amy Tran Russell wins VUSD Area 6 election – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Amy Tran Russell was elected to the Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees Area 6 seat after leading the early vote tally in the special vacancy election held Tuesday.

Russell led the final unofficial count released at 8:42 p.m., with 834 votes. Opponent Tracee Stacy received 694 votes at that time. Russell led with 739 votes to Stacy’s 631 of the mail-in ballot count, which were released shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.

A total of 1,531 ballots were cast, about 18.68 percent of registered voters in Area 6. Solano County Assistant Registrar of Voters John Gardener said this was the first time a special vacancy election has been held in December.

Source: Amy Tran Russell wins VUSD Area 6 election – The Vacaville Reporter

Voters in Trustee Area 6 of Vaca Unified to pick school board rep | dailyrepublic.com

It is election day in the Vacaville Unified School District, again.

The Trustee Area 6 special election marks the second for the school district since September. This one pits Amy Tran Russell against Tracee Stacy to fill the seat vacated by Kelly Welsh when she moved out of the district.

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The Solano County Registrar of Voters reported that it had received 1,172 mail-in ballots as of Monday morning. Polling locations are established at Shiloh Baptist Church, 185 Chandler St., Vacaville Bible Church, 490 Brown St., and the Community Presbyterian Church, 425 Hemlock St. There are 8,195 registered voters in the trustee area.

Source: Voters in Trustee Area 6 of Vaca Unified to pick school board rep | News | dailyrepublic.com

Registrar of Voters preps for VUSD Trustee Area 6 special vacancy election – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Laura King, Sherrice Taramasso, and Heather Cole sat at or stood near computer keyboards and monitor Monday afternoon on the fourth floor of the Solano County Government Center, where the Registrar of Voters tallies election results.

The three women — King is an elections coordinator, Taramasso and Cole are elections clerks — were getting ready for the electronic tabulation of the Vacaville Unified School District’s Trustee Area 6 special vacancy election, which will be held on Tuesday.

As of Monday afternoon, Assistant Registrar of Voters John Gardnerhis’ office had received 1,172 mail-in ballots for the trustee area contest. Two candidates — Amy Tran Russell, a University of California, Davis, senior assistant dean, and Tracee Stacy, a parent and educator — are in the race.

Source: Registrar of Voters preps for VUSD Trustee Area 6 special vacancy election – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD approves Kairos high school program, elects new board president – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

The Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees elected Area Three board member John Jansen as President of the board for 2024. Jansen, previously serving as Vice President, has served on the board for over 8 years and was elected unanimously. Area Two member Daniel Santellan was elected as Vice president, and Area One representative Nancy Dunn was elected clerk.

Trustees had little chance to settle into their new positions before being asked to vote on a material revision and memorandum of understanding with Kairos Public Charter Schools, which will allow them to create a high school level program under their existing charter. The board voted 4-2 in favor of the proposal, with trustees Dunn and Santiago Serrato voting against the motion.

Source: VUSD approves Kairos high school program, elects new board president – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD board hears Kairos proposal, names softball field – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

A proposal from Kairos regarding expansion plans for a new high school was among the highlights at Thursday night’s Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting.

The board also voted to name the softball field at Vacaville High School after Joan Murmagh, a longtime softball coach, girls’ athletic director and league commissioner for the school who helped build the girls’ athletics program at the school since the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Laura Moderos, a classified employee and union member, said concerns she raised at the last board meeting have yet to be addressed, as negotiations between the district and union are ongoing. She said she wanted to raise the issues to the district so that solutions can be found to improve student outcomes.

Source: VUSD board hears Kairos proposal, names softball field – The Vacaville Reporter

Vaca Unified candidate touts experience as educator, UC Davis business administrator |  dailyrepublic.com

Amy Tran Russell is banking on her experiences as an educator and administrator over one of the most successful master’s business analytics programs at UC Davis to win her the Trustee Area 6 seat on the Vacaville Unified School District board.

It was the same résumé that won her an appointment to the post by the sitting school board, only to have a protest petition force the Dec. 19 special election. Russell faces Tracee Stacy, a former Vacaville Unified trustee, in the election to fill the final year of the post vacated by Kelly Welsh when she moved out of the district.

Source: Vaca Unified candidate touts experience as educator, UC Davis business administrator | News | dailyrepublic.com

Vaca Unified candidate says community ties a critical part of election | dailyrepublic.com

Tracee Stacy is banking on her experience as a former school board trustee and her familiarity with the community to win the Trustee Area 6 seat on the Vacaville Unified School District board.

Stacy, 44, served on the Vacaville Unified board from 2016 to 2020 before losing a close re-election bid.

But she said she is not done wanting to serve and is eager to help lead the district into the future – noting the development of the district’s next Local Control and Accountability Plan – and emphasized that she is motivated from the classroom out.

Source: Vaca Unified candidate says community ties a critical part of election | News | dailyrepublic.com

VUSD candidate Russell hosts campaign kickoff – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Vacaville Unified trustee candidate Amy Tran Russell on Thursday held a campaign kickoff event, sponsored by the Vacaville Teachers’ Association, at Ridgeview Park.

Russell, who works in administration for the University of California, Davis, is running against former governing board member Tracee Stacy in a special vacancy election forced by a petition drive following Russell’s appointment to the board earlier this year.

Vacaville City Councilmember Sarah Chapman spoke at the event, saying she and the candidate share an understanding of the importance of education.

Source: VUSD candidate Russell hosts campaign kickoff – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD district 6 candidates participate in forum – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

The two candidates running for the Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees District 6 election participated in a forum Thursday evening, streamed on Facebook live by event host the Vacaville People’s Forum.

Amy Tran Russell, a senior assistant dean at UC Davis, and Tracee Stacy, a former board member and community educator for the Area Agency on Aging, answered questions for about an hour. Wendy Breckon, a former planning commissioner in Vacaville, and Jepsen student Jovanni Silva served as moderators, introducing questions submitted from the community on a number of issues, including the upcoming Local Control and Accountability Plan, the need to solve overcrowding, communication with parents, and more.

Source: VUSD district 6 candidates participate in forum – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD Candidates forum talks future of district | dailyrepublic.com

By Susan Hiland

Candidates for the Vacaville Unified School District Area 6 special election answered questions at a live-streamed Facebook feed on Thursday night.

The two candidates looking to fill the open seat are Amy Tran Russell and Tracee Stacy.

Election Day will be on Dec. 19.

This is the second special election for the district with the last one being on Sept. 12, with three candidates running. That special election cost the district about $114,000. That race was won by Lindsay Kelly.

Source: VUSD Candidates forum talks future of district | Education | dailyrepublic.com

Candidate forum set for Vaca Unified Trustee Area 6 election | dailyrepublic.com

A candidate forum for the Vacaville Unified School District Trustee Area 6 special election has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

The two candidates seeking the post, Amy Russell and Tracee Stacy, are expected to participate, organizers said.

The event, hosted by the Vacaville People’s Forum, will be streamed live via the group’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/vvpeoplesforum. Video of the forum also will be posted on the site.

Source: Candidate forum set for Vaca Unified Trustee Area 6 election | News | dailyrepublic.com

VUSD trustees discuss HR, college fair – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

The Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees met Thursday evening for a regularly sheculed meeting, where they heard updates from the district’s HR staff and Superintendent Ed Santopadre.

Santopadre said it was a busy couple of weeks across the district since the last meeting of the board — Tuesday evening saw VUSD hold its college and career fair for over 1000 high school students in the gym at Will C. Wood High School. Financial aid workshops were held, as well as one on NCAA eligibility for student athletes.

The event was equal parts college and career fair, Santopadre said, as many employers and universities attended the event to meet with students. Six University of California schools, five California state schools, 15 private in state institutions and two out of state institutions attended the fair.

Source: VUSD trustees discuss HR, college fair – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville students get taste of future after high school | dailyrepublic.com

By Susan Hiland

Students got a close-up look at the options available in the job market at the second annual Vacaville Unified School District College and Career Fair.

Tyler Little, 17, Vacaville, is looking to get into the trades after graduation.

“I’m not sure what I want to do exactly,” he said. “But the trades offer a good future, with good money.”

His friend, Braydin Burns, 17, of Vacaville, is also looking into the trades for his career path.

Source: Vacaville students get taste of future after high school | Education | dailyrepublic.com

Kelly takes seat on VUSD board – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Newly elected Vacaville Unified School District Area Four Board of Trustees Member Lindsay Kelly was sworn into office at the regularly scheduled Thursday board meeting, where trustees also heard from new student board members from each of the high schools.

Kelly thanked her fellow board members for a warm welcome, and said she has met with a number of them, as well as the district office and some community members. She said she hopes to focus on collaborating with parents to support students while on the board.

“I’m really thankful to everyone who supported me during the campaign, both those who have been upfront and center and those who have been behind the scenes.”

Source: Kelly takes seat on VUSD board – The Vacaville Reporter

Middle School music teacher joins Beatles Guitar Project concert |  dailyrepublic.com

A Willis Jepson Middle School teacher will perform Friday at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre in a concert that will raise funds for the school.

Justin Au plays the trumpet with the Beatles Guitar Project as it presents “Abbey Road.”

The Beatles Guitar Project is Northern California’s touring Beatles Rock Orchestra, featuring a professional string section, brass and woodwinds; as well as vocalists, backing vocalists and guest vocalists.

Source: Middle School music teacher joins Beatles Guitar Project concert | News | dailyrepublic.com