Monthly Archives: November 2012

EdSource Today: MapLight: Campaign spending to promote Props. 30 and 38 exceeds $100 million

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By Louis Freedberg

Proponents of Propositions 30 and 38 have now poured a combined total of $117 million to convince voters to support their respective measures, both of which are intended to raise billions of dollars for schools and other programs.

Spending on behalf of Proposition 30, the tax initiative sponsored by Governor Jerry Brown that will raise an average of $6 billion for schools and other state programs, has jumped to $69.4 million, according to MapLight, a nonpartisan Berkeley-based research organization.  Meanwhile, spending on behalf of Prop. 38, the rival measure sponsored by civil rights attorney Molly Munger, who is also the heiress to the fortune of her father Charles T. Munger Sr., the billionaire vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, totals $47.8 million.

via MapLight: Campaign spending to promote Props. 30 and 38 exceeds $100 million – by Louis Freedberg.

EdSource Today: Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending

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By Arun Ramanathan

School finance has the power to bring tears to my eyes. Sometimes, when I am reading the latest School Services of California bulletin, I start squinting. Then I start yawning. Then, before I know it, I’m squinting and yawning simultaneously, causing my eyes to water.  When I see the words “revenue limit,” I begin looking for a pillow. The explanation of the difference between a “Test 1” and a “Test 2” year for calculating Proposition 98 funding can actually cause my brain to melt out of my ears.

via Vast inequality lurks behind mind-numbing data on school spending – by Arun Ramanathan.

Dixon Tribune’s Facebook Wall: Teens focus on the future at college and career fair

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Brianna Boyd
Editor

Dressed in their best, Maine Prairie students had the opportunity to get a head start on their post-secondary education and professional lives Thursday at the high school’s annual college and career fair.

Every student at the school was able to spend 30 minutes at the fair, where they met with representatives from 20 colleges and careers, including those from within the Dixon community. By the time the teens returned to their classes, they were carrying bags full of brochures, pamphlets and other goodies as well as new knowledge that can help them as they plan their future.

via Teens focus on the future at college and career fair

Daily Republic Letter: Jump Rope Jill used humiliation at Dan O. Root Elementary

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Chris Magee

Vacaville

Recently, Dan O. Root II Elementary School hosted Jump Rope Jill for a Red Ribbon Week assembly. I have never seen such a blatant display of peer pressure and public humiliation.

When a student volunteer tried a tricky jump-rope move, he looked to Jill and said, “I can’t do it.” She mimicked him and told him not to be a whiner in front of the entire school assembly. She allowed student volunteers to come on stage, yet when the time came for a teacher participant, she allowed a student to choose the next “volunteer.” When that teacher shook her head no, Jill allowed the students to stand and yell, “Do it! Do it!”

via Jump Rope Jill used humiliation.

Daily Republic: Yippie Yogurt opens doors to public

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by Heather Ah San

FAIRFIELD — When Yippie Yogurt started advertising its program in Fairfield two years ago, something about it caught Alicia Rainey’s eye – the word “mentoring.”

Rainey was interested in becoming a youth mentor, but after she graduated from high school, she needed guidance.

So Rainey applied to the Yippie Yogurt program, to get the mentorship she needed to boost her career opportunities.

via Yippie Yogurt opens doors to public.

Daily Republic: Program helps jobseekers with disabilities

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by Barry Eberling

FAIRFIELD — Homer White works in a kitchen and it’s a good match, since White’s love of cooking takes his mind off the pain he still feels in the aftermath of two spinal surgeries.

He is a sous chef at Chez Soul Southern Cuisine in Fairfield. He does food preparation for the chef and he barbecues. His back pain is no longer keeping him out of the work force.

“To be able to get up and go to work every morning after 19 years – the pride, the joy I have, I can’t explain it,” the soft-spoken White said. “I feel like a new man, a new creature.”

via Program helps jobseekers with disabilities.

Daily Republic: High school students tour ‘Paris’ at Solano College

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by Heather Ah San

FAIRFIELD — La ville de lumière Paris – Paris the city of light.

Students from Armijo, Dixon, Vintage and Vacaville high schools took a trip through the infamous city of lights Saturday during Solano Community College’s ninth annual French Immersion Day.

The program, hosted by French professor Lorna Marlow-Muñoz, brings high school French students and teachers from all over the county together to share the language and learn more about French culture.

via High school students tour ‘Paris’ at Solano College.

Daily Republic: FSUSD SOAP fundraisers slated

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by Heather Ah San

FAIRFIELD — The student advisory board for Save Our Activities Programs is knee-deep in projects and fundraising and it isn’t even halfway through the school year.

Since taking over management in June, the students have kept busy brainstorming ideas to revitalize the nonprofit and keep Fairfield-Suisun School District activities afloat. The organization is also under the new leadership of the Matt Garcia Foundation.

The board is made up of Armijo High alumnus Dwight Lundy as well as students Brittany Chudzinski, Cristian Cobos, Leilani Reyes, Darius Levan and Eric Brimer.

via SOAP fundraisers slated.

Daily Republic: Fairfield children reach out to Haitian students

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by Heather Ah San

FAIRFIELD — Last year the Student Council at Rolling Hills Elementary read 1 million words – and then some.

This year, the children are helping young students who live in one of the most impoverished countries in the world.

When they’re not attending regular classes, a group of fifth- and sixth-graders at Rolling Hills are flexing their leaderships skills on the school’s Student Council. They’ve challenged themselves to read 1 million words, organized events for Red Ribbon Week, designed flyers for Pajama Day and serve as conflict resolution agents during the testy time of lunch period.

via Fairfield children reach out to Haitian students.

Vallejo Times-Herald: High school students from Vallejo to work election night polls

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

Dozens of Vallejo students will work the polls Tuesday — even if they won’t be old enough to vote.

“It’s pretty cool,” said Asa Slinker, a 17-year-old senior at Jesse Bethel High School.

This is the eighth year — and third presidential election — that Solano County has hired Bethel seniors as poll workers, government teacher Scott Heinecke said.

Nearly 50 Bethel students will help with the election process in Fairfield, Benicia and Vallejo. They are not volunteers, Heinecke stressed.

via High school students from Vallejo to work election night polls.

Benicia Herald: Decision tabled on 5th-grade sex ed class materials

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By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Benicia Unified School District trustees voted unanimously Thursday to postpone approval of materials for the fifth-grade Family Life Instruction course to give parents more time to view and comment on the set of three DVDs.

Dr. Karen Dubrule, district director of curriculum and instruction, said the DVDs for the sex education course were originally chosen because “it came to our attention that teachers weren’t satisfied with the curriculum.”

She said the district Curriculum Council looked into the matter, forming a subcommittee that researched available materials.

via Decision tabled on 5th-grade sex ed class materials.

Attendance Works: Hedy Chang: The Afterschool–Attendance Nexis

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by Hedy Chang

If we’re going to reduce chronic absence, we know we need to use every resource available to us. Among our best allies in this work are afterschool programs. Research shows again and again that school day attendance improves when students are engaged in the right kind of program after school, one that provides a connection to a caring adult, enriching activities and the academic support kids needs This came up again last week as we participated in a webinar and released an article we wrote, Building a Culture of Attendance: Schools and Afterschool Programs Together Can and Should Make a Difference!

The article explains why quality afterschool programs can have such a profound effect on student attendance:

via The Afterschool–Attendance Nexis.

TEDTalks (video): Faith Jegede: What I’ve learned from my autistic brothers

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Faith Jegede tells the moving and funny story of growing up with her two brothers, both autistic — and both extraordinary. In this talk from the TED Talent Search, she reminds us to pursue a life beyond what is normal.

Writer Faith Jegede draws on her experiences growing up with two autistic brothers in order to spread awareness and understanding about this increasingly common diagnosis. Full bio »

via TED: Faith Jegede: What I’ve learned from my autistic brothers – Faith Jegede (2012).

SacBee — Education: Poll finds Jerry Brown has a chance to pass Proposition 30

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By David Siders

Public support for Gov. Jerry Brown’s initiative to raise taxes remains below 50 percent, but the measure no longer appears to be on a downward trajectory, leaving Brown within striking distance one week before Election Day, according to a new Field Poll.

Likely voters favor the initiative 48 percent to 38 percent, with 14 percent undecided, according to the poll.

Voters surveyed late last week and early this week were marginally more likely to favor the initiative than those surveyed in previous days. Of voters who have already cast ballots, 54 percent voted for the initiative, the poll found.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/01/4953132/poll-finds-jerry-brown-has-a-chance.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

via Poll finds Jerry Brown has a chance to pass Proposition 30.

Dan Walters: California Democrats hope for surge of young voters

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There definitely has been a big surge in California voter registration in recent days – largely young and Democratic – fueled by the party’s pre-election drives and a new online registration system.

The secretary of state’s office will report final pre-election numbers today, but it already appears that registration could easily top 18 million potential voters, up sharply from 17.3 million in the 2008 presidential election and the 17.2 million counted in early September.

The question that political oddsmakers are asking is whether the registration surge will translate into a relatively high voter turnout, something like the 79.4 percent recorded in 2008.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/02/4956034/dan-walters-california-democrats.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/02/4956034/dan-walters-california-democrats.html#mi_rss=Dan%20Walters#storylink=cpy

via Dan Walters: California Democrats hope for surge of young voters.

EdSource Today: Student-centered teacher evaluations focus on learning goals

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By William Slotnik and Joan McRobbie

By now the consensus is clear: California needs a better, more systematic way of supporting and ensuring teacher effectiveness. Though the teacher evaluation bill, AB 5, collapsed again in August, there is wide agreement on the state’s responsibility to ensure that every student has an effective teacher. Moreover, good teachers welcome accountability and they want and need support. As the 2010 Accomplished California Teachers report noted, every teacher wants to know “How am I doing?” and “How can I do better?”

Efforts here in California to structure a workable evaluation system have run into the same sticking points bedeviling states across the country. The design challenge is to ensure both accountability and support as anchors of high-quality evaluation. What are the right components? Which policy decisions belong at the state level and which should be determined locally? Should student growth be part of teacher evaluation and, if so, how should that growth be measured?

via Student-centered teacher evaluations focus on learning goals – by William Slotnik and Joan McRobbie.

EdSource Today: Big districts divided over cutting school year if Prop. 30 fails

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By Kathryn Baron and John Fensterwald

California’s 30 largest school districts are about evenly divided on whether they plan to further shorten this academic year if Proposition 30 fails next week, according to a new survey by EdSource Today. A third of the districts have already negotiated with their unions to lop anywhere from a week to a month from the school calendar if the initiative is defeated. Slightly more than a third report that they do not plan any more furlough days, and the rest say that a shorter school year remains an option that they plan to raise with their unions.

Responses from the 30 largest school districts, enrolling a third of the state’s 6.2 million students (see chart below), represent a snapshot of how school officials and teachers unions will deal with the consequences if Prop. 30 is defeated. However, the picture remains fluid. Some districts shifted their positions during the two weeks that EdSource Today collected information, and others offered ambiguous answers, reflecting uncertainty over how they’ll respond to a sizable cut to their budgets.

via Big districts divided over cutting school year if Prop. 30 fails – by Kathryn Baron and John Fensterwald.

Daily Republic Letter: Measure Q: The right choice for Solano

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by Herman Rowland Sr.

Those who know me know that I’m a fiscally prudent, conservative business owner opposed to big government. It is precisely for those reasons that I’m supporting Yes on Q, which benefits Solano Community College.

Devastating budget cuts have a significant impact on Solano College’s ability to deliver high quality, affordable education to active military, veterans and students who need it. For our economy and business community to recover and be well positioned in today’s environment, we need a well-trained work force, and our Solano and Yolo County students must be prepared to compete for available jobs.

via Measure Q: The right choice for Solano.

Daily Republic Letter: Why Measure Q is worth your support

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Diane White
Professor of history
Academic Success Center coordinator
Solano Community CollegeAs a taxpayer, I am always wary of the long-term debt obligations that school districts issue in the form of bonds, but as an educator I understand that bonds have become one of the only ways available to districts to provide our schools with the new or updated facilities they need, as there are few, if any, funding alternatives.

Solano Community College is seeking support for Measure Q, a bond to finance the upgrading of facilities and technological resources, which the college needs in order to provide students with safe and accessible buildings that are suited to optimizing its teaching and learning environments.

via Why Measure Q is worth your support.

Daily Republic Letter: Elect McCullough to Solano College board

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Verneal Brumfield

Fairfield

Frances McCullough is a candidate with a vision for tomorrow. She is an educator first and serves her community with passion. She freely shares her knowledge and organizational skills in her classroom, and in numerous community activities. She uses her enthusiasm for education in many ways throughout the community, including supporting nonprofit organizations, which provide educational enrichment and tutorial programs, as well as important literacy projects such as the Solano County Library Foundation.

If elected, her considerable talents for civic enhancement and individual empowerment through education will be deployed in a particularly meaningful manner, enhancing our community college system.

via Elect McCullough to Solano College board.