Monthly Archives: May 2013

EdSource Today: It’s time to fix school discipline practices and policies

Posted on by

By 

All students can learn. That’s a simple but profound starting place for talking about changing school discipline policies. As a former teacher in New Orleans public schools, I am well aware of the difficulty of teaching students who have varying backgrounds, abilities and learning styles in an ever-changing school system, inundated with countless internal and external pressures.

However, research has shown that students are frequently suspended on grounds such as “willful defiance” for behavior that is often related to having a disability, being culturally different from teachers or administrators, or because they are still learning how to respect themselves and others.

via It’s time to fix school discipline practices and policies – by Sarah Omojola / commentary.

Education Week: Revised Psychiatric Disorders ‘Bible’ Changes Disability Definitions

Posted on by

by Christina Samuels

The long-awaited fifth revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, known as the DSM-5, was released last weekend by the American Psychiatric Assocation with several revisions that affect conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that are common in school contexts.

The manual was last published in 1994 and updated in 2000. Many of these changes reflected in the DSM-5 have been the subject of widespread debate for several months. The diagnostic criteria also have potential to affect schools, though the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has its own definitions of disabilities covered under special education law.

via Revised Psychiatric Disorders ‘Bible’ Changes Disability Definitions.

Daily Republic: FSUSD Assistant superintendents’ contracts up for vote

Posted on by

by Danny Bernardini

FAIRFIELD — Two district administrators will likely get contract extensions and another vacant position may get filled at Thursday’s school board meeting.

The Fairfield-Suisun School District is set to extend the contracts of Assistant Superintendents Kelly Morgan and Marylou Wilson, said board President Perry Polk. The one-year extension was first discussed by the board at the May 9 meeting and are scheduled for a vote to confirm the moves.

via Assistant superintendents’ contracts up for vote.

Attendance Works: New Toolkit: Parent Engagement and Attendance

Posted on by

by Hedy Chang

Parent and family engagement is a crucial to any effective, comprehensive approach to reducing chronic absence. Parents, especially in the early grades, play a key role in making sure their children get to school on time every day. But too many parents don’t realize how quickly absences — excused and unexcused — translate into academic trouble. “Even though I went to college, I didn’t know that missing 18 days or just two days a month—even in kindergarten—could put my son behind academically,” explained one California parent, Olga Nunez.

via New Toolkit: Parent Engagement and Attendance.

EdSource Today: Teacher layoffs lowest since economic downturn, CTA reports

Posted on by

by Jane Meredith Adams

Teacher layoffs shrank to the lowest number since the recession began in 2008, with about 1,300 teachers, librarians, counselors and other public school employees receiving final layoff notifications by the May 15 deadline, according to the California Teachers Association.

The 1,300 notices amounted to less than half of the 3,000 preliminary “pink slip” layoff notifications that school districts sent on March 15, the state deadline to inform teachers they might be laid off. In March 2012, some 20,000 teachers and school employees received preliminary layoff notices and about 8,000 faced final layoff notices, according to the Association, which tracks the numbers. Typically, most of the laid-off personnel are rehired, but the rehiring may not occur until August.

via Teacher layoffs lowest since economic downturn, CTA reports – by Jane Meredith Adams.

SacBee: Gov. Brown’s school funding plan runs into lawmakers’ concerns

Posted on by

By David Siders and Phillip Reese

Gov. Jerry Brown had hardly finished presenting his annual budget revision last week before state Sen. Ted Lieu lit up on Twitter with a burst of criticism of a major part of the plan, a bid to shift more state aid to poor and English-learning students.

“Instead of working together to help all kids,” said Lieu, D-Torrance, Brown’s funding formula “pits teacher against teacher, community against community, parent against parent.”

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/19/5431408/gov-browns-school-funding-plan.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

via Gov. Brown’s school funding plan runs into lawmakers’ concerns.

SacBee: California oil tax push would direct new funds to schools

Posted on by

By Jeremy B. White

Just months after California voters passed Proposition 30 to stave off education cuts, a push is under way to ensure that the next stream of higher education funding flows out of the ground.

The idea of an oil severance tax has been bubbling for years, but proponents have been unable to surmount intense lobbying from the energy industry.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/20/5432778/california-oil-tax-push-would.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy

via California oil tax push would direct new funds to schools.

The Reporter: Vacaville school aide prime example of classified employees worthy of honor

Posted on by

/ By Richard Bammer RBammer@TheReporter.com

School district superintendents, principals and teachers are the ones who typically make news accounts on an education beat.

But classified, or school support, employees are equally keen on making sure students succeed and thrive in and out of class and later in life.

Their ranks fill myriad jobs, from teachers’ aides and bus drivers to cooks and library techs to secretaries and mechanics, to name several. Without them, daily operations in local schools would be severely hampered, if not come to a quick halt.

via Vacaville school aide prime example of classified employees worthy ….

The Reporter: Biz Kid$ program aims to have teens be work-ready

Posted on by

By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

Dylan Nute of Vacaville may not fully realize it, but he is getting closer to entering the adult work world — in about half the number of his 13 years on earth.

Through Biz Kid$, however, a national financial literacy program supported by Travis Credit Union, the Vaca Peña Middle School eighth-grader has gained some considerable practical know-how, from business vocabulary and how to make and manage money to entrepreneurial skills and financial planning.

via Biz Kid$ program aims to have teens be work-ready.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo schools champion at-risk youth

Posted on by

By Lanz Christian Bañes Times-Herald staff writer/

The current education system has failed the country’s most at-risk youth — and it’s time for a change.

That was the central thrust Friday of the Vallejo City Unified School District’s day-long summit discussing the challenges of working with “crossover youth,” or young people involved in the child welfare system and end up “crossing over” into the juvenile justice system.

“We cannot wait for things to calm down because they never will calm down,” said Matt Cervantes, a senior program officer with the Sierra Health Foundation.

via Vallejo schools champion at-risk youth.

The Reporter: Solano Community College renews summer classes, thanks to voters

Posted on by

Pinched by lean budgets, Solano Community College ended summer classes last year, but the November passage of Proposition 30 allows community colleges across California to expand their summer offerings this year.

Approval of the measure — which raised state sales taxes by a quarter-cent for four years and income taxes on those earning more than $250,000 for seven years — passage translates into the community college system being able to serve about 20,000 additional students this year, said SCC President Jowel Laguerre.

via Solano Community College renews summer classes, thanks to voters.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Vallejo-area teachers honored at local church event

Posted on by

By Irma Widjojo Times-Herald staff writer/

Student members of a local church celebrated about a dozen of their instructors Saturday at a Teachers Appreciation Day event.

“I was so honored (to receive the invitation),” Lisa Harvey said of the event at the Church of Christ Iglesia Ni Cristo on Ryder Street in South Vallejo. “Teachers don’t get a lot of recognition, so this is very nice.”

Harvey teaches art at Jesse Bethel High School, and was invited by her student, Luwie Villapana, an 11th grader.

via Vallejo-area teachers honored at local church event.

Vallejo Times-Herald: Jesse Bethel High School senior’s art to hang in the US Capitol

Posted on by

Jesse Bethel High School senior Benjamin Yu is the winner of the 2013 Congressional Art Competition, so he and his artwork are going to Washington, Rep. Mike Thompson’s office announced Friday.

Thompson represents all or part of Solano, Napa, Contra Costa, Lake and Sonoma counties.

Benjamin’s artwork, titled “Monotony,” will represent California’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. Capitol, where it will be displayed for a year starting June 4.

via Jesse Bethel High School senior’s art to hang in the US Capitol.

Daily Republic: Vaca Pena eighth-graders tackle adult finances

Posted on by

by Barry Eberling

VACAVILLE — Vaca Peña Middle School eighth-grader Sierra Mauser did some careful thinking about such issues as careers and finances during a five-day simulation.

She was assigned the job of a jeweler who made $2,000 a month and had no college education. Mauser didn’t find the financial results satisfactory.

via Vaca Pena eighth-graders tackle adult finances.

Daily Republic Editorial: Solano College eyes safety changes

Posted on by

Solano Community College has a law enforcement problem, one the governing board needs to resolve quickly.

This is not a new problem. Jowel Laguerre, the college’s superintendent and president, talks of discussions that date back to 2008 when the notion of contracting for police services was floated as a way to cut costs associated with policing the district’s campuses in Fairfield, Vacaville and Vallejo.

via Solano College eyes safety changes.

Daily Republic: Jowel C. Laguerre: Solano College honors taxpayers’ commitment

Posted on by

The November victory of Measure Q stunned a few observers who doubted it would pass.

What we came to realize was that the taxpayers of Winters, Dixon, Vacaville, Fairfield, Suisun City, Benicia and Vallejo enthusiastically want Solano Community College to excel further in its academic and vocational programs, as well as in the infrastructure that are the means to those ends.

Recently, however, a few columns and letters to the editors have taken some blasts at the college, alleging misuse of Measure Q funds.

via Solano College honors taxpayers’ commitment.

Daily Republic: Assist-A-Grad recipients honored for hard work

Posted on by

by Heather Ah San

FAIRFIELD — The heat and humidity inside the Fairfield Community Center Sunday couldn’t keep hundreds of proud parents, friends and family from watching their beloved high school seniors be honored at the 44th annual Assist-A-Grad Scholarship ceremony.

Some of the best and brightest high school seniors were awarded up to three scholarships by sponsors through the Assist-A-Grad Scholarship Foundation.

via Assist-A-Grad recipients honored for hard work.

Daily Republic: More than 160 schools part of No Excuses University

Posted on by

by Amy Maginnis-Honey

SUISUN CITY — No Excuses University was started in 2004 by Damen Lopez. Two years later, he began TurnAround Schools, which offers training to schools who want to become part of No Excuses University.

Lopez believes in two principles:

  • Every child has the right to be prepared to attend college.
  • It is the responsibility of adults in the school to develop exceptional systems that make that dream a reality.

via More than 160 schools part of No Excuses University.

Daily Republic: Crystal Middle School enrolled in No Excuses University

Posted on by

by Amy Maginnis-Honey

SUISUN CITY — A look of concern appeared on Bryan Hernandez’s face. The 12-year-old, along with the other students in a sixth-grade English class at Crystal Middle School, were researching colleges.

While Stanford University is his first choice for higher education, University of California, Davis, is second. Bryan read that he needed a 4.03 grade point average to attend UC Davis.  He carries a 3.8 GPA, having earned a B in that very English class.

via Crystal Middle School enrolled in No Excuses University.

Benicia Herald: BUSD CBO: May Revise doesn’t brighten district funding prospects

Posted on by

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

 

Chief Business Official Tim Rahill on Thursday outlined a preview of Gov. Jerry Brown’s May Budget Revise and what it may mean for Benicia Unified School District.

 

Speaking to district trustees, Rahill said, “We’ve got some some information on how that will impact schools, and we’ll find out many more details on Monday when we go to Sacramento for the State budget workshop.”

As far as ongoing funding, he said, the outlook for the financial impact on the district hasn’t changed much.

via CBO: May Revise doesn’t brighten district funding prospects.