Monthly Archives: June 2014

Benicia board members discuss budget – Vallejo Times Herald

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Times-Herald staff report Posted:

The Benicia School Board members discussed but did not make a decision on the proposed budget for the upcoming school year during Thursday night’s meeting.

Tim Rahill, chief business officer for the Benicia Unified School District, said the district will be operating on a more than $557,000 deficit in the 2014-2015 school year, which will be paid for by a portion of a one-time reserve that the district has accumulated.

If nothing changes for the next few years, that reserve will be eliminated in the 2016-2017 school year, Rahill said.

“There might be possible (financial) adjustments in (2016-2017), but we all know things changes all the time,” he said in his presentation. “We’ll keep an eye on it. … and (the board) will be

via Benicia board members discuss budget – Vallejo Times Herald.

Jesse Bethel Jaguars ‘roar’ during graduation – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

It took two failed drafts of a graduation speech for Principal Linda Kingston to realize how she wanted to address the Class of 2014 for the final time.

“All I really wanted to do at 10:30 last night was read you your last story from school,” said Kingston on Thursday as she pulled out a chair and proceeded to read the Jesse Bethel High School graduating class Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

The children’s classic — the last book Seuss published before his death — tells the story of a young person’s journey into the unknown, from reaching soaring heights to being isolated and alone. But in the end, the book guarantees success.

via Jesse Bethel Jaguars ‘roar’ during graduation – Vallejo Times Herald.

Vacaville Unified School District board mulls LCAP final working drafts – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Facing a deadline 17 days hence, Vacaville Unified leaders on Thursday were still questioning final working drafts of Local Control Accountability Plans for the district and several charter schools.

Once answers are clarified, district administrators, including Assistant Superintendent Danielle Storey, and charter school principals likely will submit their LCAP final drafts for approval at the governing board’s June 26 meeting.

Final LCAP documents — in addition to the district’s 2014-15 budget — must be adopted on or before July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, and submitted to the Solano County Office of Education for approval.

 

via Vacaville Unified School District board mulls LCAP final working drafts – The Reporter.

Teacher rides, runs to keep up with 32 kindergartners – Daily Republic

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By Paul Farmer

Laurie Fenech of Vacaville takes her job as a kindergarten teacher at Laurel Creek Elementary School seriously.

That includes doing competitive trail running and mountain biking – and the requisite training – in her off time to help her keep up with her 32 5- and 6-year-olds.

“Being an aging athlete has helped my career in many ways,” said the 57-year-old Fenech. “The athletic endurance has helped my stamina in a kindergarten classroom. Racing bikes for a team as a teammate has helped me share the importance to my students the value of working together.

via Teacher rides, runs to keep up with 32 kindergartners Daily Republic.

Police chief, school superintendent: We need parents as partners – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Officers have been preparing for an event “we hope we never have to face,” Fairfield Police Chief Walt Tibbet says.

The Police Department, working with the Fairfield-Suisun School District, updated its program to address an active threat at a school site. The plan will be formally introduced at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year through community meetings.

Tibbet and Kris Corey, superintendent of the Fairfield-Suisun School District, discuss in a video posted Thursday the role parents can play during such a crisis.

via Police chief, school superintendent: We need parents as partners Daily Republic.

Draft Fairfield-Suisun schools budget: Travel, conference costs to reach $1M – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Spending on travel and conferences by the Fairfield-Suisun School District is estimated to increase by 11 percent to $1 million, according to a draft budget.

The figure includes costs for employees, such as psychologists, to travel from school to school, as well as the expense for teachers and other staff to attend conferences in California and other states.

Laneia Grindle, director of fiscal services, did not immediately have available after the Thursday school board meeting what part of the $1 million pays for school-to-school travel by employees.

Trustee Pat Shamansky asked about the 11 percent increase during a review of the draft budget.

via Draft Fairfield-Suisun schools budget: Travel, conference costs to reach $1M Daily Republic.

$253,473 worth of textbooks win OK for Fairfield-Suisun schools – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Adoption of textbooks costing $253,473 won approval Thursday by Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees who were told a two-week delay could leave students without the books when schools reopen.

Sheila McCabe, director of secondary education for Fairfield-Suisun, said she didn’t know if a delay to the next school board meeting would allow publishers to get books to the school district in time.

English textbooks that meet Common Core standards and costing $229,889 for three high school grades are among the materials.

via $253,473 worth of textbooks win OK for Fairfield-Suisun schools Daily Republic.

Board to host pair of public hearings – Benicia Herald

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By Keri Luiz

Two public hearings will take place at Thursday’s meeting of the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees: one for the Local Control Accountability Plan and one for the 2014-15 budget.

The LCAP is used for measuring the progress of students. School districts must have an LCAP in place to receive state funds through Local Control Funding Formula LCCF funding.

The LCCF is the new way that the state of California funds school districts like BUSD. All restricted categorical funds are rolled into a base funding per student, plus a supplemental grant add-on for English learners, low-income students and foster youth.

For BUSD, the LCCF provides about $6,804 per student, with the funding based on attendance of students, not just enrollment.

The LCAP is part of the BUSD budget process and includes three sections: student outcomes; student and parent engagement; and conditions of learning.

via Board to host pair of public hearings.

John Finney High School graduates ‘first’ class – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

A year ago, they were many credits behind and attending Peoples High School.

But on Wednesday, 88 students held their head high and walked away with their diplomas as the first graduating class of John Finney High School.

Principal Ernani Santos acknowledged the immense changes that occurred at Vallejo’s continuation high school in the last year.

“These changes have included the renaming of our school, the school colors, the mascot and the school principal,” said Santos, who took over midyear from Edison Kelly, now a coordinator at the Vallejo City Unified School District office.

via John Finney High School graduates ‘first’ class – Vallejo Times Herald.

Last Vallejo High Apaches receive diplomas – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

An era ended Wednesday at Vallejo High School when the last senior took his diploma and became an alumnus, officially become the last Apache.

“We will give the Apache nation a standing ovation and a clap of love,” Principal Clarence Isadore said about the Native American tribe whose name was for decades used as the Vallejo High School mascot.

But last year, the Vallejo school board unanimously voted to retire the Apache after graduation, citing concerns that it is offensive and degrading to indigenous peoples. The new mascot, the Redhawks, was announced earlier this year.

via Last Vallejo High Apaches receive diplomas – Vallejo Times Herald.

Vacaville school board to discuss lunch fee hike – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The Vacaville School District governing board will look Thursday at a school lunch fee hike in order to meet requirements for the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

The provision requires districts “to ensure that federal reimbursements for students on free status do not exceed the combination of federal reimbursements and revenues received from other sources for students on paid status,” according to staff reports.

The district has two options to maintain compliance and to avoid a general fund contribution: An increase of 10 cents for elementary school lunches, despite a 25-cent jump in the 2012-13 school year, or an increase of 25 cents for middle school lunches and 50 cents for high school lunches. Lunch rates at these grades have not been raised for seven years.

via Vacaville school board to discuss lunch fee hike Daily Republic.

District seeks candidates for Travis school board post – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

People interested in filling the Travis school board seat left vacant by the resignation of Trustee Dawn Kirby can obtain applications at the district office or download them from the school district website.

Candidates must be at least 18, a registered California voter and live on Travis Air Force Base.

The district office is located at 2751 De Ronde Drive in Fairfield. The district website is travisusd.org.

All applications must be received in the superintendent’s office by 4:30 p.m. July 15. Interviews will occur during a special board meeting in mid-July. The meeting will be open to the public and the successful candidate will be appointed, take the oath of office and then participate as a board member.

via District seeks candidates for Travis school board post Daily Republic.

Public review for textbooks produces no input from public – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Eleven books. Eleven pages for public comment. Not a single word.

Textbooks, including English language arts books that meet Common Core State Standards and costing $229,889 for three high school grades, have been on display since May 22 for public review at the school district office but brought no visitors, according to the Fairfield-Suisun School District.

Trustees take up adoption of the $253,473 worth of textbooks at their meeting Thursday.

Dave Gaut, who serves on the seven-member board of trustees, said it’s hard to know why people don’t take an interest in the opportunity at the Instructional Media Center.

via Public review for textbooks produces no input from public Daily Republic.

Vanden decathletes share how program changes lives – Daily Republic

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By Mayrene Bates

The best part of being a school board trustee is visiting as many schools and programs as possible throughout the year.

Long before I became a school board trustee, I followed the Vanden High School Academic Decathlon team and their outstanding coach, David Kenyon. Vanden has been a top decathlon winner for approximately 13 years. Academic Decathlon programs in Solano County, in contrast to some of the award-winning ones out of Southern California, run on very limited budgets. It’s probably why not all of our high schools participate in the program.

It’s really a year-round endeavor, as Kenyon and the Vanden team well know, if you expect to be competitive with other counties throughout the state. The regional competition for our area occurs in late January in Fairfield, and the state competition in March in Sacramento. I know for sure that Kenyon has already planned some summer study sessions.

via Vanden decathletes share how program changes lives Daily Republic.

LCAPs, 2014-15 budget on VUSD agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Four Local Control Accountability Plans, including several for charter schools, and the proposed 2014-15 district budget are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified trustees meet in open session tonight in Vacaville.

Trustees will hold public hearings on LCAPs for VUSD, ACE Charter, Buckingham Charter, and Fairmont Charter.

A key component of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, LCAPs, as they are called for short, lay out in detail what educators, governing boards and teachers must do to educate students and how they are going to measure results.

Months in the making, the LCAPs required community stakeholder meetings and give more power to school site leaders as they seek to focus on student achievement for all and narrow the so-called “achievement gap,” the difference in standardized test outcomes between various ethnic groups.

via LCAPs, 2014-15 budget on VUSD agenda – The Reporter.

Fewer Districts in Financial Jeopardy – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)

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SACRAMENTO—A new report shows that the number of California school districts in financial jeopardy has been slashed by more than two-thirds over the past year, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced.

This year’s Second Interim Status Report, FY 2013-14 shows a total of 30 local educational agencies (LEAs) are either in negative or qualified financial status. This is down significantly from the last report—in March 2014—that showed 49 LEAs with this status. This is also down even more significantly from the same report a year ago. In the Second Interim Status report of 2013, there were 92 LEAs in financial jeopardy. See Table 1.

“A combination of factors over the past few years has given schools the tools they need to take control of their own future again,” Torlakson said. “Although we won’t be finished until every school is on stable ground, this is welcome news that school funding is moving in the right direction.”

Twice a year, the California Department of Education receives Notice of Interim Certifications on the financial status of the state’s 1,038 LEAs, comprising school districts, county offices of education, and joint powers agencies. The certifications are classified as positive, qualified, or negative.

via Fewer Districts in Financial Jeopardy – Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education).

Teacher Protections Violate Student Rights, Calif. Judge Finds – Education Week

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By Stephen Sawchuk

California’s laws governing teacher tenure and dismissal unfairly saddle disadvantaged and minority students with weak teachers, infringing on those students’ right under the state constitution to an equitable education, a state superior court judge ruled June 10.

The tentative ruling in the high-profile case strikes down the laws in question. It will be finalized within 30 days, and spells what appears to be a complete victory for the plaintiffs, nine California students and their families.

The landmark decision in Vergara v. California says the state’s constitutional guarantee includes having equal access to quality teaching—a step beyond the right to sufficient instructional time and money that rulings in previous equity suits have established.

 

 

via Teacher Protections Violate Student Rights, Calif. Judge Finds – Education Week.

Vallejos MIT Academy picks future engineer, teacher as valedictorian – Vallejo Times Herald

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By Lanz Christian Bañes

Give graduating senior Alexandra Estigoy Daniels a few years, and she’ll be right back in a high school classroom.

“I kind of want to be a teacher while I’m getting my engineering degree,” said the Mare Island Technology Academy valedictorian, who will graduate on Thursday.

Daniels will head to the University of California, Berkeley, this fall, where she will be an engineering, mathematics and statistics major.

While earning her degree, the 17-year-old is considering enrolling in CalTeach, a Berkeley program that places engineering and math students in schools as teachers.

via Vallejos MIT Academy picks future engineer, teacher as valedictorian – Vallejo Times Herald.

Program collects needed school items for homeless students – The Reporter

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Vacaville Reporter Posted:

In the course of the past school year, Solano County schools have identified more than 1,400 homeless students in the community, according to Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, chief executive officer of Travis Credit Union.

“Due to the loss of housing and financial problems, these young people may be living on the streets, in shelters, or staying temporarily with family or friends,” she said.

To assist the homeless youth of Solano County, Travis Credit Union has partnered with the Solano County Office of Education, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, and Educational Partnership of Solano in support of the regional Stuff the Bus Campaign. Donations will help stuff the bus with school supplies to benefit Solano County’s homeless children as they prepare for the coming school year.

via Program collects needed school items for homeless students – The Reporter.

Superintendent contracts, budget, LCAP on Travis Unified agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

One-year contract extensions for the top district leaders, the 2014-15 budget and the final draft of the Local Control Accountability Plan, or LCAP, are on the agenda when the Travis Unified governing board meets tonight in Fairfield.

Trustees are expected to approve contract extensions for Superintendent Kate Wren Gavlak and Assistant Superintendent Jim Bryan.

The board also likely will sign off on a projected 2014-15 budget, with revenues expected to be $44.3 million, expenses $44.2 million, with $1.4 million in prudent reserves.

After months of discussion and working drafts, the district’s final draft of a first-ever LCAP likely will meet approval. Part of Gov. Jerry Brown’s Local Control Funding Formula, LCAPs detail what educators, governing boards, and teachers must do to educate students and how they are going to measure results.

via Superintendent contracts, budget, LCAP on Travis Unified agenda – The Reporter.