Monthly Archives: December 2014

Schools work to improve vision health | EdSource

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By Jane Meredith Adams

It was a good week for the 90 students at Merritt Trace Elementary School in San Jose who climbed into a mobile eye exam van and emerged with the promise of a free pair of eyeglasses. But for thousands of students across the state who need glasses but don’t have them, it was another blurry week of not seeing the blackboard or the letters in a book.

Effective Jan. 1, two new state laws will clarify and expand the protocol for mandatory vision screening of students, but they don’t address the crux of a major children’s health conundrum: ensuring that students who fail the vision test actually get eyeglasses.

As many as 1 in 4 students in kindergarten through 12th grade has a vision problem, according to the American Public Health Association, but in some California schools, the majority of students in need of glasses don’t receive them, researchers said. In a 2011 study of 11,000 low-income 1st-graders in Southern California, published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 95 percent of students who needed eyeglasses didn’t have them, one year after their mandatory kindergarten vision screening.

via Schools work to improve vision health | EdSource.

High school comes together for holiday toy drive – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Fairfield police officer Joseph Holecek’s office at Rodriguez High School.

It was also rather festive behind receptionist Ginger Lubbers’ desk – with more donated toys waiting to head to Holecek’s office.

The high school’s annual holiday drive is in full swing with aims of beating last year’s toy count of 519. The recent count was at 200, which doubled in just a week.

Freshman Natalie Linan, 15, dropped the first toy in the box this year – a Disney Cars/Planes character project kit. She dropped off the gift the day after she heard the announcement over the school’s loudspeaker.

via High school comes together for holiday toy drive Daily Republic.

Wilson cancels recount request – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

Hazel Wilson confirmed Thursday afternoon that she has officially cancelled her request that the Solano County Registrar of Voters begin a recount of vote-by-mail ballots cast during the recent school board election.Wilson placed fifth out of eight candidates with a total of 6,534 votes in the Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education race — leaving the incumbent two votes behind fourth place finisher Ruscal Cayangyang, according to official election results posted on the county website.

Interest around which candidate places fourth place has swirled in recent weeks, as Richard Porter, who finished second in voting, confirmed that he would not accept the board seat.

via Wilson cancels recount request.

Vallejo school board rejects charter school petition – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

The Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education rejected a charter petition Wednesday night for the establishment of the Rise Charter School within the district.

According to the petition, presented by Deb Reeves-Gutierrez, Ron Calloway and Ricky Gutierrez, the group sought to establish a charter school in Vallejo based on a connection between fitness/athletics and academics.

“The petition was analyzed by a number of different departments in the district,” said the district’s chief academic officer, Cheri Summers. “We looked at the petition from a number of different angles and this analysis we conducted was not based on our opinion. Whether we liked it or not, it was based on the education code.”

via Vallejo school board rejects charter school petition.

School district seeks members for ‘climate’ committees – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The Fairfield-Suisun School District is starting what it calls a school climate committee in order to evaluate student/family support to address suspensions and expulsions and to find out how the district can better meet the needs of students while ensuring a “safe, welcoming, supportive learning environment.”

The district’s Student Services Department will have six committee meetings, initially meeting as one large group and then splitting into smaller groups based on elementary, middle and high school levels. Each group will consist of a chairman and six or seven of the following representatives: site level administrator, teacher, attendance liaison, parent, student, community member and classified staff.

via School district seeks members for ‘climate’ committees Daily Republic.

Adult schools need dedicated funding | EdSource

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By Kristen Pursley

In his 2013 budget, Gov. Jerry Brown included a provision to safeguard existing adult schools from further cuts and closures. The “maintenance of effort” clause mandated that school districts maintain their current level of funding for adult education for two years, during the formation of regional consortia, as outlined by Assembly Bill 86.

The maintenance of effort expires at the end of the current school year. Adult schools and community colleges are currently engaged in a regional planning process to create consortia between adult schools and community colleges, with the regions defined by community college districts. Brown has indicated that he intends to provide money for adult education through the regional consortia, although he has not yet spelled out how to do so.

via Adult schools need dedicated funding | EdSource.

State rethinks how to report test scores | EdSource

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By John Fensterwald

California policymakers say they intend to create a different system for reporting results of the upcoming tests on the Common Core standards than parents and schools have become used to in the era of the No Child Left Behind Act.

At this point, they can’t say what it will look like. The reporting system is one of several moving parts that include recalibrating the Academic Performance Index, the current measure of school improvement, of which the results on the Common Core standards would be a big piece. But state leaders can say what the new system won’t be: anything resembling the federal system for measuring schools, which led to most being judged failures.

“States can report however we want and can include anything that we want,” said Michael Kirst, president of the State Board of Education, which is immersed in creating a new accountability system for districts and schools.

via State rethinks how to report test scores | EdSource.

Parols teach a lesson of culture, teamwork at Bethel High School – Times Herald

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By Dianne de Guzman

The star-shaped lanterns at the theater in Jesse Bethel High School were made of every color imaginable, put together with bits of glue, tissue paper, tinsel, wrapping paper — anything the students of Lucy Marte’s Filipino 1 language classes could get their hands on. It was time yet again for the school’s annual Parol Festival and Competition.

Parols are a Christmas tradition in the Philippines; they are star-shaped lanterns meant to symbolize the star of Bethlehem that led the three wise men to the manger where Jesus was born.

Here in Vallejo, the lanterns were part of that larger tradition of the Philippines, but also served as a teaching point for culture, cooperation among students and a symbol of school community.

via Parols teach a lesson of culture, teamwork at Bethel High School.

College trustees OK proposed annex addition design – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

A joint building project between the Solano County Office of Education and Solano Community College got a nudge forward Wednesday after college trustees heard an architectural presentation from the representatives of the architectural firm that’s designing a proposed annex addition at the Vacaville Center.

The addition would house three classrooms for transitional students, such as those in the autism spectrum, ready to learn life skills and those already affiliated with Solano County Office of Education programs.

The annex is located across the street from the new Vacaville Center building.

via College trustees OK proposed annex addition design Daily Republic.

Rachel’s Challenge comes to Anna Kyle – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

A program born out of the Columbine High School killings more than a decade ago brought a message of inclusiveness Wednesday to children and parents in Fairfield.

Rachel’s Challenge is a series of programs and strategies designed to empower children and motivate educators, according to the organization’s website. The purpose of the programs is to equip children and adults to create and sustain safe, caring and supportive learning environments that are essential for academic achievement.

The programs are based on the writings and life of 17-year-old Rachel Scott, who was the first student killed in 1999 at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

via Rachel’s Challenge comes to Anna Kyle Daily Republic.

Hazel Wilson mulls over recount challenge in Vallejo election

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By John Glidden

A Solano County official confirmed Tuesday that Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education incumbent Hazel Wilson has requested a recount of the board of education November election results.

John Gardner, assistant registrar of voters, said that he met with Wilson and her campaign team Tuesday about the exact cost the campaign would have to bear regarding a recount.

“The first day of a recount is the most expensive, as it deals with prep work,” Gardner said by phone. “So the first day will cost around $9,000 and each subsequent day is $2,848.”

Gardner said that the Wilson campaign requested a day to mull over whether it wished to continue its request and pay for a recount. He also said that should Wilson prevail in a recount and end up in fourth place, her campaign would then be reimbursed for all the costs incurred for the recount process.

via Hazel Wilson mulls over recount challenge in Vallejo election.

House to Vote on Short-Lived Education Tax Breaks – Education Week

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By Lauren Camera

By the end of this week, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to pass a bill as early as Wednesday that would restore a slate of expired tax breaks, including three education-related measures.

This is precisely the sort of bizarre and wonky thing that Congress is known for doing: The tax breaks it would like to retroactively reinstate initially expired Jan. 1 of this year. The proposal would extend those tax breaks only through the end of this year, meaning they would once again expire at the end of December.

The move comes after President Barack Obama threatened to veto a tax deal that Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Rep. David Camp, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, were brokering. That developing proposal would have extended some tax breaks indefinitely, among other things.

via House to Vote on Short-Lived Education Tax Breaks – Politics K-12 – Education Week.

Should Teaching “Soft” Skills Be A Priority? – Education Next

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By Guest Blogger Alejandro J. Ganimian

As someone who analyzes data on student achievement in Latin America for a living, I have always been skeptical of calls for schools to teach so-called “non-cognitive” skills. Learning outcomes in the region are abysmally low. Two thirds of 15-year-olds in Argentina perform at the lowest levels of international assessments of math. Low-income students in Chile lag behind their wealthy peers by more than two grades. Even Brazil, the country that has made the most progress over the past decade, is projected to take at least 27 years to reach the average math performance of developed nations.

Why would a region that allows young people to graduate from high school without basic arithmetic and reading comprehension skills set out to do more? And why would we think that it could? Sure, it would be nice if, in going about their daily business, schools instilled skills like perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control. But should they make it a priority? If resources are scarce, and if more time invested in something means less time invested in something else, asking schools to teach character may not only be hopeless, but also harmful.

via Should Teaching “Soft” Skills Be A Priority? – Education Next : Education Next.

Solano College in running for 4-year degree program – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

Solano Community College is joining 35 other California community college districts that are vying for 15 slots in a pilot program that will allow selected colleges to offer a single four-year degree.

A bachelor’s degree in engineering technology was chosen, in part, because of the college’s current emphasis on math, science and technology, said Jowel Laguerre, the college’s president/superintendent.

Lack of access for students to some bachelor’s programs is what prompted the college to apply for the pilot program, Laguerre said.

“We feel it then becomes our responsibility to provide the opportunity for them,” he said. “In Solano County we need greater access to bachelor’s degrees. Having one here makes perfect sense.”

via Solano College in running for 4-year degree program Daily Republic.

Obama Order May Result in More Training for School Police Who Get Military Gear – Education Week

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By Evie Blad

President Barack Obama is poised to require federal officials to develop additional oversight and required training for local police departments, including school police departments, that receive surplus military supplies from the Pentagon and other federal agencies.

A White House review of programs that provide equipment to local agencies released Monday details a patchwork of inconsistent regulations.Obama has directed staff to prepare an order “directing relevant agencies to work together and with law enforcement and civil rights and civil liberties organizations to develop specific recommendations” about issues like training, oversight, and approval of acquisitions requests in the next 120 days, the White House said in a news release.

via Obama Order May Result in More Training for School Police Who Get Military Gear – Rules for Engagement – Education Week.

Study: Harmful Weight-Loss Behavior More Common in Teens With Disabilities – Education – Education Week

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By Christina Samuels

A study examining weight and physical activity in adolescents found that teenagers with disabilities are more likely than their typically developing peers to be obese, and also more likely to engage in harmful activities intended to drop that weight, such as using laxatives and vomiting, taking diet pills, or fasting.

The findings were presented at the Nov. 17 meeting of the American Public Health Association. The lead researcher was Mia Papas, an assistant professor of behavioral health and nutrition at the University of Delaware in Newark.

To draw her conclusions, Papas examined questionnaires that were given to nearly 10,000 adolescents in Delaware, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Rhode Island as part of the 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The survey, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, asks students about a variety of risk behaviors.

via Study: Harmful Weight-Loss Behavior More Common in Teens With Disabilities – On Special Education – Education Week.

Poll shows support for high-quality preschool | EdSource

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By Lisa Fine

A vast majority of California registered voters believe attending a high-quality preschool is important to a student’s future success in school, according to a Field Poll conducted in partnership with EdSource.

Of the 1,010 registered voters surveyed, 61 percent consider a high-quality preschool experience “very important” to a student’s later success and 22 percent said it is “somewhat important.”

“What these findings show is a clear recognition of the critical importance of high-quality education in the lives of children, and to their future success,” said Deborah Kong, president of Early Edge, a preschool advocacy group in California. “With 83% of the public believing that a quality early experience is critical, there can be no mistake that this is a core public value.”

via Poll shows support for high-quality preschool | EdSource.

Vallejo school board will review provisional appointment process to fill Porter’s seat – Vallejo Times Herald

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By John Glidden

The Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education will hear information at its regular meeting Wednesday about the provisional appointment process to fill a vacancy on the board.

Under her report, VCUSD Superintendent Ramona Bishop will present options on how to fill an empty seat on the board, which was vacated by trustee-elect Richard Porter.

Porter — who filed candidacy papers in August to seek election to the VCUSD Board of Education in November — suspended his campaign in early September so he could teach math and science at the Mare Island Health & Fitness Academy.

via Vallejo school board will review provisional appointment process to fill Porter’s seat – Vallejo Times Herald.

New Vacaville USD special education director likes ‘challenges’ – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

After nearly 40 years in education — all but one in special education — Kerri Mills said the most satisfying aspect of her work is resolving difficult problems.

“I really like challenges,” she said during an interview at her office in Vacaville Unified’s Educational Services Center.

Named the district’s new special education director in mid-September, Mills characterized her skills as “pretty good” when reaching for desirable outcomes to complex situations involving special education students and their parents, guardians or advocates.

via New Vacaville Unified School District special education director likes ‘challenges’ – The Reporter.