Monthly Archives: February 2016

Fairfield-Suisun district considers June 7 school bond vote – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

A resolution ordering a multimillion-dollar school bond election June 7 goes before Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees Thursday.

The bond, if passed by voters, would cost property owners no more than $60 a year per $100,000 of assessed valuation, a school district staff report said. The total amount of bonds to be sold is not yet determined.

A survey of 400 likely voters in the school district found strong support for the Fairfield-Suisun district and for a bond to pay for building projects, trustees were told in October.

via Fairfield-Suisun district considers June 7 school bond vote.

Travel up for approval by Fairfield-Suisun schools – Daily Republic

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Trips to Texas, Oregon and South Carolina go before Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees when they meet Thursday.

Three Armijo High School teachers plan to attend International Baccalaureate professional development training. The training is occur Feb. 20-22 in Charleston, South Carolina, and from Feb. 28 to March 1 in Houston.

Total cost is $6,000.

This is mandatory professional development required by the baccalaureate program, a school district staff report said. The program is for motivated students who are encouraged to attempt a demanding curriculum.

via Texas, South Carolina, Oregon travel up for approval by Fairfield-Suisun schools.

Vallejo school board receives presentation on cement facility – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

The debate about a proposed cement facility shifted to the Vallejo school board Wednesday night as trustees gained more information about the project and how it might affect a nearby school.

According to a district staff report, the board asked for information about the proposed facility and what might happen to students who attend Grace Patterson Elementary School, which is located near the site.

City Hall is currently vetting a project, which has yet to come before the Vallejo City Council for consideration.Under the combined project, the Vallejo Marine Terminal (VMT) project would reestablish industrial uses on the site through the removal of a deteriorated timber wharf and construction of a modern deep-water terminal, while the Orcem component involves construction and operation of an industrial facility producing cement.

via Vallejo school board receives presentation on cement facility.

Soroptimists offering scholarships for young women – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Soroptimist International of Vacaville, a women’s service organization, is taking applications for scholarships for young women enrolled in a college or university.

Applicants must be graduates of a Vacaville Unified School District high school or a resident at the time of high school graduation.

Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $3,000, and there are several eligibility criteria: 1) Applicants must be currently enrolled as a college freshman or above; 2) Must be enrolled at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university; 3) Must be working toward a four-year degree, or have been accepted or are currently enrolled in graduate studies; and 4) Must have a college GPA of 3.0 or above.

via Soroptimists offering scholarships for young women.

Fairfield train station, Peabody Road work on track, city says – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Rain isn’t slowing progress on the Fairfield-Vacaville Train Station, the city says of the largest public works project in its history.

The station and Peabody Road overpass work are on track and on time, with Peabody Road expected to reopen in August by the start of the 2016-17 school year, the city said in a statement posted Thursday on Fairfield’s website.

Public Works Director George Hicks said in an interview that Capitol Corridor train officials want to make sure the train station has parking to meet growing ridership on the Capitol Corridor.

via Fairfield train station, Peabody Road work on track, city says.

Cleo Gordon community raises money for family of 5-year-old -and-run victim – Daily Republic

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By Ian Thompson

The Cleo Gordon Elementary School community has set up a Go Fund Me page to help out the family of one of the school’s kindergartners who was badly injured in a Monday hit-and-run incident.

The page had raised $545 as of Thursday night in its campaign to collect $5,000 to help the little girl’s family with medical, travel and other expenses.

The girl, who has not been named, was described as a kinder scholar who “is known for her loving smile and free spirit,” according to the Go Fund Me appeal.

via Cleo Gordon community raises money for family of 5-year-old -and-run victim.

Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students – Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the federal government has granted California flexibility on rules regarding Supplemental Educational Services (SES) for the 2016–17 school year, the last year those rules would have been in effect.

SES funds are used to provide tutoring or other academic instruction outside the regular school day for academically deficient students at certain Title I schools, which have high numbers and high percentages of low-income students. Programs are often away from school grounds and require travel.

The decision, contained in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education last week, allows California school districts to have the flexibility to make their own decisions about how to spend an estimated $233 million in SES and transportation funds for public school choice. The estimate is based on the amount of funding allocated by California districts this year: $222 million for SES and $11 million for transportation.

via Flexibility in Spending $233 Million for Students – Year 2016 (CA Dept of Education).

Take It To Go: Is Your Students’ Data Portable? – The Edublogger

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By Ronnie Burt

We’ve all been there before.

After investing time, money, and energy into a new web service, it suddenly closes its doors or goes from free to paid only. Or maybe your school will no longer be paying for the subscription.

Your options vary when this happens, and it all depends on how ‘export friendly‘ the tool or app is.

We feel strongly that student work should always be completed on a platform that allows the student to archive their work or take it with them. So, we reviewed many of the most popular services currently being used by students to publish to the web to see just how open and portable they really are.

via Take It To Go: Is Your Students’ Data Portable? – The Edublogger.

Special Ed students, faculty present hand-made blankets to Vallejo Fire Dept. – Times Herald

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By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

Students and faculty members of Vallejo’s Everest Academy learned Wednesday that you don’t need to be wrapped in a blanket to feel warm and cozy — making and giving blankets away can do that for you, too.

The 5-year-old Everest Academy is a Vallejo City Unified School District special education program, whose school site on Corcoran Avenue, is walking distance to Vallejo Fire Department Station 25.

Three of the small class’ five students, along with the teacher, para-educator and principal, walked to the station on Wednesday morning, to present about a half-dozen fleece blankets the students made in their spare time over the last month or so, principal Eileen Abreu said.

via Special Ed students, faculty present hand-made blankets to Vallejo Fire Dept..

Vacaville Unified leaders to discuss state budget, possible re-naming of Sierra Vista School – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

An update on Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2016-17 budget, discussion of proposed revisions to board policies that govern the naming or re-naming of district facilities, and the possible re-naming of Sierra Vista School are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet tonight in Vacaville.

Sandra Lepley, the interim chief business official, will update the seven-member board on the governor’s proposed $122.6 billion 2016-17 budget and how the numbers may affect the district and the budget trustees will adopt on or before June 30.

The update is largely one of good fiscal news.

via Vacaville Unified leaders to discuss state budget, possible re-naming of Sierra Vista School.

Salary schedule consolidation, possible school bond on Dixon Unified agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

A proposal to consolidate several school-support employee salary schedules, a proposed timeline for a possible general obligation bond, and a governing board self-evaluation are on the agenda when Dixon Unified leaders meet tonight in Dixon.

The five-member governing board likely will approve the combining of four salary schedules into one for all positions represented by Local 1021 of Service Employees International Union, with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2016.

The previous models of the salary schedules were confusing in their design and had two different approaches to professional growth and longevity, Phoebe Girimonte, the district’s human resources coordinator, wrote in agenda documents. The consolidation, if approved, is expected to cost the rural district $85,000 during the current year, $175,000 in 2016-17 and $181,000 in 2017-18, according to wording in the agenda.

via Salary schedule consolidation, possible school bond on Dixon Unified agenda.

Kairos CBO lays out impact of state’s 2016-17 budget on Vacaville charter school – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Following Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed 2016-17 budget, which he unveiled last month in Sacramento, this is the time of year when California school district leaders figure out just how the numbers may affect them and the budgets they will adopt later this spring.

That was the case Monday, when Anita Schwab, the chief business official for Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy, updated the independent charter school’s governing board on the governor’s new fiscal roadmap for the coming year.

In her computer-aided slide presentation, with some information gleaned from School Services of California, a school advocacy resource, she noted that Brown increased the state’s revenue estimates, to $122.6 billion, but “continues to underestimate Proposition 98 revenues for 2015-16 and 2016-17.”

via Kairos CBO lays out impact of state’s 2016-17 budget on Vacaville charter school.

Parent info sessions set for B. Gale Wilson bilingual immersion program – Daily Republic

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By Daily Republic Staff

The Spanish-English Dual Immersion Program at B. Gale Wilson will host parent informational sessions in February.

This is a program for kindergartners through eighth-graders where children are taught in both English and Spanish and leave the program as bilingual, biliterate young adults. The program includes lessons in math, science and social studies.

via Parent info sessions set for B. Gale Wilson bilingual immersion program.

Time to apply for Assist-A-Grad scholarships – Daily Republic

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By Daily Republic Staff

Assist-A-Grad Scholarship Foundation Inc. has opened the application process for graduating seniors.

The deadline for applications is March 4. Students must have their applications turned in to their high school college and career center office or counseling office. Student interviews are scheduled in the evening April 11-14 at Armijo High School.

via Time to apply for Assist-A-Grad scholarships.

Schools rolling in dough, but scary clouds appear on horizon – Times Herald

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By Judy Lin, CALmatters

Vallejo High School teacher Lewis Brown starts his morning government class with a question of the day that takes advantage of newly assigned iPads.

“Today is the one year anniversary of the French magazine terrorist assassination,” Brown says. “What was the name of the magazine?” In seconds, 17-year-old SioFilisi Anitoni answers from the back row, “Mr. Brown, Charlie Hebdo.”

Vallejo City Unified School District is hoping to improve classroom learning by using increased state funds to raise teacher salaries, open new computer labs and assign iPads to each of its roughly 1,000 high school students.

via Schools rolling in dough, but scary clouds appear on horizon.

Vallejo school board asked to appoint former trustee to fill vacancy – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

A familiar face may return to the Vallejo school board Wednesday night.

Vallejo City Unified School District staff is recommending the board of education appoint Hazel Wilson to fill the trustee seat recently vacated by Raymond Mommsen.

During a Jan. 20 school board meeting, it was announced that Mommsen — serving as president of the board — resigned due to family issues. Mommsen was first elected to the board in 2007, and ran unopposed in 2011. His seat is up for re-election this November.

Wilson is no stranger to the board, having served three previous terms as a trustee before failing to be re-elected in 2014.

The board last filled a vacancy in January 2015 when local resident Richard Porter — who received the second most amount of votes during the 2014 election — declined to be seated.

via Vallejo school board asked to appoint former trustee to fill vacancy.

Vallejo school board to receive information about cement project – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

The Vallejo school board is slated to receive information about a proposed cement facility in south Vallejo and how it might affect a nearby school.

Steve Bryan, president of Orcem Americas, will give the presentation during the Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Wednesday night.

According to a district staff report, the board has asked for information about the proposed facility and what might happen to students who attend Grace Patterson Elementary School, which is located near the site.

City Hall is currently vetting a project, which has yet to come before the Vallejo City Council for consideration.

via Vallejo school board to receive information about cement project.

Vaca teachers, union allies endorse re-naming Sierra Vista after Kimme – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The Vacaville Teachers Association and two major regional unions have endorsed the re-naming of Sierra Vista School after the Ernest Kimme, a former teacher, civic leader and Reporter columnist who died Aug. 12 after a battle with cancer.

Moira McSweeney, president of the 655-member teachers union, made the announcement in a press release sent to The Reporter on Sunday. In it, she noted that the Napa-Solano Central Labor Council and the Redwood Service Center Council, with a combined representation of more than 50,000 workers, also supported the local educators.

The considerable endorsement comes before Vacaville Unified leaders are expected to vote favorably Thursday to form a Citizens Advisory Committee, to ask a group of people to clarify board policies about the naming and re-naming of district facilities.

via Vaca teachers, union allies endorse re-naming Sierra Vista after Kimme.

VUSD leaders taking school renaming debate seriously – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The naming or re-naming of a public building is a serious matter and, in a town of any real size, it normally involves lengthy public input at governing forums, such as school boards and city councils.

I hope that will be the case when the likely time comes for Vacaville Unified leaders to vote for re-naming Sierra Vista School after the late Ernest Kimme, a longtime public school teacher, philanthropist, civic leader and Reporter columnist. He was beloved by many.

But first things first.

District trustees have already aired their desire to form a Citizens Advisory Committee, to ask a group of people to clarify board policies about the naming and re-naming of district facilities.

via Richard Bammer: VUSD leaders taking school renaming debate seriously.

A ‘Batman’ rush and a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

There was Bane, one of the bad guys from the “Batman” movie series and whose physical appearance is defined by his creepy, black medieval armor-and-leather face mask that covers his mouth and part of his cheeks.

But beneath his off-putting appearance, Bane was actually a congenial Anthony Buell of Sacramento, and he followed behind a trio of Vacaville police cruisers onto the asphalt playground Thursday afternoon at Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy on Elm Street.

via A ‘Batman’ rush and a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World.