Monthly Archives: November 2017

VPEF leaders to give $38K to Vacaville Unified – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

In good times and bad, education dollars are hard to come by. Federal and state funding goes up and down, like a yo-yo. There are always needs to be fulfilled.

Locally, however, enter the Vacaville Public Education Foundation.

Tonight, leaders of the nonprofit group, which, formed in 2003, raises grant money for classroom teachers and programs, will provide and update about their work to the Vacaville Unified governing board, which meets in open session at 6:30 in the Educational Services Center, 401 Nut Tree Road.

They also will present the district with a $38,000 check to the district for things such as field trips, lab equipment, robotics, health programs, sports, music, among many others.

Source: VPEF leaders to give $38K to Vacaville Unified

Teacher contract proposal on Dixon Unified agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

A collective bargaining proposal for the current year, and updates about the Career Technical Education facilities program and a school resource officer position are on the agenda when Dixon Unified leaders meet tonight in Dixon.

Shawn Tutt, president of the Dixon Teachers Association, will tell the five-member governing board that the union’s collective bargaining proposal “is open,” Superintendent Brian Dolan said in an interview Wednesday.

He was unsure what the teachers are considering in terms of wage and benefit hikes, since the proposal is in its early stages.

Nick Girimonte, assistant superintendent for educational services, will update trustees on the CTE facilities program, which includes information about funding for the Dixon High School Farm.

Source: Teacher contract proposal on Dixon Unified agenda

Teachers, Fairfield-Suisun School District declare impasse in contract talks – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

Teachers and the Fairfield-Suisun School District are at an impasse in contract negotiations and a state mediator will be brought in, the teachers’ union said Wednesday.

The district and teachers declared the impasse over class size, salary and adjunct duty – overtime work that teachers are required to put in without pay, according to the teachers union.

“There was no movement on class size by the district after eight full days of negotiation, so the teachers proposed a committee to look at targeted class size reductions to increase student success to inform negotiations for next year,” Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teachers Association president Nancy Dunn said in the release.

Source: Teachers, Fairfield-Suisun School District declare impasse in contract talks

How’s DeVos Handling a Big Special Education Issue? – Education Week

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By Andrew Ujifusa

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos held a roundtable for advocates for children with dyslexia. Also at the meeting was Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a long-time advocate for dyslexia issues. We called up Cassidy, who’s a member of the Senate education committee, to discuss how the meeting went and what approach he sees DeVos taking on dyslexia and other issues.

This week, our colleague Christina Samuels published a story about the anxiety many special education advocates have felt about DeVos’ leadership. When we asked Cassidy about whether he shared those concerns before or after the meeting, he said he was focused on dyslexia specifically and praised DeVos’ willingness to hear out different ideas.

“I think the fact that she convened the meeting and was so attentive throughout told us volumes,” Cassidy said. “It told us that she cares about the issue, that she wants to democratize, if you will, the opportunities for children with dyslexia. She’s going to listen.”

Source: How’s DeVos Handling a Big Special Education Issue? See Bill Cassidy’s Answer – Politics K-12 – Education Week

Seal on diploma will be badge of honor for civically active California students | EdSource

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By John Fensterwald

Johnny Rebel, the 20-foot tall mural of a Civil war soldier carrying a rifle, may soon be sanded and scraped off the gym wall and into the dustbin of history at Savanna High in Southern California.

All because students got involved and came up with a recommendation for their school board.

Their work is just the type of civic engagement that in the future should earn students a California Seal of Civic Engagement, said Michelle Herczog, a history consultant with the Los Angeles County Office of Education and activist for civics education. When first awarded, probably in 2021, students who put good grades in civics, social studies and government to good use in the community will see the seal affixed to their high school diploma.

Source: Seal on diploma will be badge of honor for civically active California students | EdSource

CBO presents Measure A bond sale costs to district leaders – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Updates about district staffing and enrollment numbers, an update about the district’s Adult Education program and the likely approval of the costs to sell $78 million in Measure A bonds are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified trustees meet Thursday in Vacaville.

Presentations about 2017 staffing and enrollment numbers will fall to Janet Dietrich, assistant superintendent for human resources, and Manolo Garcia, director of human resources.

Offering a numerical glimpse of the district’s population, they will tell the seven-member governing board that the total number of staff — teachers, classified (school-support employees), certificated managers and administrators — is 1,270. And the total number of students in elementary, middle and high schools is 12,626, a slight increase from prior years.

Source: CBO presents Measure A bond sale costs to district leaders

SCC agenda considers partnership with Delta Airlines – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

An educational partnership with Delta Airlines, a large change order for Autotechnology Project at the Vallejo campus, and a quarterly update on Measure Q expenses are on the agenda when the Solano Community College meet tonight in Fairfield.

Trustees are expected to sign off on an agreement with Delta Airlines for the school’s Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance Technician program at the Vacaville Center on North Village Parkway.

The partnership, according to agenda documents, includes an initial two-year term that will automatically renew for successive one-year periods until either party asks for the agreement to end. The partnership with Delta will give SCC students, after successfully completing the program, the chance to meet with airlines employees and provide the college with scrap aircraft or avionics parts.

Source: SCC agenda considers partnership with Delta Airlines