Monthly Archives: February 2018

Solano students spend day learning about different careers – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Gohan Szerthche, 17, of Vacaville High School, has a good idea of what he wants to be when he gets out of school: an electrical mechanic – something that his father knows all about.

“I want to be a mechanic like my dad,” he said Friday.

Those skills he will gain from college coursework would come in handy at Synder Filtration in Vacaville, which is where his school stopped for a career day event that brought together students from most of Solano County’s high schools.

More than 900 sophomores from around the county boarded 25 buses and headed out to 30 area businesses, as well as institutions such as Travis Air Force Base, the California State University Maritime Academy, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and other locations participated for National Job Shadow Day.

Source: Solano students spend day learning about different careers

Students show skills at middle school robotics competition – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Chichi Iheandado, 13, is a coach who helps calm things down and figures out ways to resolve problems among her teammates.

Chichi and her Golden West Middle School teammates are competing for the second year in the VEX Robotics Competition, which the school hosted Saturday.

The VEX Robotics Competition, presented by the Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, is the ultimate science, technology, engineering and mathematics activity for middle school and high school students, ages 11 to 18.

An engineering challenge is presented each year in the form of a game. Students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors, use the VEX Robotics Design System to build innovative robots designed to score the most points possible in qualification matches, elimination matches and skills challenges, according to RobotEvents.com, which tracks the events.

Source: Students show skills at middle school robotics competition

Poster contest opens for Solano Safe Routes to School program – Daily Republic

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By Daily Republic Staff

Students can show off their creativity by entering the Solano Safe Routes to School Program poster contest with the top two placers in each grade category to get prizes.

Entries are being taken through March 1.

The posters are meant to encourage students to walk, bike or ride a scooter to school, and artists can depict any of those three themes.

The grade categories are kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grade, sixth through eighth grade, and ninth through 12th grade. The first-place prize is a bike or scooter. The second-place prize is a $100 gift certificate from a local bike shop. Teachers whose classrooms participate in the contest will be entered into a prize drawing.

Source: Poster contest opens for Solano Safe Routes to School program

Annual School Safety Plan Update Reminder – Letters (CA Dept of Education)

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The California Department of Education (CDE) is committed to helping you and your schools become as prepared as possible for emergencies and to maintain safe and secure school environments year-round. This message includes reminders and new direction for enhancing comprehensive school safety plans and the planning process.

The safety of our children and education communities is our greatest responsibility. Thank you for all you do to make our schools safe, secure, and welcoming for all students, families, and educators. It is essential to reflect on accomplishments and lessons learned last year and to implement new and improved actions this year. It is also time to ensure that comprehensive school safety plans are revised, updated, and approved by March 1, 2018.

Source: Annual School Safety Plan Update Reminder – Letters (CA Dept of Education)

Annual spelling bee remains a big hit in Vacaville – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

They gathered Wednesday for the annual elementary and middle school spell-off in Vacaville, once again occasionally fidgeting, squirming, rolling their eyes and even using their palms and fingers to write out words. Generally, no sweat was detected during the nearly four-hour event.

In the end, at this year’s version of the Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, Elizabeth Dibb-Islas, 11, a sixth-grader in the ACE program at Hemlock Elementary School, came out on top, besting 47 other students.

After 17 rounds — at about 8:10 p.m., two hours after the competition began and to the relief of all on and offstage — she correctly and confidently spelled “flexibility” in the nearly full Catwalk Theatre at Will C. Wood High School. Dibb-Islas, earned $100, a plaque, and bragging rights as the top elementary-level speller.

Source: Annual spelling bee remains a big hit in Vacaville

CDE says most schools must test their drinking water – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said Thursday that California public schools built before 2010 must test for lead in drinking water, an order that will affect all schools in Vacaville, Dixon and Fairfield.

The requirement comes several months after Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 746, which requires community water systems statewide, beginning Jan. 1, to complete lead testing in these older schools by July 1, 2019.

It also comes nearly four years after national headline-making news of lead contamination in drinking water in Flint, Mich., when the city switched its main water source from Detroit to the Flint River to save the city money. However, officials there did not properly treat the water coming from the Flint River, which leached lead from the city’s aging pipes into the drinking supply.

Source: California Department of Education says most schools must test their drinking water

Salute to Youth concert a send-off for music teacher Ron Thorpe – Daily Republic

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By Tony Wade

Solano Symphony’s Salute to Youth concert will serve as both an opportunity for the public to experience up-and-coming Solano County musicians and as a swan song for longtime organizer and retired music teacher Ron Thorpe.

Thorpe began organizing the annual event about seven years ago and feels it’s time to move on.

The Salute to Youth concert is an exhibition performance and the culmination of a musical competition.

“Last November, Solano County students from ages 12 to 21 had an opportunity to display their musical talents in front of a three-judge panel,” Thorpe said. “The categories were vocal, piano, strings and wind instrument. They memorized a concerto that could be played along with the symphony. The four that were chosen have been working very hard and will rehearse with the symphony and then perform for the public.”

Source: Salute to Youth concert a send-off for music teacher Ron Thorpe

Vallejo trustees slash $4.3 million from budget – Times Herald

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By John Glidden

A morose Vallejo school board unanimously approved devastating budget cuts Tuesday night as 50 district positions were eliminated.

The move will save the Vallejo City Unified School District about $4.3 million for its upcoming 2018-19 fiscal year budget.

A sizable audience was on hand to learn about the cuts during the special board meeting held at Steffan Manor Elementary School.

“Every position in the district is directed toward supporting the classroom, so none of these reductions, that we are recommending, are easy to make,” VCUSD Superintendent Adam Clark said to the board and those in attendance. “They all are useful, they all are needed within our district to support our students. Every last one of them.”

Source: Vallejo trustees slash $4.3 million from budget

Dueling spellers take top prize at citywide spelling bee – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

They gathered Wednesday for an annual spell-off in Vacaville, once again occasionally fidgeting, squirming, rolling their eyes and even using their palms and fingers to write out words.

In the end, at this year’s version of the Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, Elizabeth Dibb-Islas, 11, a sixth-grader in the ACE program at Hemlock Elementary School, came out on top.

After 17 rounds, she correctly spelled “flexibility” in the nearly full Catwalk Theatre at Will C. Wood High School. Dibb-Islas, earned $100, a plaque, and bragging rights as the top elementary-level speller.

The middle school winner is Ellison Domingo, 13, an eighth-grader at Notre Dame School.

After 27 rounds, he too won $100 and a plaque for correctly spelling “somnambulist.”

Dibb-Islas and Domingo automatically qualify for the 42nd Annual Solano County Elementary School Spelling Bee March 6 at the Nelson Community Center in Suisun City.

Source: Dueling spellers take top prize at citywide spelling bee

Vacaville USD to discuss Sierra Vista report – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The biennial report about Sierra Vista K-8 School and two sizable construction contracts are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet tonight in Vacaville.

Principal Cathy Bozzini will deliver her report, given once every two years. Among several things, she will tell the seven-member governing board that the Bel Air Drive school’s mission is “to prepare all students to be respectful leaders by providing service to their community” and “immersed” in a rigorous curriculum in order to be college- and career-ready in a global society.

Trustees are expected to approve a contract for $894,000 with American River Construction Inc., a Placerville firm, for ongoing upgrades, specifically seismic in this case, at Jepson Middle School. Assembly Bill 300 requires school districts to deal with seismic safety standards for K-12 school buildings. The project will be paid for under Measure A, the $194 million bond passed by voters in 2014.

Source: Vacaville Unified School District to discuss Sierra Vista report

Dixon High School novels, sixth-grade transition on agenda – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

An update regarding the availability of high school novels at Dixon High, a tentative agreement about employee orientations, and an update on the sixth-grade transition to a middle school setting are on the agenda when Dixon Unified leaders meet tonight in Dixon.

The assistant superintendent of educational services, Nick Girimonte will note that a staff member raised a “concern” about the lack of “core novels” at Dixon High. Girimonte will review past and current “processes” for buying and maintaining the books. The agenda documents did not mention which works of fiction were considered “core.”

Leanee Medina Estrada, human resources director, will introduce the tentative agreement between the district and Local 1021 of the Service Employee International Union, which represents school-support employees, regarding new employee orientation under Assembly Bill 119. Signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in June, the law requires public employers to grant union members access to new employee orientations. The cost of the agreement, which would require some employee release time to attend the orientations, is estimate to be $1,000. It is unclear if the five-member governing board will approve the agreement.

Source: Dixon High School novels, sixth-grade transition on agenda

Fairfield-Suisun USD breaks ground on new gym, library at Public Safety Academy – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Shovels in hand, white hard hats atop their heads, school and district leaders, elected officials and others tossed small amounts of soil Tuesday to symbolize groundbreaking for the new library and gymnasium at the Fairfield-Suisun Public Safety Academy, $19.4 million in building projects that will be ready to open in December.

In opening remarks before the groundbreaking ceremony, Superintendent Kris Corey, speaking as the sun set behind her, just yards away from the 2-story library site, acknowledged the project “will affect the neighborhood,” which includes homes along Larkspur Lane, Orchid Street and Atlantic.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District breaks ground on new gym, library at Public Safety Academy