Fairfield-Suisun board to consider cuts to scope of Measure J work – Daily Republic

By Glen Faison

Members of the Fairfield-Suisun School District governing board will meet Tuesday for a study session to consider how rising costs may whittle away at future Measure J projects.

The notion of “something for all schools” – a foundational element to the campaign that led to Measure J’s passage – may fall by the wayside as a result.

Natural disasters and what a district staff summary describes as unprecedented levels of construction associated with local bonds in California are contributing to an increase in the cost of materials and labor across the state.

Bids for current district facilities projects are up to 40 percent higher than estimates from just a few months ago, according to the staff summary.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun board to consider cuts to scope of Measure J work

Buckingham Charter Principal to resign at fiscal year’s end – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

On the job for less than a year, Buckingham Charter Magnet High Principal Paul Tytler has announced his resignation, effective June 30.

In a letter to students, parents and families, posted after hours Friday, Tytler, expressing “mixed feelings” about the decision, noted that he and wife Barbara, “after much consideration and reflection,” plan to relocate to Seattle, Wash., his home.

“I greatly appreciate the opportunities that BCMHS has provided me, as well as the wonderful partnerships I have formed with teachers, parents and students,” he wrote in the five-paragraph letter.

Source: Buckingham Charter Principal to resign

What It Takes To Be A Top School Leader – Forbes

Big, medium or small, urban, suburban or rural, school districts all over the country need a leader, usually a superintendent.

It’s not an easy job, particularly in this time of school violence, teacher strikes, school funding woes and controversy over widespread testing and how student perform.

How do superintendents pull it off?

For an answer, I found a great source: David R. Schuler, the 2018 National Superintendent of the Year.

Source: What It Takes To Be A Top School Leader

Benicia Middle School pitches in to help fellow student – Benicia Herald

By Nick Sestanovich

March 26 to 29 was March Madness Spirit Week at Benicia Middle School, where students got to show their school pride by dressing up and partaking in various activities. They also had their annual coin drive sponsored by the leadership class, where students donate money to a particular cause. Past donors have included the Humane Society of the North Bay and Faith Food Fridays. This year, students decided to raise money for one of their peers.

In December, seventh-grader Sunni Dae Ross was diagnosed with a brain tumor which was removed the following month. Ross soldiered on by continuing to attend school amidst her health issues. She notes that she is feeling positive but is limited in what she can do.

Source: Benicia Middle School pitches in to help fellow student

Retired educator honored by Vacaville police brethren – The Reporter

By Kimberly K. Fu

Teachers are known to be funny, witty and adept at getting both students and their parents to do what needs to be done.

Add in the physical skills of a ninja and you’ve got Ginny Miller, a retired educator turned the Vacaville Police Department’s Volunteer of the Year.

Miller denies her ninja credentials but admits that she did teach Physical Education for more than 20 years in the Vacaville Unified School District.

Born in San Francisco, Miller said she was the first female driver’s education teacher in San Diego.

She moved to Vacaville in 1985 with her husband and he became a teacher.

“We taught together,” she remembered. She lost her husband 18 years ago but has wonderful memories of their shared history.

Source: Retired educator honored by Vacaville police brethren

Scores Stagnant For Students With Disabilities on ‘Nation’s Report Card’ – Education Week

By Christina Samuels

Students with disabilities posted stagnant scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2017 and failed to close the gap with students not identified as having disabilities, who also reflected generally flat performance on the latest results for what’s been called the “Nation’s Report Card.”

Fourth-grade students with disabilities earned an average of 187 on the NAEP’s reading test and 214 on the NAEP’s math test, both of which are scored on a 500-point scale.

For 4th-grade students without disabilities, however, the average score was 227 on the reading test and 243 on the math test.

Eighth grade students with disabilities earned 232 on the reading test and 247 on the math test. Reading was a small bright spot—that score was a 2-point gain for students with disabilities from the last time the test was administered, in 2015.

Source: Scores Stagnant For Students With Disabilities on ‘Nation’s Report Card’ – On Special Education – Education Week

SBE Adopts Revised Every Student Succeeds Act Plan – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

The State Board of Education today unanimously approved revisions to California’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan, a document that outlines the use and management of $2.4 billion in federal assistance to the state’s neediest students. California’s revised plan now moves on to the U.S. Department of Education for approval.

Every state that receives funding under ESSA is required to submit a plan to the federal government that meets federal statutory requirements.

California’s ESSA plan has been in development for more than two years with input from thousands of Californians. The revised plan affirms California’s commitment to the state’s broad overhaul of school funding and accountability ushered in by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), which provides an extra $10.1 billion annually to districts that serve low-income students, English learners, and foster youth. LCFF also gives local communities the authority to decide for themselves how best to allocate funding to address local needs.

“Because California is on the right track, it was important to work with the federal government to develop an ESSA plan that complements our state system but doesn’t drive it,” said State Board President Michael W. Kirst, a Stanford professor emeritus. “I am pleased that we have achieved that balance.”

Source: SBE Adopts Revised Every Student Succeeds Act Plan – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

Buckingham robotics team needs cash to pay for Houston competition – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

That’s how much the students at the Bella Vista Road campus need to raise by 5 p.m. Monday in order to defray costs of their going to the FIRST Championship, Wednesday to April 21, in Houston, Texas. (The acronym FIRST is For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, an international youth organization that operates the FIRST Robotics Competition, among others.)

RoboKnight member Katelyn Kielhorn on Thursday said the team has raised, to date, nearly $3,000 of the $16,000 in expenses to send the team to the Lone Star State, where they will compete in what is commonly known as “a varsity sport for the mind.”

In recent days, Kielhorn, a sophomore, has been sending requests for corporate sponsorships, and the team, founded five years ago, has held bake sales and garage sales in their efforts to raise the additional $13,000.

Source: Buckingham robotics team needs cash to pay for Houston competition

Laurel Creek kindergartner to appear on ‘Little Big Shots’ – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

Trent Fuller, 5, a Golden State Warriors superfan and sports reporter for Warriors media day, will be on “Little Big Shots” airing at 8 p.m. Sunday on NBC, Xfinity Channel 3.

The Laurel Creek kindergartner caught the public’s eye with his super dribbling skills (and likeness to Steph Curry) that were featured on “Sportscenter.”

On “Little Big Shots,” he puts on the charm, talking about his young sports broadcasting abilities (and dance moves) and chats with host Steve Harvey about his favorite sport and team.

Source: Laurel Creek kindergartner to appear on ‘Little Big Shots’

Program stages crash to teach Vallejo teens about drinking, driving – Daily Republic

By Ian Thompson

Kelby Yelder, a 17-year-old Jesse Bethel High School senior, was pronounced “dead” just before 11:50 a.m. Thursday at NorthBay Medical Center.

That was just before “badly injured” fellow student, 18-year-old Jhoanna Aure, was wheeled into the hospital’s emergency room.

Fortunately, the entire thing was staged as part of a two-day Every 15 Minutes anti-drunken driving program that was put on at Jesse Bethel in Vallejo.

“I was thinking, ‘Oh my God,’ ” said Yelder about the realism after a trauma team at NorthBay ran through the entire examination of her “injuries” and the pronouncement of her “death” as if it was the real thing.

Source: Program stages crash to teach Vallejo teens about drinking, driving

Benicia High takes audience back in time with spring dance show – Benicia Herald

By Nick Sestanovich

Remember a time when people weren’t consumed by their smartphones? Benicia High School’s performing arts department will take audiences back to such a time period— several of them, in fact— for its advanced dance show “Scrolling Through Time,” which opens tonight.

The dance show— which combines the talents of Benicia High’s drama, dance and other performing arts students—is put on once or twice a year and features a story and choreographed dance numbers based on a theme. In this instance, the theme is the clash between the past and present eras.

The story centers around Scott Bledsoe (Played by Logan Bledsoe), a young man whose inventor father leaves him with a prototype of his newest product: the much-hyped iPhone Infinity. As he plays around with the Siri function, the phone glitches and the digital personal assistant comes to life as a human being, played by Ava Keffer, who takes Bledsoe back in time to several different eras.

Source: Benicia High takes audience back in time with spring dance show

Dodd’s universal preschool bill clears Education Committee – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

Legislation that would allow all 4-year-olds to attend transitional kindergarten passed the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.

“I strongly believe that universal early childhood education is an investment in our future that will pay dividends for years to come,” Sen. Bill Dodd, who authored Senate Bill 837, said in a statement released Wednesday. “It is absolutely essential for economic vitality and social mobility. California must step up our investment in the next generation.”

The existing transitional kindergarten program is available to children who turn 5 shortly after the first semester of a school year.

Source: Dodd’s universal preschool bill clears Education Committee

Paper shredding event raises money for Kairos library materials – Daily Republic

By Amy Maginnis-Honey

Got paper?

The Kairos Public School Vacaville Academy’s annual Paper Shredding Fundraiser is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21.Get rid of those old records and documents and raise money to buy materials for the school’s library.

The event is in the Kairos parking lot, 129 Elm St.

Pacific Records Management will shred on site. Certificates of destruction are available free upon request. Snacks and water will also be available for purchase.

Source: Paper shredding event raises money for Kairos library materials

Torlakson supports proposed law to boost school climates, create safe environments – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has announced his support for proposed legislation aimed at helping school districts maintain and improve safe public school campuses and increase engagement with parents and local communities.

Torlakson on Tuesday appeared at a Sacramento news conference with Californians for Justice, a student advocacy group that is also supporting the bill.

“Gathering school climate information each year is an important starting point in improving our children’s learning environments,” he said in a press release. “Safe and supportive schools are essential for all students as they navigate their way to college and 21st century careers.

Source: Torlakson supports proposed law to boost school climates, create safe environments

FSUSD agenda: Low-bid roofing contract and reductions – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

A roofing bid and the reduction of certain classified, or school-support, jobs are on the agenda when the Fairfield-Suisun Unified governing board meets Thursday in Fairfield.

The seven-member governing board likely will approve Alcal Specialty Contracting, a roofing firm with main offices in Sacramento, as the low bidder for roofing projects set for Cleo Gordon Elementary, the Public Safety Academy, Sullivan Interagency and Armijo High’s welding shop, for a total of about $1.8 million.

Robert Martinez, assistant superintendent of human resources, will make the presentation about reducing certain classified, or school-support, jobs.

Source: FSUSD agenda: Low-bid roofing contract and reduction in school-support jobs

Markham modernization design, updated facility use fee rates on VUSD agenda – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

The Markham Elementary modernization project design, changes to the district’s facility use fee rate schedule and student absence verification methods are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet Thursday.

The seven-member governing board is expected to approve the Markham project conceptual design, previously presented and aired at a March 15 meeting.

A Measure A project, it is set to break ground during summer 2019 and will cost nearly $36 million. The money will pay for a new classroom building, a new multipurpose room, upgrades to existing classrooms and removal of portable classrooms, among other things.

Measure A was the $194 million general obligation bond passed by district voters in November 2014, with the money to be used primarily to upgrade the district’s aging campuses, many of them more than 50 years old and several more than 60 years old.

Source: Markham modernization design, updated facility use fee rates on VUSD agenda

Fairfield-Suisun school board set to consider cuts – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

Trustees of the Fairfield-Suisun School District will be asked Thursday to give the green light to eliminate more than a dozen positions in response to the governor’s budget for the coming school year, with bus drivers bearing the brunt of the proposed cuts.

Robert A. Martinez, the district’s assistant superintendent of human resources, provides details about the planned layoffs in a staff report and accompanying resolution that the board is scheduled to consider.

The proposed cuts include 16.682 full-time equivalent positions: 10 from among the district’s bus drivers, 2.781 from the district’s roster of child nutrition assistants and the equivalent 1.288 positions in the corps of bilingual para-educators. Roughly half a position each would be cut from among the district’s mental health clinicians, associate mental health clinicians, behavior analysts, para-educators and campus monitors.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun school board set to consider cuts to ranks of bus drivers, other staff

Torlakson Supports AB 2820 – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced his support today for legislation aimed at helping school districts maintain and improve safe and inclusive learning environments for students and increase engagement with parents and their respective communities.

Torlakson appeared at a news conference on Tuesday with Californians for Justice, a student advocacy group that is also supporting the bill. “Gathering school climate information each year is an important starting point in improving our children’s learning environments. Safe and supportive schools are essential for all students as they navigate their way to college and 21st century careers,” Torlakson said. “In light of recent events at schools across our country, supporting districts in hearing their students’ voices and improving engagement with parents and communities is more vital than ever.”

AB 2820 was introduced by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento). The bill sets up a “Community Engagement and School Climate for Continuous Improvement Block Grant.” This fund would provide school districts, at no cost, the option of using state-vetted school climate surveys, along with support and technical assistance on the administration of the surveys and utilization of results to improve school conditions and climate. If districts choose to use the surveys, they would be conducted annually with students, parents, teachers, and school staff.

Source: Torlakson Supports AB 2820 – Year 2018 (CA Dept of Education)

Assemblyman Jim Frazier tours Irene Larsen Center – The Reporter

By Kimberly K. Fu

Giggles and glee rippled through the Irene Larsen Center Monday in Vacaville as students cradled squishy silkworms, threw confetti into the air and essentially had a grand old time learning.

Such was the experience Assemblyman Jim Frazier, D-Solano, walked into as he toured the county facility, which primarily serves students with special education needs from newborns to age 22.

The Vacaville school has infant-toddler programs, preschool programs, an inclusive ChildStart Program and a post secondary program for developmentally disabled adults.

Frazier, who is known as a champion of children with special needs and chairs the Select Committee on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, said he wanted to assess the needs of the Larsen Center and see how he could be of service.

Source: Assemblyman Jim Frazier tours Irene Larsen Center, pledges more aid for youths with special needs

Benicia Middle Schoolers to sit in on exclusive performance of Vallejo Symphony Orchestra concert – Benicia Herald

By Nick Sestanovich

Benicia Middle School’s band students will be joining more than 800 pupils from area schools to attend a pair of special Vallejo Symphony Orchestra performances at the Empress Theatre on Sunday. The best part? They will have the auditorium just to themselves as they take in the sounds of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony.

According to VSO conductor Marc Taddei, this is the first time the local symphony has put on such concerts, which he described as being in the vein of Leonard Bernstein’s Young People’s Concerts, in which the noted conductor taught lessons on symphonic music for a younger audience. Taddei attended one of those concerts at a young age, and he assures that the setup will be similar.

“For our first concert, I thought it best to go with a proper concert that has been tailored for students,” he said.

Source: Benicia Middle Schoolers to sit in on exclusive performance of Vallejo Symphony Orchestra concert