Robotics camps for middle, high school girls set in June – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

A high school section has been added to the middle school division of the free Girls in Robotics Leadership Camps scheduled for June in Solano County.

“This is an excellent opportunity for our middle and high school girls to learn coding and robotics through engaging hands-on activities. We hope to inspire more girls to consider engineering and related fields as a possible career,” Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson said in a statement.

The camps are sponsored by the University of California, Davis Computing-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program, in partnership with the Solano County Office of Education.

Source: Robotics camps for middle, high school girls set in June

Vallejo middle, high schools to start later next year – Times-Herald

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

Vallejo City Unified School District secondary schools will be starting later in the next school year, district officials announced.

High schools here have traditionally started at 7:50 a.m.

The changes are being made in part in response to research suggesting teens have a hard time focusing in the early hours when most schools traditionally start, Superintendent Adam Clark said.

Source: Vallejo middle, high schools to start later next year – Times-Herald

Student Art Show opens with Sunday reception in Vacaville – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The Vacaville Art Gallery’s 28th Annual Student Art Show, with work from middle and high school students, kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday with a reception at the gallery, 718 E. Monte Vista Ave.

The show will run through May 18.

This group show celebrates the talent of student artists and represents a wide range of media students learn at school, including painting, drawing, mixed media, sculpture, photography and digital art.

Source: Student Art Show opens with Sunday reception in Vacaville

School board votes to replace Armijo Indian mascot – Daily Republic

By Bill Hicks

The days of students at Armijo High School rooting for an Indian as their mascot are coming to an end following a unanimous vote Thursday by the Fairfield-Suisun School District board to accept a mascot committee’s recommendation that the Indian name be replaced.

The board voted after a longer-than-usual public comment period, which the board granted after 18 different speakers had petitioned to speak. Normally, speakers are limited to three minutes and the public commentary period capped at 20 minutes, but the board voted to allow all speakers a chance to talk, but cut the speaking time from three minutes per person to two.

Source: School board votes to replace Armijo Indian mascot

Loma Vista Farm in Vallejo welcomes new alpacas – Times-Herald

By Richard Freedman

Tribute is now JoJo. Ansel is Calvin. Remington is now Jelly Bean.

In what sounds like an undercover witness protection program is actually the start of a new era at Loma Vista Farm, the five-acre animal sanctuary in north Vallejo.

The three welcomed additions from Renaissance Ridge Alpacas in the Sierra foothills arrived at 10:56 a.m. Wednesday, filling a physical and emotional void 75 days after their predecessors were killed by two dogs.

Source: Loma Vista Farm in Vallejo welcomes new alpacas – Times-Herald

School board to consider committee’s Armijo moniker recommendation – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees are scheduled to review and potentially approve a recommendation to eliminate the Armijo High School Indian mascot when the school board meets Thursday.

Tim Goree and Bob Ferguson are scheduled to present the item to the governing board.

A special committee organized by the school board for the purposes of examining a potential change for the Armijo High mascot voted 11-4 April 4 in favor of recommending to the board that the mascot for Armijo be changed from the current term Indians.

Source: School board to consider committee’s Armijo moniker recommendation

Solano County unveils new tool to connect students to careers – Times-Herald

By Times Herald

Employers are struggling to find the right workers and Solano County students are seeking careers — a perfect match for the unveiling of a new tool called Connect2Careers Continuum Guide, Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson announced. It’s based on the knowledge that career-readiness starts well before high school, she said.

“This guide is designed to connect students to careers, at a time when employers across various industries are struggling to find individuals who possess the knowledge and skills necessary for today’s jobs,” she said. To address the challenge, Connect2Careers offers educators resources related to career exposure for all grade levels.

“The guide is divided into four sections, each targeting a different grade span with increasing depth on a career planning continuum from exposure, to awareness, to exploration, and preparation,” Estrella-Henderson said.

Source: Solano County unveils new tool to connect students to careers – Times-Herald

‘Making it Better in Vallejo’ a big hit among city’s third-graders – Times-Herald

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

It is not every day that a reading session can hold the attention of several dozen 8-year-olds. However, a handful of Vallejo Police Officers and Dispatchers on Tuesday gave it their best shot as they read a specially written book to the entire third-grade class of Mare Island Health and Fitness Academy.

“It was amazing,” Principal Rhonda Coyle said. “So well put together. I was really impressed.”

In a first-of-its kind program in Vallejo, the officers were there to read, and then hand out and autograph copies of the colorful, life lesson-filled “Making it Better in Vallejo,” by Benicia resident Andre Lewis. Mare Island was the last stop on a book tour that brought more than 1,200 Vallejo third-graders into friendly, non-chaotic contact with Vallejo officers. That’s part of the program’s intent, Lewis and Officer Aldo Serrano said.

Source: ‘Making it Better in Vallejo’ a big hit among city’s third-graders – Times-Herald

Solano College celebrating 20th anniversary of wood-firing – Daily Republic

By Community Contributor

All are invited to a gala celebration of the 20th anniversary of wood-firing of ceramics at Solano Community College on April 26, from 4 to 9 pm.

The event will include traditional Japanese Taiko drums performed by Davis Wakamatsu (Young Pine) Taiko Dan, live Irish Music performed by Forlorn Hope, distinguished speakers and award-winning poets.

The event takes place in the ceramics and sculpture yard in the 1300 building. An exhibition featuring the wood-fired art work of students, alumni and faculty is featured at the adjacent Dorothy Herger Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

Source: Solano College celebrating 20th anniversary of wood-firing

Program awards wellness grant to Solano County Office of Education – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

A three-year $300,000 grant to establish mental health and wellness centers at adult education and continuation high schools has been awarded to the Solano County Office of Education.

The Health Systems Development Grant was awarded through the County Medical Services Program. The target populations include people between 21 and 64 who are indigent or are at risk of being indigent.

The goal is to improve access to mental health services and provide for the continued development of adult education programs as key points of access for the county program and people who are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits.

Source: Program awards wellness grant to Solano County Office of Education

Rodriguez High thespians invite people ‘Into the Woods’ – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The Rodriguez High School Theatre Group presents the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award winner for Best Book and Outstanding Musical, “Into The Woods.”

Comedy, romance and the rush to fulfill one’s wish are only a few of the things that can be found in this recreation of a classic.

A baker (Jaron Watson) and his wife (Ananya Yogi) struggle to collect four ingredients from four very well-known fairy tales for a witch (Joelle McAnally) so that they might have a curse lifted and finally have a child.

Source: Rodriguez High thespians invite people ‘Into the Woods’

Solano County Office of Education unveils Connect2Careers guide – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The Solano County Office of Education has announced its Connect2Careers Continuum Guide, which is designed to link students to careers.

The guide is divided into four sections, each targeting a different span of grade levels with increasing depth in career planning: from exposure, to awareness, to exploration and preparation, the education office announced. The guide provides lessons and other resources for teachers with the intent to reach students who may not be enrolled in a Career Technical Education course.

The Office of Education worked with teachers throughout the county to create lessons for kindergarten through fourth grade, then used the California Career Resource Network for career exploration and career education resources to teachers and parents for students in fifth through 12th grades.

Source: Solano County Office of Education unveils Connect2Careers guide

Gretchen Higgins students decorate rocks, work on garden for Earth Day – The Reporter

By Nick Sestanovich

Bird is the word for Gretchen Higgins Elementary School’s Ornithology Club students. What better day to help members continue to beautify their bird sanctuary garden than Earth Day?

It was a busy day for students at the Dixon elementary school. Trash was picked up, of course, and the ornithology Club students had their work cut out for them. They had the entire school decorate rocks for their garden which they also spent a lot of time building and maintaining.

The Ornithology Club was formed as Higgins science teacher and club adviser Peggy Harte was doing research with Dr. Heidi Ballard, an associate professor at the University of California, Davis who started the Center for Community and Citizen Science to create partnerships with science educators. Harte said she had been working with Ballard on research projects looking into the implementation of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Source: Gretchen Higgins students decorate rocks, work on garden for Earth Day – The Reporter

Program awards wellness grant to Solano County Office of Education – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

A three-year $300,000 grant to establish mental health and wellness centers at adult education and continuation high schools has been awarded to the Solano County Office of Education.

The Health Systems Development Grant was awarded through the County Medical Services Program. The target populations include people between 21 and 64 who are indigent or are at risk of being indigent.

The goal is to improve access to mental health services and provide for the continued development of adult education programs as key points of access for the county program and people who are eligible for Medi-Cal benefits.

Source: Program awards wellness grant to Solano County Office of Education

Vacaville Unified, Vaca PD partner on threat assessment protocols – The Reporter

By Nick Sestanovich

This year, the Vacaville Unified School District launched a new threat assessment protocol, incorporating a team of professionals who collaborate to evaluate, intervene and provide support for students. This team includes police, mental health professionals trained by the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, and school administrators.

The team, according to a press release from the district, assesses incidents from different perspectives to give VUSD a more comprehensive assessment and plan of action.

The Vacaville Police Department brought Standard Response Protocols to VUSD in 2014 as part of a shared action plan for emergency response. Since then, the partnership has only grown. Last summer, six VPD officers and six district administrators attended a National Association of School Resource Officers conference, which resulted in the new threat assessment protocol as well as an invigorated tip line system.

Source: Vacaville Unified, Vaca PD partner on threat assessment protocols – The Reporter

Vallejo school district to be carved into voting areas – Times-Herald

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

In a split vote on Wednesday, the Vallejo school board agreed to transition to a “by-trustee area” election system, mostly to avoid a threatened lawsuit.

Trustees Christy Gardner, Tony Gross and John Fox voted yes, while board president Robert Lawson dissented and trustee Tony Ubalde abstained. Therefore, the Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Trustees elected to join the City of Vallejo in dividing the town into voting districts. This will avoid a lawsuit by private law firms that are targeting school districts and other agencies statewide for alleged violations of the 2002 California Voting Rights Act.

Source: Vallejo school district to be carved into voting areas – Times-Herald

SER Latino helping raise the bar for local kids – Times-Herald

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen

The children of Latino and other immigrant communities face all the same problems U.S. citizens do, but with some added issues, making the going that much more perilous. That’s why Mina Diaz of Vallejo founded SER Latino three years ago, she said.

The group, whose name stands for Service Education Resources Latino, was founded with several others, she said.

“I approached (then Vallejo City Unified School District Superintendent) Ramona Bishop and she said she was also concerned about how Latinos are doing in school,” said Diaz, who immigrated here from Mexico with her family at age 3. The group has grown to 60 students at Vallejo High School and 19 at Jesse Bethel High School, since she began working with the vice principals of both institutions, along with several teachers, Diaz said.

Source: SER Latino helping raise the bar for local kids – Times-Herald

Solano County Office of Education unveils Connect2Careers guide – Daily Republic

By Daily Republic Staff

The Solano County Office of Education has announced its Connect2Careers Continuum Guide, which is designed to link students to careers.

The guide is divided into four sections, each targeting a different span of grade levels with increasing depth in career planning: from exposure, to awareness, to exploration and preparation, the education office announced. The guide provides lessons and other resources for teachers with the intent to reach students who may not be enrolled in a Career Technical Education course.

Source: Solano County Office of Education unveils Connect2Careers guide

Orchard, Fairmont name new principals – The Reporter

By Nick Sestanovich

The Vacaville Unified School District board unanimously approved two individuals to head two of its elementary schools, VUSD announced in a news release. Anne Silva will take the reins as principal of Orchard Elementary School, and Greg Moffitt will take charge at Fairmont Charter Elementary School.

According to the release, Silva graduated from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, where she double majored in psychology and liberal arts. She has spent 31 years in education, including 13 years teaching elementary school in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. She moved over to VUSD, where she served as an elementary classroom teacher, computer lab teacher and Response to Intervention coordinator before becoming an assistant principal at Callison Elementary School, where she has served for the past two years.

Source: Orchard, Fairmont name new principals – The Reporter

Armijo High School’s Robotics Team Qualifies for World Championships Again – Daily Republic

By Tim Goree

“Indigo Dynamics” from Armijo High School has consistently been a top performing organization in our local VEX Robotics community since the program first started at Grange Middle School. Indigo Dynamics has attended the VEX Robotics World Championship for the past 3 years, making this their fourth consecutive qualifying year.

The VEX Robotics World Championship, presented by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, brings together top 3% of robotics teams from around the world under one roof to celebrate their accomplishments and compete.

VEX Robotics competition is not exactly what you would expect in that the robots do not battle each other. The “game” played by the robots is different every year; students have to come up with a new design each year to fit the game’s rules and standards.

Source: Armijo High School’s Robotics Team Qualifies for World Championships Again