Monthly Archives: February 2020

How some California school districts invest in counseling—and achieve results – The Reporter

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By Carolyn Jones

Geovanna Veloz, a senior at Mission High School in San Francisco, has always known she wants to be a nurse. What she didn’t know was how to get there.

Her parents couldn’t help much. Immigrants from Mexico, they speak limited English, work long hours and don’t have much experience with education. Neither went to high school at all, in fact.

Enter the school’s academic counseling staff. They ensured that Veloz took the right classes and helped her pick colleges, sign up for the SAT, submit applications and fill out financial aid forms. Veloz is now waiting to hear from three California State University campuses and two University of California schools.

Source: How some California school districts invest in counseling—and achieve results – The Reporter

Vanden captures North Bay Academic Decathlon title – Daily Republic

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By Todd R. Hansen

The Vanden High School Academic Decathlon team won the North Bay regional event and will represent Solano County at the 43rd annual state competition.

Vanden accumulated 44,643 points, with Willits High School finishing second with 40,051 points and American Canyon High School finishing third with 38,288 points.

“I am thrilled to see this rigorous academic challenge for students expand to include six counties this year. All of the participating teams worked very hard and represented their schools well. I congratulate every participant, and I’m certain these amazing students will do well in their future endeavors,” Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson said in a statement.

Source: Vanden captures North Bay Academic Decathlon title

Vanden High wins 2020 North Bay Regional Academic Decathlon – The Reporter

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By The Reporter

The 2020 North Bay Regional Academic Decathlon. results are in and the Vanden High School team stole the show.

More than 225 students from 15 high schools across Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties participated in the event.

The Academic Decathlon is a competitive event modeled after the Olympics to stimulate academic achievement and honor “athletes of the mind.” The competition, this year bearing the theme “In Sickness and in Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness,” provides students the opportunity to participate in an educational forum, which fosters a deep respect for knowledge, cooperation, and self-esteem, organizers said.

Source: Vanden High wins 2020 North Bay Regional Academic Decathlon – The Reporter

Digital bookmobile new school literacy tool – The Reporter

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By Kimberly K. Fu

Earlier this week, a 53-foot long literacy program on wheels rolled into Fairview Elementary School in Fairfield to bring the joy of the written word to students.

The Digital Bookmobile by Overdrive was welcomed with a cacophony cheers as students waited in line for a turn to enter the traveling library.

That done, the youths poured into the vehicle and took seats in the exhibit area. They learned to access ebooks and audiobooks offered by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District using a touchscreen at the front of the room. Hands waved excitedly throughout the short instruction period and the kids, of the generation that seems born with digital knowledge, quickly got the hang of the material.

Source: Digital bookmobile new school literacy tool – The Reporter

Jepson, Cooper students buzz past competition in city spelling bee – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

Could Nash Martinez of Willis Jepson Middle School be considered the Stephen Curry of Vacaville spellers? He already knows something about back-to-back championships.

Nash was the winner in the middle school division of the Vacaville Rotary Club’s Grace B. Powell Citywide Spelling Bee, held Wednesday at Will C. Wood High School’s Catwalk Theatre. He had previously won in the elementary competition last year as a student at Alamo Elementary School.

This year, the top elementary honor went to Cooper student Olivia Minashiro, who bested nearly 50 other students at her grade level.

Source: Jepson, Cooper students buzz past competition in city spelling bee – The Reporter

Rodriguez announces inaugural class for Athletic Hall of Fame, new football coach – Daily Republic

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By Daily Republic Staff

Rodriguez High announced the inaugural class for the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame, which includes two former NFL players and a former Gatorade California State Softball Player of the Year, during halftime of Thursday’s home boys basketball game with Armijo.

Oh, and one of those inductees was announced as the new football coach.

Stevie Johnson – who had 1,000 receiving yards in three of his six seasons with the Buffalo Bills and also played for the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers – was introduced as the school’s 11th football coach as well, replacing Stephen Meyers, who was 9-19 in three seasons.

Source: Rodriguez announces inaugural class for Athletic Hall of Fame, new football coach

Travis trustees to offer CSEA contract proposal – Daily Republic

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By Daily Republic Staff

The initial contract offer from the Travis School District to California School Employees Association members for the 2019-20 school year is scheduled to be released when the board of trustees meet Tuesday.

The district’s teachers and classified employees of the year are also expected to be named.

The board meets at 6 p.m. at the Travis Education Center, 2775 De Ronde Drive, in Fairfield. The public session follows a closed session at 5 p.m., during which the board will be updated on existing litigation, labor negotiations, student matters and an employee discipline matter.

Source: Travis trustees to offer CSEA contract proposal

School board honors Bible as classified employee of the year – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

Most people can easily understand that schools are the workplaces for teachers.

However, at schools across the country, there are dozens of employees who aren’t teachers but still serve a vital role in the education process.

These workers, called classified employees, can serve roles from counselors to translators, community outreach coordinators, campus maintenance workers, computer network technicians, office workers and more.

Source: School board honors Bible as classified employee of the year

Benicia Middle School student accepted into prestigious ballet academy – Benicia Herald

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By Editor

13-year old Benicia Middle School student Bella Cannon was recently accepted into ArtEmotion, an elite summer ballet intensive (sister program to Ballet West Academy) in Cleveland, OH. Girls from all over the country auditioned and only 100 were accepted by invitation only.

“She is very excited and honored to have this opportunity,” said Bella’s mother, Becca Cannon.

At the academy, Cannon will be studying ballet technique, pointe, stage character, choreography, studio and professional etiquette, dance history, nutrition, injury prevention, and more. The girls will have an intense schedule where they dance from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily. The program is intended to advance dancers who are preparing for professional company ballet life.

Source: Benicia Middle School student accepted into prestigious ballet academy

Featured vocalist at Solano Symphony Orchestra concert began pursuing her passion 10 years ago – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

Senzel Ahmady is just a few months away from being done with high school, but she already has 10 years of musical training under her belt.

Ahmady will be demonstrating her decade of skill alongside other performers at Solano Symphony Orchestra’s “Salute to Youth” concert Sunday at Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre.

The Rodriguez High School senior said performing is part of a family tradition.“My mom’s side of the family has always been musical,” she said.

Source: Featured vocalist at Solano Symphony Orchestra concert began pursuing her passion 10 years ago – The Reporter

Benicia students earn tobacco-free coalition award – Benicia Herald

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By Daily Republic Staff

Benicia High School’s Friday Night Live student club has been named as the recipient of the Tobacco Free Solano Coalition’s annual Alvina Sheeley Memorial Advocate Award, according to a press release.

The award was presented at the coalition’s annual luncheon meeting Jan. 22 by the mayor of Benicia, Elizabeth Patterson. The student club along with their community partners were recognized for their efforts to encourage and support new tobacco ordinances that not only ban smoking in public places including multiple-unit housing, but also ban the sale of flavored products within Benicia.

Source: Good News: Benicia students earn tobacco-free coalition award

Eat REAL Announces its First Cohort of School Districts Pursuing REAL Certification | PRUnderground

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Eat REAL’s K-12 certification program will support 185 more schools this and next school year as they continue to raise the bar towards more nutritious, delicious and sustainable meals for students.

Oakland, CA (PRUnderground) February 6th, 2020

Oakland based nonprofit Eat REAL welcomes their first cohort of schools pursuing Eat REAL Certification. Eat REAL is now 100% focused on using its nutrition and sustainability standards to unlock impact within our K-12 schools. The organization started to customize its approach with Mt. Diablo Unified School District in California through the REAL Food in Schools Collaborative. Eat REAL is proud to welcome 4 new districts serving 185 schools and over 84,000 students into its program.

Source: Eat REAL Announces its First Cohort of School Districts Pursuing REAL Certification | PRUnderground

Student muralists wanted! – Benicia Herald

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Interested in painting a mural? The Benicia Arts & Culture Commission in collaboration with the Benicia Unified School District are accepting applications for this Spring’s art mural installation on Military West.

This multi-panel art installation is designed to showcase student expressions in a highly visible public art location.

This is the third year in a row that student art has been displayed near the entrance to Mary E. Farmar Elementary School at W. 10th and Military West.

Source: Student muralists wanted!

Trump Pushes Tax Break to Promote School Choice in State of the Union Address – Education Week

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By Evie Blad

President Donald Trump used his State of the Union Address Tuesday to urge Congress to greenlight a plan that would provide federal tax credits for scholarships to private schools and other education services, offering the largest stage yet for one of his administration’s key education priorities.

“The next step forward in building an inclusive society is making sure that every young American gets a great education and the opportunity to achieve the American Dream,” Trump said. “Yet, for too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools.”

States have sought to “rescue these students” with tax-credit scholarship programs, he said, gesturing to invited guests Stephanie Davis, a mother from Philadelphia, and her 4th-grade daughter, Jayinah, who is on the waitlist for Pennsylvania’s tax-credit scholarship program. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, vetoed an expansion of the program last year. Trump said a scholarship had “become available” for Jayinah.(A federal official later confirmed that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos planned to contribute to the cost of her enrollment at a private school.)

Source: Trump Pushes Tax Break to Promote School Choice in State of the Union Address – Politics K-12 – Education Week

Coronavirus has reached the U.S. What can schools do? | Education Dive

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By Naaz Modan

“Given the growing epidemic nature of this virus, we need to do what we did when Ebola was very problematic,” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said on a press call.

But Jacqueline Moline, an occupational and environmental medicine specialist, said she has noticed an absence of concrete guidance from the government. “Some of the information is rather opaque,” Moline said, leaving frontline workers in a “loop” between state agencies and the CDC.

Source: Coronavirus has reached the U.S. What can schools do? | Education Dive

Markham celebrates opening of new classrooms – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

The weather might have been freezing and the winds might have been blowing heavily, but none of that could dampen Edwin Markham Elementary’s school spirit Monday morning.

After all, this was no ordinary day at Markham but a day to celebrate a set of newly opened classrooms that were financed through Measure A.

Measure A is a $194 million general obligation bond that was approved by voters in 2014 aimed at providing technology upgrades, building renovation and new construction at Vacaville Unified School District schools.

Source: Markham celebrates opening of new classrooms – The Reporter

American Canyon HS Academic Decathlon Team Advances To State | Napa Valley, CA Patch

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By Maggie Fusek

The Academic Decathlon team from American Canyon High School finished in third place at this year’s North Bay Region Academic Decathlon, held Saturday at Solano Community College in Fairfield. The students are now preparing to compete in the California Decathlon March 27-28 in Sacramento.

“Not everyone was able to medal individually this year,” Gonzalez said. “Not only did my students need to beat the other team members for a top-three finish, they also had to win against each other.”

The team from American Canyon represented Napa County in the competition among 15 teams —and 250 students — from high schools in Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Lake and Mendocino counties.

Source: American Canyon HS Academic Decathlon Team Advances To State | Napa Valley, CA Patch

Vanden High senior receives national full-ride scholarship – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

Like many college hopefuls, Vanden High School senior Cecilia Morales had worried how she would fund her schooling.

No more.

She was recently named a 2019 QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship recipient, which guarantees full scholarships to seniors with high academic performance but low incomes and allows them to attend top colleges.

“It feels insane,” Morales said of her accomplishment, noting that she feels very proud but also a sense of disbelief.

Source: Vanden High senior receives national full-ride scholarship – The Reporter

Students compete to reach state Academic Decathlon – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

The students were visibly nervous as they shuffled into the gym Saturday at Solano Community College for the final contest in this year’s regional Academic Decathlon.

Approximately 300 students from 15 high schools – including Rodriguez, Vanden, Buckingham Charter Magnet, Dixon, Vallejo, Jesse Bethel and MIT Academy – came out for some friendly competition at the North Bay Region’s Academic Decathlon.

Other teams came in from Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

Source: Students compete to reach state Academic Decathlon