Monthly Archives: May 2020

Vallejo school board tables support of ethnic studies curriculum – Times-Herald

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By John Glidden

A proposed Vallejo school board resolution supporting California’s proposed ethnic studies curriculum was tabled by the trustees during their May 6 meeting.

Several of the trustees expressed that they were uncomfortable supporting the draft document which is expected to go up for review and possible approval by the State Board of Education next year.

“I think that it’s premature in approving something that is currently in draft form,” said trustee Christy Gardner during the meeting. “That is being revised as we speak and until the total, complete document is finished I feel very uncomfortable approving a draft.”

Source: Vallejo school board tables support of ethnic studies curriculum – Times-Herald

Teachers grapple with how to keep track of students during distance learning – The Reporter

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By Ali Tadayon

Taking attendance has acquired new meaning for schools as distance learning becomes the new normal during the pandemic.

Schools are not required to take roll at this time in order to receive state funds based on average daily attendance, said California Department of Education spokesman Scott Roark. But districts are encouraged to monitor student participation and performance in distance learning to see how well it is working.

Moreover, many teachers simply want to stay in touch with their students. Partly that’s to see that they are keeping up with their coursework, but also to make sure they are getting the resources they need and are safe.

Source: Teachers grapple with how to keep track of students during distance learning – The Reporter

Weirdest . . . school year . . . ever – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

Part of the reason “high school” movies succeed is because the students are easily relatable, no matter when the story is set – today, the 1980s or the ’50s.

There are the students into sports, the students into academics, the students involved in band, and the students not really into it at all – no matter the era, school experiences have generally been unchanged for decades.

Except for this year.

Source: Weirdest . . . school year . . . ever

Parents appreciate Vacaville teachers with parade – The Reporter

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By Kimberly K. Fu

As the clock struck noon on Friday, a caravan of vehicles decked out in streamers, balloons and signs paraded in front of the Kiddie Academy of Vacaville, their horns honking and tiny tots howling joyfully.

‘Twas the first annual Teacher Appreciation Parade, put on by parents and enjoyed by all.

Turns out a parent-sponsored lunch continued the festivities, much to the glee of all of the participants.

Source: Coronavirus: Parents appreciate Vacaville teachers with parade – The Reporter

Sem Yeto seniors pick up yard signs amid cheers, cherished memories – Daily Republic

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By Amy Maginnis-Honey

Sem Yeto seniors stopped by Armijo and Fairfield high schools Thursday for new – and hopefully temporary – tradition.

Senior sign day got underway at around 11 a.m. at both locations.

Members of the Armijo High School Class of 2020 collected their caps and gowns during a separate drive-thru event across campus.

Sem Yeto staff began hanging signs at Fairfield High about 40 minutes prior. It also gave them time to create some chalk artwork, complete with directional arrows, on the asphalt.

Source: Sem Yeto seniors pick up yard signs amid cheers, cherished memories

Vacaville school board to consider graduation, teacher staffing – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Trustees of the Vacaville School District will discuss graduation options for the Class of 2020 when they the gather virtually Thursday.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. with a closed session then opens to the public at 6:30 p.m. for regular business.

All board members will attend the meeting via teleconference using the Zoom platform.

Source: Vacaville school board to consider graduation, teacher staffing

Travis schools trustees to review budget projections – Daily Republic

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By Glen Faison

Travis School District trustees on Tuesday will review the state of the district’s various budget categories, some of which show tens of thousands of dollars in red ink and others that improved dramatically over the course of the academic year.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. All board members will attend via teleconference.

Trustees are expected to review the district’s third interim budget report, which shows end-of-the projections of various funds as of April 30. Those projections show increased reductions in various fund balances for the current year and for the next two years, the staff report states.

Source: Travis schools trustees to review budget projections

Dixon schools paraprofessional earns Solano’s top classified employee honor – Daily Republic

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By Todd R. Hansen

Susana Perez had just been announced as the Classified School Employee of the Year for the Dixon School District when it also was announced that she was the 2020-21 Solano County Classified School Employee of the Year as well.

Perez has been a paraprofessional and bilingual parent liaison for Maine Prairie High School for 18 years.

Source: Dixon schools paraprofessional earns Solano’s top classified employee honor

FSUSD sets 2020 graduation plans: Pre-recorded ceremonies – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Fairfield-Suisun Unified Superintendent Kris Corey said her administration had decided to hold pre-recorded ceremonies, viewable online, for graduating seniors or graduates at seven campuses: Adult School, Armijo, Fairifield, Rodriguez, Sem Yeto and Early College high schools, and the Public Safety Academy.

The class of 2020 ceremonies will be held on the same day for all, June 17, at mostly staggered times, depending on the school, she told The Reporter during a brief interview Friday.

Source: Coronavirus: FSUSD sets 2020 graduation plans: Pre-recorded ceremonies – The Reporter

Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy name proposed to school board – Times-Herald

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By John Glidden

A special citizen advisory committee is recommending the Vallejo City Unified School District board consider renaming Solano Middle School to the Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy.

The school board received information about the new name during its meeting Wednesday afternoon. Trustees appointed the special committee in April after the district moved Widenmann Elementary School to the middle school site for the start of the 2019-20 school year.

“By keeping a portion of both schools in the name, we can continue to acknowledge the history of our region, the different cultures that make up our schools, and the contributions of both individuals to our community,” wrote Victoria Grace, committee spokesperson, in a letter to the school board.

Source: Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy name proposed to school board – Times-Herald

Vallejo school board approves multiple Measure S contracts – Times-Herald

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By John Glidden

Without comment, the Vallejo City Unified School District approved several Measure S related items during Wednesday’s board meeting.

They approved a contract between the district and Miller Pacific Engineering for geotechnical evaluation for the Corbus Field resurfacing project, according to a staff report to the five-person school board.

The $14,500 contract includes a field drainage assessment, assistance with field design if needed and construction observation and testing, staff said.

Source: Vallejo school board approves multiple Measure S contracts – Times-Herald

Digital Divide Task Force Advocates for Students – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and state leaders called representatives from major technology and internet service provider companies to appear at yesterday’s Closing the Digital Divide Task Force meeting to discuss the persistent technology gaps impacting the state’s most vulnerable students. Hundreds of thousands of students in schools throughout the state are still without the necessary devices and internet access needed to participate in distance learning along with their peers.

The full video archive of the meeting can be found on the CDE Facebook web page.

The task force, co-chaired by Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino), has asked that internet service providers offer free guest access to all California students. During Monday’s hearing, executives from AT&T, Comcast, Cox Communications, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon were asked to provide more details on their efforts to bring connectivity into the homes of students from low-income and rural communities, including providing services for free or at low cost.

Source: Digital Divide Task Force Advocates for Students – Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

Supervisors recognize National Nurses Week in Solano County/Grant for Wellness to SCOE – Daily Republic

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By Todd R. Hansen

The Board of Supervisors this week adopted a resolution recognizing May 6-12 as National Nurses Week in Solano County.

“Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities in a variety of settings, and includes the promotion of health, the prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people,” the resolution states.

Source: Supervisors recognize National Nurses Week in Solano County

Jesse Bethel High seniors celebrated at drive-thru event – Times-Herald

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By Thomas Gase

For nearly two months, Jesse Bethel High students have been away from their campus due to COVID-19. On Friday, the Jaguars faculty made sure the Class of 2020 wasn’t forgotten.

A drive-thru event was held at the school’s parking lot in which seniors picked up their caps, gowns from the company Jostens. Also, in a surprise move made by the student body, signs were also given out that read, “Proud Home of a Jaguar, Senior Class of 2020.”

More than 100 vehicles drove through in two lines and were welcomed by approximately 30 members of the faculty, all practicing social distancing while holding up signs celebrating the seniors in the emotional event.

Source: Coronavirus: Jesse Bethel High seniors celebrated at drive-thru event – Times-Herald

Imagine Learning Recognizes Top Schools for Exemplary Usage of Digital Programs – Cision PR

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Imagine Learning, a Weld North Education company and leading educational technology developer of supplemental adaptive curriculum for PreK through eighth-grade students, today announce the winners of the 2019-2020 Imagine Nation Awards. The awards are part of the esteemed Imagine Learning motivational program igniting engagement and amplifying confidence for all learners.

Today, we congratulate 231 schools and students from across the country for their exceptional use of Imagine Learning programs: Imagine Language & Literacy, Imagine Math 3+, Imagine Math PreK-2, Imagine Math Facts, and Imagine Español. Over 16,000 schools implementing the evidence-based programs were eligible for the Imagine National School of Excellence Award and/or the Imagine Nation Beacon School Award.

Source: Imagine Learning Recognizes Top Schools for Exemplary Usage of Digital Programs

Vallejo board to head recommendation on new name for school facility – Times-Herald

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By John Glidden

A citizen advisory committee will present its recommendation on renaming the Solano Middle School facility during Wednesday’s Vallejo school board meeting.

The five-person committee was convened by the board to find a suitable name for the facility which is combination of two schools: Solano Middle School and Widenmann Elementary School.

Due to a request from Ramona Bishop’s ELITE Chater school for a suitable school site in Vallejo, the district decided to provide the Widenmann school to fulfill the request.

Source: Vallejo board to head recommendation on new name for school facility – Times-Herald

Teacher, student’s family work on Pennycook garden in Vallejo – Times-Herald

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By Richard Freedman

It’s no secret how Pennycook Elementary School kindergarten teacher Lani Ramos stays grounded, if not down-to-Earth — gardening. And where better to plant a plethora of vegetables than in the 11 wooden beds in front of the Vallejo school.

“This makes you feel … useful. It makes you feel like you’re doing something, contributing and it gets your mind off the negative effects of the quarantine,” Ramos said.

With sun hat and face mask in place, Ramos took to the soil on Saturday, assisted by Pennycook parent Shannon Bowling and Bowling’s daughter, Norah, 6, and son Simon, 4.

Source: Teacher, student’s family work on Pennycook garden in Vallejo – Times-Herald

High school, college graduates can see their names, faces in lights – Daily Republic

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By Amy Maginnis-Honey

Dae Spering made a joke on Facebook recently about putting a photo of her son Wiley Lloyd, who is graduating from Vacaville Christian High School, on the Downtown Theatre marquee.

After all, the Class of 2020 has missed out on many rituals in their last year of high school. Some will even graduate with their class – virtually – rather than have family and friends cheer when the graduate’s name is called.

Source: High school, college graduates can see their names, faces in lights

How much stimulus aid will your California school receive? That depends – The Reporter

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By John Fensterwald and Daniel Willis

By July 1, California school districts should get some financial relief from their share of $1.65 billion in federal stimulus funds that the state is expected to receive. Educators are hoping it will be the first installment of a bigger influx of federal aid later this summer that will let them shore up their budgets from expected cuts in state funding, as well as cover additional expenses from the coronavirus.

For school districts facing the potential prospect of big cuts in state funding next year, the funds represent a gift horse — flexible cash with few strings attached that can be spent on multiple costs of the pandemic. These could include items such as buying computers and internet access, covering the costs of distance learning, extended learning next year or paying for cleaning supports and costs of reopening schools.

Source: How much stimulus aid will your California school receive? That depends – The Reporter

Family of late Dixon High teacher establishing scholarship – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

The family of a longtime Dixon High School teacher who died in a car accident March 31 has established a memorial fund to raise money toward a scholarship in his name.

Donations are being accepted for the Shawn Tutt Memorial Fund at First Northern Bank’s Dixon branch. The scholarships will likely begin being issued in 2021 to graduating seniors who meet scholastic criteria and had some element of self-discovery by helping others.

Helping others is something Tutt — who taught computer technology, history and an array of other courses at Dixon High for 22 years — was all about.

Source: Family of late Dixon High teacher establishing scholarship – The Reporter