Monthly Archives: July 2021

Bill Dodd, education leaders talk mask mandates, pandemic silver linings – Times-Herald

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By Richard Freedman

To paraphrase former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator, “They’ll be back.”

And when they do, expect students throughout the state to mask up, along with clerical staff, teachers and principals.

“I wish we didn’t wear masks. There will be a time we expect and hope we won’t,” said Tony Thurmond, California’s Superintendent of Schools.

Thurmond joined Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson, and Sunne Wright McPeak, president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund, in State Sen. Bill Dodd’s virtual town hall forum streamed live on KSVY radio in Sonoma and on multiple media platforms Tuesday night.

Source: Bill Dodd, education leaders talk mask mandates, pandemic silver linings – Times-Herald

In-person school returning, with technological support – Daily Republic

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By Matt Miller

Students will soon return to school, be required to wear masks – at least at the outset – while options of independent learning will continue and the state works to address the digital needs for all Californians.

Those were the topics discussed Tuesday night at a virtual town hall put on by Sen. Bill Dodd and broadcast live on Sonoma TV and KSVY radio in Sonoma, and on local social media channels.

Joining Dodd was California Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, Sunne Wright McPeak, president and CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund, and Lisette Estrella-Henderson, Solano County superintendent of schools.

Source: In-person school returning, with technological support

California community college students will soon be required to take ethnic studies – Times-Herald

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By Michael Burke, EdSource

A new course requirement in ethnic studies is officially coming to California’s community colleges.

The board of governors overseeing the state’s 116 community colleges voted unanimously Monday to amend the system’s general education requirements by adding an ethnic studies class.

The requirement will be in place for students pursuing an associate degree and could take effect as soon as fall 2022, although it will more likely go into effect in fall 2023. Under the requirement, students will have to take a class in Native American studies, African American studies, Asian American studies or Latina and Latino studies.

Source: California community college students will soon be required to take ethnic studies – Times-Herald

Solano, Rodriguez grad Lindsey McLaughlin signs to play for Humboldt State – Daily Republic

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By Paul Farmer

Having suffered a torn ACL in 2017, Lindsey McLaughlin already knew what it was like to miss time in volleyball when the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

It wound up costing the Rodriguez High graduate her sophomore season with the Solano Community College volleyball team.

That sophomore season will now be played with Humboldt State University after McLaughlin recently signed a letter of intent to play for the Lumberjacks.

Source: Solano, Rodriguez grad Lindsey McLaughlin signs to play for Humboldt State

Teacher Recruitment Fair set Tuesday – Daily Republic

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The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District is hosting an in-person Teacher Recruitment Fair from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the central office, 2490 Hilborn Road.

The district is seeking qualified educators. Conditional offers may be made the same day. Positions are open for multiple-subject teachers, single-subject teachers in math and science, and special education teachers.

The event offers an opportunity to network with school principals and check out the district’s academic programs.

Source: The Week Ahead: Teacher Recruitment Fair set Tuesday

Friends of the Dixon May Fair award seven scholarships – The Reporter

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By Kimberly K. Fu

Seven Solano County scholars — six from Dixon and one from Vacaville–are sharing $12,000 in college agricultural scholarships awarded by the Friends of the Dixon May Fair.

The Friends, the service-oriented and fundraising arm of the fair, annually awards scholarships to Solano County residents enrolled in an agricultural-related field at either a four-year university or a two-year community college in California. The organization, headed by president Donnie Huffman of Vacaville, has awarded $222,750 in college scholarships since 2003.

Natalie Victorine of Dixon, a 2021 graduate of Dixon High School, received the $3000 Ester Armstrong Scholarship, the top award. She will major in agricultural communications this fall at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Source: Friends of the Dixon May Fair award seven scholarships – The Reporter

New state bill helps students with grade relief during pandemic – Daily Republic

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By Matt Miller

Thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, some students who did not qualify for graduation in June may now be able to do so just one month later.

Newsom inked Assembly Bill 104, which relieves some students’ requirements, retention and grades because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The legislation was listed as urgent and immediately applies to all school districts, retroactive to the 2020-21 school year and applied to the upcoming 2021-22 school year.

“For many, distance learning has not been ideal across the state,” said Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Superintendent Kris Corey. “We don’t want to penalize and hurt students for things that may have been out of their control. This was not a normal situation. Students should not be punished for a pandemic.”

Source: New state bill helps students with grade relief during pandemic

Fairfield boutique shop moving into old Gomer School – The Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

The past four years have been a period of nonstop growth for boutique store Farmer’s Closet, which has evolved from an online store to a mobile business to a pair of brick-and-mortar stores in Fairfield and Winters.

And the growth does not stop. Next week, Farmer’s Closet will be moving its Fairfield location into the old Gomer School building in Suisun Valley.

Business co-owner Amber Blanc said that she and her sister, Lacy DeQuattro, had more inventory than their Fairfield Corners shop could accommodate.

“We developed an app last January, so we ship all over the U.S. and Canada,” she said. “The space at Oliver Road we’ve been at for the last four years, we’ve just kind of outgrown it.”

Source: Fairfield boutique shop moving into old Gomer School – The Reporter

Travis Credit Union awards scholarships to 20 local high school students – The Reporter

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Travis Credit Union recently awarded 20 local high school students the Mary Keith Duff Memorial Scholarship, one of the annual scholarships TCU awards to assist its young members with the increasing cost of higher education.

All of the winning students received a ‘Gala in a Box,’ which included the scholarship award announcement of $2,000 to help with college expenses, as well as a $200 gift card. TCU board members as well as executive leadership members coordinated live Zoom calls with the families to join with them virtually in opening the ‘special delivery’ box to celebrate their achievement.

For 17 years, TCU has been awarding 20 local, college-bound seniors with a $2,000 Mary Keith Duff Memorial Scholarship. To qualify, students must be high school seniors, have a GPA of at least 3.0, and submit a 500-word personal statement essay on their plans for the future.

Source: Travis Credit Union awards scholarships to 20 local high school students – The Reporter

FSUSD receives a $268,000 grant to support clean energy transportation – Daily Republic

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By Kris Corey

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District has been awarded a $268,000 grant from the Carl Moyer Grant Program in partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in order to procure two new near-zero emission propane buses and to cover all related infrastructure costs.

As part of the grant, two of the oldest diesel buses in the FSUSD fleet will be decommissioned. FSUSD’s participation in the Carl Moyer Grant Program has enabled the district’s transportation department to retire a total of twenty fuel-inefficient diesel buses.

Source: Press Release: FSUSD receives a $268,000 grant to support clean energy transportation

School district hosting teacher recruitment fair – Daily Republic

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The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District is hosting an in-person Teacher Recruitment Fair from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. July 13 at the central office, 2490 Hilborn Road.

The district is seeking qualified educators. Conditional offers may be made the same day. Positions are open for multi-subject teachers, single subject teachers in math and science, and special education teachers.

The event offers an opportunity to network with school principals and check out the district’s academic programs.

Source: School district hosting teacher recruitment fair