Solano College Interns Can Earn College Units and Help Improve Community Relations – Daily Republic

By Barbara Navolanic

The Solano Community College Department of Public Safety is starting a Community Service Officer (CSO) student internship program for the fall semester. As law enforcement agencies continue to struggle to recruit officers and strengthen community trust, the college public safety department feels one of the ways to help address both of these issues is to invite students to be a part of the agency through the internship program. Students will earn college units towards their degree while making new friends who share the same commitment of caring for the safety of others and their community.

Source: Solano College Interns Can Earn College Units and Help Improve Community Relations

Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Recognized in Washington, D.C. – Daily Republic

By Nicole Langarica

Representatives from the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District traveled to Washington D.C. to accept an award for Suisun Valley K-8’s selection as a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School. Recognized for its innovative work on environmental sustainability and education, the selection of Suisun Valley honors the school’s work as a model for integrating community service, science and technology education, and hands-on learning.

Hosting over 30 schools and districts, the U.S. Department of Education recognized Suisun Valley and other award recipients at a Washington, D.C. ceremony for their “efforts to cultivate sustainable, healthy facilities, wellness practices, and hands-on, outdoor, environmental learning”.

Source: Press Release: Fairfield-Suisun Unified Schoool District Recognized in Washington, D.C.

Supervisors establish $3 million Housing Trust Fund – Daily Republic

The Solano County supervisors on Tuesday introduced the ordinance that will establish the Solano County Housing Trust Fund.

The board then confirmed its previous commitment of $3 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars to the fund, with $200,000 annually from the Community Investment Fund supporting future housing projects.

The fund is designed to support housing projects for very low- to moderate-income households, in part to provide more housing stock to deal with homeless program needs.

Source: Supervisors establish $3 million Housing Trust Fund

Waivers Affecting School Year 2022–23 – Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

On May 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved nine state specific waivers to provide flexibilities to California program operations during School Year (SY) 2022–23. Section 12(l) of the National School Lunch Act provides the authority to the USDA to issue these waivers.

While the goal of the Child Nutrition Programs for SY 2022–23 is to transition to traditional meal, snack, and milk service, the USDA recognizes that there may continue to be COVID-19 related impacts.

The waivers listed below provide flexibilities for occasions when Child Nutrition Program operations are experiencing COVID-related impacts in the following programs: the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Special Milk Program (SMP), and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), NSLP Seamless Summer Feeding Option (SSO), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Source: Waivers Affecting School Year 2022–23 – Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Information Session – Running For School Board – Daily Republic

By Kris Corey

On November 8, 2022, many school districts across California will have Board trustee elections on local ballots. The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (FSUSD) will have three positions open for election in the following Trustee Areas: Area 4, Area 5, and Area 7.

This election of ordinary citizens to a board that oversees the public education of our community’s youth is an important example of a democratic approach to local control. After all, it is the Governing Board, elected by the people, who are entrusted with the educational lives of our children and their future in our society. Serving as a trustee is a challenging task that provides an opportunity to contribute significantly to the health of our community.

Source: Press Release: Information Session – Running For School Board

Incumbent Tony Thurmond, challenger Lance Christensen are heading to a November runoff in race to lead California schools – The Vacaville Reporter

By Kayla Jimenez

In a race that will determine the future for public schools in the Golden State following two years of pandemic closures, student learning loss, crippling enrollment declines and rising chronic absenteeism rates, California voters this fall will choose between very different candidates: incumbent and longtime politician Tony Thurmond and challenger and parent choice advocate Lance Christensen.

Thurmond received 45.9% of the vote in the June primary — short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff, as voters, upset about the ways schools were handled during the pandemic, split their choices among six other candidates. Christensen took second place with 11.9% of the votes, and will go head to head with Thurmond in the Nov. 8 election to decide who will become the next State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Source: Incumbent Tony Thurmond, challenger Lance Christensen are heading to a November runoff in race to lead California schools – The Vacaville Reporter

Vallejo school board to consider new agreement with charter network – Vallejo Sun

By John Glidden

The Vallejo school board will be asked to approve a tolling agreement with Griffin Technology Academies (GTA) on Wednesday as the charter network works to fix several alleged violations levied by the school district.

The Vallejo City Unified School District Board of Education voted on April 28 to send a notice of violations to each of the four charter schools operated by GTA alleging the charter network mismanaged its finances, allowed mold to flourish inside school facilities, and violated the state’s open meeting law.

Source: Vallejo school board to consider new agreement with charter network

Joey Travolta’s film camps for special needs students create videos for positive message campaign | Antioch Herald

By Allen D. Payton

Director, actor and former special education teacher, Joey Travolta held his third of three film camps in Northern California, last week, for students between 18 and 24 years old with an intellectual disability, to create short videos for use by PassItOn.com for their positive message campaign in theaters, as well as on TV and billboards.

Each film will be five to seven minutes long and “every story has to have the theme of kindness or doing something good, and the thought is don’t hesitate to pass it on,” Travolta explained.

According to his Inclusion Films’ website, “over the two-week session, campers work together in small groups to develop a script, act, and shoot their film with professional support and equipment. The program encourages communication, confidence, and collaboration through acting and digital filmmaking. Stay tuned for future dates & announcements.”

Source: Joey Travolta’s film camps for special needs students create videos for positive message campaign | Antioch Herald

Sheri Zada announces candidacy for re-election to the BUSD Board of Trustees – Times-Herald

Benicia School Board President Sheri Zada has announced her candidacy for re-election to the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees for District 1.

Zada has thus far has received the endorsement from the Benicia Teachers Association, Benicia Mayor Steve Young, Benicia Vice-Mayor Tom Campbell, Solano County Supervisor Monica Brown, City Council Candidates Terry Scott and Keri Birdseye, Solano County Board of Education Trustee for Area 3 Dana Dean, as well as the endorsement from her School Board colleagues, Mark Maselli, Dr. Gethsemane Moss and CeCe Grubs.

Source: Sheri Zada announces candidacy for re-election to the BUSD Board of Trustees – Times-Herald

Fairfield school board OKs $249.6M facilities bond for November ballot – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

A divided school board this week voted 6-1 to place a quarter of a billion dollar bond on the Nov. 8 ballot to provide what the Fairfield-Suisun School District describes as facilities improvements.

Trustee Ana Petero voted against the plan.

Superintendent Kris Corey said the bond will not increase taxes for the community. Instead, it will extend the terms of the combined Measures C and J bonds. By extending the terms and not increasing the tax rate, she said, the community will generate $249.6 million to use for school facilities projects.

Source: Fairfield school board OKs $249.6M facilities bond for November ballot

Fairfield-Suisun school board updates job descriptions, makes salary changes – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The governing board for the Fairfield-Suisun School District approved updates this week to several job descriptions for the coming school year as well as made changes for some salaries.

Job descriptions were updated Thursday for several positions, including the senior director of Elementary Education; assistant director of Elementary Education; director of Special Education; assistant director of Human Resources-Risk Management; compliance office; assistant director of Curriculum Instruction and Assessment; executive director of Communications and Community Engagement; director of Human Resources; and assistant director of Human Resources.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun school board updates job descriptions, makes salary changes

Trustees in Fairfield-Suisun look ahead to new school year amid Covid concerns – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun School District is gearing up for the new school year.

Board members heard an update Thursday on all the new things staff and students can expect when they come back to campus.

Schools are still dealing with Covid 19 issues but some things have changed from last year, according to Sheila McCabe, director of Secondary Education.

Source: Trustees in Fairfield-Suisun look ahead to new school year amid Covid concerns

New roads ahead for 30 VUSD summer school graduates – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Thirty seniors made their way to the stage and, about 30 minutes later, it was all about diplomas, that emblem of adulthood and a figurative ticket to a new life.

Newly graduated from Vacaville Unified’s summer school, the seniors, who picked up their diplomas Friday afternoon in the filled-to-capacity Catwalk Theater at Will C. Wood, did not walk across the stage in June with their respective classmates at Vacaville, Buckingham Charter and Wood high schools, and Ernest Kimme Charter Academy.

Source: New roads ahead for 30 VUSD summer school graduates – The Vacaville Reporter

Vallejo City Unified School District holding job fair on Tuesday – Times-Herald

The Vallejo City Unified School District (VCUSD) is hosting a job fair from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday at the District offices located at 665 Walnut Ave. in Vallejo.

Prospective employees can apply, interview, and get hired that day at the event.

Interested applicants are invited to fill out an application before the event. Certificated jobs, which require an applicant to have a certification or licensure, can fill out an application. Classified positions, which do not require credentials, can fill out an application.

Source: Vallejo City Unified School District holding job fair on Tuesday – Times-Herald

Citizens get acquainted with the kitchen with month-long class in Vallejo – Times-Herald

By Thomas Gase

Since the start of the pandemic, there’s been a missing ingredient at your local restaurant.

People.

According to Mare Island Brewing Company’s founder Kent Fortner, the decline in jobs — including ones for line cooks and prep cooks — is approximately 50 percent.

“The demand for employees in the restaurant business is there, but a lot of people have moved on for various reasons,” Fortner said. “I think in the end people were just too tired of waiting for restaurants to reopen, so they moved on,” Fortner said, adding that many people wanted to get into the restaurant business, but the problem was they had no experience.

Source: Citizens get acquainted with the kitchen with month-long class in Vallejo – Times-Herald

Vacaville School District refinances bonds, saves taxpayers more than $3M – Daily Republic

The Vacaville School District has refinanced $22.2 million in general obligation bonds, which according to a press release from the district will save property owners approximately $3.1 million in lower tax payments.

District voters authorized the sale of up to $194 million of general obligation bonds on Nov. 4, 2014, to address needs for technology upgrades, facility renovation and new construction for district schools. Since then, the district has sold all of their bonds from the 2014 election.

Source: Vacaville School District refinances bonds, saves taxpayers more than $3M

VUSD refinances bonds, reducing tax bills for local property owners – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

An alert for many Vacaville property owners: You are going to see somewhat reduced property tax bills in the future.

Vacaville Unified this month refinanced $22.2 million in general obligation bonds, which will save school district property owners $3.1 million in lower tax payments, district leaders said in a press release issued Thursday.

District voters in November 2014 approved Measure A, the $194 million general obligation bond to pay for technology upgrades, renovations to existing buildings, and new construction for district schools.

Source: VUSD refinances bonds, reducing tax bills for local property owners – The Vacaville Reporter

2022 National Youth Science Camp Delegates – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond named four outstanding students as California’s delegates at the 2022 National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp).

Rhea Jethvani of Oxford Academy in Cypress (Orange County), Maggie Yao of Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego (San Diego County), Aadity Sharma of Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon (Contra Costa County), and Meghana Balabhadruni of California High School in San Ramon (Contra Costa County) were selected for their high achievement and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“STEM education—or STEAM education, which aligns the arts with STEM learning—is an incredibly important priority of mine. Not only is a STEAM education a great equalizer for our students with career opportunities—especially for our disadvantaged students and students of color—it’s the foundation for our future thought leaders in science, the individuals we need as our society grapples with climate change,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it’s more important than ever that our students are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions. These are the kinds of skills that students develop in science, technology, engineering, and math, including computer science.”

Source: 2022 National Youth Science Camp Delegates – Year 2022 (CA Dept of Education)

Armijo grad Grijalva ready to run at world championships in Oregon – Daily Republic

Luis Grijalva will be back on the big stage next week when he runs for Guatemala in the 5,000 meters at the World Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

The Armijo High School graduate ran in the finals and finished 12th overall last year at the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He is currently ranked 24th in the world in the 5,000. His best all-time mark came in Tokyo when he ran 13:10.09. His best time this year is the 13:18.13 he clocked last month in Oslo.

In order to run in the Olympics for his native Guatemala, Grijalva, a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, needed an expedited permit to leave the country for Tokyo. That won’t be needed next week with the meet in Eugene at the new Hayward Field.

Source: Armijo grad Grijalva ready to run at world championships in Oregon

Vacaville High taking nominations for new Hall of Fame class – Daily Republic

The Vacaville High School Hall of Fame, whose inaugural class was inducted in 2015, is currently seeking the names of individuals who will comprise the Class of 2022.

After the 2019 class, and due to the pandemic, the Hall of Fame Committee decided to wait to induct a new class until a time when the public would have the opportunity to attend gatherings safely to honor these individuals. The Hall of Fame now plans to make inductions on even numbered years.

Source: Vacaville High taking nominations for new Hall of Fame class