Monthly Archives: February 2025

Safe Routes to School Educates Students | Independent Voice

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By Kendall Brown

On Jan. 31, Solano Safe Routes to School hosted an event at Dixon High School, 555 College Way, to offer free bike repairs and education. According to Solano Safe Routes to School (SR2S) website, the initiative was launched by the Solano Transportation Authority (STA) in 2008 as a response to increased childhood obesity, air pollution and traffic congestion around schools.

Crystal Peacher, one of the two Solano Safe Routes to School program coordinators on Jan. 31, hopes to encourage students through these events.

Source: Safe Routes to School Educates Students | Independent Voice

SCC Board discuss immigration policy, sanctuary campus status – Times Herald Online

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By Nick McConnell

Jessica Gonzalez, vice chairperson of the Vallejo Latino Parents Network, succinctly summarized her feelings on the response of academic institutions to the Trump Administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement at a meeting of the Solano Community College Board Wednesday evening.

“Silence is loud,” she said.

The board discussed a California Attorney General report titled “Promoting a Safe and Secure Campus for All,” which outlines how higher education institutions can comply with SB 54, the California Values Act. No action was taken, but the board did give direction to bring back a policy of not cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a proclamation declaring the school a “Sanctuary Campus.”

Source: SCC Board discuss immigration policy, sanctuary campus status – Times Herald Online

VUSD classified staff ratify new 2-year contract | dailyrepublic.com

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The Vacaville Unified School District classified staff voted Wednesday to ratify a new two-year contract that includes a $20 minimum wage, no cuts to healthcare, improved health and safety protections and a one-time bonus.

The vote, which was almost unanimous, included maintenance workers, nutrition workers, paraprofessionals, student supervision workers, custodians, clerical workers and bus drivers.

In mid-January, members of Service Employees International Union 1021 voted to authorize a strike, but did not set a date.

Source: VUSD classified staff ratify new 2-year contract | News | dailyrepublic.com

With strike looming, VUSD OKs wage pact with school-support workers – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

After 10 months of negotiations, Vacaville Unified leaders and the school district’s classified, or school-support employees, reached an agreement on a new two-year wage-and-benefits package, The Reporter has learned.

On the verge of going on strike before the deal was made final, a majority of the 700 members in the Vacaville chapter of Service Employees International Union Local 1021 ratified the contract Wednesday, Chelsea Fink, an SEIU spokeswoman, said in an email.

Source: With strike looming, VUSD OKs wage pact with school-support workers – The Vacaville Reporter

Vallejo school board will look at three resolutions for equity impact – Times Herald Online

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By Thomas Gase

Vallejo City Unified School District Superintendent Rubén Aurelio recently said things can’t continue “business as usual” with declining enrollment that has resulted in eight schools being evaluated for potential impact.

Those eight were just dwindled down to three schools and three possible resolutions.

At Wednesday night’s meeting, the Board of Education voted unanimously to accept a resolution calling for the draft equity impact analysis — and with it a Feb. 19 vote on the three choices.

Source: Vallejo school board will look at three resolutions for equity impact – Times Herald Online

Vallejoans voice concerns in public safety meeting – Times Herald Online

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By Janis Mara

Residents attending a Vallejo City Council public safety meeting Tuesday asked for more police officers, police reform, traffic calming and a fix for sex workers. Meanwhile, council members responded with specific, measurable proposals.

While it’s yet to see if the proposals including a public safety task force, a crime reduction plan, a prostitution ordinance and an increase to the traffic budget will come to fruition, the nearly three-and-a-half-hour workshop meeting held at the JFK Library on Santa Clara Avenue was replete with passion, mutual support, anger and hope.

Source: Vallejoans voice concerns in public safety meeting – Times Herald Online

Education institutions collect more than $2.2B from Lottery in 2023-24 | dailyrepublic.com

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By Todd R. Hansen

The California Lottery announced it has generated close to $2.3 billion for public education during the third straight fiscal year.

“Final audit figures for the 2023-24 fiscal year confirm the California Lottery has much to celebrate as it begins its 40th year of providing supplemental funding to California’s public education system,” the Lottery said in a statement.

“Total sales once again exceeded $9 billion, resulting in contributions of more than $2.287 billion for public education programs statewide, from kindergarten to the community college, California State University, and University of California systems. This marks the third consecutive year the California Lottery has been able to generate over $2 billion to public schools across the state.”

Source: Education institutions collect more than $2.2B from Lottery in 2023-24 | News | dailyrepublic.com

SCC campus safety chief issues advisory about immigration enforcement – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

News reports and images of recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents’ arrests of immigrants across the country, handcuffed and loaded into vans or onto Air Force planes, have created anxiety and concern among some students at Solano Community College, school officials say.

But to calm fears, Mike Rowe, public information officer for the college’s Department of Public Safety in Fairfield, pointed out Monday’s social media post by Brian H. Travis, chief of the SCC District’s DPS.

Source: SCC campus safety chief issues advisory about immigration enforcement – The Vacaville Reporter

SPI Urges CA Educators to Stay Focused. Shares TRO – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

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Today, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Department of Education (CDE) issued a public statement via social media External link opens in new window or tab. and sent a letter to all California local educational agencies (LEAs), announcing that a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) has been granted in the federal lawsuit filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta and 22 other State Attorneys General, in which Superintendent Thurmond is a declarant. This TRO prevents the Trump administration from freezing critical federal assistance for education, health care, law enforcement, disaster relief, and more.

On Friday, January 31, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island issued the TRO External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF), blocking the federal government’s efforts to pause or terminate existing federal assistance to the states until a subsequent hearing. This follows a January 29 statement by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, which suggested that a pause in federal assistance would continue to be implemented, in spite of an earlier Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo to the contrary.

Source: SPI Urges CA Educators to Stay Focused. Shares TRO – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

Travis Unified trustees to hold study session | dailyrepublic.com

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The Travis Unified School District board will hold a study session on Wednesday.

“How a school board governs and how a school board works together with its governance team are crucial. As board members fulfill distinct governance responsibilities in the areas of vision-setting, human resources, policies, curriculum, finance, judicial appeals, collective bargaining and community leadership, the way in which boards perform the board role is critical,” the board agenda states.

Source: Travis Unified trustees to hold study session | News | dailyrepublic.com

Vallejo immigrant community: Remain calm, get informed – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Janis Mara

In late January, Mina Loera-Diaz, a former Vallejo vice-mayor and longtime immigrant activist, began receiving frantic calls and messages in response to social media posts about purported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in the city.

It turned out that the alleged actions hadn’t taken place, but were rumors that spread in reaction to recent ICE operations elsewhere in the Bay Area in line with President Trump’s stated goals of cracking down on undocumented immigration.

Source: Vallejo immigrant community: Remain calm, get informed, stay united – The Vacaville Reporter

A Moraga high school wins Academic Decathlon| dailyrepublic.com

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A high school from Moraga won the Bay Region Academic Decathlon on Saturday.

Campolindo High School, in the Acalanes Union High School District, topped 15 other schools from nine counties, including five in Solano County.

The school was led by three of the top four Gold Medal individuals by grade who were competing in the top Honor category: Donnecha Feeley (ninth grade), Bhavana Kasalamati (11th grade) and Marilyn Jia (12th grade). The sophomore winner was Avi Shirgur from Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill.

Source: A Moraga high school wins Academic Decathlon; American Canyon 2nd; Vanden 4th | News | dailyrepublic.com

Solano Widenmann students to return to campus on Tuesday – Times Herald Online

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By Thomas Gase

Students at Solano Widenmann Leadership Academy are set to return to campus on Tuesday, a news release by the Vallejo City Unified School District announced on Sunday afternoon.

The school, closed after a recent copper wiring theft left it without power, was expected to be closed for another week. Instead, school officials announced on Sunday that power was “fully restored.”

The school was closed indefinitely after the theft was discovered last weekend, but academics resumed Wednesday with temporary “learning hubs” at various campuses. Teachers and staff at Solano Widenmann developed “class packets” that replaced an independent study style format.

Source: Solano Widenmann students to return to campus on Tuesday – Times Herald Online

Commute lanes could open early in Solano County – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Robin Miller

With CalTrans apparently ahead of schedule on construction of westbound Interstate 80 express lanes between Vacaville and Fairfield, the state is planning to open the lanes early as HOV (carpool) lanes by mid-February – weather permitting.

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes are restricted to carpools only during high-use commute hours. Express lanes allow single-occupant vehicles but the drivers pay a toll electronically (with a FasTrak transponder or by using a Prepaid ExpressAccount).

Source: Commute lanes could open early in Solano County – The Vacaville Reporter

SPI Responds to Title IX Protection Changes – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond issued a public statement on social media External link opens in new window or tab. and a “Dear Colleague” letter to all California local educational agencies (LEAs) on Friday, in response to the “Dear Colleague” letter sent to all schools by the United States Department of Education (ED) External link opens in new window or tab. on Friday morning.

While the letter sent by Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor rolled back Biden administration rules that extended Title IX protections to students on the basis of gender identity, Thurmond’s letter and public statement affirmed that California schools will continue extending protections against discrimination to all students on the basis of gender, gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation:

“In California, “all” still means all. While the Trump Education Department announced that they will no longer protect all students from discrimination, California law is unaffected by recent changes to federal policy and continues to provide safeguards against discrimination and harassment based on gender, gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. While federal guidance devolves, our commitment to safeguarding the rights of all students persists.”

Source: SPI Responds to Title IX Protection Changes – Year 2025 (CA Dept of Education)

Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School – Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

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On November 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued Policy Memorandum SP 04-2025 Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs. The memorandum clarifies policy related to fees associated with electronic (online) payments in the School Meal Programs and ensures students who are determined eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits receive the benefits they qualify for without incurring additional fees. Effective school year (SY) 2027–28, families with students eligible for free or reduced-price meals must not be charged any fees associated with the cost of a meal, including fees for using electronic payment services.

Please note the policy requires school food authorities (SFA) to provide families with at least one free and accessible method of making deposits to a student’s account, even if student’s accounts are only used to purchase a la carte foods. As an alternative, SFA’s may charge online services to the nonprofit school food service account (cafeteria fund) if the service is determined to be reasonable and necessary for the operation of school food service.

Source: Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School – Nutrition (CA Dept of Education)

Students square off in Academic Decathlon – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Robin Miller

Teams of teens from across the region squared off in competitive academics that included everything from art and music to language, literature and mathematics Saturday at Solano Community College.

The Bay Region Academic Decathlon culminated with the Super Quiz in the gym at SCC where a few hundred students, parents and others gathered to cheer on their favorites.

In the end, the competition resulted in Campolindo High School from Acalanes Union High School District in Contra Costa County winning first place overall. The team, coached by Paul Verbanszky, earned a trophy and an invite to go on to compete and represent Contra Costa County at the state Academic Decathlon competition being held March 20-23, 2025, in Santa Clara.

Source: Students square off in Academic Decathlon – The Vacaville Reporter

In special board workshop, VUSD trustees to hear school ‘report cards’ – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

During a special governing board workshop, Vacaville Unified leaders on Saturday will hear reports on school accountability, sometimes commonly referred to as “the district’s report card,” a review of multiple district departments, and a budget presentation.

Trustees will be asked to approve, submit and publish the 2023-24 School Accountability Report Card for 17 schools to the state Department of Education.

The report card details the condition and performance of district schools, with data that includes to conditions, outcomes of state testing in English and mathematics in grades three to 8 and 11, and engagement.

Source: In special board workshop, VUSD trustees to hear school ‘report cards’ – The Vacaville Reporter