The Solano County Library is hosting a Teen Writing Contest open to ages 12-18.
Entries will be accepted beginning Monday. All must be submitted 11:59 p.m. Oct. 31.
Three winning entries from each category will be published. Each winner will also receive a $25 gift card.
Source: Entries open soon for Teen Writing Contest | News | dailyrepublic.com
The Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy (BCCA) has been named the No. 1 high school in Vacaville and ranked No. 3 in the Vallejo Metropolitan Area, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best High Schools rankingsThe rankings are based on multiple measures of student success, including college readiness, state assessment performance, achievement among underserved student populations, breadth of college curriculum and graduation rates.
Source: Buckingham recognized among best high schools | News | dailyrepublic.com
Rodriguez High and the Public Safety Academy have been recognized in the 2025–26 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings.
The pair earned high national and local regional rankings, placing them among the top-performing schools in the nation.
“We are incredibly proud that two of our schools have earned recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools rankings,” Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Superintendent Jennifer Sachs said in a press release.
Source: PSA, Rodriguez earn spots on magazine’s Best High Schools list | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Todd R. Hansen
They are not exactly the same halls that Mable Turner walked in 1944 when she graduated from Vacaville High School.
Or for that matter, the same hallways Robin Wood walked when he graduated in 1968, two years before his sweetheart and future wife, Mona Moore, walked in 1970; nor the halls that Michelle (Wood) Neitz walked her graduating year of 1990.
There were even changes so that the halls Camille Neitz walked before her graduation in 2012 are different from those of her mother’s Vacaville High.
Source: Urban could have been singing about Vacaville High | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Richard Bammer
A public hearing about additions to Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy course offerings and approval of provisional internship premits for several instructors are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet Thursday evening.
The govening board will hear Buckingham Principal Samantha Working present a material revisions to consider, adding choices for students to meet graduation requirements, as well as the creation of an Early College Program. A vote on the item will be taken during the trustees’ Sept. 11 meeting.
Source: Public hearing about course additions at Buckingham on VUSD agenda – The Vacaville Reporter
By Robin Miller
Local public high schools posted strong rankings in areas such as college readiness, state assessment testing and graduation rates, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best High Schools rankings released this week.
The rankings include data from more than 24,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools earned rankings based on six factors, including their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.
Source: Solano County high schools make the grade – The Vacaville Reporter
By Sarah Rodriguez
With a full house looking on in anticipation Wednesday night, the Vallejo Unified School District’s 7-11 committee recommended the closure of Pennycook Elementary, followed by the consolidation of its students to the Steffan Manor Elementary site.
Last week, the 7-11 committee solidified its ranked list for recommended school closures, with a seven-school list, placing Lincoln Elementary, John Finney Education Complex, Pennycook Elementary, and Steffan Manor Elementary at the top four.
Source: 7-11 committee gives final recommendations to Vallejo board – Times Herald Online
By Todd R. Hansen
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Tuesday lauded the progress California public schools have made in combating chronic absenteeism since the rate peaked to 30% in 2020-21.
His office, at a staged event held at Williamson Elementary, part of the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, in Rancho Cordova, also released the California Attendance Guide.
Source: State education offers ‘guidance’ in fight against absenteeism | News | dailyrepublic.com
During a recent Benicia High School football practice, quarterback Elijah Nelson throws a touchdown pass and C.J. Anderson raises his arms in celebration.
“Like taking candy from a baby,’’ Anderson yells. “I called a good play.”
Soon, there is another touchdown pass and Anderson again celebrates.
Source: Ex-Broncos star-turned-coach C.J. Anderson at Benicia High | Denver Broncos | denvergazette.com
The Benicia Unified School District Board of Education has chosen Brentwood Union Assistant Superintendent Chris Calabrese as its top choice to lead the district.
The school board is expected to vote to approve Calabrese on Sept. 4.
Source: Benicia school board names Brentwood school official as likely next superintendent
By Amy Maginnis-Honey
Nearing 40 years in Solano County education, Lisette Estrella-Henderson is ready to live in the moment.
At the end of the month, she retires as the county superintendent of schools, a post she’s held since 2017. The view from her office will be gone, but the memories of this “hometown girl” never will.
Why retire now?
Source: Retiring SCOE superintendent: It’s time to ‘just be’ | News | dailyrepublic.com
With schools back in session this week, police are looking to keep the students as safe as possible.
That’s the idea of Safe Start to School Days program, returning to help ensure the safety at morning drop-offs at select schools starting Monday and running through Wednesday, Sept. 3.
The five-day initiative will focus on Lincoln Elementary, Grace Patterson Elementary, Annie Pennycook Elementary, Hogan Middle School and St. Vincent Ferrer School. These schools were selected based on high traffic volume and past safety concerns. Officers will be stationed at these schools during drop-off hours from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. to monitor traffic, assist with pedestrian safety and improve overall visibility around the school zones.
Source: Safe Start to School Days program returns to Vallejo on Monday – Times Herald Online
The Travis Unified School District offers a full district-prepared Child Nutrition Program.
It includes the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and/or Afterschool Snack Program.
“Breakfasts and lunches will be served free of charge every school day, but Travis Unified School District is still required to make eligibility determinations for free and reduced-price meals,” the district stated.
Source: Learn about Travis Unified Nutrition Program | News | dailyrepublic.com
Travis Unified School District is taking applications for the Area 1 trustee post on the school board.
Tierra Ekstrom, who was appointed to the post in November, was representing the district, but has moved.
She, in turn, had replaced Melinda Beyer, who had resigned.
Source: Travis Unified looks to fill board vacancy | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Nick McConnell
Fairfield City Councilmember Manveer Sandhu and Fairfield Public Works staff told residents during a Zoom Town Hall on Tuesday evening that the connection of Markeley Lane to Peabody Road will cost $5.1 million and take until 2028 to complete. Cries for a plan to finish the final quarter-mile connection have crescendoed in recent months, and commenters in the Zoom chat continued to express displeasure at the cost and timeframe.
The issue began in 2015, when the city built the Peabody overpass, closing off Markeley Lane and saying that future developers would rebuild it. As a result, four TUSD school sites, which account for more than 3,000 students, including Vanden High School, were left with only two routes of ingress and egress, as well as the surrounding area.
Source: Markeley Lane expected to remain unfinished until 2028 – The Vacaville Reporter
By Richard Bammer
Markham Elementary Principal Sara Johnson smiled, high-fived and encouraged hundreds of students as they entered the Markham Avenue campus Thursday morning, the first day of school in Vacaville Unified.
“Hey, you guys,” she said, spotting students she knew from last year, adding, “Have a great day,” an arched cluster of teal, white and black balloons behind her led to the school’s asphalt playground under a jewel-like blue sky and temperatures in the high 60s.
Source: Vacaville schools back in session – The Vacaville Reporter
The back-to-school season is in full swing, and in Vacaville, officials are reminding people to slow down.
Students within the Vacaville Unified School District went back to class on Thursday. Parents and anyone driving through school zones should be aware that the speed limits have changed for most schools across the city.
“The goal of this is to reduce the likelihood and severity of any motor vehicle collisions in our school zones,” said Lt. Chris Lechuga with the Vacaville Police Department.
Source: Most Vacaville school zones drop to 15 mph speed limit as kids return to class – CBS Sacramento
The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District opened the 2025-26 school year Wednesday with a projected student count of 20,301.
Last year’s enrollment was 20,376, the district reported.
Among changes students returned to find are new ceramics classrooms at Armijo High as a part of the Career Technical Education program.
Source: Books, dirty looks back at Fairfield-Suisun, Travis districts | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Richard Bammer
When Travis Unified on Wednesday welcomed its 5,500 students back to classrooms in Vacaville and Fairfield, there were lots of shining faces and a willingness and readiness to learn.
At Cambridge Elementary in Vacaville, the young students, with parents or relatives in tow, lined up excitedly by assigned classrooms on the playground for some exercise before entering their respective buildings.
Source: Strong start for Travis schools – The Vacaville Reporter
By Janis Mara
Last-minute touches like finalizing lesson plans and preparing for class orientation are underway as the Vallejo City Unified School District gets ready for the first day of the school year coming up Aug. 18.
An estimated 9,000 school children are expected in Vallejo schools for the 2025-2026 school year, and some of them will see improvements at their schools, said spokeswoman Maral Papakhian.
Source: In Vallejo, school’s in! — Almost – Times Herald Online