Category Archives: COVID-19

Solano Board of Education to consider plan to spend $1.07M in pandemic relief – Daily Republic

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The Solano County Office of Education will conduct its regular meeting of the Board of Education at 6 p.m. Wednesday to consider how best to spend nearly $1.07 million in pandemic relief funds.

The meeting will be take place virtually.

Members of the public may attend via the Zoom webinar format, or by telephone. The links are available on the Solano County Office of Education website, www.solanocoe.net/agendasminutes.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan for pandemic funds from the American Rescue Plan Act is among the unfinished business to be discussed, and how the money will be utilized.

Source: Solano Board of Education to consider plan to spend $1.07M in pandemic relief

School board hears from parents concerned by governor’s vaccine plan – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

The school board got an earful Thursday from a packed house of parents concerned with the possible Covid-19 mandate coming from the governor’s office that would require parents to give children the Covid vaccination in order to attend classes on campus.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans earlier this week to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the list of vaccinations required to attend school in-person once the vaccine receives full approval from the Food and Drug Administration for middle and high school grades.

Source: School board hears from parents concerned by governor’s vaccine plan

Vacaville Schools Lean On Rapid COVID Testing Center To Keep Students In Class – CBS Sacramento

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By Rachel Wulff

It’s the ABC’s of COVID19: School districts learning how to keep kids in class amidst the new delta variant, protocols for exposures, and quarantine.

“It’s pretty convenient,” said Eric Pakroo.

When Pakroo’s daughter Aubrey didn’t feel well, he brought her into the new centralized COVID-19 testing center run by the Vacaville Unified School District.

“We’re really not in the public health business, but with COVID everybody is into every business,” said Associate Superintendent Ed Santopadre.

Source: Vacaville Schools Lean On Rapid COVID Testing Center To Keep Students In Class – CBS Sacramento

VCUSD plans to follow vaccine mandate for students, staff – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

The Vallejo City Unified School District, in an email sent to students and their families across the district Wednesday, says it will comply with a state mandate that students and staff must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend school in person.

The district will host two upcoming vaccination clinics for students and staff: Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Vallejo High School and Thursday, Oct. 14 at the same time at Hogan Middle School.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that students and staff would need to be vaccinated to attend school in person.

Source: Vallejo City Unified School District plans to follow vaccine mandate for students, staff – Times-Herald

VUSD opens new centralized COVID testing center – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

No longer will students at Vacaville Unified School District sites have to wait too long to return to campus as they await the results of a COVID-19 test. With a new centralized rapid testing lab, they will have an answer in a matter of minutes.

Through a partnership with San Francisco medical lab Bay Area Phlebotomy and Laboratory Services (BayPLS), VUSD opened its centralized testing center at the new Shelley Dally Early Learning Village, located in the former site of Bethany Lutheran Church. The center offers free, walk-in rapid antigen testing and is open to all students and staff.

Ed Santopadre, associate superintendent of educational services, said the center was open to a handful of schools a few weeks ago and became a school wide service this past week. Previously, testing was available at each school site, which he said was “unsustainable.”

Source: VUSD opens new centralized COVID testing center – The Vacaville Reporter

New Covid-19 testing center open to all Vacaville School District students – Daily Republic

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The Vacaville School District has created a new centralized Covid-19 testing site that will be open from 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Shelley Dally Early Learning Village, 621 S. Orchard Ave.

Free walk-in rapid antigen testing will be available to all Vacaville students and staff.

The Vacaville school district in August and September administered nearly 3,500 tests, detecting only 55 positives, with the large majority of tests being offered to students, the district reports.

Source: New Covid-19 testing center open to all Vacaville School District students

What California’s new student vaccine mandate means for your child – Times-Herald

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By Emily Deruy

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that students will soon need to be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend school in person in California. Here’s what you need to know about the new vaccine mandate.

Q: What is the new requirement?

A: Children must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend schools in person, starting the school term after the vaccines have full approval from the FDA for two different groups. The requirement will be phased in by grade span, first grades 7-12 and then K-6. School staff will also need to be vaccinated by the time the requirement applies to the first cohort.

Source: What California’s new student vaccine mandate means for your child – Times-Herald

Solano Community College mandates vaccinations or testing – The Vacaville Reporter

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On Sept. 15, the Solano Community College (SCC) Board of Trustees approved a vaccination and face covering mandate for all students, employees and volunteers.

This mandate will go into effect on Oct. 15 and will require those accessing campus to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test result. All indoor activities and classes will require face coverings.

The health and safety of SCC employees and students are of paramount importance, officials said in a press statement. SCC understands that steps must be taken to help prevent and limit the spread of Covid-19 and its variants.

Source: Coronavirus: Solano Community College mandates vaccinations or testing – The Vacaville Reporter

SPI Applauds Student Vaccine Mandate – Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond applauded Governor Newsom’s action that would add the COVID-19 vaccine to other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance—such as measles, mumps, and rubella—as stated by the Health and Safety Code. It’s anticipated the COVID-19 vaccine mandate would be fully implemented to grades seven through twelve on July 1, 2022. A vaccine mandate for kindergarten through sixth grades would follow at a later date. A vaccine mandate for all kindergarten through grade twelve staff is scheduled to be implemented at the same time as students in grades seven through twelve.

“I have no doubt that today’s announcement by the Governor will lead to safer schools and safer communities,” stated Thurmond. “I look forward to working with the Governor, his administration, school districts, and school communities across the state to implement this important change.”

Source: SPI Applauds Student Vaccine Mandate – Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

California to require public school students age 12-17 to get COVID vaccine – ABC7 Los Angeles

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California will soon require all public school students age 12 to 17 years old to get the COVID-19 vaccine once the shot is fully authorized by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announced the new emergency order on Friday while visiting a middle school in San Francisco.

The COVID-19 vaccine will now join a list of 10 other vaccinations required for children to attend school in the state.

The governor said the state will issue the mandate in the next school term following the FDA’s authorization, the earlier being January 1, 2022 and the latest being July 1, 2022.

At that same time, staff members at all California schools will also need to be fully vaccinated. The state issued a mandate in August for teachers and school staff members, but now it has eliminated the option to submit to regular COVID-19 testing in place of getting the vaccine.

Source: California to require public school students age 12-17 to get COVID vaccine – ABC7 Los Angeles

Fairfield school board hears some good news with Covid-19 update – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Superintendent Kris Corey reported some good news on the Covid front this week at the regular school board meeting Thursday.

She said out of 237 Covid tests that were administered, the results came back with no new Covid cases as of Thursday morning.

Staff continues to provide contact tracing and testing as required by law but was overwhelmed, so the district hired a new coordinator to help keep things running smoothly.

Source: Fairfield school board hears some good news with Covid-19 update

Vaca school board delays final discussion on plan to spend nearly $10M in Covid relief funds – Daily Republic

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By Katy S. Clair

School board members put off a decision this week on how best to spend nearly $9.235 million in pandemic relief money.

Superintendent Jane Shamieh outlined how the district would use the money to:

  • Comply with Covid-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • Address the impact of lost instructional time.
  • Respond to the needs of all students, particularly those disproportionately affected by the pandemic, such as low-income, unhoused and children and teens with special needs.

Source: Vaca school board delays final discussion on plan to spend nearly $10M in Covid relief funds

Solano College Covid-19 mandates to take effect Oct. 15 – Daily Republic

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All Solano Community College employees, students and volunteers are required to wear a face covering or show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test while on campus, starting Oct. 15.

The Solano Community College governing board approved the mandates via a the resolution adopted Sept. 15.

Participants in all indoor activities and classes will be required to face coverings, regardless of vaccination status.

The decision was based on health and safety guidance from the state, Cal/OHSA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration, according to a press release from the college.

Source: Solano College Covid-19 mandates to take effect Oct. 15 for students, teachers, volunteers on all campuses

Fairfield-Suisun trustees set to update Covid Safety Plan – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun school board is expected to adopt updates to the district’s Covid-19 plan when trustees gather Thursday.

The updates are required by law.

Every local education agency, such as a school district, during the 2020-2021 school year was required to develop a Covid-19 Safety Plan.

That plans for the past eight months has consisted of two components: a Covid-19 Prevention Program, based on Cal/OSHA regulations, and a Covid-19 School Guidance Checklist.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees set to update Covid Safety Plan

Solano College board adds mask mandate, vaccine-testing requirement – Daily Republic

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By Katy St. Clair

The Solano Community College governing board has unanimously passed a masking, vaccination, and/or regular testing mandate for all of its students, faculty and staff.

The vote was passed at Wednesday evening’s meeting.

The board received several letters in support of the mandates, which were read aloud at the meeting. Biology instructor Michelle Smith commended the body for its consideration of the measures.

Source: Solano College board adds mask mandate, vaccine-testing requirement

Fairfield-Suisun district reports Covid-19 cases, launches online dashboard – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

The 2021-2022 academic year has only just begun but already the Fairfield-Suisun School District has dozens of reported Covid-19 cases.

Nancy Dunn, president of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teachers Association, reported Thursday that 50 students and staff had called into the district’s schools reporting positive test results for Covid-19.

Dunn made her report Thursday night during the school board meeting.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun district reports Covid-19 cases, launches online dashboard

Vacaville school board to receive updates on COVID guidelines – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick Sestanovich

As Vacaville Unified School District enters its second month of the 2021-22 school year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials will present an update on how the district is responding to the pandemic at Thursday’s school board meeting.

The update will be presented by Assistant Superintendent Sasha Begell and Abigail Hilliard, communications and crisis manager. The contents of the presentation have been included in the agenda for Thursday’s meeting.

Currently, masks are required for students indoors and optional when they are outdoors. If a student is unmasked and exposed to someone who tested positive, they will be required to quarantine for 10 days. If they came into close contact with a positive patient and were unvaccinated, they will be required to submit a test up to twice a day and will be barred from extracurricular activities, even if they were wearing a mask.

Source: Vacaville school board to receive updates on COVID guidelines – The Vacaville Reporter

SPI Hosts Safe and Successful Schools Webinar – Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond brought experts in the fields of public health and education together on Wednesday for a wide-ranging discussion of COVID-19 data and mitigation efforts that have resulted in the safe reopening of thousands of schools across California.

The Safe and Successful Schools webinar was developed in partnership by the California Department of Education (CDE), the California Department of Public Health, the State Board of Education and the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.

Dr. Naomi Bardach of the Safe Schools for All team and State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond shared information on California’s robust and multi-layered approach to COVID-19 prevention, which has resulted in no school reopening delays thus far in the fall semester. Bardach and Darling-Hammond shared data that demonstrates how state-supported COVID-19 testing programs, on-site vaccine clinics, universal masking and detailed quarantine guidance have helped keep California students in class and learning despite the troublesome rise of the Delta variant. A recording of the webinar is available on the CDE Facebook page External link opens in new window or tab..

Source: SPI Hosts Safe and Successful Schools Webinar – Year 2021 (CA Dept of Education)

Jesse Bethel High football program on pause due to positive COVID tests – Times-Herald

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By Matt O’Donnell

The Jesse Bethel High School football team, which played just one game in the spring, has had at least one game canceled in the fall.

Principal Kirsten Wollenwever announced on Tuesday that all football players — varsity and junior varsity — must not come to campus for instruction or practice for the remainder of the week due to positive COVID-19 tests.

Source: Jesse Bethel High football program on pause due to positive COVID tests – Times-Herald

VCUSD partners with Touro for vaccine workshop – Times-Herald

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The Vallejo City Unified School District has once again partnered with Touro University to offer a vaccine workshop.

The workshop is intended to assist families in processing through vaccine hesitancy, a news release by VCUSD stated on Wednesday afternoon. The workshop will be facilitated by three Spanish/English bilingual doctors.

“Even though your students may not be of age for the vaccine, many members of their families likely are – and every vaccinated person helps us with our goal,” VCUSD Assistant Superintendent, Mitchell Romao said.

Source: Vallejo City Unified School District partners with Touro for vaccine workshop – Times-Herald