Healthy Food curriculum takes Armijo students from garden to kitchen to video room – Daily Republic

Nico James-Singh and Jalia Her share a vision for their futures.

Each wants to make films – or a similar vocation – as their life’s work. They even teamed up to take second place in a recent video contest, which was good enough to move them onto the state competition.

They are members of the Multimedia Academy at Armijo High, with Her, a senior, serving as president. They also find themselves among 22 of their club mates and six other Armijo students in the first-year, after-school Healthy Food Program.

Source: Healthy Food curriculum takes Armijo students from garden to kitchen to video room

Kaiser Permanente selects Fairfield High junior for internship program – Daily Republic

Fairfield High School junior Johan Jimenez has been selected to participate in the Kaiser Permanente Launch Internship program this summer.

The eight-week internship program will provide Jimenez with the opportunity to work at a Kaiser facility where he will receive training and experience working in both medical and nonmedical fields within the organization, according to a Fairfield-Suisun School District press release.

Jimenez will have the chance to work alongside doctors, nurses and other Kaiser professionals, “providing him with valuable insights into various careers in the medical field,” according to the press release. The program aims to prepare students for successful careers after graduation by providing them with practical experience and training.

Source: Kaiser Permanente selects Fairfield High junior for internship program

Fairfield-Suisun school board OKs latest financial update – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

The Fairfield-Suisun School District’s governing board has approved the second interim financial report – a routine update on the state of the district’s finances.

The district looks to be able to meet its financial obligations in the coming budget year even with declining student enrollment, according to a staff report.

Amanda Rish, director of Fiscal Services, gave the presentation Thursday night.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun school board OKs latest financial update

Fairfield-Suisun schools trustees change up order for meeting agendas – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Changes to the order in which Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees conduct meetings drew the ire last week of an employee union leader and a trustee but was later defended by the board president as a way to encourage engagement.

Trustees voted Thursday night to make staff-recommended changes to the order of business at upcoming board meetings.

One of the changes that brought the wrath of several public speakers – including Fairfield Suisun Unified Teachers’ Association President Nancy Dunn – was moving reports for the employee unions and student board member to later in the meeting.

Source: Fairfield-Suisun schools trustees change up order for meeting agendas

Retired Solano teacher receives prestigious physical education award – Daily Republic

Cindy Lederer, who taught physical education for nearly 30 years at the Fairfield-Suisun School District, has been honored with the Verne Landreth Award from the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

“We are thrilled that Cindy Lederer has been recognized with this well-deserved honor,” district Superintendent Kris Corey said in a statement. “Her dedication to promoting physical fitness and healthy lifestyles is inspiring, and we are grateful for her many contributions to our district and this community.”

Source: Retired Solano teacher receives prestigious physical education award

Job fair sheds light on vacancies in Solano school districts – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Schools across the area are looking to fill multiple types of position, so the Solano County Office of Education hosted a job fair Saturday for people to seek jobs in a single setting.

“This is targeting the communities in Solano County,” said Mike Minahen, associate superintendent of Human Resources. “The goal for today is to provide an opportunity to recruit locally.”

Nearly all school districts in Solano County came out on a rainy Saturday.

Source: Job fair sheds light on vacancies in Solano school districts

Violins of Hope comes to Solano high schools – Daily Republic

Fairfield High School was one of three high schools that welcomed the renowned “Violins of Hope” project to its premises last week.

The program, which aims to educate and inspire through music, brought a selection of restored violins that survived the Holocaust. Tenth-grade students gathered in the gym to gain real-world context that supports their current World Civilizations curriculum.

High Schools in Vacaville also were involved in the March 2-3 concerts. A community concert was held Sunday.

Source: Violins of Hope comes to Solano high schools

Dan O. Root II Health and Wellness Academy hosts successful Math Festival – Daily Republic

The Dan O. Root II Health and Wellness Academy hosted a Math Festival on Feb. 16, providing students with a hands-on approach to learning math and giving parents and families the opportunity to see what their children are learning in the classroom.

During the school day, students participated in a variety of math-focused activities at different stations. Each station was designed to promote problem-solving skills and was tailored to the level of the students. The activities included games, puzzles, and other interactive experiences that made learning math fun and engaging.

Source: Dan O. Root II Health and Wellness Academy hosts successful Math Festival

Armijo grad Day has big week for Sac State softball, earns Big Sky honors – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

Sacramento State senior third baseman Lewa Day had a very big week at the plate that earned her recognition as the Big Sky Conference’s Player of the Week.

The Armijo High School graduate helped the Hornets go 4-1 at the recent Silicon Valley Classic. Day hit .526 (10-of-19) with five runs, three doubles, a triple, a home run, nine RBIs, a .947 slugging percentage and a 1.497 OPS. She hit safely in all five games, collected multiple hits in four of them, and collected at least one RBI in each contest.

Source: Armijo grad Day has big week for Sac State softball, earns Big Sky honors

Fairfield-Suisun school employees earn nominations for LifeChanger award – Daily Republic

Three Fairfield-Suisun School District employees have been nominated for the 2022-23 National LifeChanger of the Year award.

The nominees are Tolenas Academy of Music and Media teacher Erica Nurse, Dan O. Root Health and Wellness Academy teacher Toni Lucas and Rodriguez High School student service secretary Sara Hernandez.

Nurse was nominated by an anonymous colleague “for her research and teaching using the Kodaly methodology, which emphasizes the importance of heritage, culture and other genres in music education.”

Source: Fairfield-Suisun school employees earn nominations for LifeChanger award

Matt Garcia Academy future looks bright with full school board backing – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Fairfield-Suisun School District Board President David Isom was clear at the beginning of the board meeting Thursday night that the district was not going to close the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy.

“This discussion is not about closing the school,” Isom said. “The school is not closing. This item tonight is about information only and no action will be taken.”

Isom asked if any board member supported closing the school. Not one raised a hand in support of that idea.

Source: Matt Garcia Academy future looks bright with full school board backing

FSUSD High Schoolers Selected for the All-State Jazz Choir – Daily Republic

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District is proud to announce that eight talented Jazz Choir students from Rodriguez High School have been selected to participate in the prestigious All-State Jazz Choir at the California All-State Music Educators Conference.

Out of over a hundred submissions, Trevor Canning, Gabriella Diaz, Brooklynn Filstrup, Aiden Mandate, Ashlyn Miller, Jana Orbegoso, Hero Runas, and Sofia Vallejos-Coleman will join the eighteen-piece choir in performing at the conference.

Source: Good News: FSUSD High Schoolers Selected for the All-State Jazz Choir

Armijo High School Junior Attracts College Offers Nationwide – Daily Republic

Jericho Johnson, a junior at Armijo High School, has generated national interest in his recruitment to play college football after he graduates. Johnson has received offers from over fifteen colleges throughout the country, including prestigious universities such as the University of Michigan, University of Southern California, and University of Alabama.

Johnson is a standout athlete at Armijo High School, where he will be a four-year starter on the varsity level. He has been recognized for his impressive skill set and hard work by being selected as 1st Team All-League twice (2021 and 2022), Co-Linemen of the Year in 2022 for the Monticello Empire League, Co-Outstanding Defensive Player for the varsity team in 2021, and Team MVP in 2022 for the varsity team.

Source: Press Release: Armijo High School Junior Attracts College Offers Nationwide

Nominations open to recognize those who help students with disabilities – Daily Republic

Nominations are being accepted for the 17th annual Community Advisory Committee Recognition Awards for those who go above and beyond in the service of students with disabilities.

The CAC Awards are presented to educators, youth and community members for outstanding service who go above and beyond in service of students with disabilities.

Award recipients are from each school district within the Solano County Special Education Local Plan Area: Benicia, Dixon, Fairfield-Suisun, Travis and Vacaville, as well as the Solano County Office of Education.

Source: Nominations open to recognize those who help students with disabilities

Oakbrook Academy of the Arts 1st Graders Dance Through the Decades – Daily Republic

The first-grade classes from Oakbrook Academy of the Arts took to the stage last week for a highly energetic and entertaining dance recital showcasing dances from throughout history.

The talented students brought popular dances to life as they blended classical and contemporary dance styles and skills. The performance was a tribute to the rich history of dance and the impact it has had on the world of arts. Dances included popular styles such as the Charleston, the Waltz, and the Macarena.

The dance recital was a culmination of months of hard work and practice by the students and their dedicated dance instructor, Yvonne Wayne. Oakbrook Academy of the Arts is a thematic school focusing on music, dance, visual arts, and theater arts. The school is committed to fostering the growth and development of its students through a variety of programs and opportunities. At each grade level, students specialize in a different genre. First graders at Oakbrook Academy of the Arts specialize in dance and attend two dance classes a week.

Source: Good News: Oakbrook Academy of the Arts 1st Graders Dance Through the Decades

FSUSD middle schoolers visit Tesla factory – Daily Republic

Thirty middle school students from the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District recently toured the Tesla factory in Fremont.

Organized in partnership with Kids Teach Tech and Urban League of Greater San Francisco Bay Area, the Feb. 7 trip gave students a behind-the-scenes look at the electric vehicle manufacturing process and the cutting-edge technology used by Tesla.

During the visit, the students met with Tesla executives and production team members, who shared their knowledge and expertise about the company’s mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy. Students also had the opportunity to meet with Tesla recruiting experts to talk about goal setting and career development. Students were then taken on a tour to see the assembly line in action, where they observed the creation of Tesla’s iconic electric cars from start to finish.

Source: FSUSD middle schoolers visit Tesla factory

Trustees to hear update on Matt Garcia Career and College Academy – Daily Republic

By Susan Hiland

Trustees of the Fairfield-Suisun School District will hear a presentation Thursday on the future of the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy.

The board at its previous meeting heard a presentation on the school which, according to some trustees, seems to have some issues that need to be addressed.

The idea of shutting it down was discussed but before anything was decided, the board asked for more research to be done.

Source: Trustees to hear update on Matt Garcia Career and College Academy

FSUSD High Schools Achieve Top UC Acceptance Rankings – Daily Republic

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (FSUSD) is proud to announce that Public Safety Academy has achieved the highest University of California (UC) acceptance rate of applicants of all of the high schools in Solano County. The latest data shows that an impressive 87% of applicants from the Public Safety Academy were admitted to one or more UC campuses. Armijo High School and Rodriguez High School also ranked highly in the county with the fourth and fifth-highest acceptance rates of applicants, respectively.

“This speaks to the hard work and dedication of our students, as well as the quality of our teachers and programs,” said Superintendent Kris Corey. “We are committed to providing a well-rounded education that prepares our students for success in college and beyond.”

Source: Good News: FSUSD High Schools Achieve Top UC Acceptance Rankings

Officials schedule meeting to talk about closing Matt Garcia academy – Daily Republic

Supporters of the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy will meet with district officials along with parents and students next week to discuss the possible closure of the school.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Multipurpose Room at 1100 Civic Center Drive.

The school was dedicated to slain City Councilman Matt Garcia in October 2010. It has seen many changes since then.

Source: Officials schedule meeting to talk about closing Matt Garcia academy

FSUSD to host final meetings of Fentanyl Awareness Town Hall series – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest the tsunami of overdose deaths — driven largely by the spread of illicit fentanyl — may have peaked in March 2022.

Researchers found an astonishing 110,236 people, many under the age of 40, died in a single 12-month period, a record, the CDC reported.

While last year was certainly deadly, there are signs the worst of it may be over, some officials believe.

Source: FSUSD to host final meetings of Fentanyl Awareness Town Hall series – The Vacaville Reporter