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
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
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
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
By Susan Hiland
A subcommittee of the Fairfield-Suisun School District’s governing board will begin work soon to develop plans for how best to spend nearly $250 million in facilities property tax funding approved by voters in November.
“We are just in the beginning stages of discussing Measure S,” Superintendent Kris Corey wrote in an email to the Daily Republic.
The first Facilities Subcommittee meeting of the year will begin at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 7.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees prep to tackle plans for new Measure S money
By Susan Hiland
Students at many of the schools in the Fairfield-Suisun School District are performing poorly when compared to their peers across the state, according to state test results and related assessments from the prior school year.
Sheila McCabe, assistant superintendent for Educational Services, gave a report Thursday on the 2022 State Dashboard, which provides a snapshot of student performance on tests that assess English-language arts and math proficiency across grade levels. The assessments make up California’s school accountability system.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees hear about student testing shortfalls
By Susan Hiland
The Matt Garcia Career and College Academy is struggling and it is possible in the future the Fairfield-Suisun School District will shut it down.
After a tour by staff and board members a few weeks ago, issues were revealed that put the question of the school’s continued value in the spotlight.
Sheila McCabe, assistant superintendent of Educational Services, and Kristen Witt, senior director of Secondary Education, gave a summation Thursday night of the positives and negatives facing the school.
By Susan Hiland
The Fairfield-Suisun School District – along with public schools across the state – are feeling the pinch of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed 2023-24 budget, with the likely end of pandemic-driven one-time funding and no no relief provided as CalPERS retirement rates increase and CalSTRS retirement rates remain high.
The situation is such that schools will likely see most – if not all – spending for recent programs curtailed just to maintain baseline programs.
That was the gist of the message provided Tuesday to trustees of the Fairfield Suisun School District by Laneia Grindle, assistant superintendent of Business Services, who presented the governor’s budget plan and resulting budget year projections for the district.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun board considers implications of governor’s budget
By Susan Hiland
Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees will hear several presentations Thursday, including updates on student performance and the state budget.
Sheila McCabe, assistant superintendent, Educational Services, will talk about the College/Career Indicator update. This is one of several state indicators that the California Department of Education reports on the California School Dashboard that serves as a statewide accountability measure, according to the staff report.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees to hear reports on student performance, state budget
By Susan Hiland
Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees will shuffle roles this week and welcome the newest member.
The board will elect a president, vice president and a clerk from among its members Thursday. Teresa Lavell from the Solano County Board of Education will administer the oath of office to newly elected Trustee Jack Flynn prior to the meeting.
Trustees will also discuss changing meeting nights for the coming school year.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees to select new officers; welcome newest board member
By Jose Fabian
A teenager from Northern California that recently graduated high school is leading in the election to a seat on the Fairfield-Suisun School Board, possibly making history.
Jack Flynn, 18, is leading in the election for trustee for Area 5 of the school board.According to a news release from his campaign, Flynn would be the youngest elected school district board member in U.S. history if he wins. It also said Flynn would be the youngest elected official in California history.
Source: Jack Flynn, at 18 years old, leads in election to the Fairfield-Suisun School Board
By Susan Hiland
A routine review of board policies Thursday led Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees to change the frequency of board sessions from twice monthly to once a month.
The change essentially takes place immediately.
A draft proposal presented to the board would have the next meeting and all meetings for 2023 take place the third Thursday of the month. That sets the next meeting for Dec. 15 – the only meeting for the month. Future board meetings will start at 5 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. for the coming year.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun School Board OKs shift to once-a-month meetings
By Todd R. Hansen
Jack Flynn held a majority lead over incumbent Jonathan Richardson for the Trustee Area 5 seat on the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District board.
As of Wednesday, Flynn had tallied 963 votes, representing 51.5% of the ballots cast, while Richardson had 907 votes (48.5%), the Solano County Registrar of Voters Office reported.
The unofficial result is with all 10 precincts counted, but with mail-in and provisional ballots left to count.
Source: Schools election picture coming into focus after Day 2 of count
By Susan Hiland
Trustees of the Fairfield-Suisun School District on Thursday will hear updates and review proposed changes for the coming year.
Various additions and changes to board policies will be included with the board handbook once approved, along with changes to Board Offices and Board Subcommittee/Joint Committee members for the 2023 calendar year.
The board will take a look at the district’s bylaws and discuss any changes they would like to make. Trustees will also look at the proposed school calendar for the upcoming year. Also up for consideration is a change to the board’s meeting days and times for the year, including the possibility of going to only meeting once a month rather than meeting two times a month.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees to hear updates, review plans for coming year
By Susan Hiland
Trustees in the Fairfield-Suisun School District will hear presentations Thursday that center on finances: one on child nutrition programs, and one on deferred maintenance and future projects.
The first presentation is an annual update on Child Nutrition Services.
The district’s nutritional programs include a Seamless Summer Feeding Program, Community Eligibility Provision School Nutrition Programs and an At-Risk After School Supper Program.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun school trustees to hear updates on financial matters
By Susan Hiland
Trustees of the Fairfield-Suisun School District will receive an update Thursday on the district’s financial health.
Amanda Rish, director of Fiscal Services, will give a presentation on the unaudited financial status of the district.
This financial statement represents the financial status of all funds of the district as of June 30 and will be the basis for the 2021-2022 audit report submitted to the Solano County Superintendent of Schools.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees set to review school finances
By Susan Hiland
A school board member is challenging various state requirements for students as unfair and possibly discriminatory.
Trustee Helen Tilley made her comments Thursday as the Fairfield-Suisun School District board was given an update about the state’s graduation requirements.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustee challenges state graduation requirements as ‘discriminatory’
By Susan Hiland
Students are embracing reading, with students and staff reading more than 355,000 books over the past school year, according to the presentation given Thursday to the Fairfield-Suisun School District board members.
Jenn Roush, assistant director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, was one of several presenters at the meeting giving the board an overview of various programs within the school district.
Source: Trustees hear updates on various Fairfield-Suisun programs
By Susan Hiland
Fairfield-Suisun School District trustees heard an overview Thursday of Measure J projects that have been completed and the final projects that need to be completed in coming years.
Measure J, a $249 million general obligation bond that’s being repaid through property tax assessments, was approved by voters June 7, 2016, with the third and final bond sale occurring Feb. 20, 2020. The presentation comes at a time when the school board is placing another property tax measure to finance future projects on the November ballot.
The Measure J projects started with the replacement of the synthetic tracks and fields in the stadiums at all three comprehensive high schools in 2016. The district has completed several projects and is in design for most of the final projects of the bond program.
Source: Fairfield-Suisun trustees get overview of Measure J projects, eye future funding
By Todd R. Hansen
Jack Flynn, who lists himself with the Solano County Registrar of Voters as a student and hospitality associate, is challenging for the Trustee Area 5 seat on the Fairfield-Suisun School District board.
The incumbent for that office, Jonathan R. Richardson, had previously filed his paperwork.
Craig Wilson, in Trustee Area 1, and David C. Isom, in Trustee Area 7, also have completed their nomination paperwork.
Source: College student steps forward to challenge for seat on Fairfield-Suisun school board