Napa-Solano Central Labor Council announces its endorsements – Times-Herald

By Thomas Gase

The Napa-Solano Central Labor Council (AFL-CIO), representing workers across both Napa and Solano counties, has confirmed its endorsements for November’s election.

Among those being endorsed are Diosdado “JR” Matulac (Vallejo City Council District 2), Chris Platzer (District 4) and Tara Beasley-Stansberry (District 5).

The organization also announced it has endorsed Glenn Amboy and John Fox for Vallejo School Board Districts 3 and 5. For Solano County Supervisors, the council is endorsing Wanda Williams (District 3), Dana Dean (Board of Education Area 3), Teresa Lavell (Solano County Board of Education Area 4) and Ginger L. Dunne (Solano County Board of Education Area 6).

Source: Napa-Solano Central Labor Council announces its endorsements – Times-Herald

Board members for Solano County Office of Education walk into new terms – Daily Republic

The three incumbents whose seats on the Solano County Board of Education were up for election Nov. 8 will get new terms without a challenge.

In fact, Dana Dean (Trustee Area 3), Teresa Lavell (Trustee Area 4) and Ginger L Dunne (Trustee Area 6) will not even appear on the ballot.

A number of other scheduled contests across the county had similar endings.

Source: Board members for Solano County Office of Education walk into new terms

Board of Education holds hearing for proposed Caliber High School in Vallejo – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Board of Education held a spirited public hearing Wednesday at City Hall concerning a petition from Caliber Public Schools to start a high school in Vallejo.

Caliber Public Schools filed a petition in January to appeal the decision in December of the Vallejo City School District governing board. The Vallejo board unanimously denied Caliber’s petition to establish a new high school because of the district’s ongoing fiscal troubles.

The Solano Board of Education held the first public hearing Wednesday to consider the level of support for the petition by teachers employed by the school district, other employees of the school district, and parents.

Source: Board of Education holds hearing for proposed Caliber High School in Vallejo

Democratic Central Committee opposes proposed SCOE Board resolution – Daily Republic

The Solano County Democratic Central Committee is calling on all party members to speak out against a proposed resolution that would ask Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto vaccine mandates in schools.

The resolution is the ninth item Wednesday on the Solano County Board of Education agenda.

“Please attend and back the governor as he leads the state through the Covid epidemic,” Marjorie Olson, chairwoman of the Solano County Democratic Central Committee, said in the “call for action.”

Source: Democratic Central Committee opposes proposed Solano Board of Education resolution

Solano Democratic Party asking for citizens to stand up for safety at Wednesday meeting – Times-Herald

The Solano Democratic Party is calling on Democrats to stand up for safety in our schools by making their voices heard at the upcoming Solano Board of Education Meeting on Wednesday.

There is a resolution item on the agenda asking Governor Gavin Newsom to veto all future legislation that would require vaccine mandates in public and private schools.

“Please attend and back the governor as he leads the state through the COVID epidemic,” said Marjorie Olson, Chair of the Solano County Democratic Central Committee. “Vaccine requirements are not new for schools and have saved countless lives over many, many years.”

Source: Solano Democratic Party asking for citizens to stand up for safety at Wednesday meeting – Times-Herald

Solano school board to consider asking governor to nix Covid vaccine mandate – Daily Republic

The Solano County Board of Education proposes next week to wade into the Covid-19 vaccination debate with a resolution that, if approved, would take a stand against a vaccine mandate for schoolchildren.

An item up for consideration Wednesday is consideration of a resolution requesting that Gov. Gavin Newsom rescind the proposed Covid-19 vaccine mandate for children and teens in public and private schools, and veto any legislation that would require such a mandate.

Newsom has called for such a requirement for age groups for which vaccinations have received full authorization. Such a requirement could be in place for the start of the 2022-23 academic year.

Source: Solano school board to consider asking governor to nix Covid vaccine mandate

SCOE Board gets OK on recent audit, starts preparing for new budget – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Board of Education met virtually Wednesday for the first time in 2022 and among its items was the release of its recent 2020-21 audit and the announcement that work on the new school budget will begin soon.

The 2020-21 audit report was prepared by Eide Bailly, the accounting and consulting firm contracted by the Solano County Office of Education to audit the end-of-year financial statements.

The report showed that no mistakes had been made and no adjustments were necessary in meeting state and local requirements. The audit is available for public view in the agenda packet from the Jan. 12 meeting on the Solano County Board of Education website, solanocoe.net.

Source: Board of Education gets OK on recent audit, starts preparing for new budget

Lavell new president of Solano Board of Education – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Board of Education needed only 16 minutes for its full meeting Wednesday and elected its new president and vice president for 2022.

Trustee Teresa Lavell was selected as the new board president. Trustee Amy Sharp voted no and Elease Cheek was absent from the meeting.

“I’m honored to be nominated by my colleagues and to continue the good work we do for our community,” Lavell said.

Source: Lavell new president of Solano Board of Education

Solano Board of Education to select officers for 2022 – Daily Republic

The selection of officers will be the top order of business for the Solano County Board of Education during its regular organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

The board will meet in person in the second floor boardroom at the Solano County Office of Education, 5100 Business Center Drive. The meeting can also be followed online through solanocoe.net, with Zoom instructions available to those who want to make a public comment.

A board president, vice president and a representative to the Solano County Schools Board Association Executive Board for 2022 will be decided.

Source: Solano Board of Education to select officers for 2022

Public hearing set for Solano County Board of Education trustee area boundaries review – The Vacaville Reporter

The Solano County Committee on School District Organization (County Committee) will hold a public hearing at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE), located at 5100 Business Center Drive in Fairfield, to hear public input on the trustee area boundaries of the Solano County Board of Education.

The boundary review considers which neighborhoods and communities are grouped together into a trustee area for purposes of electing a trustee representative.

Members of the public are invited to attend and address the County Committee in person. Public comments on the topic may also be made online prior to or during the meeting using the Public Comment form. For more information visit https://www.solanocoe.net/trusteedistricts.

Source: Public hearing set for Solano County Board of Education trustee area boundaries review – The Vacaville Reporter

Solano Board of Education sets hearing for redistricting – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Board of Education will continue its decennial redistricting process with a public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday during the board’s regular meeting.

The Board of Education will meet live at the Solano County Office of Education, 5100 Business Center Drive in Fairfield. Visit the county schools website at solanocoe.net to view the meeting agenda with instructions for submitting comments.

The state Education Code requires that county board trustee areas be analyzed after each 10-year census and realigned, if necessary, to account for population shifts. Michael Wagaman of Wagaman Strategies will report on Census 2020 data analysis pertaining to the county board’s trustee area boundaries.

Source: Solano Board of Education sets hearing for redistricting

Solano Board of Education approves $1.07M in pandemic relief spending – Daily Republic

By Matt Miller

The Solano County Office of Education’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Plan.

The nearly $1.07 million in pandemic relief comes from funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The funds address students’ academic, social, emotional and mental health needs as well as alleviating gaps that existed before and may be worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Solano Board of Education approves $1.07M in pandemic relief spending

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

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

Solano Office of Education hosts job fair Friday – Daily Republic

The Solano County Office of Education is hosting a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Irene Larsen Center, 1707 California Drive.The schools office is looking for qualified para-educators, teachers, custodians, student wellness specialists, bus drivers, clerical administrators, accounting analysts, substitutes and others.For more information, send an email to humanresources@solanocoe.net or call 399-4440.

Source: The Week Ahead: Solano Office of Education hosts job fair Friday

Dodd introduces broadband upgrade bill – Davis Enterprise

With more Californians relying on the internet during the coronavirus pandemic for distance learning and remote work, state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, today announced the introduction of his new legislation to streamline the installation of high-speed broadband service, ensuring better access, especially for low-income people.

“California can take immediate steps to close the digital divide by passing this proposal,” Sen. Dodd said. “For too long, telecommunication projects have been delayed by confusing regulations, entrenched in excessive bureaucracy. These processes have had a severe impact on bringing high-speed internet to many communities across California.”

Dodd’s legislation comes as employers and schools across our state have shifted to virtual participation, highlighting disparities of access faced by low-income families and people of color. Nearly 42% of California families said unreliable internet access was a challenge for them during distance learning, according to a recent poll by EdSource and FM3 Research.

Source: Dodd introduces broadband upgrade bill – Davis Enterprise

Voters fill plethora of Solano school, college board seats – Daily Republic

By Todd R. Hansen

School and college boards governed over the end of one school year and the beginning of another in a very, very different world.

The Covid-19 pandemic added the term distance learning to the common educational lexicon.

And some of those boards got a new makeup of members in November.

Judi Honeychurch, for the second election cycle, faced no opposition and therefore did not appear on the ballot for her Trustee Area 3 seat on the Fairfield-Suisun School District. Bethany Smith similarly returns as the Trustee Area 1 representative.

Source: Voters fill plethora of Solano school, college board seats

Area school board races appear to be settled – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Based on the latest election results posted Wednesday by the Solano County Registrar of Voters, many area school boards will feature new trustees.

With all 15 precincts reporting in Travis, which oversees two elementary schools in Vacaville, Foxboro and Cambridge, the apparent winner of the trustee Area 1 is Meghan M. Thompson, a district parent, who received 6,059 votes, or 68 percent of 8,968 votes cast. Challenger Renell L. Travis, a U.S. airman stationed at Travis Air Force Base, received 2,909 votes, or 32 percent, of the total.

Source: Area school board races appear to be settled – The Reporter

Solano County Election Day Results – Daily Republic

By Glen Faison

Bonnie Hamilton and incumbent Amy Sharp were in a tight race for the Area 2 seat on the Solano County Board of Education, Hamilton with 49.86% of the vote to Sharp’s 49.75% with 28 votes separating the two candidates from the more than 25,000 ballots counted and all 94 precincts reporting.

Source: Solano County Election Day Results

Vacaville teachers endorse local, county education candidates – The Reporter

By Richard Bammer

The 800-member Vacaville Teachers Association on Thursday announced its endorsements for four seats on the Vacaville Unified governing board, two for the Solano County Office of Education board and a City Council candidate who currently serves as a district trustee.

By occupation, the seven candidates range from an incumbent and an administrator at Travis Federal Credit Union to an attorney and a physician, among others.

In a press release, union president Todd Blanset, an English teacher at Will C. Wood High, said the ratification vote was held Tuesday, with final selections coming after “a long and exhaustive process.”

Source: Vacaville teachers endorse local, county education candidates – The Reporter

Solano school, college district nomination period ends, mostly, for Nov. 3 election – Daily Republic

By Todd R. Hansen

Judi Honeychurch did not face a challenger in her last election and will have no need to campaign this fall, either.

Judi Honeychurch“I look forward to the challenges of the future and working with the superintendent and the teachers and staff,” said Honeychurch, who will enter her third term on the Fairfield-Suisun School District board of trustees.

She is the only incumbent who does not have a challenger.

Clifford Gordon, owner of Gordon’s Music & Sound in downtown Fairfield, pulled and filed candidacy papers Thursday for the Trustee Area 1 seat held by Bethany Smith. Trustee Area 2 incumbent Joan Gaut will run against Leslie Unverferth, and Area 6 incumbent John Silva faces Ana Petero.

Source: Solano school, college district nomination period ends, mostly, for Nov. 3 election