Category Archives: Vacaville Unified School District

Vacaville Unified board to consider a one-time payment to teachers – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified trustees are likely to approve a one-time payment of $619 to full-time teachers during a meeting on Thursday.

David Robertson, the assistant superintendent of human resources, recommends approval of the agenda item, a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, between the school district and the Vacaville Teachers Association, the teacher’s union.

According to a tentative wage agreement for the 2024-25 year, the one-time, off-schedule “bonus” is permitted under the annual budget resolution if the district is over the local 10 percent cap on reserve cash.

Source: Vacaville Unified board to consider a one-time payment to teachers – The Vacaville Reporter

Diplomas in hand, at last – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

They kept their eyes on the prize —a piece of paper, about 8 by 6 inches, with their name on it. It was an emblem of adulthood and a figurative ticket to a new life.

One by one, 24 Vacaville Unified seniors who recently completed the school district’s summer school picked up that high school diploma during a ceremony Thursday at Will C. Wood High.

Four graduates did not attend the 2 p.m. event held in the Catwalk Theater at the Marshall Road campus, said Jordyn Adcock, the school district’s dean of Learning Support.

Source: Diplomas in hand, at last – The Vacaville Reporter

Candidate nomination period opens for cities, schools on July 15 | dailyrepublic.com

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By Todd R. Hansen

The candidate nomination period for local city and school district elections opens on July 15.

Four special districts also could hold elections.

Additionally, there are runoff elections for 11th Assembly District, state 3rd Senate District and Congressional Districts 4, 7 and 8.

Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, is defending against Republican Dave Ennis, and Republican Thom Bogue, a Dixon councilman and former mayor, is running against Democrat Christopher Cabaldon, former West Sacramento mayor, in the open 3rd District race to replace Sen. Bill Dodd.

Source: Candidate nomination period opens for cities, schools on July 15 | News | dailyrepublic.com

School’s out in Vacaville, but the summer food program is in – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

School’s out but child hunger is always in session.

Vacaville Unified’s Seamless Summer Food Program offers free nutritious breakfasts and lunches to all children 18 and younger, Mondays to Fridays through Aug. 9 at three sites across town. Note: There will be no service on Wednesday (Juneteenth) and July 4 (Independence Day).

Children must be present to receive meals. No application is necessary and no questions are asked.

Source: School’s out in Vacaville, but the summer food program is in – The Vacaville Reporter

LCAPs, budgets for district, several charter schools on VUSD agenda – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Local Control Accountability Plans and the projected 2024-25 budgets for the district and several charter schools are on the agenda when Vacaville Unified leaders meet Thursday evening in Vacaville.

Kelly Burks, the associate superintendent of business and administrative services, will present the Local Control Funding Formula, a description of the district’s money sources, first in a public hearing, followed by information about the 2024-25 LCAP, a sort of blueprint for the district’s projected $185 million in expenses while revenue tops out at $167 million for the coming academic year.

Under the funding formula, California school districts get money from state, local and federal funds. By law, districts must adopt their budgets by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Source: LCAPs, budgets for district, several charter schools on VUSD agenda – The Vacaville Reporter

Buckingham Charter seniors graduate – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Thomas Gase

Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy’s graduates, Natalie Bolton (left) and Natalie Aaron, are showered with bubbles as they march in procession with their fellow 86 classmates at the beginning of Commencement Ceremonies on Friday at Tom Zunino Stadium in Vacaville, California.

Source: Buckingham Charter seniors graduate – The Vacaville Reporter

Will C. Wood graduates overcome obstacles for big moment – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick McConnell

For the 2024 graduating class of Will C. Wood High School, the last four years have been bookended with adversity.

The freshman year of 2020 was marked with the loss of in-person classes and a conventional high school experience.

The senior year of 2023 was marked with the sudden loss of a pillar of the Will C. Wood community, head football coach Jacob Wright.

Source: Will C. Wood graduates overcome obstacles for big moment – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville High graduates begin new journey – The Vacaville Reporter

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Atop one Vacaville High School senior’s head Saturday morning at Tom Zunino Stadium, the decorated mortar board, its red letters spelling “A Grand Adventure is about to Begin,” said it all in more than one way:

The graduation ceremony was about to begin for one of life’s key passages and another — for all of the more than 480 students who picked up their diplomas on the rostrum at the 30-yard line — was also about to begin under gradually clearing skies of cirrus clouds and temperatures in the 70s.

As high school graduation symbolizes entry into adulthood, the grand adventure for many will bring enrollment in college, a trade school, enlistment in the military, an ongoing job, or perhaps “a gap year.”

Source: Vacaville High graduates begin new journey – The Vacaville Reporter

Will C. Wood grads look to inspire | dailyrepublic.com

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By Ian Thompson

When Will C. Wood senior and Vacaville native Maritza Mendoza Ochoa crossed the stage to accept her diploma Friday evening, she became the first person in her family to graduate from high school.

The 17-year-old hoped that this will inspire her younger siblings to reach the same goal, one of whom is already attending Wood this year.She admits to a bit of stage fright at this passage in her life, confessing that her biggest graduation fear is tripping on her way to get her diploma.

Source: Will C. Wood grads look to inspire | News | dailyrepublic.com

Solano Pride issues statement on Carli flap – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick McConnell

The Solano Pride Center has issued a statement in the aftermath of Vacaville Mayor John Carli’s decision not to sign the city’s Pride proclamation, also expressing frustration with the City of Vacaville for a lack of communication surrounding a flag-raising ceremony for the pride flag.

“The Board of the Solano Pride Center shares our sadness that the Mayor of the City of Vacaville continues to use his position to give cover for the discrimination many in our community experience there,” the statement reads.

The organization’s board of directors outlined its frustration with the changes in language between the proposed proclamation and that of the city’s final product. The proclamation, authored by Carli and signed by Vice Mayor Greg Ritchie did not contain the word Pride, and did not mention the LGBTQ community until the final paragraph. The wording was similar to that of previous years, but the phrase “build and celebrate” was removed and replaced with “while building.”

Source: Solano Pride issues statement on Carli flap – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville City Council Rejects Kairos Proposal – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Nick McConnell

The Vacaville City Council rejected a proposal to change the zoning of 12.77 acres from “school” to “low-medium density” by a 4-3 vote on Tuesday. Kairos Public Schools, a local charter school, and a developer in the Roberts Ranch neighborhood submitted the proposal, as Kairos aimed to use the proceeds to fund a new school.

Mayor John Carli, Vice Mayor Greg Ritchie and Councilmember Roy Stockton voted in favor of the zoning change. Councilmembers indicated they would be interested in seeing the proposal come back in the future with a higher zoning designation, asking staff to meet with the interested parties and discuss feedback.

Ritchie, who previously served on the Kairos Board of Directors, chose not to recuse himself from the vote and read a statement explaining his decision to go ahead with it.

Source: Vacaville City Council Rejects Kairos Proposal – The Vacaville Reporter

Leadership Vacaville, Opportunity House teaming up for youth needs donation drive – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Lynzie Lowe

To help ensure that area teens go to school feeling fresh, confident, and ready to learn this year and next, Leadership Vacaville is hosting a “Youth Needs” donation drive to collect items for the Opportunity House’s Youth Rising outreach program.

Serena Eastman, Director of Shelters and Programs for Opportunity House and Vacaville Solano Services Corp., said the outreach program is located on three local high school campuses in Vacaville – Will C Wood, Kimme WRAP, and Vacaville High School – and provides onsite support and resources to any youth who may be in need of physical support like food, clothing, and hygiene, school supplies, as well as provides connections to local resources for mental health, substance use education, housing assistance, employment, tutoring, case management and healthy, strong adult relationships.

Source: Leadership Vacaville, Opportunity House teaming up for youth needs donation drive – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD board to hear proposed changes to Independent Study Progam – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Know a child who might thrive in an alternative course of study rather than a traditional public school setting?

Then you may want to attend tonight’s Vacaville Unified trustees meeting in Vacaville.

During the public gathering, board members will hear about proposed and recommended changes to the independent study portion of the Ernest Kimme Charter Academy, making it a district-operated program.

Source: VUSD board to hear proposed changes to Independent Study Progam – The Vacaville Reporter

On National Teachers’ Day, reflections from VUSD’s Teacher of the Year – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

The first thing Vaca Pena Middle School teacher Jayne Geist wants you to know about why she became a teacher is the ability to give a full measure of devotion to her students.

And “being there for them if they need a ‘listening ear,’ ” she said during an interview Tuesday, National Teacher Appreciation Day, in her classroom at the 200 Keith Way campus.

The 2023-24 Vacaville Unified Teacher of the Year, Geist and other district teachers will acknowledge the national observance on Wednesday, which continues through Friday for their counterparts across the county, state and 49 other states during Teacher Appreciation Week. It’s a chance for students, parents and communities to show gratitude for teachers everywhere.

Source: On National Teachers’ Day, reflections from VUSD’s Teacher of the Year – The Vacaville Reporter

Op-Ed: SB1380 Threatens access to critical public school options in California | dailyrepublic.com

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Should school districts that have a history of fiscal mismanagement be able to block alternative schools? Senator Dodd (D-Napa) thinks so. Senator Bill Dodd has introduced SB 1380, a bill that proposes significant amendments to the California Charter Schools Act (Ed Code 47605). If Dodd’s bill became law, it would make it even easier for a school district to deny new charter schools. Currently, there is a long list of reasons school districts can deny charters, and Dodd’s bill would add several more – a school district could claim continued fiscal hardship for five years after it has resolved its state oversight for financial mismanagement.

Charter schools were established in California in 1992 to foster innovation, encourage competition, and offer families high-quality educational choices within the public education system. However, SB 1380 appears to undermine fundamental tenets by empowering school districts with a history of fiscal issues to limit innovation and competition.

Source: Op-Ed: SB1380 Threatens access to critical public school options in California | Local Columns | dailyrepublic.com

Alamo Elementary Triumphs in Novel Knowledge – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Michael Montalvo

Alamo Elementary School took home the gold for the seventh time at Vacaville Unified School District’s Novel Knowledge competition on Tuesday.

Vaca Pena Middle School hosted the 21st annual event, with 11 school teams in the finals, being quizzed on facts from eight books covering various reading levels, including fiction and nonfiction stories.

Once again, Alamo Elementary secured the top spot with its team, the Too Good For a Name’ers, only getting one question wrong. Grace Ruther, Haven Cooney, and the sibling duo of Anna and Andrew Ton, all sixth graders, triumphantly claimed the grand trophy.

Source: Alamo Elementary Triumphs in Novel Knowledge – The Vacaville Reporter

Fun ‘color run’ for autism awareness and a Vaca park – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

As students, parents, relatives ran or walked by the southern end of an oval outdoor track, Alexander Valencia and other youths tossed handfuls of turquoise, orange and pink powder into the air and onto runners and walkers.

Not the day of Holi, the festival of colours, love and spring in India, it was the Just Different Not Less 2024 Autism Run already well underway at Jepson Middle School in Vacaville.

Source: Fun ‘color run’ for autism awareness and a Vaca park – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville district leaders to consider after-school learning contracts – The Vacaville Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Vacaville Unified School District leaders, will use Thursday’s meeting to consider after-school learning contracts totaling nearly $3 million — money from the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program budget — for several district elementary schools.

Administrators will ask trustees to approve two contracts for the 2024-25 academic year.

One is “Right at School,” budgeted for an amount not to exceed $2 million. It will provide enrichment programming and staffing not only for the expanded learning program, but also for After School Education Safety programs at Cooper, Markham, Padan, Fairmont, Hemlock, Orchard and Sierra Vista K-8. The service provider is Right at School, a company based in Evanston, Ill.

Source: Vacaville district leaders to consider after-school learning contracts – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville student receives $5K scholarship | dailyrepublic.com

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Joseph Bernard of Vacaville was awarded the $5,000 Stitt Family Aeronautics, Aerospace & Aviation Scholarship on April 8.

Bernard is a student from Elise P. Buckingham Charter School.

This scholarship seeks to support students who are pursuing the field of aeronautical engineering, aerospace or aviation and need financial assistance.

Source: Good News: Vacaville student receives $5K scholarship | Vacaville-Dixon-Winters | dailyrepublic.com