Lindsay Kelly leads race for VUSD Trustee Area 4 – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Lindsay Kelly is expected to be named to the Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees Area 4 seat, after leading the vote tally in the special vacancy election held Tuesday.

As of 9:13 p.m., the Solano County Registrar of Voters released their final vote totals for the evening, which showed Kelly ahead with 453 votes. Dave McCallum followed with 416 votes, and Michael Martin came in third with 119 votes out of a total 988.

Vacaville Parents United, a local interest group for parents, held a petition drive to force this special vacancy election. The election cost the district an estimated $113,000 to the district, which Superintendent Ed Santopadre said would come out the district’s general fund.

Source: Lindsay Kelly leads race for VUSD Trustee Area 4 – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD releases 2023-24 enrollment data – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

The Vacaville Unified School District’s enrollment numbers are up over last year by over 100 students, Superintendent Ed Santopadre announced last week at the September VUSD board of trustees meeting.

Without counting charter school students, the district has a total of 11,345 students this fall, up from 11,181 last year, marking an increase of 164 students.

Vacaville High School reported 2,030 students this year, and Will C. Wood reported 1,701.

Source: VUSD releases 2023-24 enrollment data – The Vacaville Reporter

Who will win VUSD’s Trustee Area 4 seat? – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

Who among three candidates will win a seat to represent Vacaville Unified’s Trustee Area 4 on Tuesday?

That’s when voters will decide the outcome of a special election for a post vacated by a petition drive earlier this year.

Those seeking the seat are former VUSD trustee David McCallum, 63, a local radio broadcaster who was appointed to the governing board when another member resigned but was forced out by the petition drive. Others are Michael W. Martin, 41, a local real estate broker; and Lindsay Kelly, 44, an insurance claims adjuster.

Source: Who will win VUSD’s Trustee Area 4 seat? – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD trustees discuss fentanyl prevention, centralized kitchen plans – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

The Vacaville Unified School District Board of Trustees met Thursday night for its regular September meeting to discuss fentanyl prevention in schools, enrollment numbers and plans for a new centralized kitchen facility for the district.

Superintendent Ed Santopadre started off his comments with introductions for two new staff members. Isabell Ott a new lead mental health clinician, is committed to the development of students’ emotional needs, and Laura Roberts will serve as assistant principal at Callison Elementary this year, focused on fostering positive relationships between students, families and teachers.

Enrollment numbers are up this year for VUSD, Santopadre said. Without counting charter school students, the district has a total of 11,345 students this fall, up from 11,181 last year, marking an increase of 164 students.

Source: VUSD trustees discuss fentanyl prevention, centralized kitchen plans – The Vacaville Reporter

Solar panels to save VUSD 55 million – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Students and parents at Vacaville High School might have noticed new solar arrays above the parking lot this fall, and while the shade they provide is nice, they’re doing a lot more than just keeping cars cool, according to district officials.

Kelly Burks, Associate Superintendent of the Vacaville Unified School District, said the district has added the arrays to 15 of its sites and made updates to much of its HVAC equipment at a total cost of $28.5 million. While that might seem steep, she said, the project will actually save the district almost $55 million over the coming 30 years, as they help combat rising utility costs from Pacific Gas and Electric.

Source: Solar panels to save VUSD 55 million – The Vacaville Reporter

VTA endorses experienced educator for VUSD trustee post – The Vacaville Reporter

By Richard Bammer

The Vacaville Teachers Association has endorsed a UC Davis dean and former school teacher as a candidate in the VUSD Trustee Area 6 special election on Dec. 19.

Amy Tran Russell — a senior assistant dean for student affairs, earned two master’s degrees — an MBA from UCD and one in education from UC Santa Cruz. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in history from UCD, according to a teachers union press statement sent to The Reporter on Wednesday and information in her candidate statement.

Russell, 43, started her career teaching social studies for the Benicia Unified School District and coaching track and field. She then worked with high school students as part of a youth leadership development program for five years.

Source: VTA endorses experienced educator for VUSD trustee post – The Vacaville Reporter

Parents group members distribute flyers for VUSD school board election – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Armed with a new set of flyers and connections with a statewide group, members of Vacaville Parents United are canvassing outside of several city public schools and school events in the home stretch of the Vacaville Unified Trustee Area 4 special vacancy election.

Kathy Bettencourt, an administrator for the Vacaville Parents United Facebook Group, said her organization has been handing out two different flyers over recent weeks, looking to increase voter turnout and inform voters about their group’s endorsed candidate, Lindsay Kelly, an insurance claims adjuster. The group, which distributes the flyers outside schools at student pick-up times, gathered Tuesday evening to distribute them outside a back-to-school-night event at Browns Valley Elementary.

Vacaville Unified School District officials declined to comment regarding the distribution of these flyers.

Source: Parents group members distribute flyers for VUSD school board election – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD area six election to be held December 19 – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

With in-person voters in Vacaville Unified School District’s area four back from the polls after a special vacancy election in September, voters in area six will be gearing up for their own trip to the ballot box on Dec. 19.

The two elections are to replace Dave McCallum, who was appointed as area four trustee earlier this year, and Amy Tran Russell, who was appointed as area six trustee in July.

Lindsay Kelly, Michael Martin and McCallum are running for the Area 4 seat, and John Gardner, assistant registrar of voters for Solano County, said the window to file for the area six election will open on Monday, Aug. 28. The elections were forced by petition drives held Vacaville Parents United, a group that has been voicing concerns regarding VUSD issues over the past few years.

Source: VUSD area six election to be held December 19 – The Vacaville Reporter

VUSD area six election to be held December 19 – The Reporter

By Nick McConnell

With in-person voters in Vacaville Unified School District’s area four back from the polls after a special vacancy election in September, voters in area six will be gearing up for their own trip to the ballot box on Dec. 19.

The two elections are to replace Dave McCallum, who was appointed as area four trustee earlier this year, and Amy Tran Russell, who was appointed as area six trustee in July.

Lindsay Kelly, Michael Martin and McCallum are running for the Area 4 seat, and John Gardner, assistant registrar of voters for Solano County, said the window to file for the area six election will open on Monday, Aug. 28. The elections were forced by petition drives held Vacaville Parents United, a group that has been voicing concerns regarding VUSD issues over the past few years.

Source: VUSD area six election to be held December 19 – The Vacaville Reporter

Seasonal dip in education jobs skew local job picture | dailyrepublic.com

Solano residents appear to be finding work outside the county – or are they?

There were 143,500 jobs within Solano County in July, down from the prior month’s total of 144,800, the EDD reported. However, there were 1,000 more residents working – 192,600 in July compared to 191,600 in June, the Labor Market Information Division of the state Employment Development Department reported.

The job decline inside the county is due to the seasonal drop in local education jobs for the month prior to school gearing back up, again.

In fact, if the drop of 1,800 local education jobs is factored out, the local market actually created 500 new jobs, the EDD reported.

Source: Seasonal dip in education jobs skew local job picture | News | dailyrepublic.com

New VUSD superintendent welcomes back students – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

If Vacaville parents found their morning particularly hectic as classes resumed at Vacaville Unified School District campuses on Thursday, they should try new Superintendent Ed Santopadre’s schedule on for size.

Doing his best to hit the ground running, Santopadre and other district staff toured five of the district’s schools one after another as they met with administrators, supported teachers and encouraged students to have a good year—all before the school year’s first break for lunch.

Source: New VUSD superintendent welcomes back students – The Vacaville Reporter

Will C. Wood welcomes students back for a new year | dailyrepublic.com

Students of Vacaville Unified School District returned to campuses across the community on Thursday.

The seniors at Will C. Wood welcomed each other with hugs, handshakes and smiles.

Senior Emmanuel Morando, 17, talked about his busy summer in the early-morning AP Science/History class.

“I quit my job to focus on my volunteer work instead,” he said.

Source: Will C. Wood welcomes students back for a new year | Education | dailyrepublic.com

Go to the new principal’s office – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Change is inevitable with each new school year. Students advance a grade or graduate. Teachers wonder what will the district think of next in regards to curriculum. And administrators have to remember students are bound to make mistakes, some more than others.

Summer ends Thursday when the Vacaville Unified School District welcomes back students. At four schools, students will be in for a surprise when they get sent to the the office because the principal will be new.

Source: Go to the new principal’s office – The Vacaville Reporter

Kelly wants Vaca Unified focus back on education | dailyrepublic.com

Lindsay Kelly has a very personal reason for seeking a seat on the Vacaville Unified School District board.

Her experience with her son’s special-education needs – which she feels were not met at Vacaville schools and resulted in her returning him to Dixon, where he had more personal assistance and success – motivated her to run.

Kelly, an insurance claims adjuster, said she once had a dream of being a teacher after getting a degree in biology, and the school board would provide her an opportunity to serve a role in education. She also thinks her experience analyzing complex issues in the insurance business will serve her well as a trustee.

Source: Kelly wants Vaca Unified focus back on education | News | dailyrepublic.com

Second trustee faces recall – The Vacaville Reporter

By Cecil Conley

Michael Kitzes looks forward to the day when he can preside at a Vacaville Unified School District Governing Board meeting with seven trustees seated at the dais. If he is holding his breath for that, it is time to exhale.

Kitzes had hoped all seven seats would be filled after the special election Sept. 12 that decides who will be the Area 4 trustee. That would have guaranteed Kitzes of playing with a full deck at a Sept. 21 board meeting.

Source: Second trustee faces recall – The Vacaville Reporter

Vacaville High School decks the hall with history – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

Vacaville High School students will not have to walk to their classrooms to get their first history lesson next week. It will be waiting for them in the main hallway of the school.

Principal Adam Wight teamed up with former Vacaville High history teacher and wrestling coach Richard Penaluna to create a set of six informative displays in the school’s main hallway that outline the school’s storied history in the community.

“It’s an essential part of our identity,” Wight said of the school’s history.

Source: Vacaville High School decks the hall with history – The Vacaville Reporter

Wood band gets in marching shape – The Vacaville Reporter

By Nick McConnell

One surefire sign of fall has returned to the Will C. Wood High School campus this week: drum cadences ring out across the bright green synthetic of Wildcat Stadium.

And whatever that sound might conjure to mind— coming back to school, the Friday night lights of high school football or even a pumpkin spice latte— the soundtrack to fall starts with hard work and preparation in the burning late summer sun from director Eric Roberts and his 55 students in the Will C. Wood Marching Band.

Source: Wood band gets in marching shape – The Vacaville Reporter

Former principal now a pinch hitter – The Vacaville Reporter

By Cecil Conley

Guilt struck Randy Henry on Thursday evening as he plowed his fork through spaghetti and sipped a glass of wine. His wife Toni was prepared when he came home to Lake of the Pines after working in Vacaville.

She knew when he would arrive, Henry said, because the couple track each other on their phones. Toni had followed him from Jepson Middle School and Interstate 80 to Highway 49 and the Combie Road exit.

Source: Former principal now a pinch hitter – The Vacaville Reporter

McCallum looks to return to Vacaville Unified board | dailyrepublic.com

Dave McCallum wants to serve, again.

The former Vacaville Unified School District trustee is hoping to win back a seat during a special election scheduled for Sept. 12 for Trustee Area 4.

McCallum, 63, was actually appointed by the board to fill the seat left vacant with the resignation of Cecil Conley, but a protest petition filed with the Solano County Office of Education forced the special election.

Source: McCallum looks to return to Vacaville Unified board | Vacaville-Dixon-Winters | dailyrepublic.com

Vacaville teacher Ryan Price named a grand prize winner in Norwegian Cruise Line contest – Fox 40

By Jeremiah Martinez

A Vacaville teacher is being rewarded for his work with a multi-day vacation.

Ryan Price, who is a teacher at Buckingham Collegiate Charter Academy, is one of three grand prize winners for Norwegian Cruise Line’s fourth annual Giving Joy contest.

•Video Above: PRIDE Industries helps veterans find jobs

The contest is an annual honor by the cruise line to highlight the “hard work and relentless dedication” of teachers across North America, according to a press release.

Source: Vacaville teacher Ryan Price named a grand prize winner in Norwegian Cruise Line contest