By Nasiru Eneji Abdulrasheed
Fairfield’s Travis Unified School District is in the midst of a significant transition, following Superintendent Pam Conklin’s retirement announcement last month. In response, the board has engaged McPherson & Jacobson, an external firm, to lead the search for a new superintendent, aiming for a candidate to be in place by the end of April.
Source: Travis Unified School District Ramps Up Search for New Superintend…
The Solano County Office of Education, with other partners, will host the annual Child Care Planning Council community forum Saturday in the Fairfield Civic Center Library.
The event, 10 a.m. to noon in the 1150 Kentucky St. library, seeks to link Solano families and educators with information about high-quality child care opportunities in Solano County, according to organizers of the gathering, who issued a press statement.
Child care providers, parents, guardians, educators and community members are invited to learn about child care options throughout Solano County, including paid and assisted programs.
Source: Community forum aims to link families with child care programs – The Vacaville Reporter
Members of the Vallejo teachers union will be rallying and addressing board members at Thursday night’s regular meeting to push the district to better serve students and increase pay.
After five months of negotiations, the Vallejo Education Association (VEA) and the Vallejo City Unified School District (VCUSD) declared an impasse at the end of February and have a state-appointed mediator, according to the California Teachers Association (CTA). The first mediation will be next week.
Source: Vallejo educators to rally for more pay, student success | EdSource
The Solano County District Attorney’s Office is calling on junior high and high school students to create videos for Kindness Campaign 2024.
This is the sixth year for the video contest “showcasing the power of kindness on campus,” the DA’s Office said.
The district attorney “invites students to submit a video between 30 seconds and two minutes in length that expresses what the power of kindness can accomplish in their school community. It asks the question, ‘How can the power of kindness be used in our schools, homes, and communities to make a positive difference?'”
Source: Students wanted for annual Kindness Video Contest | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Carolyn Jones
An end to billions of dollars in federal Covid relief funds, declining enrollment, staff raises, hiring binges and stagnant state funding should combine over the next few months to create steep budget shortfalls, with low-income districts affected the most.
“The fiscal cliff is going to vary,” said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University. “The districts that got the most Covid relief dollars, those that have the most low-income students, are going to face the biggest losses.”
The polls have officially closed in Solano County and election results are slowly coming in. Here are the most recent, and unofficial, results on the measures facing Solano County voters in Tuesday’s California Primary.
Measure A
With eight precincts reporting and 4,152 votes cast as of 10 p.m., the City of Benicia’s proposed hotel tax – known as Transient Occupancy Tax – was rolling to victory with 80.39 percent of the votes.
The tax would raise the transient occupancy tax on hotels and vacation rentals from 9 to 13 percent. This increase is projected to boost annual city revenues by around $250,000, with oversight from a citizens committee.
Source: Early election results indicate unofficial passage of Benicia Measures – Times Herald Online
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced today that 31 schools throughout the state were recognized as Model Continuation High Schools for 2024. Model Continuation High Schools provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth through the use of exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services. Continuation schools provide a high school diploma program for students who have not graduated from high school, are required to attend school and are at risk of not completing their education.
“Congratulations to these outstanding schools for their all-around excellence as alternative centers of learning,” said Superintendent Thurmond. “Teachers and administrators at our Model Continuation High Schools work to develop relationships with students to create a positive and personalized learning environment and provide them with opportunities to explore options beyond high school, preparing students for the next chapter in their lives.”
Source: SPI Announces 2024 Model Continuation High Schools – Year 2024 (CA Dept of Education)
Holy Spirit sixth-grader Kiaan Kahn on Saturday won the 48th annual Solano County Spelling Bee.
“Her winning word was ‘miscellaneous,'” the Solano County Office of Education reported.
Second place went to fifth-grader Zara Virk from Nelda Mundy Elementary School in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.
Kahn and Virk each received a trophy and will be represent Solano County at the California Spelling Bee Championship held in San Joaquin County on April 27.
Source: Solano’s top spellers crowned at Saturday event | News | dailyrepublic.com
Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) celebrated Career Technical Education (CTE) month by highlighting some of the CTE classes available to high school students in Solano County on social media throughout February.
In 2018, the California legislature introduced the K12 Strong Workforce Program (K12 SWP) funding program. Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) receives SWP funds and supports K–12 local education agencies (LEAs) in creating, strengthening, and expanding career technical education (CTE) courses, course sequences and pathways for high school students.
Source: Good News: Opportunities continue for Solano Students | Education | dailyrepublic.com
Throughout February, the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) took to social media to celebrate Career Technical Education (CTE) month, showcasing the diverse range of CTE classes available to high school students across Solano County. This initiative aligns with the broader goals set forth by the California legislature’s 2018 K12 Strong Workforce Program (K12 SWP), which aims to enhance, create, and expand CTE courses and pathways. “Supporting career technical education opens doors to explore various careers, develop practical skills, obtain meaningful employment, and secure economic empowerment for students in Solano County,” remarked Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson.
Source: Solano County Boosts Career Education, Forges Pathways for High Sc…
The Solano County Office of Education is again hosting its annual Operation Recognition event which honors United States veterans and interned Japanese Americans who were unable to finish high school due to wartime circumstances.
“For over a decade, SCOE has been honoring local veterans and their families by awarding retroactive high school diplomas. It is important that we commemorate both living and deceased veterans, and it is a privilege to connect with local families and recognize the sacrifices made by their loved ones and our fellow Americans,” Solano County Superintendent of Schools Lisette Estrella-Henderson said in a statement.
Source: Applications for annual Operation Recognition being accepted | News | dailyrepublic.com
By Richard Bammer
The Solano County Office of Education will host its annual Operation Recognition event in the coming weeks. The ceremony honors veterans and Japanese-Americans who never picked up their high school diploma due to wartime circumstances.
For more than 10 years, the SCOE program has provided eligible veterans with retroactive high school diplomas during a ceremony to celebrate their “graduation” and recognize their sacrifices, Jennifer Leonard, assistant superintendent of communications and community engagement, said in a news release.
Source: Families can apply for high school diplomas for vets who never got one – The Vacaville Reporter
By Thomas Gase
NAACP Vallejo branch secretary Lynda Daniels knew she was in the right place Saturday to educate others on Black History. As for the right time, well, she said that’s any time.
“Black History is not just February of every year — it’s 365 days a year and this year it’s 366,” Daniels said. “And that’s 24 hours, seven days a week.”
From noon to 5 p.m. Children’s Wonderland in Vallejo was a hub for education on Black History. More than a dozen vendors showed up to spread awareness as part of the Greater Vallejo Recreation District’s Black History Month “Homecoming” Block Party.
Source: Black History Month celebrated at Children’s Wonderland in Vallejo – The Vacaville Reporter
By Lynzie Lowe
The Solano County Board of Education spent Valentine’s Day educating itself on the state’s recently released proposed 2024-25 budget plans.
Michelle Henson, Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services and Operations for the Solano County Office of Education, presented information to the board at Wednesday’s meeting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposals for the 2024-25 state budget, focusing her presentation on educational funding.
The Fairfield-Suisun Visual Arts Association will host its fourth annual children’s art show beginning Wednesday in conjunction with the Solano Town Center and the Fairfield Solano County Library.
A collection of artwork made by children in the Fairfield-Suisun City Unified School District will be displayed in the second-floor gallery of the Solano Town Center until March 2. After the first portion of the show, select pieces will be moved to the Fairfield-Solano County Library, at 1150 Kentucky Street, where they will remain on display until April 1 in the children’s section.
The Solano Town Gallery is open to the public Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gallery hosts other exhibitions of local art throughout the year.
Source: FSVAA to host children’s art show – The Vacaville Reporter
The Travis Unified School District Board has begun the search to replace the retiring superintendent.
Superintendent Pam Conklin announced her retirement on Feb. 7.
The board decided to go with a third party search firm to find her replacement.
The board heard from three firms at Tuesday’s special meeting: Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates; Leadership Associates; and McPherson & Jacobson.
By Thomas Gase
Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced legislation on Wednesday aims to protect the finances of California public schools faced with the challenge of declining enrollment by extending the authority of local school boards to consider the fiscal impact of new charter school applications.
The bill comes with enrollment in California public schools declining over the past two decades because of several factors including a declining birth rate and migration from California. Due to school districts receiving their funding based on the number of students they educate, the loss of students has serious financial effects, which require local leaders to make difficult budget choices, including the closing of schools.
Source: Bill Dodd seeks to bolster school district fiscal health – Times Herald Online
Sen. Bill Dodd has introduced legislation that he said would help protect the finances of public schools with declining enrollment.
Senate Bill 1380, co-sponsored by the California School Boards Association and supported by the Vallejo City Unified School District, would extend the authority of local school boards to consider charter school applications that would negatively impact the districts’ financial stability.
Source: Vallejo school district throws support behind Dodd legislation | News | dailyrepublic.com
The Vacaville Unified School District released its yearly calendars for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years on Wednesday, allowing families with students the ability to plan ahead regarding their child’s education.
The 2024-2025 year will begin on Aug. 15 and end on June 5. The 2025-2026 school year will begin Aug.14 and end June 4.
In 2024-2025, winter break will begin on Dec. 19 and end on Jan. 5. In 2025-2026, winter break will begin on Dec. 20 and end on Jan. 6. Spring Break in 2025 will be April 18-25, and April 3-10 in 2026.
Source: Vacaville Unified releases schedules for 2024-2026 – The Vacaville Reporter
Several local teens were honored recently when the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club and NorthBay handed out the Good Character Youth Awards.
It was the ninth annual event. The students were nominated by their teachers, counselors and/or mentors as teens for showing good character, ethical behaviors or good deeds (e.g. helping younger students succeed in their studies, standing up to bullies, helping others in the community through volunteering).
Source: Local youths feted for helping their peers | News | dailyrepublic.com