FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, February 27, 2014

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Education Headlines

Thursday, February 27, 2014

FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.

Moorpark Unified names assistant as new superintendent

Kelli Hays will be the new Moorpark School District superintendent effective July 1, succeeding Teresa Williams. Williams is retiring in June after leading the district for almost three years.

Increase in school counselors a priority for Ventura schools

he board said it hopes to use the state’s new funding mechanism, which is more flexible than in past years, to hire more counselors, including those specifically trained to help students deal with emotional and psychological issues.

Business flows at Alisal USD board meeting

The Alisal Union School District Board of Trustees voted to improve its conduct Wednesday night but not before hearing from its most vocal and dissenting member.

Lodi, Galt students find a flexible alternative to traditional education

Loretta Hans was seeking a flexible education program that would allow her first-grader to learn at her own pace and from the comfort and safety of her own home.

Fresno Unified to get mediator, board starts budget talks

Fresno Unified's school board kicked off annual budget conversations Wednesday and also learned the state has approved the district's plan to declare an impasse over teacher contract negotiations.

Fresno Unified spent $360,000 on Krista Uribe special education case

Fresno Unified has spent $360,000 on attorneys fees since February 2012 in a court battle with a mother and her special needs daughter, who twice was removed from Duncan Polytechnical High School because of her disabilities.

Fence boundaries hit a nerve at Newport-Mesa schools

Hundreds of parents and residents are squaring off in an uncharacteristically rabid Newport-Mesa Unified School District debate – but not over the usual topics like academics, teachers or cheating. This time, it's a debate over fences.

Community leaders launch education coalition

As schools throughout San Diego County prepare to receive new state education funds, a coalition of organizations has called on parents and communities to get involved in local decisions on how to spend the money.

Superintendents come, go in Valley Center, Oceanside

Oceanside Unified Superintendent Larry Perondi announced Wednesday he is retiring at the end of the school year while a new superintendent for the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District was appointed the same day.

School district lifts limits on substitute teachers

Hemet schools no longer limit the days substitute teachers work, a move they had made to avoid health insurance costs from new regulations that call for benefits for full-time employees.

Mt. Diablo school district to launch dual immersion kindergarten

Starting next fall, 60 kindergarten students at Bancroft Elementary may learn to read and write in both English and Spanish in a Mt. Diablo school district dual-immersion program.

Fensterwald: School Boards Association rises to challenge, proposes teacher dismissal bill

Picking up pieces from two failed attempts to rewrite the law on teacher dismissals, the California School Boards Association will lead this year’s attempt to make it easier and less expensive to fire teachers accused of serious misconduct and sex crimes against children.

State lawmaker makes new bid to change teacher dismissal rules

A state lawmaker introduced a bill Wednesday that would attempt to streamline the process for dismissing California teachers accused of misconduct.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Stockton USD greenlights new police chief for district

Stockton Unified trustees approved the hire of Bryon Gustafson as its next district police chief Tuesday night, a move district officials said will bring a stable leader to a department that has been in flux for the past six months.

Monterey Peninsula USD searching for interim superintendent

Trustees of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District will interview three candidates for interim superintendent on March 5. Interim Superintendent Leslie Codianne, who has been in the position since Jan. 14, 2013, announced in October she would be retiring at the end of March, three months earlier than she had originally planned.

Residents confront Centinela Valley school board over Superintendent Jose Fernandez’s $663,000 in compensation last year

The Centinela Valley school board took a drubbing Tuesday night from residents of Lawndale and Hawthorne furious about recent reports in the Daily Breeze detailing how Superintendent Jose Fernandez collected $663,000 in compensation last year.

Parents drop Clovis Unified sex education suit

Backers of a lawsuit contending Clovis Unified's ninth-grade sex education curriculum violated state law have dropped the case and declared victory, arguing the district's standards have changed significantly since the suit was filed in 2012.

Fresno Unified leader Michael Hanson unveils first budget proposals

 Fresno Unified's superintendent hopes to spend an extra $3.5 million on school safety measures next year under an early budget plan unveiled Tuesday. The proposal would also add cash to schools' discretionary funds and reduce class sizes to 24 students in certain grades.

Roseville City School District extends kindergarten day

 Roseville City School District plans to roll out extended-day kindergarten across all 14 of its elementary campuses next school year, the result of a successful pilot program and changing curriculum standards.