FAIRFIELD — School districts in Solano County continue to face tough decisions.
After a year that threatened popular programs, featured a school closure and cut student transportation — a cut that was partially reversed — school district officials face myriad tough decisions.
Parents, taxpayers and students stepped up to the plate to save the programs and schools they love.
The Save Our Athletic Programs of the Fairfield-Suisun School District, which was integral in saving athletics for the 2010-11 season, was taken over by a group of students passionate not about just saving athletics, but all extracurricular activities. The district will count on the organization and others to raise more money to keep athletics afloat next year after teachers took a pay cut in the spring to save after-school programs.
Other programs, such as Music Matters of Vacaville, aim to fill the music education gap for students and schools whose music programs have been cut.
Budget cuts hit all Solano County school districts hard this year.
The Fairfield-Suisun School District grappled with the decision not only to close Sullivan Middle School, but possibly to cut school sports and clubs and after-school programs entirely.
Teachers and classified employees gave up money to save jobs, high school sports and clubs and restore some funding for classroom supplies, adult education and independent study for the next school year.
Home-to-school transportation was cut, then brought back for middle school students in Fairfield-Suisun schools, due to a last-minute change in the state’s budget.
Travis School District teachers also took pay cuts to help the district with an estimated $1.4 million deficit.
This school year, area schools will welcome new leaders and a new school.
The Public Safety Academy, located on Atlantic Avenue, opens as one of the first of its kind in the Bay Area. The school serves students grades five through eight and will add a grade every year.
Fairfield High School will welcome secondary education coordinator for the Fairfield-Suisun School District Tim Halloran as its newest principal.
Turnover is another issue. Vacaville welcomed a new superintendent, John Niederkorn, who replaces his former boss, John Aycock.
School board elections in 2013 will see major changes.
The Fairfield-Suisun School District is moving to a new system that splits the district’s boundary into seven districts, one for each of the seven seats on the board.
Reach Heather Ah San at 427-6977 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HeatherMalia.
Thanks for the excellent story. The article shows again that teachers and school employees care about the quality of the education and services they provide to students. Working in public education is not just about a paycheck.