Soledad parents want different leadership

Trustees with the Soledad Unified School District will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, when they're schedule to discuss routine matters -- such as approving minutes -- and not so ordinary, such as discussing the FCMAT report on possible fraud by top administrators.

If you're not quite caught up with what's happening, here's links to my previous stories here, here and here.

Trustees are also scheduled to discuss possible terminations, resignations, etc, during closed session. Unlike their previous meeting, no administrators are being named for possible evaluation.

In the meantime, we've received a letter that describes the community's unhappiness with the board's selection of Jorge Guzman to remain at the helm of the district. Here it is, for your reading pleasure.

Dear Editor,

We, the parents of students of Soledad Unified School District, are requesting an interim superintendent that is NOT a current employee of the district. We believe is needed to begin the rebuilding process not only with the community and staff but the school board as well. Clearly you were misleading as we were. We believe that Mr. Guzman is not the person for the job. He may not be named in the investigation, but we feel he either had knowledge and did not act or was a willing participant by not stopping it or alerting personal of the problem. It is difficult to rebuild relationships with staff and parents when there is no trust. An interim superintendent outside of the Soledad district can begin to build trust and begin to put procedures in place in order to rectify the problems and “status quo procedures and attitude towards staff and community.” This outside person also would also be able to make sure hiring procedures and qualifications for jobs were also met and terminate all personnel who were involved in the misappropriation of funds or covering up for those who did.

We also feel independent audits are needed on all accounts including general fund, LCAP, Main Street Middle School building, College and Career pathways grant etc so the board and the entire community can be assured of no other irregularities. We have learned that our current CBO left his former district where the superintendent and CBO were accused of financial fraud and that district was left almost bankrupt. The similarities between the district of San Ysidro and our district are haunting

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/TIMELINE-Former- San-Ysidro- Superintendent-Emails- To- Staff-217482801.html

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Former-San- Ysidro-Superintendent- Manuel-Paul- Sentenced- 288478541.html

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jul/14/claim-targets- embattled-superintendent/ 

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cesar-vega- a407708?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=gG0f&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVerti cal%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntityId%3A25776336%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A 1-1- 1%2CtarId%3A1468619173676%2Ctas%3Acesar%20vega

In order to rebuild and go forward, we must know and the board must know where we stand financially. Transparency will be the key to rebuilding trust. Unfortunately too many left in charge in the district office are still part of the problem. Until what part they played is known, an independent audit needs to be done as well as hiring an interim superintendent who is not an current employee of the district can begin the changes needed to rebuild this district. Our children only get one chance at a quality education they so deserve. Monies need to be spent on programs and resources they need to be successful in the future.

While the financial issues are the main concern, it not our only concern. We believe that many of the changes Dr. Boyd made have been detrimental to our students and their education. This includes the loss of highly skilled teachers, quality district staff, and support staff that have left us to and gone to other districts. We are concerned with the lack of discipline on several of the school sites and lack of support for teachers, the lack of progress with our ELL learners, the lack of data to support if growth was made or even if a target goal was used. We have so many people at the district office paid from LCAP with no data to support if they are even needed and what they are truly in charge of. We want to be part of the process to help decide LCAP instead of waiting for it to be approved to see what was written. We must work together to make this district what it was and can be again. We are here to work and get involved. We are asking our elected officials for help in making sure this happens.

Thank you

Parents of Soledad

Soledad Unified to hold special meeting Thursday

And there are only two items to be discussed. An evaluation of the superintendent and the release or dismissal of an employee.

It does not  bode well for the superintendent, who was portrayed in a very unflattering light a few weeks ago when the Fiscal & Crisis Management Team issued a report that declared fraud had  possibly been committed.  If you want to read my story in the Herald, click here.

Futher complicating the matters for this woman is the fact that there are some top educational officials -- and I mean, TOP -- actively lobbying to displace Rupi Boyd, according to my very reliable source, Scuttlebutt. S/he tells me the votes are already lined up to get rid of her: 3-2. Do I smell a Brown Act Violation? Oh boy, will that be a fun Public Records Request.

Scuttlebutt also tells me a second story I wrote about the matter, detailing the fact that Boyd inherited a somewhat messy district, is ruffling the wrong feathers (as evidenced by an email I got from a very discombobulated councilmember).  Top county officials knew about the  less-than-sterling Soledad Unified School District, as a report was written only six months after Boyd took office, detailing what problems needed to be addressed. But according to another top county official, the district was "exemplary" before Boyd took office.

That should make another interesting story.

It'll be fascinating to see how Boyd reacts if she indeed gets fired, without haven't gotten her due process through the District Attorney. Scuttlebutt is just going nuts about the political machinations going on behind the scenes. I think I should take a peek.

Thursday's meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. I wish I could be there, but I'll be relying on Scuttlebutt to learn all about it. Stay tuned.

Soledad credit card fraud allegations report

A fabulous reader just called to ask if there were any reports tied to the allegations of credit card abuse at the Soledad Unified School District. There is. You can find it here.

My apologies for not attaching it to the actual story. I'll try to get that corrected as well.

Soledad performance of "The Woman who Outshone the Sun" not to be missed!

Don't miss the last performance of "The Woman who Outshone the Sun," a cautionary tale of Zapotec origins adapted to the stage by Luis Xago Juarez of Baktun 12 and set it in the Pinnacles region near Soledad.

The play captures the spirit of the original cautionary tale and celebrates caring for the land and creatures of this unique environment, and it's performed by Soledad students from the 4th, 5th and 6th grades.

Two hundred twenty students from five after-school sites in Soledad worked with a special Arts Council for Monterey County interdisciplinary teaching artist team for several months to create the original musical. They also created backdrops and costumes as part of the program. Many will participate in the final show presented at Frank Ledesma Elementary School on Thursday at 7 pm.

“This has been such a great year - thanks to all of our partners. Now that we are ready to showcase their talents, we are so excited that all these elements have come together so well!” said in a statement Ellen Berrahmoun, arts education director of the Arts Council. Team teaching artists include Emily Morales (theater), Carlos Cortez (theater), Jose Ortiz (visual arts), Orlando Castro (music) and Christy Sandoval (dance).

The performance takes place at 7 pm. on Thursday, May 26, at Frank Ledesma Elementary School: 973 Vista De Soledad, Soledad. Not to be missed!

Soledad Unified breaks ground on new middle school

Officials with the Soledad Unified School District held a ceremonial ground-breaking for the soon-to-be-built Main Street Middle School.

The school will be approximately 92,000 sq ft with a total of 43 classrooms. It will house about 1,200 students in grades 6-8.

It will cost the District approximately $33.5 million to build the new school, and it will be paid with funding being provided by Measure C, a $40 million bond approved in Nov. 2012.

Salad bar program makes it into one Soledad school

The Soledad Unified School District partnered with the Grower-Shipper Association Foundation to bring one salad bar to the Soledad High School cafeteria.

Grower-Shipper’s Foundation works with local food service directors to help find effective solutions to getting more fresh produce into school cafeterias.

“Our foundation is committed to the idea that every child should have access to healthy food options. We see ourselves as a bridge between schools and the agriculture community to benefit the health and wellness of the next generation.” said Margaret D’Arrigo-Martin, President, Grower-Shipper Association Foundation. “We are fortunate to have partners throughout the grower shipper community who value our mission, and through that support, have allowed our organization the ability to bring resources to schools throughout the region.”

Salad bars have become commonplace in schools after the launch of "Let's Move Salad Bars" inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative.

According to the Center for Disease Control, the Let’s Move Salad Bar to School program had delivered nearly 4,000 salad bars to school across the nation ad of Dec. 2014.

And now Soledad high has its own salad bar. Hopefully the rest of the schools will follow!

Nursing students settle against Soledad Unified

Monterey Superior Court Judge Robert O'Farrell approved a class action settlement last week in which the Soledad Unified School District agreed to refund 16 students their tuition paid plus interest for the failed vocational nursing program operated by the Soledad Adult School, according to the Law Offices of John Fallat, who represents the students.

Catalina Zendejas filed a class action on behalf of herself and 15 other vocational LVN nursing school students when the Soledad Adult School lost its accreditation from the State of California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians in May 2012. The program lost accreditation after it lost its program director. The students filed a lawsuit when the district refused to refund their tuition.

Another distinction for Frank Ledesma Elementary in Soledad

Frank Ledesma Elementary has just been named among the 106 schools in California that will receive the 2013-14 Title I Academic Achievement Award.

The Title I Academic Achievement Award is given to schools receiving federal Title I funds, which assist schools in meeting the educational needs of students living at or below the poverty line. Of the approximately 10,000 schools in California, more than 6,000 of them participate in the Title I program.

“I am proud of what these schools have accomplished under often challenging circumstances,” California Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson said in announcing the award. “Their administrators and teachers are committed to giving their students every opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills that will help them in school and throughout their lives.”

Frank Ledesma earned the California Distinguished Award last week, also for closing the achievement gap. Those guys, they're on roll! Way to go!

Soledad, Salinas Valley Memorial, focus on careers in the health care industry

Soledad Union School District was one of  67 districts in California to earn a $50,000 grant to develop a program to help their high school students advance in their studies.

The money is supposed to help districts establish cutting edge programs to help students develop "21st century skills," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said.

Soledad applied for two grants, so Assistant Superintendent Jorge Guzman is not sure which one is getting the money: if the district's existing health related career pathway, or the one focused on agricultural industry.

The grant is for planning purposes, and once the planing stage is completed, the district could be eligible to apply for more funds.

Career and technical education is all the rage right now, and  Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System has also a new program to help young people explore whether there's a future for them in the health care industry.

Salinas Valley Memorial has partnered with Career Exploring, a program to introduce high school and college students to careers through business mentors. Staff and volunteers at SVMHS will serve as mentors and program advisors to students who want to learn about opportunities in the healthcare field through hands-on activities, leadership development programs and community service projects.

The Exploring program at SVMHS will conduct an informational meeting for interested students on Tuesday, January 14 at 5 p.m. To register for this meeting or for more information contact the Volunteer Services Department at 831-755-0772 or volunteer@svmh.com.

Soledad Unified School District Appoints Rupi Boyd as Superintendent

Rupi Boyd, a top Los Angeles education administrator, has been named the new superintendent of the Soledad Unified School District.

Boyd, who received a bachelor's degree from UC San Diego and doctorate in educational leadership from San Diego State University, will take on her new role in June. She replaces Deneen Newman, who moved on to work for the Monterey County Office of Education as deputy superintendent of instruction.

“Dr. Boyd emerged as our top candidate though a process that involved community and staff,” Soledad Board President Fabian Barrera said. "Dr. Boyd comes to us with a wealth of experience and is a wonderful fit in our organization and community. She will guide building our new middle school with the Measure C Bond that was passed by our voters.”

Boyd’s experience includes serving most recently at the as the instructional superintendent of LA’s Promise in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District for the past three years. She is an instructional leader with a distinguished record of accomplishment in raising student achievement and of turning around low performing schools. While in Los Angeles, Boyd drove an aggressive plan to shift the educational outcomes for thousands of students who attended West Adams Prep High School, Manual Arts High School and John Muir Middle School.

The Soledad Unified School District will host a community reception to welcome Boyd at 3:30 p.m. on June 3 at the Soledad High School’s Cafeteria.

Rose Ferrero Elementary in Soledad could be a National Blue Ribbon School

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson nominated Rose Ferrero Elementary in the Soledad Unified School District as one of the 35 California public schools worthy of receiving a National Blue Ribbon. 

 “I applaud the principals, teachers, staff, and families whose commitment to learning has led to success in the classroom,” Torlakson said in a statement. “Schools nominated for this significant recognition are performing at very high levels or are making impressive strides in student progress under challenging circumstances.”

Schools are eligible to be considered for the 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program if they meet either one of two performance criteria:

Exemplary High-Performing Schools: Schools that achieve at least the 85th percentile statewide in the percent of students scoring proficient or advanced in English-language arts and mathematics on the state assessments. Schools nominated in this category may or may not have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Exemplary Improving Schools: Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from a disadvantaged background that are also among the top 10 percent of schools in the state showing the greatest improvement in the percent of students scoring proficient or advanced in ELA and mathematics on the state assessments over the last five years.

Congratulations, Rose Ferrero! We'll be cheering for you!

Frank Ledesma Elementary in Soledad nominated for National Blue Ribbon Schools

State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson nominated Frank Ledesma Elementary School in the Soledad Unified School District for the 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, one of 35 schools in California to have their name forwarded for the distinction.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program operates under the U.S. Department of Education and recognizes elementary and secondary schools that are academically superior or have demonstrated dramatic gains in student achievement while serving an economically disadvantaged population of students. Only 413 schools nationwide are nominated each year. Additionally, nominated schools must meet all of its 2012 Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets for the school overall and for each numerically significant subgroup (e.g., socioeconomically disadvantaged children, English learners and children of color).

“We are very proud of the team at Frank Ledesma. They have worked diligently and passionately to help students reach their academic goals. This is a tremendous recognition to be nominated from among the thousands of public schools in this state. Our students, parents and staff have worked so hard and are so deserving of this honor,” said Deneen Newman, Superintendent, Soledad Unified School District.

Frank Ledesma leaped beyond the 800 points mark in the Academic Performance Index last year, the goal set for all California K-12 schools.

Ready, set, apply!

The folks who bring the world to Monterey County now want to send us out of space.
The Lyceum of Monterey County is taking application for its first ever "Space Adventure" camp -- a five-day class that will take students to the NASA Ames Research Center (and take a flight simulation class!!!), the Naval Postgraduate School (and take special guided tours of robotics, lasers, satellites, labs); and the Ching Planetarium.
So, if you are going into 5th, 6th, or 7th grade, write an essay explaining why you should be chosen to be in this planetary program, and send it to the folks at Lyceum. Deadline to apply is May 15. Happy travels!

Greenfield girls are gearing up for a day of healthy and informative Sunday. A group of teenage girls organized a conference that will touch on delicate topics such as reproductive health, drug and alcohol prevention, and self-esteem and emotional health. The free event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greenfield Community Center (YMCA) at 1351 Oak Avenue in Greenfield. Registration is required, so contact Tobi Marcus at the Women’s Fund of Monterey County at (831) 375-9712 x125 or tobi@cfmco.org.

And speaking of South County, a new class is being offered for Spanish-speaking families to create their own digital family album. Free!! Classes began Monday, but there's probably room for more people to start next week. The group meets from 3 to 5 p.m. at Gabilan Elementary School, Rm 27, 330 N. Walker Dr, Soledad
Lunes, 3pm - 5pm / 26 April - 21 June. Llame al 831-678-6300 or 831-869-6055 para más información. O presione aquí.