I am very excited to announce the launch of my re-election campaign for Solano County Superintendent of Schools, 2022. I have been an educator in Solano County for over 36 years, the last 6 as Superintendent of Schools.
In the last 6 years we've accomplished incredible things that have had a positive impact on students and families. Below are just a few I’m proud to share with you:
Career and College Readiness
- Expanded career readiness opportunities for students including the Work Ready Certification program.
- Supported our school districts with the development and expansion of their Career Technical Education Pathways including Business, Automotive, Medical Science, Kinesiology, Construction Trades, Engineering, Video Production, and Graphic Design. Partnered with our local businesses to provide our students with disabilities work experience opportunities.
- Launched the Innovation Lab at our Golden Hills Education Center.
- Created Virtual Fieldtrips for students showcasing local businesses across Solano County.
- Created the Construction Trades program at the Juvenile Court and Community Schools program where students learn a variety of skills to prepare them for a career in construction trades.
- Created opportunities for students to build student driven microenterprises, which support the development of our young adults with special abilities and our students in our Juvenile Court and Community School programs as they transition to adulthood. Our microenterprises program helps students create products that lead to entrepreneurial opportunities and experiences that enable our young people learn organizational skills, time management, leadership, interpersonal skills, and point of sale experience, which are highly transferable skills sought by employers.
High Quality Teaching and Learning, Inclusion and Equity
- Expanded and improved our special education program for students with moderate to severe disabilities with a focus on the end in mind-successful transition into adulthood. Opportunities include the Inclusion Films’ short film camps that teach young adults with developmental disabilities life and job skills, encouraging communication, confidence, collaboration, and independence.
- Earned Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation for our Juvenile Court and Community Schools programs which enables students to earn a high school diploma from our fully accredited Golden Hills Education Center and Evergreen Academy at the Juvenile Detention Facility.
- 105 students in the Juvenile Court and Community Schools program have earned their high diploma putting them on a path to success.
- Co-hosted Solano County School Safety Symposium to help schools and school resource officers apply strategies and data to assess threats and prevent school violence. Partners included Solano County public safety agencies such as the District Attorney’s Office, Solano County Probation, Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and Health and Social Services.
- Provided numerous School Safety and Wellness trainings for school personnel.
- Partnered with Solano County Behavioral Health to establish 45 school-based student mental health wellness centers in Solano County schools, helping to position schools to better serve the social and emotional needs of students.
- Partnered with Solano County Behavioral Health to establish school-based mobile crisis services and the screening/assessment services with a goal of de-escalating crisis situations, linking families to necessary services, and supporting the coordination of care.
- Secured over $13.8 million of additional resources that SCOE has been able to secure to enrich learning for our young people in the areas of job readiness, school safety and student wellness, high quality education, advocacy and community partnerships, and equity, enrichment, and youth voice.
- Ensured the fiscal accountability, transparency, and solvency of the County office of Education as well as that of our School Districts.
- Increased opportunities to engage with our community partners such as the Solano Land Trust, Solano County Library, Solano County Fairgrounds, First 5 Solano, Travis Credit Union, Genentech, Valero, Kaiser Permanente, Vibe Solano, Fighting Back Partnership, local Chambers of Commerce and many others.
- In partnership with the community, created new youth development and learning opportunities such as the Solano Outdoor Explorer Quest, Pre-Kindergarten Academies, Work Ready Certification program, Girls in Robotics Leadership Camp, Solano Youth Resiliency Summit, and the Science Technology, Engineering and Math Fair, and the Student Art Fair.
- SCOE programs were among the first across the county to reopen for in-person instruction!
- Activated by the Solano Office of Emergency Services at the height of the pandemic to serve as a liaison and support between Solano Public Health (SPH) and Solano private and public schools. SCOE developed streamlined systems of communication to facilitate answers to the numerous COVID-19 related questions that schools faced. Web pages for COVID-19 guidance information related to schools for educators and community members were created, and school guidance documents were crafted in partnership with SPH to assist educators and families.
- Hosted vaccination clinics for educators across the county.
- Distributed over 232,000 items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to schools throughout the county while serving as a distribution hub for the California Office of Emergency Services distribution.
- Distributed over 25,000 COVID 19 test kits to local schools while serving as a distribution hub for the California Department of Public Health.
I stated when I took this job and to this day still believe-working hand in hand with our parents, caregivers, and educators is a must to keeping our schools open and our students and staff safe-there is no one size fits all approach. The pandemic hasn't slowed us down-under my leadership the Solano County Office of Education has had a laser-like focused working hard to ensure that every young person in our communities has the opportunity to learn, grow, thrive, and succeed!
We are at a critical time in Education. I continue to believe that the economic vitality of Solano County is dependent on excellent schools that prepare our young people to be good citizens with well-paying jobs that contribute to our communities in meaningful ways.
Our schools must be safe and secure, provide job readiness skills, and assist students with positive behavior interventions and emotional support to ensure that every young person has an opportunity to learn and succeed.
Equity in access to an excellent education where they will learn, grow, and thrive regardless of their economic status, race or ethnicity, language, gender, or abilities is for every young person, from the very youngest students to those transitioning into adulthood.
Finally, financial accountability is paramount, and I will continue to focus on maintaining an organization that is fiscally solvent. I will also continue to work to ensure the fiscal health of the school districts within my jurisdiction, protecting the precious resources that have been entrusted to us.
It is an honor and privilege to serve you as the 23rd Solano County Superintendent of Schools. I look forward to working together with you and our community partners to provide a bright and hopeful future for our children and the community.
