Announcement: Please join us to elect Amy Tran Russell!

The Vacaville Teachers Association, along with our labor partners, parents, and local elected officials, would like to ask you to join us in helping elect Amy Tran Russell to the Vacaville Board of Education, Area 6.

Help us do so by clicking here and signing up to help us win this important election!

Webspace paid for by VTA-PAC – FPPC# 1222549

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The Vacaville Teachers Association has endorsed a UC Davis dean and former school teacher as a candidate in the VUSD Trustee Area 6 special election on Dec. 19.

Amy Tran Russell — a senior assistant dean for student affairs, earned two master’s degrees — an MBA from UCD and one in education from UC Santa Cruz. She also earned a bachelor’s degree in history from UCD, according to a teachers union press statement sent to The Reporter on Wednesday and information in her candidate statement.

Russell, 43, started her career teaching social studies for the Benicia Unified School District and coaching track and field. She then worked with high school students as part of a youth leadership development program for five years.

In 2010, she began work at the Davis campus, where she is now responsible for six out seven programs at the business school. She and her husband have lived in Vacaville for the past 10 years and their child attends a district school.

In her candidate statement, Russell noted she was a first-generation American, adding, “I know that access for all to the best possible education is a powerful way to shape positive outcomes. This belief guides my career.”

“I bring knowledge to facilitate school success to support career success,” she added in the prepared statement. “I hope to empower collaboration between parents, teachers, staff and the community to transform student outcomes. From technical to college track, I’m dedicated to showing our students what they can do today to maximize careers tomorrow and galvanizing support for them.”

“Amy really wowed us,” Brenda Hensley, a Will C. Wood High math teacher and president of the 700-member VTA, said of the union’s endorsement. “In addition to real classroom experience, she’s able to bring a wealth of professional knowledge, deep connections to UC Davis, which will only benefit our students, and a real understanding of how data can drive collaborative reforms which will benefit every student in our community. She’s a perfect partner for this sort of important work.”

Russell has gained some significant other endorsements. They include Michael Kitszes, the VUSD school board president and resident of Trustee Area 7; Nancy Dunn, a trustee from Area 1; Michael “Mike” Silva, a Vacaville city councilman and former trustee; and Nolan Sullivan, a former Vacaville city councilman and former district trustee.

The trustee seat will be on the ballot in November 2024, because former VUSD governing board member Kelly Dwyer moved out of the district. The current board appointed Russell to the vacant seat, but 1.5% of Area 6 voters forced a special election, which will cost the district the equivalent of “two first-year teacher salaries,” noted Hensley.

On Thursday John Gardner, the assistant registrar of voters for Solano County, estimated the election will cost the district $122,000, based on the number of voters in the trustee area.

“Between this special election (for Area 6) and the special election for the Area 4 seat,” said Jaxie Murray, VTA vice president and kindergarten teacher at Orchard Elementary School, “that’s nearly five new teachers that we will not be able to hire to teach our kids — and that’s heartbreaking, our kids deserve better.”

Currently, there are three special elections for school board members in Solano and Yolo Counties which have been triggered by 1.5 percent petitions: two in Vacaville (besides Trustee Area 6, also one in Trustee Area 4) and one in Davis. There was also a special election forced by the 1.5 percent threshold in Benicia last year, Murray pointed out.

“We’re seeing this sort of thing all over the state,” said VanCedric Williams, a history teacher from San Francisco and California Teachers Association board member for District A, which reaches from Solano County to the Oregon border. “In community after community, a very small group of people has discovered that they can force districts to waste money on unnecessary elections in order to advance an anti-public education agenda. This needs to stop, our kids don’t deserve to have the money meant to educate them being wasted.”

In advance of the Sept. 12 Trustee Area 4 special election, the candidates are David McCallum, a local radio broadcaster and longtime former VUSD trustee; Michael W. Martin, a real estate broker; and Lindsay Kelly, an insurance claims adjuster.

The VTA represents classroom teachers, school psychologists, counselors, school nurses, librarians, speech language pathologists and educational specialists.

Rep Council Meeting Minutes 11/28/23

VTA Rep Council Meeting Minutes

Date:    Tuesday 11/28/23 Time: 3:30-5:30pm

WCW Library (middle of campus, to the right of the office)

3:30pm-4:00pm: Elementary Site Rep Networking and Problem Solving

  • Concern around plans for rainy day schedule
  • Questions around PLC and PD

Main Meeting: 4:00pm

  1. Approval of Minutes from last meeting (LINK HERE) – Approved without objection
  2. Approval of Agenda (with flexibility) of this meeting – Approved without objection
  3. Writing of Postcards (instructions to follow)
  4. New and/or Continuing Business Items:
    1. Bylaws Compliance Review
      1. Bylaws were recently checked by CTA where suggestions were made to update to keep them in compliance
      2. Julie McGee made a motion to suspend the rules and vote on the new bylaws at this meeting; seconded by Mikayla Waugh
        1. 100% in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstain 
      3. Alyson Brauning made a motion to approve bylaws with the current changes; Michelle McGilvary seconded
        1. 100% in favor; 0 opposed; 0 abstain
    2. Organizing Safety Committee
      1. VTA would like to work together with SEIU to organize around school site safety (focusing on student behaviors)
      2. Would like to start in January – looking for a chair
      3. Sarah Houston made a motion to start an organizing safety committee; Seconded by Michele McGilvary – approved without objection
  5. Treasurer’s Report: Ariel Ray
    1. Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Report (LINK HERE) – approved without objection
  6. Bargaining Report: Megan Morris and Tracy Begley
    1. Hoping to get a TA on multiple topics in the near future
    2. Next bargaining is tomorrow with compensation as the first topic
  7. PAC Report (including Treasurer’s Report): Corey Penrose/Jennifer Dickinson (LINK HERE)
    1. Email signatures and signs are ready to be shared surrounding bargaining
    2. Discussion surrounding the proposed Kairos expansion
      1. Alyson Brauning made a motion to plan for packing the board meeting in opposition with a minimum of 50 people and flexibility to change the plan depending on attendance the day of; Jaxie Murray seconded the motion
        1. 100% in favor; 0 opposed; 0 abstained
    3. Amy Tran Russell campaign is ongoing; asking people to join a phone bank and to walk the neighborhood
      1. Use the link on the website to sign up to help
  8. President’s Report: Brenda Hensley
    1. Site Rep Resources: (LINK HERE)
      1. Grievance reporting should be documented on the Site Rep Resources page in order to track
      2. Rachel will fill in the 10 minute meeting slide
    2. Member Benefits Overview (For your reference)
    3. Rep Council in December is being replaced with a social event on 12/19 – location TBA; Please RSVP
  9. Committee Information (in writing please):
    1. Grievance: Lisa Cusi (LINK HERE)
    2. New Educator: Rachel Bulris (LINK HERE)
    3. Membership Engagement: Alyson Brauning
      1. 2023 ME Site Visits – Google Sheets
      2. Lunch at sites ME.docx – Google Docs
      3. Membership Engagement Plan for Sites.docx – Google Docs
      4. Plan for Directors & Site Reps.docx – Google Docs
    4. Equity: Tricia Cowen (LINK HERE) Equity Team is meeting November 29th
    5. Action: Corey Penrose (LINK HERE)
    6. Labor Council Reps: Corey Penrose, Jennifer Dickinson, Alyson Brauning (LINK HERE)
    7. State Council: Keri Tafuro, Ariel Ray, Jennifer Dickinson (LINK HERE)
    8. Membership: Jax Stornetta (LINK HERE)
    9. Elections: Aaron Stephens (LINK HERE)
    10. Sick Leave Bank: Julie McGee (LINK HERE)
    11. SPED Quarterly Meeting Committee: Becky Wylie (LINK HERE)
  10. Member Engagement Planning Time – POSTPONED to January meeting
  11. Raffle (must be present to win) 
  12. Meeting adjourned 5:30 PM

VTA Rep Council Agenda -11/28/23 – 3:30-5:30pm

VTA Rep Council Agenda
Date: Tuesday 11/28/23 Time: 3:30-5:30pm
WCW Library (middle of campus, to the right of the office)

3:30pm-4:00pm: Elementary Site Rep Networking and Problem Solving

Main Meeting: 4:00pm
1. Approval of Minutes from last meeting (LINK HERE)
2. Approval of Agenda (with flexibility) of this meeting
3. Writing of Postcards (instructions to follow)
4. New and/or Continuing Business Items:
a. Bylaws Compliance Review (motion to suspend the rules?)
b. Organizing Safety Committee
5. Treasurer’s Report: Ariel Ray
a. Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Report (LINK HERE)
6. Bargaining Report: Megan Morris and Tracy Begley
7. PAC Report (including Treasurer’s Report): Corey Penrose/Jennifer Dickinson (LINK HERE)
8. President’s Report: Brenda Hensley
a. Site Rep Resources: (LINK HERE)
b. Member Benefits Overview
9. Committee Information (in writing please):
a. Grievance: Lisa Cusi (LINK HERE)
b. New Educator: Rachel Bulris (LINK HERE)
c. Membership Engagement: Alyson Brauning
i. 2023 ME Site Visits – Google Sheets
ii. Lunch at sites ME.docx – Google Docs
iii. Membership Engagement Plan for Sites.docx – Google Docs
iv. Plan for Directors & Site Reps.docx – Google Docs
d. Equity: Tricia Cowen (LINK HERE)
e. Action: Corey Penrose (LINK HERE)
f. Labor Council Reps: Corey Penrose, Jennifer Dickinson, Alyson Brauning (LINK HERE)
g. State Council: Keri Tafuro, Ariel Ray, Jennifer Dickinson (LINK HERE)
h. Membership: Jax Stornetta (LINK HERE)
i. Elections: Aaron Stephens (LINK HERE)
j. Sick Leave Bank: Julie McGee (LINK HERE)
k. SPED Quarterly Meeting Committee: Becky Wylie (LINK HERE)
10. Member Engagement Planning Time
11. Raffle (must be present to win)

Rep Council Minutes – for your review and approval

VTA Rep Council Minutes Oct 17 2023

Rep Council Agenda – Tuesday 10/17/23 Time: 3:30-5:30pm

  1. Approval of Minutes from last meeting (LINK HERE)
  2. Approval of Agenda (with flexibility) of this meeting
  3. New and/or Continuing Business Items:
    1. HWY 37 Labor Support Letter: recommendation from Exec Board
    2. Kairos Charter High School Petition: recommendation from Exec Board
    3. Bargaining Action Plan
    4. Motion to purchase 200 Safe Space cards & 200 Stand Up to Jewish Hate pins (from the Equity Team)
  4. Treasurer’s Report: Ariel Ray
    1. Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Report (LINK HERE)
  5. Bargaining Report: Megan Morris and Tracy Begley
  6. PAC Report (including Treasurer’s Report): Corey Penrose/Jennifer Dickinson
    1. Approval of PAC Treasurer’s Financial Report (LINK HERE)
  7. President’s Report: Brenda Hensley
    1. Site Rep Resources: (LINK HERE)
    2. Exec Board Vacancies
  8. Committee Information (in writing please):
    1. Grievance: Lisa Cusi (LINK HERE)
    2. New Educator: Rachel Bulris (LINK HERE)
    3. Membership Engagement: Alyson Brauning
      1. 2023 ME Site Visits – Google Sheets
      2. Lunch at sites ME.docx – Google Docs
      3. Membership Engagement Plan for Sites.docx – Google Docs
      4. Plan for Directors & Site Reps.docx – Google Docs
    4. Equity: Tricia Cowen (LINK HERE)
    5. Action: Corey Penrose (LINK HERE)
    6. Labor Council Reps: Corey Penrose, Jennifer Dickinson, Alyson Brauning (LINK HERE)
    7. State Council: Keri Tafuro, Ariel Ray, Jennifer Dickinson (LINK HERE)
    8. Membership: Jax Stornetta (LINK HERE)
    9. Elections: Aaron Stephens (LINK HERE)
    10. Sick Leave Bank: Julie McGee (LINK HERE)
    11. SPED Quarterly Meeting Committee: Becky Wylie (LINK HERE)
  9. 4:45pm: Ramiro Barron and Jeremy Johnson: Safety Dialogue with Site Reps
  10. Member Engagement Planning Time
  11. Raffle (must be present to win)

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