Shelley Dally's lifelong dedication to the Vacaville School District is truly remarkable. Her journey began over 40 years ago as a student teacher eager to make a difference in the lives of young learners. Over the years, she became a beloved school principal who created two successful programs that still thrive today.

Anita Kelly is the Vacaville Unified School District Classified Employee of the Year! She serves Jepson Middle School and our community with grace and dedication through various essential roles. During her many years of service in the Jepson Counseling Office, Anita has developed a wide range of skills and expertise that we rely on daily. Because of her impressive institutional memory and talents, Anita helps us respond effectively when challenging circumstances arise. Her contributions are essential to keeping our school running smoothly. Anita goes above and beyond to assist others. Jepson teachers go to Anita with questions about our students to be better informed and serve our students and their parents more effectively. Anita welcomes new students and their parents to our school with a broad smile and warm heart. Her role in translating for our Spanish-speaking students and parents helps our school community feel valued and connected. Her consistent and compassionate work supporting Foster Youth and students who are homeless is inspiring. Anita checks in with students and their families and regularly monitors their grades and progress. Last year she supported the management of the virtual speech program to ensure that students could access the program and be successful. She maintains a binder of essential information for staff who provide virtual speech this year. Anita manages data effectively, and we can count on her to provide us with important information, including attendance and grades, to inform our leadership and intervention work. Anita Kelly is an essential and reliable part of our Counseling Department and supports our counselors very well. She is a very welcoming face of Jepson Middle School. Students and parents who visit the Counseling office with various needs, sometimes of a sensitive and emotional nature, know they will be met by a compassionate and friendly person in Anita. Because of her many talents and areas of expertise, strong interpersonal skills, and many years of dedicated service at Jepson Middle School, Anita Kelly is well-deserving of Classified Employee of the Year.

The Vacaville Unified School District is thrilled to announce Buchanan Miles as the 2022-23 Teacher of the Year! Mr. Miles has been a Hemlock teacher for 21 years and has taught grades kindergarten, four, five, and six in that impressively long tenure. He is a selfless teacher dedicated to the school and his students. Buchanan is among the first few teachers who arrive on campus each day and one of the last to leave each night. He is also seen on weekends helping on campus and preparing for the week. Building relationships with families and students is something Mr. Miles prioritizes, and it shows in his classroom and on campus. Besides being an excellent, well-organized teacher, he makes a BIG impact in creating a positive school culture. For the harvest festival at Hemlock, he is known for his creative and spooky haunted house with a line that stretches around his building! He uses the proceeds from his haunted house to take his students on field trips each year. This year they have already been to the CA Academy of Sciences. Additionally, he plans, organizes, and runs Hemlock's student council. Each year he helps students apply to run, supports them in campaigning, and hosts speeches for candidates to share their vision for our school with the student body. He believes that students should be leaders too! Mr. Miles knows how important it is to show care for others, whether they are attending Hemlock or all grown up. He runs sunshine on campus and sends love and care to staff when they need it most. One of the many things he does is plan the staff's monthly luncheons that are sumptuous and enjoyed by all. These events keep the Hemlock staff close-knit and improve the overall school climate. Mr. Mile's commitment to our students and community extends beyond Hemlock. After serving in the military, he became a teacher. He continued to serve as a reservist while teaching for the first few years of his tenure with VUSD. He also has a background in the performing arts and has shared that love with students over the years. He continues to share his expertise through coaching color guard. He is currently the color guard coach for Vacaville High School and three other high schools in the surrounding area. This year, the Vaca High Color Guard team won the bronze medal at the National Color Guard Competition. Teachers of Mr. Mile's caliber are exceptional and should be treasured. He deserves the honor of Vacaville Unified School District's Teacher of the Year for 2022 -23!

Assembly Member Lori Wilson stopped by Markham Elementary to try out the scratch-made lunch. Calzones, bolognese pasta, fresh fruit, and broccolini were all on the menu. Board Member Michael Kitzes, Superintendent Jane Shamieh, and her executive cabinet joined Asm. Wilson, on her visit and had a great conversation about school facilities and funding for state-of-the-art kitchens.

We had a great turnout of students, families, and community members at the Steve Green Memorial Gymnasium Ribbon Cutting this past Thursday. As everyone walked on campus, they could hear the drum line from the parking lot and see the cheerleaders with their pom poms and spirited dancing. VHS Link Crew was scattered around campus, offering directions to those looking for the ceremony.