As we head into Winter Break, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season filled with joy, rest, and relaxation. Thank you for all your do each and every day for the students of the Soledad Unified School District. I look forward to seeing you all at our Staff Development Day on January 6, 2020.

Our offices will be closed on the following dates:

December 23-27, 2019

December 30 - 31, 2019 & January 1, 2020

Offices will reopen on January 2, 2020

January 6, 2020 will be a Districtwide Professional Development Day and everyone will meet at 8:00 a.m. at Soledad High School's Gymnasium

School will resume for all students on Tuesday, January 7, 2020!

December 11, 2019 was the Annual Organizational Meeting of the Board of Trustees. Newly elected officers were elected as follows:

Javier, Galvan, Board President

Alfredo Flores, Vice-President

Jess Barreras, Clerk

Monica Pantoja, Board Member

Josie Perez-Aguilera, Board Member

Congratulations to all the newly elected officers. They hold a one year term in these positions until the next organizational meeting in December 2020. There is a new law that goes into effect next year in regards to the organizational meetings in December. The organizational meeting has to occur between the window of December 11 and December 25. December 11 is when governing board members take office and the organizational meeting has to be within a 15-day window; which will fall next year on Friday, December 25, 2020. The 2020 Board Meeting Calendar has additional meetings in December in order to meet these deadlines. Attached is the 20202 Board Meeting Calendar.

Remember the PG&E Power Outage? While we were all wondering what we were going to do with all the food in our fridges, these ladies left their families and came to work on the weekend to move all the food from all the school cafeterias onto a large trailer cooler to be able to feed our students on Monday. The Board recognized their selflessness and presented them with Certificates of Recognition at their meeting on December 11, 2019. Thank you to:

Letty Martinez

Veronica Vasquez

Elizabeth Olivarez

Melinda Carnero

Lilly Ramos

Karen Holquin

Carissa Bailon

Maria graduated today from the Soledad Transition Class.

The Transition Class does an amazing job in training our special needs adults. Thank you to Mr. Cose and support staff for all they do for our students.

In 1996, two of our very own teachers, Mary Beth Orser and Amanda Wittman AKA Amanda Coleburn were given the task by then Superintendent Richard Bray, to write a book on the History of Soledad. They were real troopers and took the task very seriously. They began their research, visiting places around the area, and interviewing people. Alas, It Happened in Soledad, Happened! The way it was distributed was through a local 501 C organization called, C.A.T.S. (Community Action Team of Soledad), created by former Board Member, Marcelene Franscioni and her husband, lifetime resident, Jack Franscioni. Through C.A.T.S., the book was printed and sold. All proceeds from the sales were used for student activities, such as the Annual Bike Rodeo.

We've gathered just a small portion of the book, mainly, the history of Soledad Schools as we think you'll enjoy reading it and especially seeing how far we've come in Soledad. Happy Reading!

Monterey County Office of Education Announces

Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project

ATTENTION VETERANS AND JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS

Did you miss graduating from high school due to military service or internment?

You may be eligible to receive your high school diploma through Monterey County Office of Education Operation Recognition Veterans Diploma Project.

Qualified veterans are:
▪ Individuals who served in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War.
▪ Japanese American citizens who left high school for purposes of internment in World War II relocation camps.

AND

▪ Current residents of Monterey County.
▪ Able to provide verification of military service and honorable discharge or proof of having been interned in a relocation camp. (The Military and Veterans’ Affairs Office can help.)
▪ Were enrolled in high school prior to enlistment in military service or internment in a World War II relocation camp.

Surviving family members can apply for a posthumous recognition.

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW?

Submit an application by Friday, February 7, 2020.

Applications can be obtained online at https://www.montereycoe.org/operationrecognition or by calling the Monterey County Office of Education’s Communications Officer at 831.784.4245.

There is no charge to participate.