Few teacher candidates among job-seekers at WCCUSD recruitment event

Inside DeJean Middle School's auditorium with a shiny black, white and pink striped linoleum floor and white tables lined up in four rows, each with four to five tables

Helms Middle School Principal Priya Sembi went to Saturday’s West Contra Costa Unified School District job fair hoping to fill at least some of the five teacher vacancies at her school. The crowd, however, was sparse at DeJean Middle School, reducing her chances.  “I’ve been to three of these since August, and I haven’t talked…

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Grappling with staff shortage, WCCUSD hires nonprofit to provide substitute teachers

JOHN F. KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL sign, steel on pebbles.

The West Contra Costa Unified School District board unanimously approved a $306,000 contract this week to fill teacher vacancies with substitutes.  Under the contract with Scoot Education, TeachStart (Scoot’s nonprofit arm) will place one to two “high quality” substitute teachers at four schools: Kennedy High, Stege Elementary, Peres K-­8 and Helms Middle.  If those placements…

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WCCUSD avoids deep cuts in new budget, but insolvency looms

WCCUSD budget

With its newly passed budget, the West Contra Costa Unified School District barely averted financial catastrophe for another year. But cuts and layoffs are likely coming. Money troubles — due in part to the slowing economy, declining enrollment, expiring funds, and increasing costs — have long plagued the district. The new $521.5 million budget, which…

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With community schools strategy, WCCUSD becomes model for other districts

Community schools

Wellness centers. Mental health counseling. Youth leadership development.  These are examples of community schools initiatives in practice. With passage of a new contract that specifically endorses community schools, the West Contra Costa Unified School District is poised to become a model for the strategy. United Teachers of Richmond considered community schools a must in the…

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UPDATE: WCCUSD teachers vote for tentative contract

West Contra Costa schools to reopem

A potential strike and district-wide shutdown has likely been avoided after West Contra Costa Unified School District and the United Teachers of Richmond reached a tentative three-year contract agreement Friday, the union said in a newsletter Monday. On Friday, 73% of the 1,182 members casting ballots voted to ratify the deal. Since negotiations began a…

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‘Where’s my teacher?’ Students and parents want to know why WCCUSD hasn’t filled dozens of teacher vacancies

WCCUSD protest

Parents protested and teachers rallied against West Contra Costa Unified School District on Wednesday, expressing frustrations with how the teacher shortage is being handled and communicated to the community. A few dozen parents, kids and teachers gathered at Memorial Park in Richmond, directly across the street from the WCCUSD headquarters, to demand answers after a…

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After-school group’s contract dispute with WCCUSD devolves into insults at board meeting

WCCUSD

Emotions boiled over at the West Contra Costa Unified School District board meeting Wednesday when administrators of the Bright Futures Growth and Development Center in Richmond asked why they no longer had a contract to provide after school and other services to students. Bright Futures President Idrissa Lattier lobbed cutting accusations of selfishness and dishonesty…

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Union leaders mistakenly fired by WCCUSD demand answers

West Contra Costa schools to reopem

Kristen Pursley has been teaching adult education full time in the West Contra Costa Unified School District for 19 years. So it came as a shock on June 8 when she received an email from Human Resources telling her she was laid off.  When she heard that co-worker Ken Ryan, who has been teaching adult…

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