The measure would include funds for “science facilities at Hercules Middle/High School” but it would not specifically address the need to rebuild Ohlone Elementary… “West Contra Costa voters will decide in June whether to award the school district another $380 million in bonds for school rebuilding and repairs. The school board this week unanimously approved [...]

Well-funded public schools are the best tool to teach children and young adults. I know this, so it is hard to argue with the merits behind supporting another bond measure for the schools. (I have never not voted for a school bond or tax measure.) However, it does no good to continue bailing out a [...]

This piqued my interest at a City Council meeting in April when Councilmember Don Kuehne spoke of preliminary plans for Contra Costa College to open a satellite campus in Hercules…

What got me really fired up (literally) was the potential over the long-term, not just for a satellite campus for the local community college (which will [...]

The following post was written by Karen VanWinkle.*
On Thursday, August 20th, I will vote to strike.
A not-so-funny thing happened during my summer vacation. To save money during the recession, our cash strapped school district quietly made it harder for English Language Learners, low socio-economic students and teachers in the WCCUSD to succeed. That’s right. Not [...]

The “best” and “final” offers are very seldom concurrent… “A bargaining dispute between the West Contra Costa school district and teachers could culminate in a strike in the fall if the school board decides to impose its ‘last, best and final offer,’ a union official said Monday. The document calls for hard district caps on [...]

This guest post was written by Susan Keeffe.*
As a long time resident of Hercules, a former West Contra Costa USD student, parent, teacher and administrator, I have been following the recent events regarding educational finances and how it is affecting us locally with increasing concern. How did we reach a point where our teachers [...]

A quick note on the editorial direction of my comments on education, and in particular, the City’s stressful relationship with WCCUSD, comments that have been largely consistent on this blog.
I am not trying to prove a positive, that is, that teachers would be necessarily better-off in a separate Hercules school district (or a combined Hercules-John [...]

It is a good thing the teachers union resisted an independent Hercules school district a few years back; that would have only resulted in a disaster for them…* “A West Contra Costa teachers strike is likely now that the union and school district have exhausted all methods of bargaining, the union president said Friday. [...] [...]

A potential parcel tax… “The [WCCUSD] school board this week approved a $278.7 million spending plan for the 2009-10 school year. It also appointed a committee, including board members Madeline Kronenberg and Antonio Medrano, to explore putting another parcel tax measure before voters, possibly in 2010. [...] Rising health care and retiree benefit costs and [...]

Not good… “Heated contract negotiations between the West Contra Costa school district and its teachers union could culminate in a strike, union officials said. The union’s contract with the district expired in June 2008, and what started as a general dispute over health care benefits and class sizes last year is turning into a nasty [...]

Budget cuts means bigger class sizes… “As a way to help close the school district’s budget gap, the board voted 3-2 this week to increase kindergarten class sizes from 20 to 24 children and third-grade sizes from 20 to 28. The move — subject to bargaining with the teachers union — will save the district [...]

Where is Chelsea Wetlands? Where is Parcel C exactly?
A map of development projects (and schools and facilities) is located at waterfrontwatch.org/map, with links to related posts…

The critical re-build — it is not really a “rebuild” since the school was never actually built — of Ohlone Elementary School has been delayed before…
School rebuilds facing obstacles in West County
By Kimberly S. Wetzel
Unless the West Contra Costa school district receives a waiver from the state, declining property values could put its $1 billion [...]

There is a lot one could say about this decision, including the thought that it is a heap of bullshit…
County committee denies Hercules secession petition
Acting in the capacity as the County Committee on School Organization, the Contra Costa County Board of Education Sept. 14 disapproved a petition to split off schools in Hercules from the [...]

Despite support from County Supervisor Gayle Uilkema and a committee-commissioned report finding that secession met six of nine state requirements (a report that was biased against the cause from the outset), the Contra Costa County Board of Education (see note following article below) would ultimately favor the political stronghold of Richmond over the sovereignty of [...]

The Hercules movement to secede was hindered by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (who would again play a role three years later shutting down an effort to give Hercules a voice in the district)…
Hercules Secession Could Hurt Schools
July 16, 2005
The fight to wrest Hercules schools from the West Contra Costa district suffered a [...]

Three years following a failed advisory initiative, residents filed a petition to secede from WCCUSD…
Hercules wants new school district
Shrinking finances prompted petition
Chip Johnson
Friday, November 5, 2004
For disenchanted John Kerry supporters, the outcome of this week’s presidential election means four more years of the same old stuff.
But for some residents of Hercules who are fed up [...]

An advisory initiative (Measure G) was placed on the ballot by the Hercules City Council and failed by 420 votes (out of 3,210 votes cast; see note following article below) on March 6, 2001…
Ballot Initiative to Decide Future of Hercules Schools
Merger, independence are among possibilities
Pia Sarkar, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, March 2, 2001
Voters in Hercules will [...]

I am not sure what this means for the Hercules schools in particular… “More than 100 of the [pink slip] notices will go to elementary school teachers as the district attempts to increase the number of students per classroom to save money. Also to be targeted are 30 middle and high school teachers and 53 [...]

This is the earliest news report referring to a secession from WCCUSD (from 2000, a few months after John Swett dropped its annex plans) that is freely available online…*
Hercules Residents Push Drive for School Secession
Elizabeth Bell, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, October 21, 2000
(10-21) 04:00 PST HERCULES — A movement by Hercules residents to secede from the [...]