The 725 member Vacaville Teachers Association has announced their joint early endorsements for the November 2026 school board races – and for the Area 4 County Board of Supervisors.

The union, which represents all of the certificated employees of the Vacaville Unified School District, serving 12,526 students, have backed retired educator Nancy Dunn for the Vacaville School Board, Area 1 and Santiago Serrato for the Vacaville School Board, Area 5.  They have also endorsed Dr Michael Silva for the County Board of Supervisors

“Obviously we’re jumping in early,” said Brenda Hensley, President of the Vacaville Teachers Association, “but some candidates make it easy to do so.  Nancy Dunn’s deep understanding of the challenges facing our members, and her point-by-point approach to addressing these challenges, collaboratively, is precisely the sort of Trustee this district needs and we look forward to continuing our ongoing active collaboration.”

Echoing Hensley’s sentiments, Vacaville Teachers Association Vice-President Jaxie Murray emphasized how “collaboration is a fundamental part of what we do in the Vacaville Unified School District.  We need Trustees who are committed to doing the work of bringing people together because our kids deserve nothing less.”

VTA has also backed Santiago Serrato, a Unit Supervisor at the Napa State Hospital, the oldest Psychiatric Hospital in California.

“Mental health issues have skyrocketed in recent years,” said Hensley, a veteran Math Teacher at Will C Wood High School, “and, while Trustee Serrato isn’t directly working with with our district mental health staff, his empathy, kindness and ability to meet people where they are made it easy for us to line up early behind his candidacy for the Vacaville School Board.  He gets where we’re coming from and I can’t imagine a more empathetic Trustee.”

Additionally, the union endorsed Dr. Michael Silva, a current California Teachers Association member, in his run for the Solano County Board of Supervisors

“Michael grew up in Vacaville, he’s a graduate of our schools, he’s served on our school board, and he continued to advocate for public education during his time on the Vacaville City Council,” said Murray, a Kindergarten teacher at Markham Elementary School.  “While we will not be contributing financial resources to this race, when one of our own approaches us, asking for our support to continue to advocate for our kids, we’re happy to do so and we wish him the best of luck.”

The election for the Vacaville School Board, and the Solano County Board of Education, will be held on November 3rd.  The Primary for the County Board of Supervisors will be held on June 2nd, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election on November 3rd.  

“There are a lot of folks in the community who would be great elected officials,” said Hensley, “and we look forward to meeting with them to discuss our shared values. District employees have dedicated their lives to educating kids, and we know how important it is to have elected officials that understand what it takes to help kids be successful, so we will fight to support those people in their campaigns.”

4:00-4:15pm Elementary Rep and Director Networking Time

4:15-5:15pm General Meeting

5:15-5:30pm Secondary Rep and Director Networking Time

Approval of Minutes from last meeting Here

Approval of Agenda (with flexibility) of this meeting

New and/or Continuing Business Items:

President’s Report: Brenda Hensley

President Site Visits Reminder

Number of Reps, Membership Percentage and Site $$$ Spreadsheet

Site admin and SPED admin surveys coming after February Break

Redwood Educators’ Conference (4/24-4/25/26, Santa Rosa) Please let Alyson know through district email when you register so that she can update our conference spreadsheet. Thank you.

Treasurer’s Report: Daniel Rodriguez

Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Report 25-26 Fiscal Year

NEA/CTA/VTA Dues Structure

Non-Conference Reimbursement Form

Bargaining Report: Megan Morris

Bargaining Reports:

Other Committee Information:

Grievance: Lisa Cusi

BAC (Budget Advisory Committee): Brenda Hensley, Keri Tafuro, Michelle McGilvary (website)

PAC Report: Ariel Ray

VTA PAC recruitment
1 – Prop 55 paid signature gathering
2 – Solano BOE updates
3 – Quarterly meetings
4 – Organizing
5 – Long term planning/PAC Assessment
6 – School Board 2026 – current board – district lookup
7 – School Board Meet & Greets: VTA member sign up in February for dates in March and April. Spring 2026 VTA PAC Meet & Greet

New Educator: Rachel Bulris

Safety: Jaxie Murray

Membership Engagement: Alyson Brauning

The Member Engagement Team has received 5 $1,000 conference scholarships for VTA from the Redwood Service Center and 2 additional CTA conference scholarships so far this year!
VTA Book Club has started a library. Books we have read this year will be donated and available for check out to VTA members. Date TBD…Jeanine Brown at Markham is contact person.
Currently we are reading The Book Club for Troublesome Women. Meeting 2/26 @ The Main Grape 4:00pm RSVP Jaxie Murray
Taco Tuesday @ El Patron 3/10 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Las Hermanas in Davis 5/7 4:30pm – 6:00pm
ME Data 2025-26.xlsx

Equity: Alyson Brauning & Tricia Cowen Equity Team 2025-2026

Labor Council Reps: Corey Penrose, Jennifer Dickinson, Alyson Brauning, Brenda Hensley – California

Forever statement – AB recruitment fair flyer

State Council: Keri Tafuro, Ariel Ray, Alyson Brauning

Budget Survey and Budget Forum

Membership: Jax Stornetta – VTA Membership List (Updated 10/14/25)
Please review, look for new members that are missing
Elections: Aaron Stephens

Sick Leave Bank: Julie McGee Leave Bank.pdf

SPED Quarterly Meeting Committee: Becky Wylie and Marja Santos (Sped Committee Report)

Site Member Engagement Planning: 25-26 Planning Tool

Old plans: 24-25 plans and 23-24 plans

Other

Raffle

NOTE LOCATION CHANGE: WCW LIBRARY (998 Marshall Road, VV)

4:00-4:15pm Elementary Rep and Director Networking Time

4:15-5:15pm General Meeting

5:15-5:30pm Secondary Rep and Director Networking Time

1. Approval of Minutes from last meeting
2. Approval of Agenda (with flexibility) of this meeting
3. New and/or Continuing Business Items:
4. Donation to SEIU food insecurity drive
5. President’s Report: Brenda Hensley
6. President Site Visits Reminder
7. Number of Reps, Membership Percentage and Site $$$ Spreadsheet
8. Check In Report Review (on district shared drive)
9. ELOP
10. Treasurer’s Report: Daniel Rodriguez
11. Approval of Treasurer’s Financial Report 25-26 Fiscal Year
12. NEA/CTA/VTA Dues Structure
13. Non-Conference Reimbursement Form
14. Bargaining Report: Megan Morris
15. MOU Cheat Sheet
16. Other Committee Information:
17. Grievance: Lisa Cusi
18. BAC (Budget Advisory Committee): Brenda Hensley, Keri Tafuro, Michelle McGilvary (website)
19. PAC Report: Chair Pending
20. Sign up for School Board Meet and Greets HERE
21. VTA PAC recruitment

1 – Prop 55 paid signature gathering

2 – Solano BOE updates

3 – Quarterly meetings

4 – Organizing

5 – Long term planning/PAC Assessment

6 – School Board 2026 – current board – district lookup

1. New Educator: Rachel Bulris
2. Safety: Jaxie Murray
3. Membership Engagement: Alyson Brauning
4. Equity: Tricia Cowen Equity Team 2025-2026
5. Labor Council Reps: Corey Penrose, Jennifer Dickinson, Alyson Brauning, Brenda Hensley
6. State Council: Keri Tafuro, Ariel Ray, Alyson Brauning
7. Budget Survey and Budget Forum
8. Membership: Jax Stornetta – VTA Membership List (Updated 10/14/25)
9. Please review, look for new members that are missing
10. Elections: Aaron Stephens
11. Sick Leave Bank: Julie McGee Leave Bank.pdf
12. SPED Quarterly Meeting Committee: Becky Wylie and Marja Santos (Sped Committee Report)
13. Site Member Engagement Planning Time: 25-26 Planning Tool
14. Old plans: 24-25 plans and 23-24 plans
15. Other
16. Raffle