News from EGUSD

Welcome to eguNews, an EGUSD email newsletter published every two weeks. If you have questions about eguNews, you can email communication@egusd.net or call (916) 686-7732.

EGUSD prepares for H1N1 virus

Since last spring the Elk Grove Unified School District has continued to stay abreast of the evolving information regarding the H1N1 virus. The district has a Pandemic Flu Plan in place that addresses communication, continuity of operations, potential school closures and other related needs. The district has also forged strong relationships with the Sacramento County Division of Public Health and other partnering agencies.

At the beginning of the outbreak last spring, school districts were being directed to close schools for prescribed periods of time due to the virus. Now, public health officials are indicating that the severity of illness from the new H1N1 strain is no greater than the typical seasonal influenza that circulates in our community every year. At this time, the Sacramento County Division of Public Health is treating H1N1 cases much like the regular seasonal flu and will not close a school due to a confirmed case.

With the flu season approaching, the Sacramento County Division of Public Health asks that parents follow these guidelines:

Students with flu-like symptoms, such as a fever of 100.4 degrees or more, muscle aches, a headache, sore throat, a cough, diarrhea and/or vomiting, should remain home until they are symptom free for at least 24 hours. This will limit the spread of a flu virus such as H1N1, as well as many other illnesses.

The Sacramento County Division of Public Health does not recommend that schools require a doctor's note for healthy or recovered students to return to school.

Talk to your students about washing their hands thoroughly and often. One recommendation is to teach your child to sing Happy Birthday twice while washing their hands.

Discuss the importance of covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

If you have any questions or concerns about the H1N1 virus, please contact Sacramento County Public Health at (916) 875-5881 or find information on their website at www.scph.com.

Sierra Enterprise Elementary School hosts "Tools for School" distribution event

For the second year in a row, Sierra Enterprise Elementary School was the place to be for staff and students from Sacramento-area schools who were recipients in News 10's "Tools for Schools" program.

On Wednesday, August 12, staff and students from six Elk Grove Unified elementary schools - Isabelle Jackson, Herman Leimbach, Charles Mack, Prairie, David Reese and Sierra Enterprise - as well as representatives from other Sacramento-area elementary schools - stopped by Sierra Enterprise to pick up school supplies for their students collected through the "Tools for Schools" program.

"Throughout the school year, and especially this year, we have many families in need of support with backpacks and school supplies," said Diane Lampe, Healthy Start coordinator for the district. "We very much appreciate the donations people have made to the Tools for Schools program."

From July 11 to August 7, News 10, the California Highway Patrol, Office Depot and Schools Financial Credit Union collected school supplies at various events and locations to be given to students in need in Sacramento area school districts through the Tools for School Program. The program accepted monetary donations as well as various types of school supplies, such as scissors, glue sticks, crayons, pencils, markers, dry erase markers and erasers.

EGUSD awarded $1.7 million Teaching American History Grant from U.S. Department of Education

AHGrant

The Elk Grove Unified School District has been awarded a $1.7 million Teaching American History grant from the United States Department of Education. The grant is to be used over a five year period.

"The purpose of the grant is to raise student achievement by improving teachers' knowledge, understanding of and appreciation for traditional U.S. history," said Anne Zeman, Ed.D., director of curriculum and professional learning for the district. "This program will give history teachers the opportunity to develop, document, evaluate and disseminate innovative ideas on history to students in the district."

Over the course of the first three years, more than 200 secondary history teachers will participate in the program to improve their historical content knowledge and develop quality teaching strategies. At Elk Grove Unified, the Teaching American History program design includes four specific history projects selected to appeal to a wide range of secondary history teachers:

Mastering History - a Masters of Arts graduate program to be implemented through a partnership with the California State University, Sacramento History Department

Talking History - an annual 60-hour scholarly lecture and book study series

Doing History - an annual 26-hour content/application workshop series

Living History - an annual 200-hour colloquium and summer institute series

The Teaching American History program will be facilitated by the Curriculum and Professional Learning Department.

For more information about the Teaching American History grant, please click here.

A-G requirements are key for college admission

For college-bound high school students, A-G admission requirements set the tone for their high school careers.

A-G is a high school class sequence of 15 required courses with three additional courses recommended in the elective category. The A-G curriculum is required for entry into the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems.

A-G requirements assure that students take the proper courses to make them eligible for admission in both UC and CSU systems. Fulfilling the requirements will also prepare students for admission to private colleges and community colleges.

"The main purpose of the 'A-G' requirements is to ensure that a student can participate fully in the first year program at any 4-year university or community college in a broad variety of fields of study," said Ralph Robles, head counselor for Elk Grove Unified. "Fulfilling these requirements also ensures that not only has a student put in the necessary preparation for different courses, majors and programs at a college, but it also shows that a student has attained essential critical thinking and study skills."

"A-G requirements" can be summarized as follows:

(a)    History/Social Science - A student must take two years of history - including one year* of world history, cultures and historical geography and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government.

(b)   English - Students are required to take four years of college preparatory English.

(c)    Mathematics - Three years of college preparatory mathematics is required of students. These classes must include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two and three dimensional geometry.

(d)   Laboratory Science - Two years of laboratory science is required of UC college-bound students. They must prove fundamental knowledge in at least two of three disciplines - biology, chemistry and physics.

(e)    Language Other Than English - Students must complete two years of a language other than English.

(f)     Visual & Performing Arts - To ensure a well-rounded candidate for college, students must complete one year of a visual & performing arts class, which can include dance, drama/theater, music or visual art.

(g)    College Preparatory Elective - Students must complete one year of a college preparatory elective. These classes can come from additional "a-f" courses beyond those used to satisfy the requirements above or courses that have been approved solely for use as "g" electives.

* One year is equal to two classes per year - a full year of a subject.

For more information on A-G requirements, please contact Ralph Robles, district head counselor at rrobles@egusd.net.

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