Honoring our Volunteers
Kari Hutchins of
Arnold Adreani Elementary School
Kari Hutchins was recognized as an Education Partner at the September 15, 2009 meeting of the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Education.
Hutchins' commitment to volunteering at Adreani goes back to before the school was even built. She served on various planning committees before Adreani opened. Hutchins has also been involved in the Adreani PTA since the school opened and has served as PTA president for the past two years.
In addition to these duties, Hutchins is a classroom volunteer, yard supervisor and serves as a chairperson for many special events at Adreani.
Hutchins has two daughters who attend Adreani - Elisa, a 4th grade student and Frankie, a 2nd grade student.
|
|
EGUSD to hold Community Budget Meetings
The Elk Grove Unified School District will hold four community budget meetings in October to provide parents, staff, students and community an opportunity to hear information and ask questions about the district's budget cuts.
The meetings will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the following sites:
- October 8 - Valley High School Library
- October 13 - Florin High School Theater
- October 21 - Franklin High School Theater
- October 22 - Pleasant Grove High School Community Room
|
|
EGUSD to host College and Career Fair
Elk Grove Unified will host their 17th
Annual College and Career Fair on Tuesday, October 6th at 6:30 p.m.
at Valley High School.
This annual event provides an
opportunity for all students and parents from throughout EGUSD a chance to
increase their breadth of knowledge in exploring the college enrollment
process. Parents and students can talk
to college admission representatives, various branches of the military and meet
with business and community organizations to explore many other career possibilities.
|
|
EGUSD schools to participate in Walk to School Day
Students throughout EGUSD will participate in International Walk to School Day on October 7, 2009.
Walk to School Day serves as a chance to emphasize the importance of creating safer routes for walking and bicycling to and from school. It also highlights the importance of many issues, including increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.
In the United States, International Walk to School Day is expected to include 5,000 schools from all 50 states. Walkers from the United States will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.
For more information on International Walk to School Day, click here. |
|
EGUSD students and staff earn six Elly Awards
EGUSD students and staff from two high schools captured six awards at the 27th Annual Elly Awards at the Crest Theatre on Sunday, September 20, 2009. The Elly Awards are presented by the Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance.
Franklin High School
Tayler Anderson took home an award for leading actress in an education musical for her role in Beauty and the Beast.
Amber Hood and Brett Bachmann won for lighting design in an education musical for Beauty and the Beast.
Cheryl Padilla captured an award for costume design in an education play for The Importance of Being Earnest.
Sheldon High School
Catherine Nickerson won for supporting actress in an education play for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged.
Colin Martin won for lead actor in an education play for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
James Mazzaferro and Stafford Hebert took home an award for musical direction in an education musical for Bye Bye Birdie. | |
|
|
|
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.
|
Valley High School celebrates
National GEAR UP Day
On Friday, September 18, Valley High School celebrated the first National GEAR UP Day by honoring State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell for his commitment to education and through activities highlighting GEAR UP programs on Valley's campus.
The day began with a press conference acknowledging O'Connell for his commitment to education and the presentation of a resolution from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's office recognizing National GEAR UP Day. Speakers at the event included O'Connell, EGUSD Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D., Valley principal Keven MacDonald, California Gear Up Director Shelley Davis, Assembly Member Alyson Huber, Special Assistant to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson R.E. Graswich, GEAR UP parent James Shabazz and GEAR UP student Robert E. Agnew Jr.
Following the press conference, special guests took a campus tour where they visited the Valley/GEAR UP Family Center, the Leadership Skills Initiative and Valley High School classrooms. The day concluded in the Career Center where students participated in a dialog with their guests about closing the achievement gap.
"The partnership with GEAR UP has contributed greatly to the success of Valley High School," said Keven MacDonald, principal at Valley. "The next step in the process of closing the achievement gap is working directly with the students who encompass the sub groups in the achievement gap. National GEAR UP Day is a celebration of our partnership and the next state of looking at students as the informational source of improvement."
The goal of California GEAR Up is to develop and assist school communities in preparing all students for high school and post-secondary education through a statewide network of support. At the state level, GEAR UP is designed to create a self-sustaining college-going culture by working with whole schools through the adults that have the greatest impact in student life and experience - principals, teachers, counselors, families and community leaders.
For more information about the GEAR UP program in California, visit www.castategearup.org.
|
|
EGUSD honored by California Integrated Waste Management
The Elk Grove Unified School District was honored by California Integrated Waste Management at the September 15th board meeting for its outstanding participation as a field-testing district for the State of California's landmark new "Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum."
Elk Grove Unified was one of 19 school districts from across the state to test the curriculum. Thirty-two teachers and several EGUSD staff participated in the evaluation process. EEI curriculum uses the environment to teach selected science and history-social science academic content standards to mastery. Sample lessons and supplemental materials were tested for effectiveness in the classroom.
EGUSD holds the distinction of having field-tested more EEI Curriculum units than any of the other 18 school districts - with a total of 67 units tested in EGUSD classrooms.
"This is the first curriculum of its kind in the nation," said California Integrated Waste Management Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "Elk Grove exceeded our expectations and provided vital feedback that we needed on the curriculum."
EEI Curriculum contain a wide selection of lessons, including understanding the water cycle and the history of California's natural resources to more complex issues such as municipal and political efforts to reclaim shared inland waterways to coastal habitat protection policies designed to preserve ecosystems for the benefit of wildlife and humans.
For more information about the California Integrated Waste Management Board's EEI Curriculum, please click here.
|
|
Sacramento Kings player Bobby Jackson and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson help Leimbach students "focus on learning"
Thanks to Sacramento Kings player Bobby Jackson, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and VSP Vision Care, Herman Leimbach Elementary School students have been given a boost to help them "focus on learning."
On Sunday, September 20, Jackson, Johnson and VSP Vision Care partnered for their Focus on Learning event at Leimbach Elementary School. During Focus on Learning, forty pre-selected Leimbach students were given free comprehensive eye exams and eyewear through the VSP Mobile Eyes program. The program features a 45-foot mobile eye clinic equipped to provide eye exams throughout the Sacramento area.
"Being able to see clearly is a necessity to a student reaching their potential educationally," said Sonjhia Lowery, principal at Leimbach.
At 2 p.m., students had a chance to demonstrate their basketball skills with Johnson and Jackson through skill activities showcasing passing, shooting and dribbling. Students also had the chance to perform the skills with vision-impairment goggles.
In addition to the VSP event, the Bobby Jackson Foundation partnered with Oakhills and Ridgeview elementary school students in Granite Bay on a service learning project. These students collected school supplies to give to the forty Leimbach students and their siblings to help them "focus on learning."
|
|
Irene B. West Elementary School hosts Office Depot Back to School Backpack Giveaway
It's an essential item in back-to-school gear, yet many students may start their school year without them.
Thanks to the generosity of Office Depot, the Elk Grove Unified School District will receive 900 backpacks to be given to elementary school students. From the 900 backpacks, six elementary schools in the district will receive 150 backpacks each - Robert J. Fite, Franklin, Roy Herburger, James McKee, Mary Tsukamoto and Irene B. West.
Representatives from four local school districts - Natomas Unified, Lodi Unified, Sacramento City Unified and Woodland Joint Unified - joined EGUSD Superintendent Dr. Steven M. Ladd, West principal Mechale Murphy and students from Stacey Anderson's fourth grade class from West at the press conference to recognize the program. Lincoln Unified, Stockton Unified and Tracy Unified school districts will also receive backpacks through the program.
The Office Depot National Backpack Program, in existence since 2001, will donate its 2 millionth backpack this year.
For more information on the Office Depot Foundation and the National Backpack Program nationwide, please click here.
| |
|
|
|
