| Honoring Our Volunteers
Trisha Warren of David Reese Head Start Pre-K Program
Trisha Warren was recognized as an Education Partner at the April 5, 2011, meeting of the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Education.
Trisha has been an active and enthusiastic parent in the EGUSD Head Start Pre-K program. She currently serves on the Head Start Policy Committee at the delegate level and as an alternate representative for the Elk Grove Head Start program at the grantee level.
Trisha is the mother of seven children. Two of her children attended the Head Start program in Washington State. Two are graduates of the Head Start program at Elk Grove Unified School District. Currently, her daughter Arieanna is enrolled in the Head Start program at Prairie Elementary School.
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EGUSD Virtual Academy now accepting registrations for 2011-2012 school year
The Elk Grove Unified School District Virtual Academy is now accepting registration for students in grades K-12 for the 2011-2012 school year.
The EGUSD Virtual Academy offers an innovative learning experience for the 21st century student. This accredited online academy allows students in kindergarten through 12th grade to experience teaching and learning from virtually anywhere a computer will take them. The curriculum is provided through a partnership with K12, a national online program. All courses are aligned to the State of California's standards and benchmarks. Classes span from core subjects to a wide variety of electives with a strong emphasis on building skills and critical thinking.
Student learning is guided by Elk Grove Unified teachers. Students have access to their teachers in person, online and by email. Parents play a critical role as learning coaches in the EGUSD Virtual Academy to support their students' learning.
The EGUSD Virtual Academy is part of a free public education system. Students enrolled in the EGUSD Virtual Academy can earn an accredited high school diploma through the Elk Grove Unified School District. This academy is open to students living in Sacramento, Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yolo counties.
For more information on and to register for the EGUSD Virtual Academy, visit http://blogs.egusd.net/egva/.
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Valley High School teacher inspires students to achieve on CAHSEE
During lunches, Valley High School math teacher Tom Dickinson is making it a point to be seen AND heard by students across the campus. Dickinson has been sporting a sandwich board sign and using a bullhorn to inspire students to do their best to pass the CAHSEE exam. "As I was out walking my dog one weekend, this idea came to me and I was wearing the sandwich board on campus the next Monday," said Dickinson. "I knew that lunch was the perfect time to get students' attention and I really wanted them to both see AND hear the message. I think it served as a wake-up call for all the students to realize the importance of CAHSEE. In this time of reduced budgets, I think this method could be an inexpensive way to get the message out to students." Teachers from across Valley's campus have sent Dickinson notes of encouragement and the English department chair plans to join Dickinson in his efforts next year. Dickinson hopes to see the sandwich board/bullhorn method become a tradition at Valley by the third year. "Tom's innovative idea to motivate the students has been well-received," said Valley principal Keven MacDonald. "In addition to supporting students in the classroom, Tom - as well as all the CAHSEE teachers - spend countless hours tutoring and helping Valley students review for the exam. This includes numerous student incentives to promote the teachers' after school review sessions known as CAHSEE Blitz."
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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.
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New California immunization law for incoming 7th-12th grade students  A new California law now requires that all students entering 7th through 12th grade in the 2011-2012 school year provide schools proof that they have received an adolescent pertussis (whooping cough) booster shot (Tdap) prior to starting school. Students will not be able to attend school in 2011-2012 until they show proof of the booster shot. The new law was enacted following a widespread pertussis epidemic in 2010. Pertussis is a serious disease that causes coughing fits that can last for months. It can also be deadly for infants. Once your student receives the Tdap booster shot, bring the written proof to the front office of your student's current school. If your student has already received the Tdap booster shot, please bring a copy of the written proof to your student's current school. The Elk Grove Unified School District is urging parents of current 6th through 11th graders to get the booster shot now to avoid the back-to-school rush this summer. Please note that the tetanus-diphtheria booster shot (Td) does not meet the requirement of the law. Students must have the Tdap booster to meet the requirements of the new law. California law allows parents/guardians to exempt their child from the pertussis booster (Tdap) immunization for two reasons: (1) medical (by way of letter from physician) or (2) personal beliefs. The law does not allow parents/guardians to elect an exemption out of convenience. The exemption form is available at the school and must be completed at the school of attendance). If you have questions, contact the Nurse or Health Records Assistant at the school. After the 2011-2012 school year, only students entering 7th grade will need to show proof of having received the adolescent pertussis booster shot. For additional information, please visit the California Department of Public Health website. |
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Laguna Creek High School to offer prestigious IB Programme in Fall 2011
It's official! Laguna Creek High School is now an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School and will welcome its first students to the IB Programme in Fall 2011.
Laguna Creek is the only high school in the Elk Grove Unified School District to offer this prestigious program. They now join a group of only four high schools in Sacramento County to offer the IB Programme.
Laguna Creek High will offer the internationally recognized Diploma Programme, which is geared towards students in the last two years of high school. LCHS IB students will take six subjects, usually from the following subject groups: Language A1; second language; individuals and societies; mathematics and computer science; the arts; and experimental science. To graduate from the programme, students must also write a 4,000 word extended essay and complete a Theory of Knowledge course as well as creative, action and service projects.
Although the Diploma Programme is for juniors and seniors, freshmen and sophomores may enroll in a Pre-IB course of study. This consists of honors-level work in English, world history, science, world language and mathematics.
For more information on the IB Diploma Programme at Laguna Creek, click here.
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NASA program continues to grow at Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School
Teachers are always encouraging their students to reach for the stars. At Edward Harris Jr. Middle School, the possibility of literally reaching for the stars has become a reality through the NASA Explorer Schools (NES) program.
The NES Project is NASA's classroom-based gateway for middle and high school students that provides authentic learning experiences designed around NASA's unique missions while promoting student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics based on NASA's resources.
"Although Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School is now officially an alumnus of the NES Program, our NASA connections say, 'Once a NASA Explorer School, always a NASA Explorer School,'" said Felicia Bessent, principal at Harris. "Our math and science classes continue to incorporate NASA-related activities into the curriculum and we plan to continue to offer our popular Math & Science Discovery nights, Star parties and astronaut assemblies."
At the end of March, the school hosted the Traveling Space Museum. The visit marked the first time the Traveling Space Museum was displayed in the Sacramento area. This all-day event gave students a chance to participate in more than 15 hands-on STEM lessons and activities. NASA brought numerous exhibits for students to experience, including replicas of a space station, Mars rover, a hover craft and the ever-popular space toilet.
Most recently, selected students traveled to "Yuri's Education Day" at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, CA. This event featured a vast variety of interactive exhibits, workshops and displays. Students also had the opportunity to speak with some of the century's most prominent scientists, visionaries and entrepreneurs from multiple disciplines.
For more information on the NES program, click here.
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Record number of Florin High School students participate in TrigStar competition
Do you remember SohCahToa from high school? Ever heard of Law of Sines and Cosines?
For some people, these words might make your head spin. But for the math students at Florin High School, these words are used daily. These students recently competed in the TrigStar Program competition, sponsored by CalTrans.
Held annually, the TrigStar Program competition allows high school mathematics students to compete against others from across the country through the practical application of trigonometry. The program recognizes students who have strong trigonometry skills throughout the United States at three levels of competition - local, state and national. The national competition is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors.
This year, 158 students took the TrigStar test - smashing the old record of 89 participants. Florin High School also had eight students who earned a perfect score - another record - on the test this year: Sabrina Valdez, Christian Cua, Oanh Luu, Kalanni Cruz, Samantha Huynh, Phia Xiong, Hoa Nguyen and Michelle Hong.
"We are extremely proud of our students and how hard they worked," said Kristy Donnalley, a mathematics teacher at Florin. "To get a perfect score was not easy and students had to be very precise."
Valdez earned first place honors at Florin and received a plaque as well as a $50 prize. Cua took second place and received a $25 prize. All participants received a certificate.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to see the number of students participating in the competition at Florin continue to rise," said Katie Sutton, also a mathematics teacher at Florin. "I hope that with our increasing numbers of students performing so well, we will see a student make it to the state and national levels where they can earn $1,000 and $2,000 prizes."
For more information about the TrigStar competition, click here.
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