Internet Safety Tips
TIP: Remind teens to protect their friends' privacy. Passing along a rumor or identifying someone in a picture (called "tagging") affects other people's privacy. |
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Honoring Our Volunteers
Robert Coleman of Rio Cazadero High School 
Robert Coleman was recognized as an Education Partner at the May 8, 2012 meeting of the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Education. Coleman's involvement at Rio Cazadero High School first began when he was hired as a campus supervisor at the school. When Coleman later became an officer with EGUSD's Police Services Department, he continued to keep a watchful eye on the school. During a critical incident in 2003, Office Coleman was one of the first officers to respond and was recognized for his actions. Although Coleman retired from the district in 2010, he offered to volunteer to help keep the campus safe when Rio Cazadero's regular campus supervisor was out during an extended leave of absence. His calm presence and outgoing personality helps him connect with students and staff and he is always a welcome addition on campus. An avid sportsman since childhood, Coleman has been involved in youth sports at all levels. At Rio Cazadero, he helped coach the basketball team and worked with the students to develop positive skills that would carry over into other parts of their lives. Coleman is an active member of the community and is a proud member of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, which is involved in community activities and contributes to charities. He also uses his membership in this club to educate students about the contributions of the historic African-American regiment honored by the club. |
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EGUSD students win big in Optimist International essay, oratorical contests
Two Elk Grove Unified School District students were selected as winners in the Optimist International Essay and Oratorical Contests for the Pacific Central District.
Ashley Walker, a junior at Florin High School, took top honors in the Pacific Central District Optimist Essay Contest. This year's theme was "How My Positive Outlook Benefits My Community." Walker was sponsored by the Sutterville Heights Optimist Club. She was awarded a plaque and a $2,500 scholarship.
Jesus Alberto Chinchillas, a fifth grade student at Florin Elementary School, won first place in the boys' division in the Pactific Central District Oratorical Contest. The oratorical contest's theme was "How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles." Chinchillas was sponsored by the Breakfast Optimist Club of Sacramento. He received a trophy and a $2,500 scholarship.
Optimist International is one of the world's largest service club organizations with 100,000 adult and youth members in 3,400 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and throughout the world. Through their motto, "Bringing Out the Best in Kids," Optimists conduct positive service project that reach more than six million young people each year. Click here for more information about Optimist International. |
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EGUSD Virtual Academy to offer Information Session for prospective students and parents
The Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) Virtual Academy will host their next information session for new parents and students on Tuesday, May 29 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the computer lab at Ellen Feickert Elementary School (9351 Feickert Drive, Elk Grove 95624).
The information sessions will provide an overview of the district's K-8 virtual education program and give students and their parents a chance to meet staff and ask questions.
Each EGUSD Virtual Academy student has an individualized plan for his or her course of study. 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. The academy is open to students living in Sacramento, Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yolo counties. Enrollment for students for the 2012-2013 school year is currently open.
Registration materials can be obtained or submitted during information sessions or parents can visit http://blogs.egusd.net/egva/enroll/ to download materials. |
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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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Franklin High School students attend international nuclear nonproliferation conference
The concept of nuclear nonproliferation is a foreign concept to most high school students. However, for two students from Franklin High School, this expansive concept is right down their alley.
Harvard-bound Franklin High School senior Austin Wu and junior Karen Wong were selected to attend the Spring 2012 Student-Teacher Conference of the Critical Issues Forum (CIF) April 30 to May 2 in Vienna, Austria.
CIF brought together students from five U.S. high schools, five Russian high schools, one school from Bosnia & Herzegovina and a dozen Austrian high schools to present their findings on this year's topic of "nuclear safety and security." This year's topic was inspired by last year's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in the wake of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
The conference was held in conjunction with the 2012 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Preparatory (NPT) Committee, which gave students a chance to experience international diplomacy firsthand. The conference also featured a keynote address from International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano. During the conference, students provided creative presentations on their research and solutions for enhancing nuclear safety and security.
Wu and Wong also gave an additional presentation with students from Gymnasia #164 in Zelenogorsk, Russia summarizing their findings on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear safety to the delegates attending the NPT Preparatory Committee Meeting.
CIF is the culmination of a year-long program designed to increase high school students' awareness of nonproliferation and disarmament issues, as well as enhance their critical thinking skills. CIF is an educational program managed by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Click here for more information on the CIF program.
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Three EGUSD schools benefit from Keller Williams' Realty "RED Day"
On Thursday, May 10, over 60 staff from Keller Williams Realty spent the day volunteering at David Reese Elementary School, Valley High School and the Partners Preschool site at Irene B. West Elementary School through their RED Day program.
RED Day (Renew, Energize and Donate) is an initiative dedicated to celebrating Keller Williams Realty's year-round commitment to improving local communities. Each year, on the second Thursday in May, tens of thousands of associates from across the United States and Canada participate in a wide range of projects, devoting their time to renewing and energizing aspects of the neighborhoods in which they serve.
At David Reese Elementary School, students attended a mini assembly and received a generous donation of 80 new backpacks. Keller Williams staff, along with representatives from the Sacramento Sheriff's Department Youth Services Division, presented the backpacks to Reese students
Valley High School students benefited from two Keller Williams projects. The Healthy Start garden at Valley High School was the recipient of an eager group of volunteers from Keller Williams. More than 20 volunteers descended upon the garden with plants, paint and other supplies to help renew the garden. In addition, over 450 Valley students attended an assembly with Kevin Bracy, a motivational speaker. The school also received several cases of white paper.
Nearly 40 Keller Williams volunteers worked from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Partners Preschool site at Irene B. West Elementary School. Volunteers donated, cleaned, organized, scrubbed and renewed outside planters, added woodchips and painted the planters. School supplies and computer monitors were also donated to the Partners Preschool site at West.
Click here for more information about Keller Williams Realty RED Day.
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Valley High School hosts 6th Annual Health & Fitness Expo
Messages about the importance of health and fitness were the central themes of the day at the 6th Annual Health and Fitness Expo, held at Valley High School on Friday, May 4th.
Students and community members were invited to learn more about ways to keep themselves healthy through activities hosted by the students of the Valley High School Health TECH (Tomorrow's Employees in Careers in Health) Academy throughout the day.
Visitors could participate in a variety of activities at the Health and Fitness Expo. In the gymnasium, informational booths featuring student projects as well as community groups and health organizations provided take-home materials to increase awareness about health and fitness. Outside of the gymnasium, students and community members could visit booths promoting healthy eating, as well as participate in physical activities, such as Zumba, Macumba and martial arts. The U.S. Army brought their popular rock wall for event attendees to climb and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department brought their ladder truck to the event. Forty-eight vendors came to support the Valley Hi community.
"The Health Expo has been a tremendous success over the past six years thanks to the efforts of our students and Rodney Black, the Expo coordinator," said John Buckmaster, Health TECH Academy Coordinator at Valley. "Through this event, the Valley High School Health TECH Academy has made a name for itself as a community leader in health advocacy. As a result, the Health Expo has continued to bring more opportunities for our students to promote health and fitness in our surrounding community."
Health TECH is an innovative four-year program that combines advanced technology, student workplace experience and direct contact with local health officials. This is a district certified academy. Click here for more information about the Valley High School Health TECH Academy and other academies at high schools throughout the district.
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Joseph Kerr Middle School awarded $5,000 Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant
Joseph Kerr Middle School has been awarded a $5,000 Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant from the Lowe's charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF).
At Kerr, the grant will be used to improve technology in the science department, in two separate segments. The first segment includes resurfacing old chalk boards into white boards by using Idea Paint, a product that can turn any surface into a dry-erase surface. After this is completed, the Mimio Teach system will be installed in a seventh grade classroom.
"The Mimio Teach system is truly an amazing creation as it can turn any white board into an interactive white board," said Mark Meredith, a science teacher at Kerr. Meredith also wrote the grant proposal for the project. "One of our teachers will pilot the system in their classroom and then will be tasked to teach other teachers how to use the system, since it is portable."
The second segment involves resurfacing formica-topped tables in a classroom with Idea Paint so students can collaborate, take notes and then use their smart phones/computers/iPads for note taking and sharing using the Evernote note taking and sharing platform.
Launched in partnership with PTO Today, a leading organization serving parent-teacher groups, the Toolbox for Education program has provided more than $20 million through more than 5,000 grants since its inception five years ago. Grants of up to $5,000 are available to public schools in the U.S. for a wide range of improvement projects and large schools or school districts may be eligible to receive Toolbox grants up to $100,000 for school improvement initiatives. All K-12 public schools in the United States are eligible. Click here for more information about Lowe's Toolbox for Education program.
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