Elk Grove Unified School District
Excellence by Design
 EGUSD News and NotesMay 12, 2014 
In This Issue
EGUSD Employees of the Year
Outstanding Scholars
Superintendent's Bus Tour
SMUD Youth Energy Summit (YES)
Digital Citizenship Safety Tips
 
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Make sure kids feel safe reporting bad behavior.

 

It doesn't have to be you, but if anything suspicious, mean, or scary happens, they need to know they won't get in trouble if they tell a trusted adult.

 

 

Honoring our Volunteers

   

Kathi Tovar of Ellen Feickert Elementary School 
  

 

Kathi Tovar was recognized as an Education Partner at the May 6, 2014, meeting of the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Education.

 

Tovar began volunteering at Ellen Feickert Elementary School when her oldest daughter began attending the school in July 2001 as a kindergartener. She volunteered in her daughter's classroom and with Feickert's Parent Teacher Club (PTC) during that first year. She was soon elected vice-president of the PTC and served for several years in this position. She was also elected PTC president and has served in this position for the past seven years.

 

Thanks to Tovar's hard work, creative ideas and endless energy, Feickert's PTC is instrumental in creating a wonderful atmosphere at the school. The PTC is responsible for planning and facilitating the school's annual Harvest Festival, which includes games, gift baskets and a tri-tip BBQ. After the Harvest Festival, the PTC plans other fundraisers and movie nights. All money made from PTC events goes directly to classroom teachers and right back to the students. The PTC also sponsors the annual Secret Santa Store for students to purchase small gifts for their family and classmates, as well as the Father/Daughter Dance, a 1950's themed ice cream social, a Mother/Son night and a schoolwide BBQ during the last week of school.

 

Tovar has five daughters: Elizabeth - a senior at Cosumnes Oaks High School, Emily - a freshman at Cosumnes Oaks, Megan - a 5th grade student at Feickert, Michaela - a 4th grade student at Feickert and Courtney - a kindergartener at Feickert.



Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation gives out scholarships 

 
On Thursday, May 1, the Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation awarded 149 scholarships totaling $163,300 to graduating seniors at their annual Spotlight on Scholarships awards dinner.

Congrats to the EGUSD seniors who received scholarships from this generous organization!

Click here for more information about the Elk Grove Regional Scholarship Foundation. 
  
Elk Grove High School softball coach selected as Northern California Softball Coach of the Year


 

Jeff Alexander, head coach for Elk Grove High School's varsity softball team, has been selected as the Northern California Softball Coach of the Year by the California Coaches Association (CCA).

 

Alexander and the Southern California Softball Coach of the Year will be honored on June 14 at the CCA Coach of the Year Banquet at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Sacramento.  The state coach of the year will be announced in 18 different sports at this event.


 

 Parents can sign their kindergarteners up for Safety Town program    

 

 

Parents of five-year-old students are invited to register their children for Safety Town, a two-week comprehensive educational program that introduces 5 year olds to safety awareness.  This national recognized program will be held July 21 to August 1, 2014, at Elliott Ranch Elementary School.  The Safety Town program teaches children entering kindergarten basic safety awareness and accident prevention through hands-on activities.

 

The Elk Grove Unified School District partnered with the Elk Grove Police Department and the Cosumnes Community Services District to present the program.  The Safety Town program covers topics, such as pedestrian and bicycle safety, school bus safety, poison prevention, basic fire prevention and home and water safety.  Participants will attend the program for 2.5 hours/day for two weeks, Monday through Friday (July 21 to August 1, 2014).  Safety Town students will also have the opportunity to explore a fire truck, police car and a school bus.  All students will receive a t-shirt for their participation in the program.

 

The registration fee for the program is $25 and enrollment is limited to 50 children.  Acceptance into the program is on a first come, first served basis, with City of Elk Grove residents being given first priority.

 

Click here for more information about Safety Town. 

 

 

 

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

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2014 EGUSD Employees of the Year

      

   

Nine Elk Grove Unified employees were recognized as Employees of the Year on May 7, 2014, for their hard work and commitment to the District. Each year, Elk Grove Unified recognizes staff members from each of its employee organizations for their dedication and commitment to excellence. These individuals will be recognized and honored at the regular meeting of the EGUSD Governing Board on June 3, 2014.

 

The 2014 Employees of the Year are:

 

Patricia Burgess - Teacher of the Year

Patricia Burgess is a third grade teacher at John Ehrhardt Elementary School. She started her career with EGUSD 26 years ago. Previously, she was a third and fourth grade teacher at Samuel Kennedy Elementary School before coming to John Ehrhardt. She also taught fifth grade at John Ehrhardt.

 

Kenneth "Ken" Davey - Classified Employee of the Year

Kenneth "Ken" Davey is a journey mechanic II in the Transportation Department. He has been a member of the EGUSD family since 1997. Davey has previously worked as tire/utility person, tire mechanics' assistant, entry level mechanic, apprentice mechanic and a journey mechanic I.

 

Valerie English - Classified Employee of the Year

Valerie English, an employee of EGUSD since 1999, currently serves as a personnel technician III in the Human Resources Department. Previously, English has served as a personnel clerk II and personnel assistant II for the District.

 

Jill Gayaldo - Classified Administrator of the Year

Jill Gayaldo is the director of transportation for Elk Grove Unified. She began her career in EGUSD in 2006. Gayaldo has served as director of transportation throughout her entire tenure at EGUSD.

 

Kathy Hall - Classified Employee of the Year

Kathy Hall joined the Elk Grove Unified family in 1993. She currently works in the Valley Healthy Start office as an office assistant I. Hall has previously held the positions of yard supervisor at Isabelle Jackson Elementary School, instructional assistant at Jackson and Sierra Enterprise Elementary School, a pre-kindergarten paraeducator for Foster Youth and an instructional assistant for Foster Youth and Learning Support Services.

 

Pargat "Mr. Singh" Hundal - Classified Employee of the Year

Pargat "Mr. Singh" Hundal is a paraeducator for the severely disabled at Roy Herburger Elementary School. He has worked for Elk Grove Unified for 10 years. Previously, Hundal also worked as an instructional assistant for the severely disabled at Herburger.

 

Christine Morse - Classified Employee of the Year

Christine Morse is a senior administrative assistant in the Secondary Education Department at the Robert L. Trigg Education Center. She has been a member of the Elk Grove Unified family since 1983. Previously, Morse worked as a typist clerk for Instructional Services and Curriculum/Staff Development, a staff secretary for Curriculum/Staff Development, an administrative secretary for Curriculum/Staff Development, school secretary at Laguna Creek High School, an administrative secretary for Education Services and a senior administrative assistant for Education Services.

 

Yuri Penermon - Certificated Administrator of the Year

Yuri Penermon, a member of the EGUSD family since 1997, is the current principal of James Rutter Middle School. Penermon previously served as a vice-principal, site program administrator and a performing arts/English/business teacher at Sheldon High School.

 

Karen Sarafian-Hames - Teacher of the Year

Karen Sarafian-Hames is a second grade teacher at Foulks Ranch Elementary School. An EGUSD employee since 2002, Hames has spent her entire EGUSD career at Foulks Ranch, previously serving as a first grade teacher.

Top EGUSD graduating seniors honored at Outstanding Scholars events 
 
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As the end of the school year approaches, graduating seniors eagerly look forward to participating in the time-honored tradition of the graduation ceremony.

 

But for top seniors at high schools throughout the Elk Grove Unified School District, there was also another event to look forward to as their senior year draws to a close - the "Evening of Recognition for Outstanding Scholars" for the Class of 2014. EGUSD honored the top 104 graduating seniors in the district at two events held on May 5 at the Sheldon High School Performing Arts Center for comprehensive high school seniors and May 7 at the Cosumnes Oaks High School Culinary Arts Center for alternative high school seniors.

 

In addition to honoring and recognizing the top senior scholars from each EGUSD high school, the scholars also had the chance to recognize a teacher or mentor who made a difference in their lives. These important individuals were also honored at the Outstanding Scholars event.

 

Top seniors in the Class of 2014 have gathered an impressive list of accomplishments, which includes acceptance to top colleges across the country - such as Stanford University; Yale University; University of California (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz), California Polytechnic State University, Johns Hopkins University, Brown University and the University of the Pacific - to pursue a variety of majors, including political science, biology, public health, engineering (mechanical, civil, biomedical), meteorology, sociology, journalism, communications, physical therapy and physics.

 

The Class of 2014 will also leave their mark at their high schools throughout the district, having participated in an assortment of volunteer and enrichment activities, including sports (football, swimming, tennis, track, soccer, baseball) and clubs and electives (class officers, Associated Student Body officers, Principals' Honor Roll, People and Students Reaching Out, band, Link Crew, Mathletes, dance companies, California Scholarship Federation, Key Club and Mock Trial).

     
EGUSD parents participate in superintendent's bus tour
  

 

 

On May 1, parents from schools throughout the Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) joined Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. on a bus tour of the district. The tour provides parents from the Superintendent's Parent Advisory an opportunity to see the size and diversity of the District and learn more about EGUSD's different regions. It also gives parents a chance to experience a ride on a school bus.

 

Local historian Elizabeth Pinkerton joined the tour to provide a historical perspective of the schools. Associate Superintendent of Facilities and Planning Robert Pierce talked to parents about the District's past growth and future projections for new schools. 

 

The tour began at the Robert L. Trigg Education Center and then headed out to several locations in the district. On the way to Florin High School, the tour's first official stop, the bus took parents past Pleasant Grove High School, Katherine L. Albiani Middle School, Maeola Beitzel Elementary School and the Student Support Center on Gerber Road.  

 

At Florin High School, parents toured a variety of programs including the culinary arts program and their new restaurant - Savory Café, the auto shop, various academic core courses and the LAW (Law and the World) Academy.

 

After leaving Florin High School, parents headed to David Reese Elementary School, where they were greeted with a welcome song from Reese's kindergarteners. Student leaders took the parents on a tour of their campus and parents enjoyed a lunch in Reese's library.

 

At the conclusion of the Reese site visit, parents boarded the bus one final time to head out to view other EGUSD schools, including Valley High School, the future site of Marion Mix Elementary School, Franklin High School, Toby Johnson Middle School, Cosumnes Oaks High School, Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School, Elitha Donner Elementary School and Harriet Eddy Middle School, before finishing the tour back at the Trigg Education Center.

 

EGUSD high school students take on SMUD's Youth Energy Summit competition

   

       

Students from four EGUSD high schools - Cosumnes Oaks, Franklin, Laguna Creek and Monterey Trail - participated in the YES competition this year. Teams from each school are comprised of one advisor teacher and 3-5 students.

 

In January 2014, students attended a two-day symposium where they learned about clean energy, the environment and were given the guidelines for their projects. Teams then developed a project plan that was submitted to SMUD in February 2014. The project plan includes a summary of their project, a stated need, how the project is related to energy and conservation and the project's objectives. This year's theme is "The Art of Being Green."

 

Students worked together in teams to further develop their projects and develop a presentation. On April 22 - Earth Day, teams traveled to the State Capitol and presented their projects to a panel of judges. Winners of the competition earned scholarships ranging from $250 to $1,000.

 

The YES competition is a community partnership between SMUD, Lodi Electric Utility, Roseville Electric and the LegiSchool Project at California State University, Sacramento. The competition, now in its 6th year, is designed for high school juniors and seniors and focuses on California's energy future. Click here for more information about the YES Summit.