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Home :: Newsroom :: EGUSD in the Spotlight
EGUSD in the Spotlight
Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School and Cosumnes Oaks High School Open
The Elk Grove Unified School District’s newest schools opened with applause on Monday, August 25, 2008. Teachers, administrators and staff from Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School and Cosumnes Oaks High School together welcomed more than 1,300 students to the brand new schools in Elk Grove.
Starting at 7:15 a.m. each school’s multipurpose room was abuzz with parents and staff members handing out class schedules to students. About 700 students are enrolled at the middle school and about 620 at the high school. Teachers stood outside their classrooms welcoming students to the first day of school and an exciting new school year.
Photo: Staff and parents pass out class schedules to students
At the 18,000 square foot library that joins both campuses, Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D., board members, administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students came together for a special ribbon cutting opening ceremony. The star of the ceremony was school namesake, Elizabeth Pinkerton, along with several of her family members.
“I’d like to welcome everyone to another new school year at the Elk Grove Unified School District,” said Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. “These two schools will offer another exciting opportunity for teaching and learning in the Elk Grove Unified School District. I’m grateful to the teachers, staff, administrators, parents and students who have built such an innovative program at Cosumnes Oaks High School and Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School.”
Photo: Board Member Pollyanna Cooper-LeVangie, Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D., Board Member Chet Madison, Sr., Board Clerk William Lugg, Jr., Board President Brian Myers, Board Member Jeanette Amavisca and Board Member Priscilla Cox join school namesake Elizabeth Pinkerton for a ribbon cutting ceremony
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The ribbon cutting ceremony was followed by Valley High School’s Junior ROTC Color Guard raising a special flag in front of Cosumnes Oaks High School. Staff Sgt. Randall Adams, a Sheldon High School graduate, carried the flag on multiple missions to Iraq. Staff Sgt. Adams, who is the son of Cosumnes Oaks High School’s school secretary Kay Adams, gave the flag to the school following his last mission to Nassyria, Iraq.
Photo:
Parents, board members, staff and special guests watch the Valley High School Junior ROTC Color Guard raise the U.S. and California flags in front of Cosumnes Oaks High School
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The schools have taken advantage of the slowed growth in the Madeira area to create a new school model that includes housing seventh through 10th graders on one campus. While all four grade levels share one campus, they are separated by classroom pods with seventh and eighth graders sharing classrooms and ninth and 10th graders sharing classrooms.
Both the middle school and high school will be using a “House” concept. Each house has a team of teachers who “loop” with their students in seventh and eighth grade and in ninth and tenth grade. Teachers from each house share a common planning period during which time they work together on programs and teaching strategies. They can also work together towards each individual student’s achievement.
“The circumstances surrounding the opening of Cosumnes Oaks High School and Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School has provided the school district with the perfect opportunity to implement some of the “best practice” strategies that have emerged from the national research on effective middle schools and high schools,” Principal Patrick McDougall said.
Photo: Principal Patrick McDougall with school namesake Elizabeth Pinkerton and Board Member Chet Madison, Sr.
Some of the benefits of this new model include the ability for elective teachers to teach at both the middle and high school levels, strengthening program articulation. In addition, students will have the opportunity to take accelerated band, world language and mathematics classes. Students will be on a 4x4 schedule. This means students will take four classes at a time for four terms, thereby providing more opportunities for enrichment and remediation.
The two schools offer a number of specialized programs including visual and performing arts, architectural design and urban planning, and the advanced placement diploma program. In 2009-2010 the school hopes to begin its culinary arts academy. The district is in the process of constructing a state of the art culinary arts facility on the Cosumnes Oaks High School campus.
Photo: Students walking through the Cosumnes Oaks High School campus
Some of the other programs include a comprehensive athletic program, cheerleading, vocal music, computer aided drafting, construction technology, Spanish, leadership, student government, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), yearbook, video production, journalism, academic teams, clubs and service organizations.
Cosumnes Oaks High School and Elizabeth Pinkerton Middle School are located on 76 acres in the Madeira development, the City of Elk Grove’s first master planned community. The schools include a 700 seat performing arts facility, weight room and fitness/cardio center. The schools will share also share the library.
Photo: Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. and school namesake Elizabeth Pinkerton
Spotlight Archives
2008
August 14, 2008 - Incoming 7th graders take a “Jump Start” into their school year
August 4, 2008 - EGUSD’s Math Initiative
July 14, 2008 - Parents and students grow and learn together at Partners Preschool
June 16, 2008 - EGUSD Goes Gold – Celebrating 50 Years of Educational Excellence
June 6, 2008 - Kaiser Permanente Rewards EGUSD Elementary students with perfect attendance with the gift of a two-wheel ride
May 30, 2008 - Sheldon High School Student Matthew King wins Elk Grove Auto Mall 2007/2008 Graduating Seniors Attendance Drive
May 20, 2008 - Harriet Eddy Middle School student wins pair of round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines
May 21, 2008 - Elk Grove Unified and the Elk Grove Education Association Celebrate the Day of the Teacher
May 6, 2008 - Elk Grove Unified School District’s 2008 Employees of the Year
April 28, 2008 - Sacramento County Educators Host Budget Forum at State Capital
April 16, 2008 - EGUSD Launches New Attendance Campaign Videos
April 4, 2008 - Winners selected for 3rd Annual Superintendent’s Art Contest
March 26, 2008 - Megaconference Jr. 2008 - Arthur C. Butler Students Take Their Voices to the World
March 17, 2008 - Elk Grove Unified Joins Call to Fix Governor’s Proposed Budget
March 4, 2008 - Elk Grove Unified Hosts Sacramento County Superintendents’ Press Conference on State Budget Cuts
Feb. 19, 2008 - 4th Annual High School Conference helps train the leaders of the future
Jan. 16, 2008 - Laguna Creek High School hosts ConnectEd Policy Site Visit
Jan. 02, 2008 - Senior Attendance Drive returns for second year
2007
Dec. 12, 2007 - John Ehrhardt Elementary students combine academics and community service
Dec. 03, 2007 - EGUSD’s Commitment to Service Learning Honored
Nov. 15, 2007 - Winners announced for No Excuses – Go to School Rhyme & Poster Contests
Nov. 13, 2007 - Veterans Day celebrated at Elk Grove Unified
Oct. 23, 2007 - Time of Remembrance Project and Website
Oct. 15, 2007 - Markofer Elementary offers “Donuts for Dads/Muffins for Moms"
Oct. 3, 2007 - EGUSD elementary schools participate in Walk to School Day
Sept. 18, 2007 - Options abound on new College and Career website
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