The Alameda Unified School District’s big news this week is that Encinal Junior and Senior High School’s girls basketball team made it to the Northern California state championships this year.
Once there, they dunked Argonaut 67-32 in the first round on March 4, boxed out Orland High School 67-36 in the second round on March 5 and then beat Washington High 59-37 in the third round this past Saturday. This week, the Jets met the Woodland Christian Cardinals in the regional finals to determine who goes to the state championship game in Sacramento. Unfortunately, the Jets lost that game 45-54 but still had a great run.
We’d also like to congratulate Paizley Spencer, a teacher-librarian at Otis Elementary School who has been named one of the six school librarians on the California Young Reader Medal (CYRM) Committee. Under the 50-year-old CYRM program, young people nominate titles they think should receive a Young Reader Medal, and teachers and librarians recommend books that are frequently read or requested.
The CYRM Committee then reads the books, discusses their merits and develops a list of nominees. We look forward to hearing about the books that Ms. Spencer reads and recommends for young readers over her three-year term. A “teacher-librarian,” by the way, holds a California teacher credential and teacher-librarian services credential. The AUSD is fortunate to have 10 teacher librarians at our schools.
We know some community members are worried about the rising number of measles cases in Texas, New Mexico and, as of this week, Maryland, and we want to reassure them that all AUSD students are required to complete the state-mandated vaccination schedule for public schools, including the immunization for measles, mumps and rubella.
As such, our vaccination rates are very high. Across the AUSD, 97.55% of our students have completed their entire vaccination schedule, and 99.99% of our students have the required measles immunization. Any students missing vaccinations may be for several reasons, including medical conditions or having recently arrived in this country.
Finally, the district would like to remind the community that both of its high school musicals open this month. Encinal’s productions of “Mamma Mia!” will be this week on Friday and Saturday and March 20-22 next week (visit gofan.co/app/school/CA22911 online for tickets).
Alameda High students will present the Rogers & Hammerstein version of “Cinderella” on March 28-30 and April 3-5 (go to gofan.co/app/school/CA22847 for tickets). We encourage our community to come out and support the talented actors, musicians, dancers, tech staff and stage hands involved in these shows!
Reach Susan Davis, the Alameda Unified School District’s senior manager for community affairs, at 510-337-7175 or SDavis@alamedaunified.org.