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Founded in 1978, the
school is nestled in the Rosemont Community, a well-established area of the
south-eastern portion of Sacramento County. Golden Empire is one of the
“best kept secrets” amongst Sacramento schools. Golden Empire serves almost
600 pre-school through sixth-grade students. Named for California’s early
titles and for its rich gold deposits—“The Golden Empire”—the school's
colors are blue and gold with a soaring and mighty eagle as its mascot.
Golden Empire Elementary
has built its reputation on excellence in learning though parent and
community involvement and highly experienced and skilled teachers and staff.
With systematic instruction, high expectations, and curriculum alignment to
the state standards, Golden Empire students and staff strive for academic
excellence.
Golden Empire Elementary consistently enforces high
academic standards for all students. With a growth score of 853 on the 2007 Academic Performance Index (API) and an
achievement rating of 10 out of 10 for like schools, Golden Empire was named
an “Exemplary School” by the Sacramento City Unified School District. The
school was also granted the prestigious “Title I Achieving School” award by
the California State Department of Education in 2004, and again in 2007. Golden Empire is proud
of its many school wide academic awards and accomplishments.
Academics are a priority
at Golden Empire. We have fully implemented Open Court Language Arts and
Saxon Mathematics, both state-adopted programs. We have found that with
relentless focus on the California State Standards, our students succeed.
Assessment is a critical component of our instructional program, and
assessment data is regularly gathered and analyzed to focus and direct
instruction in every classroom.
The 20:1 ratio of
students to teachers in grades K though 3 enhances learning opportunities
for all. We are extremely proud that our intermediate grades (4-6)
participate in Class Size Reduction, thus lowering class size to only 28
students, thus ensuring intermediate students receive increased 1-to-1
instruction as our primary students. While this is a rarity in other
schools, Golden Empire is committed to ensuring every child succeeds.
Our teaching staff is the
finest group of educators. All teaching staff are committed to student
success. Their dedication goes beyond the classroom. They possess empathy
for each child and are relentless in their efforts to ensure all students
meet or exceed the grade level standards set by the state.
We place a high value on
student use of technology. Students use computers in their classrooms and in
our 29-computer lab. Thanks to our generous Parent Teacher Organization,
students now access Orchard Software which is directly tied to the
California State Standards. Students are introduced to Microsoft Office
early on, using PowerPoint and Word frequently and access the Internet and
electronic media to expand their research horizons.
In addition to a strong academic core program, we offer a variety of
services to meet the needs of all students and their families. We are a
School-wide Title 1 Program. We also have an excellent Resource Specialist
Program (RSP), English Language Development (ELD), a Speech and Language
Program, and a Healthy Start Extended-day Preschool.
Our library program is
outstanding. We are proud of our library and the fabulous library and
literary instruction provided to all of our students on a weekly basis.
These programs occur in large part to our highly skilled library clerk who
has updated our library to computerize check out procedures.
Student extracurricular
opportunities abound at Golden Empire. Our On-site Enrichment Programs (OSEP)
provide specialized study for GATE and high achieving students. Our active
Student Council provides leadership and philanthropic opportunities for
students. The school’s PE Specialist coordinates a Running Club, Jump Rope
Club, and Dance Club. Teacher led tutoring and intervention programs extend
the day for qualifying students. Our Eagles’ Nest after school literacy
program is offered for our 1st-3rd grade students. Study Hall meets at
lunchtime and provides a structure for those students needing to complete
assignments. Identified students receive RSP services to increase skill
development in language arts and math. Our daily tutoring program is
available for students needing extra academic support. The “4th R” program
offers before and after school on-site day care for busy families.
Parent engagement is
crucial to the Golden Empire’s success. We are thrilled to have so many
parents support the school’s efforts in providing a quality education for
all students. Our active Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) provides
classroom supplies, assemblies, a carnival and numerous evening programs
which encourage student and parent involvement. Golden Empire’s School Site
Council and English Learner Advisory Council provide leadership to the
school. We are fortunate to have the assistance of parents who annually
volunteer thousands of combined hours.
We hope you find Golden
Empire a place you'd love to send your children. We welcome your questions,
comments, and your interest in our school. Please contact me by e-mail at
ireneei@sac-city.k12.ca.us. Our school address is 9045 Canberra Dr.,
Sacramento, CA 95826. Our phone number is (916) 228-5890.
Golden Empire offers
students a “Golden Opportunity” for achievement, and a safe, nurturing, and
accepting environment for all. Come soar with us at Golden Empire
Elementary! |
