Mountain View, CA, June 11, 2012--On June 7, at the Sunnyvale School District annual meeting, Patty Einarson, MD, (middle) from the El Camino Hospital District Board was presented with a resolution recognizing the District's ongoing commitment to addressing persistent unmet health needs for students in the District. Over three years, the District has provided more than $1.1 million in grants to fund a variety of programs that have helped more than 19,000 students, including:
- Two full-time nurses
- Playworks program in two schools to teach children conflict resolution and healthy play
- 5210 program, done in collaboration with Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF), to promote healthy living through activities and social marketing (5 fruits and vegetables a day, 2 hours or less of recreational screen time, 1 hour of physical activity and 0 sweetened beverages)
- Mental health counseling services in 10 schools through the Community Health Awareness Council
- Collaboration with Lucile Packard Children's Hospital to provide HealthTeacher curriculum to give teachers resources, tools and background material to educate students about making healthy lifestyle choices
"The El Camino Hospital District is a true partner that ensures we have the resources we need to help our students cope with physical and emotional issues that often impact academic performance," said Dr. Ben Picard, superintendent, Sunnyvale School District. "We are proud of all we've been able to accomplish together over the last three years and look forward to an enduring partnership."
The Sunnyvale School District is a high performing school district located in the northwestern section of Santa Clara County, the heart of the Santa Clara Valley. This area is home of the largest and most progressive electronic firms and is often referred to as "Silicon Valley." About two thirds of the K-8 students who live in the City of Sunnyvale are within the boundaries of the Sunnyvale School District.
As of October 2010, the district enrollment was 6,716 students. The District has experienced steady enrollment growth over the past few years and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The District operates two preschools, eight elementary schools, serving students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade, and two middle schools, serving students in grades six, seven, and eight.
The El Camino Hospital District was established by voter approval in 1956 in accordance with California Local Hospital District Law. The purpose of the District is to establish, maintain and operate or provide assistance in the operation of health facilities and other health care services provider, groups and organizations that are necessary for the maintenance of good physical and mental health in the communities served by the District. The District, now known as El Camino Healthcare District, encompasses most of Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills; a large portion of Sunnyvale, and small sections of Cupertino, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto. The publicly elected El Camino Healthcare District Board of Directors approves tax dollar expenditures, including expenditures for the award winning Community Benefit program. Community Benefit funds are granted each year to local nonprofits, schools and government programs that provide critical health services to the underserved. All District Board meetings are publicly noticed, open to the public, and available for viewing on the District website.