Egan Junior High School

Awards and recognition

In 1988, 1990, and 2009, Egan was chosen as a California Distinguished School, and it has often scored high in STAR testing. It has been reported as the public school with the highest STAR test scores in California numerous times. From 1999 to 2002, Egan was ranked as the top junior high school in the state, based on its performance on the Academic Performance Index (API) Growth Reports.

Education

Egan has considerably above average mathematics, language, and eighth grade history departments. 10% of the students currently attending Egan qualify for GATE level. Greatschools awarded Egan a 9/10 due to its high API scores, which were among to top 10% in California. Despite this positive ranking statewide, however, Egan's 2007 API score dropped 4 points since 2006.

According to the California Department of Education, Egan's educational staff, overall, have more experience and credentials than the state's average, although the school lacks personnel with necessary emergency credentials and training. It is also among one of the few schools in the Bay Area that offers two Spanish classes: the regular Spanish 1A class and a Spanish Conversation class. Like all schools in the Los Altos School District, Egan has a musical program. Their band, orchestra, and chorus visit Disneyland every year to perform at a concert (Magic Music Days).

Egan is well funded with a variety of electives, including Technology, Music, Languages, and Miscellaneous Items, such as Art, Yearbook, Economy, and Leadership. It also offers a variety of classes that allow students to learn teaching, secretary skills, and librarian skills. Besides, it has many well-funded main courses, Algebra, Science, History, English, and Physical Education. Los Altos's wealthy environment helps Egan's education funding.

Egan has sports programs for boys and girls in soccer, basketball, tennis, track and field, cross-country, volleyball, wrestling, football, and others. Egan students also compete in the national MathCounts and AMC8 Math competitions. Egan students also compete in the national Science Olympiade competition.

Students are given awards for a variety of achievements; the most notable of these awards is the "Block E", which is earned through sports, after-school activities, and service to the school.

Along with "Block E" awards students are also awarded with three different types of honor roll, "4.0", "A",and the "B" honor roll. By doing this each student has a chance to achieve in getting an honor roll. All students who achieve one of these honor rolls receives a dog tag that is proudly hung upon their backpacks.

Spirit Days

Along with academics, Egan has "spirit days." These days include two "blue and gold days", when students dress in conventional to wacky blue and gold clothing; four dances per year; the Spring Fling talent show; and the Holiday Faire, in which students make their own crafts and items and sell them in order to socialize, meet new people, and learn business skills. Scattered throughout the year, there are a few other spirit days and school holidays that vary from year to year, such as Turkey Trot, Movie Night, Bowl-a-Rama, Mystery bucket (also Disney Day), Nerd Day, and Trash Day Superhero,and Sports Day.

Miscellaneous

Bullis Charter School (BCS) also has its campus on the east side of Egan's grounds bordering San Antonio Road. The Los Altos School District (LASD) offered to let BCS use this space (known at the time as the Egan camp school) from 1 May 2004. The charter school has been located here ever since. Also, Portfolio Day happens once a year. This is a chance for eighth graders to show adults from the community the work that they have accomplished during their two years at Egan.