
4J Parent News
August 2023, Volume 1

Information for Eugene School District 4J parents and guardians
LATE SUMMER EDITION
In this message
• School Board: Apply now for appointment to vacant seat; deadline is Sept. 11
• Parent Checklist: Is your student ready for school? Doing these things will help
• Schedule Changes: Early-release days move to Wednesday for all; new high school schedule
• New Website: Our new district website looks better and is easier to use
• ParentSquare: Log into new school-to-home communications platform today
• Free Meals: Breakfasts and lunches again are free for all students this year
• Super Insights: Listen in to Superintendent Andy Dey's new podcast
• Learn to Ride: Free bike riding lessons for all ages on Tuesday, Aug. 29
• Library Cards: All 4J students will receive free library cards this year, with option to opt out
• Employee Spotlight: Meet Edith, regional equity manager for Churchill region
• School News: 4J teacher librarian wins top award; South Eugene alum on world stage; and more!
• Work With 4J: Serve local youth and the community—apply for a 4J job today!
Apply Now To Serve on School Board
Eugene School District is soliciting applications for a new school board member. Due to the resignation of an elected member in July, the board is seeking applicants to fill the seat. Learn more about the 4J school board.
How to apply: Apply online by 5 p.m. on Monday, September 11. To request assistance or apply offline, contact the board secretary at 541-790-7706. Application for appointment
Requirements: Under Oregon law, board members must be registered voters in Eugene School District 4J, and must have lived in the district for at least one year at the time of appointment. Applicants do not need to be parents of students in 4J schools. Employees of Eugene School District 4J and of charter schools within the district are not eligible for appointment.
Term: The appointed board member will serve the remainder of the existing term, through June 30, 2025. If the appointee wants to continue serving on the board, he or she must run for public election in the next regular school board election in May 2025.
Back-to-School Checklist
The start of the new school year is less than two weeks away — and we can hardly wait!
• Wednesday, Sept. 6: First day of school for Kindergarten* and grades 6 & 9.
*Check out the new start-of-school schedule for Kindergartners: Kindergarten Smart Start
• Thursday, Sept. 7: First day of school for all other grades
While kids are packing their backpacks, planning first-day outfits and enjoying the last few days of summer, here's a checklist for parents to help their students gets off to a strong start. Get prepped for back-to-school with school schedules, bus routes, supply lists, and more.
Enjoy the waning days of summer vacation. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Reminder: Schedule Changes for 2023–24 School Year
Please remember to plan for three important changes to the school schedule for the 2023–24 school year.
Early Release Day is Wednesday: All schools will release students early on Wednesdays instead of Fridays to support collaboration among our educators. Early-release times remain unchanged. Wednesday early-release days are not entirely new to our district. Many 4J schools released students early during the middle of the week prior to our district moving to a standard schedule for all schools in 2018.
New High School Class Schedule: The new class schedule for high schools features four classes a day, with a different schedule on early-release Wednesdays. A new class schedule for middle schools is under development, and updates will be shared as information becomes available.
Switch to Semesters: Middle and high schools are switching from a trimester to a semester schedule. Elementary schools in the district already are on a semester schedule.
New 4J Website Is Live
It's here: Our new district website is now live.
The website features improved accessibility and functionality, responsive web design so it can be viewed easily on all devices, and a more modern and attractive interface. It also integrates with ParentSquare, our new school-to-home communication tool.
We are thrilled for you to join us on this exciting online journey. As we launch our brand-new website, we know there will be a few hiccups along the way so please pardon our digital dust. If you come across any issues, glitches, or have suggestions for improvements, please let us know on our Let's Talk page. Thank you for your help and patience as we embark on this digital adventure together.
Log In to ParentSquare
Our district has launched a new school-to-home communication platform called ParentSquare to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with their school and our district.
Get Started: Log in to ParentSquare TODAY!
ParentSquare provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to send and receive school and class information, share pictures and files, see calendars, sign up to volunteer, schedule parent-teacher conferences, and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
All information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text, depending on your preference. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free on the Apple/Google app stores for iOS and Android devices).
Free School Meals Continue
School meals will continue to be free for all students in 4J schools for the 2023–24 school year, regardless of family income. Our district remains committed to ensuring that all students have ready access to nutritious food and will use local operating dollars to continue the popular free-meals-for-all program for another year.
Headed into the new school year, 4J’s nutrition services department is in the midst of a “chef forward” reset to provide the best tasting and most nutritious meals for our students. Three certified chefs — Tim Hill, Shawn Savage and Teresa Sutten — will now oversee the the student meal program, leading menu development, production cooking, and catering. Stay tuned for more news on student meal improvements.
Families who would qualify for free meals or receive other public benefits (e.g. SNAP, TANIF) are encouraged to fill out the state's confidential free meal application. Approved applications provide families with additional savings and will offset the district's cost for the program to provide more money to educate and support students.
Introducing 4J's New Podcast: Super Insights
Our district is excited to announce the launch of our first podcast, Super Insights, which gives listeners an in-depth look at the major programs, priorities and issues for our district, featuring Superintendent Andy Dey.
Our first episode introduces you to Dr. Dey, who is beginning his second year as our district's chief executive after a long career as a teacher and 4J administrator. Why did Dr. Dey choose education? What are the driving principles of his education philosophy? What does he do in his spare time? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this podcast.
We hope you enjoy listening — as much as we enjoy sharing — our podcasts throughout the school year!
Learn to Ride!🚴🏽♀️
Want a new way to get to school? Do you or your child want to learn how to ride a bike? Get the instruction and practice needed to balance and glide before trying pedaling in order to take that next step with skills and confidence. You don’t need your own bike to participate, but please bring a helmet and bike if you have one.
Learn to Ride a Bike - A Free, All Ages, Drop-In Event!
Tuesday, August 29, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
4J Education Center, 200 N. Monroe St., Eugene
Check It Out: Free Library Cards for All 4J Students
It's never been easier for your student to access a world of knowledge at the Eugene Public Library.
Our district is working with EPL to distribute student library cards to all 4J students, whether they live inside or outside the city limits allowing students to check out physical books and to access digital books, resources and much, much more! Cards will be distributed later this year.
All students will receive a student library card. If you do not want your student to receive a student library card, submit this online form by Friday, October 20.
The student card allows them to check out five items at a time. They can change to a regular card, allowing them to check out 999 items at a time, in person at a local library branch or over the phone. Students with an existing regular card who don't opt-out can request a merger of the two accounts or cancel the student account.
This new program is an exciting collaboration between 4J and EPL, which improves the educational experience and fosters a love for learning for our students, as well as strengthens the fabric of our community as a whole.
⭐ Meet Edith ⭐
Regional Equity Manager, Churchill Region
“It's empowering to know the system enough and know how to work through the system
to help make the experience better for families and students."
VIDEO: HEAR FROM EDITH ABOUT WHY SHE LOVES HER JOB
JOIN TEAM EUGENE!
👀 IN THE NEWS
Join The Team, Apply for 4J Jobs
Autism Consultant • Bilingual Educational Assistants • Bilingual Human Services Coordinator • Bus Aides • Bus Drivers • Cataloging Specialist • Coaches • Counselors • Department Secretary • Educational Assistants • Equipment Operator • Evening Custodian • HVAC Refrigeration Technician • Instructional Coach • Marching Band & Color Guard Assistants • Language Arts & Math Teacher • Music Teacher • Physical Education & Health Teacher • Occupational Therapist • Plumber Specialist • School Psychologist • Senior Groundkeepers • Special Ed Educational Assistants • Special Education Teacher • Student Success Coordinator • and more!
Coming Up in 4J
9/4 No School: Labor Day
9/6–9/15 Kindergarten Smart Start
9/6 Classes Begin, Grades K, 6 and 9
9/6 School Board Meeting
9/7 Classes Begin, Grades 1–5, 7–8 and 10–12
9/20 School Board Meeting
10/13 No School: Professional Development