Community Corner
Bringing Roseburg School District news to you — Jan. 5, 2023
Message from the Superintendent
Greetings and happy new year!
As I reflect back on the year 2022, I feel grateful for being a part of this wonderful community. Everywhere I look I see examples of service to others, resilience and strength, as well as a growing sense of pride in what makes the Roseburg area such a special place to live.
That desire to help Roseburg shine is behind the work we do every day in the Roseburg School District. Our children are our future, and everyone from our School Board members to our teachers and support staff recognizes the part they play in ensuring students receive the care, support and instruction needed for success.
I’d like to give special thanks to the work of our School Board as we celebrate School Board Recognition Month in January. This celebration gives us the chance to highlight the important roles these community members have taken on. From reviewing and setting policy to approving curriculum and the district’s budget to creating a strategic vision for our district, our board members have volunteered countless hours of their time to serving the students in our schools.
Our School Board members deserve much appreciation and respect for their hard work, and I hope you will join me in thanking them for their service. To learn more about our School Board and the role members play in supporting our students, you can visit our School Board web pages.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. I look forward to much growth and progress in 2023.
Sincerely,
Jared Cordon
Superintendent
Roseburg School District
Students helping students through Campus Closets
Students in Roseburg High School’s Key Club have been hard at work this school year ensuring their peers have access to free clothing items, personal hygiene products and other supplies at the school’s Campus Closet.
The Campus Closet opened in 2021 and soon had some 90 students stopping by each week to browse the gently used women’s and men’s clothing, plus shoes, toiletries, backpacks and other items. All items are free to students as an extra resource.
“I think we definitely come from a district where this is a need,” said 10th-grader Sylvia Eckman, the club’s vice president.
The closet is currently open during lunch on Thursdays in the Old Main building. Members of the Sisters of Mercy Associate Group volunteer their time during open hours. Donations have come from the public, RHS staff, KidsDocs and Kiwanis, the parent organization of Key Club.
Eckman said she has enjoyed seeing how many students shop at the closet and is currently helping with plans to expand the service to the middle schools. Eckman applied for an $850 grant to support a similar closet that was started at Fremont Middle School at the beginning of the school year. She hopes to support efforts to start a closet at Jo Lane as well.
Julie Dever, permanent substitute teacher at Fremont, said community donations helped get the closet up and running in the school’s old yearbook storage room. And teachers and students have volunteered their time washing items and prepping the space.
“The amount of support from Fremont staff, community members, former Fremont students, and now from RHS has been amazing,” Dever said. “We have already been able to help quite a few students.”
Key Club adviser Rachel Jackson said the goal is to move the RHS closet out of the Old Main building into a permanent space and hopefully open more than one day a week.
Those interested in donating to the RHS Campus Closet are welcome to drop off items at the school’s main office. Questions can be directed to Jackson’s email at RJackson@roseburg.k12.or.us. Items should be gently used, clean, and appropriate for high-school-age students.
Key Club member Jazlynn Landeros helped set up the closet in its current space over summer break.
“It was a great bonding experience with all the other volunteers, but it was also really cool to see that people are actually using these resources,” she said.
Roseburg Virtual currently enrolling
Roseburg Virtual School is currently enrolling K-8 students for the third quarter, which starts Jan. 24. As a fully comprehensive online program, RVS is the perfect choice for a family that prefers a home-schooling environment but would also like more support from teachers.
RVS offers flexible schedules with optional weekly in-person support opportunities and hands-on activities such as STEAM lessons and art projects. Licensed district teachers provide daily lessons in rigorous ELA, math, social studies and science curriculums.
For more information and details, call RVS at (541) 440-4032 to see if this online option might be a good fit for your family.
Parenting classes available for Green, Sunnyslope families
Parents of students who attend Green or Sunnyslope elementary schools are invited to participate in a series of free parenting classes that will focus on conscious discipline strategies.
The multi-date course will be 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays on the following dates: Jan. 30, Feb. 13, March 20, April 17 (Please make sure you can attend all dates).
The classes will feature mini sessions from the Conscious Discipline Parent Education Curriculum. Example topics include healthy boundaries, impulse control, anger management, problem-solving and kindness.
There will be free dinner, free child care and a raffle opportunity at each of the sessions. To register, click here, call Jennifer Fox at 541-440-4005 or email mendicott@roseburg.k12.or.us.
Partner organizations include Roseburg School District, Douglas Education Service District, Kindergarten Partnership & Innovation Program, Take Root Parenting, Douglas Regional Educator Network and Creating Community Resilience.
Stay tuned for parenting class opportunities to be offered at additional schools next year.
District maintains clean audit status
Roseburg School District has received the highest level of assurance for public fund stewardship during its annual independent audit process.
Representatives with KDP Certified Public Accountants LLP presented its Fiscal Year 2022 audit report during the Dec. 14 School Board meeting. The district was awarded an “unmodified opinion,” which is the highest level of assurance the auditors can provide. The district’s annual audits have achieved this status for the past several years.
Superintendent Jared Cordon said the annual audit process helps assure the public that the district is managing taxpayer funds appropriately.
“We strongly value transparency and community engagement in our budgeting process,” Cordon said. “Receiving clean audits year after year is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our Business Operations Department to remain accountable to our community.”
The district’s 2022-23 budget can be viewed online here.
RHS robotics students going strong
RHS Robotics teams competed in their second tournament of the 2022-23 season last month at Fremont Middle School.
Out of the 20 teams in the Southern Oregon Area Robotics (SOAR) League, RHS team Aries placed second, team Scorpio placed fourth and team Leo placed 15th.
The next league meet is scheduled for Jan. 7 at RHS.
Fund For Teachers deadline Jan. 19.
For the eighth year in a row, The Ford Family Foundation is bringing the national Fund for Teachers grant program to Douglas County.
The program strengthens instruction by investing in outstanding teachers' self-determined professional growth and development to support student success, enrich their own practice and strengthen their schools and communities. All eligible K-12 public school employees are encouraged to apply. The deadline is Jan. 19.
“As a former educator and school administrator, I know that these opportunities to learn and grow are transformative — both personally and professionally,” shared Todd Bloomquist, Senior Program Officer – Youth Development and Education. “These grants renew teachers’ passion for their work, nurture connections to colleagues at home and around the world and maximize their impact on students’ lives.”
The foundation will award up to $50,000 total for public school teachers in Douglas County to design unique fellowship and learning experiences with the Fund for Teachers. Individuals may apply for up to $5,000 and school teams up to $10,000.
For information on eligibility and to apply, click here.
Winchester students supporting young community member
Thank you to Southern Oregon Sparrow Clubs for helping Winchester Elementary School adopt their very first “Sparrow.” Students gathered for an assembly before winter break to meet 4-year-old Sabra and her family.
Sabra was born with Rett syndrome, a condition that caused her to lose mobility, function in her hands, and to be nonverbal. To support Sabra and her family, students agreed to give one hour each of their time to serve the community in her honor. Once students reach 300 hours of community service, sponsors of the program will contribute $3,000 to Sabra for her medical costs.
Classified and licensed openings
We post new positions regularly! Apply online through Frontline Education.
Current openings:
- Assistant Track Coach, Horizontal Jumps/Hurdles, Roseburg High School
- Head Coach, Roseburg High School Girls Lacrosse
- Special Education, Developmental Learning Center at Hucrest Elementary School
- Special Education, Learning Resource Center at Fullerton IV Elementary School
- School Psychologist
Instructional Assistant III (6.5 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Fir Grove Elementary.
Instructional Assistant III (7 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Hucrest Elementary.
Food Service Assistant (7 hours) at Jo Lane Middle School.
Instructional Assistant III (7 hours), Turnaround Program at Jo Lane Middle School.
Instructional Assistant III (5 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Melrose Elementary.
Skills Trainer (8 hours) at Melrose Elementary School.
Front Office Secretary (8 hours) at Roseburg High School.
Food Service Assistant (3 hours) at Roseburg High School.
Custodian (full time) at Roseburg High School.
Campus Monitor (8 hours) at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant 1 (4 hours) at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant 1 (4.25 hours), Learning Resource Center at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant 1 (7 hours), Learning Resource Center at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant III (5.5 hours), Secondary Resource Center at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant III (7 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant III (5.75 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Roseburg High School.
Instructional Assistant III (6 hours), Developmental Learning Center at Sunnyslope Elementary School
Instructional Assistant III (6 hours) at Fir Grove or Fullerton IV elementary school.
Instructional Assistant I, (6 hours), kindergarten at Green Elementary School.
For more information, call Human Resources at (541) 440-4008 or visit our HR page.
About us
Website: https://www.roseburg.k12.or.us
Location: 1419 Northwest Valley View Drive, Roseburg, OR, USA
Phone: (541) 440-4014
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoseburgPublicSchools