WILLAGAZETTE

We're excited to welcome all of our new and returning families and students to Willagillespie for the 2024/25 school year! We have a lot of fun things planned for the upcoming school year, but this E-newsletter is all about important Back To School information. Please read it carefully, it should answer most, if not all, of the questions you have about the start of the year.

We hope you've enjoyed your summer, and ready to come back to learn and grow! We'll see you soon!

Sheila Minney

Principal, Willagillespie Elementary

Eugene School District 4j

541-790-7100

• August 22rd - PTO Summer Play Date from 4-6 PM
• September 3rd - Meet the Teacher from 12:30 -1:30 PM
• September 3rd - KONA ICE!! Right after Meet the Teacher at 1:30
• September 4th - First Day KINDERS ONLY (ALL Kinders!)
• September 5th - First Day for Grades 1-5, & Kinder Last Names A-L
• September 6th - School for grades 1-5, & Kinder Last Names M-Z
• September 9th - School for ALL grades
• September 10th - KINDER FAMILIES check your email for conference time information
• September 11th - School for ALL grades
• September 12th - School for grades 1-5, NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERS (Kinder Conferences)
• September 13th - School for grades 1-5, NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERS (Kinder Conferences)
• September 16th - REGULAR SCHOOL SCHEDULE RESUMES

If you are the parent of an upcoming Kinder, or know someone who is, now is the time to enroll! Click here to access our enrollment documents online, or stop by the office to pick up a paper packet.

If you have a paper packet to drop off after office hours, please use our secure locked drop box located next to our front doors.

We appreciate early enrollments, so please bring those in as soon as possible! Please feel free to contact the office at 541-790-7100 if you have any questions.

Just a few things to help make the first few days a little smoother for your child:

• 4j will supply basic school supplies for every K-5 student. Teachers may ask for specific supplies after the school year starts, but on the first day the only things kids need to bring are a backpack, water bottle, a change of clothes to keep in the bottom of their back pack (our playground does get wet and muddy, and accidents happen!), and weather appropriate clothing.
• 4j will provide FREE breakfast and lunch for all students. No application is necessary!
• If you are interested in volunteering at our school, you will need to fill out a volunteer background check application. During peak times of year, this can take several weeks to complete, so plan ahead! Click here for background check information.
• If your child needs a backpack for the school year, please contact the office. We have a small supply that will be given out on a first come/first served basis!
• Class lists will be emailed to parents by the classroom teacher on Friday, August 30th at 3:00. All 4j schools will follow this format, class lists are no longer posted at the schools.
• Be sure to come to our MEET THE TEACHER Open House on Tuesday, September 3rd from 12:30-1:30 PM. This a great opportunity for kids and parents to come in, see the school, find out where their classroom is and meet their teacher! And be sure to check out the PTO fundraiser with the KONA Shaved Ice Truck. That will be a cool, sweet treat to end your Meet The Teacher trip!

First Day of School
First day of school for Kindergarten is Wednesday, September 4th, 8:30 AM – 1:45 PM. This is for ALL Kinder students. Please refer to the Smart Start calendar listed above for more details.

The first day of school for grades 1-5 is on Thursday, September 5thth, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM.
All students who are being dropped off by a parent in the front of the school will enter through the main entrance. Walkers or students being dropped off from the north end of the building should enter the building through the bussing area.

School Hours
Monday, Tues, Thurs, Friday 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Every Wednesday 8:30 AM – 1:45 PM

Students who want to have breakfast may enter the building beginning at 8:00 am. Doors open at 8:20 AM for students who are not having breakfast.

Meet the Teacher
Tuesday, September 3rd from 12:30 - 1:30. This is a great opportunity for students and parents to visit the school, find their classrooms and briefly meet their teacher before school starts! Make sure you take time to visit our PTO Booth on the playground.

Class Assignments
Class assignments will be emailed to families the afternoon of Friday, August 30th at 3:00 PM, just prior to Labor Day weekend with the exception of kindergarten students. Just a reminder that we do not accept requests for specific teachers. If you have information you would like to share regarding your student, please reach out to their teacher to schedule a meeting time.

Teacher Welcome Letter

Please be sure to respond to the parent survey included with the welcome letter to let us know how your student is going home.

Kinder Smart Start
Kindergarten students do not start with an assigned classroom and class lists are built as we learn more about our kiddos! More information to come!

YMCA After School Program
We look forward to welcoming back the YMCA before and after school care program for families. Please visit the YMCA website (linked below) for registration information

Additional Child Care Options
We also partner with several other childcare providers who either use district bussing, or have their own transportation from our school. Here are the phone numbers:

Kiddzone 541-687-6958
Kid City 541-682-5312

School Supplies
The district is providing all of the basic supplies families usually buy. For now, please plan on sending your student to school with a backpack, a water bottle, and clothing appropriate for the weather (remember, we don't have AC and at the beginning of the school year, classrooms can be hot!) Your child’s teacher may request a small donation fee for other needs which they’ll share once school starts, but we have the pencils, crayons, markers, scissors, and other basics covered.

Enroll Now!
If you know anyone with new or kindergarten age students, please have them contact our office staff by phone at (541) 790-7100 or email Debbie Serra at serra_d@4j.lane.edu.

Parking Lot Reminders
It’s important to follow the guidelines and be patient for a smooth and safe drop off and pick up routine. Please note the following rules for the parking lot:

- Please follow the merge lines in the parking lot and be patient. The first half of the parking lot has two lines for cars. It’s important to be patient, use both lanes and merge at the designated area so we can keep the flow of traffic moving.
- Keep clear of the bus entrance so buses can enter. There are bold white lines near the exit to indicate the area.
- Cars may exit through the west side of the school where buses enter.
- Please refrain from using your phones while you are in the pick up line.
- Students and families should never cut across the driveway.
- Students should wait to be escorted across the crosswalk. Only students are allowed beyond the crosswalk at this time.

Curbside Pause-Parking Reminders (Loading and Unloading ONLY)
In the mornings, students may be dropped off along the curb. At the end of the day, drivers can pause-park along the curb to pick up their students when they come out at dismissal. Please note the following rules for pause parking:

• Drivers must remain in their cars at all times.
• Drivers should pull forward as space becomes available.
• Drivers should NOT stop in marked crosswalk areas.
• When getting in or out of a car to load/unload, students must use the door on the sidewalk side. Students should never get in or out of a car on the driver’s side. It’s unsafe for the student and it slows traffic.

Drivers must remember to ALWAYS yield at the painted crosswalks and sidewalks.

Health & Safety Protocols
For safety reasons, our front doors will remain locked at all times. Visitors and volunteers are still limited to essential purposes. There will be an intercom to communicate with our office staff and a “buzz in” system for essential visitors and volunteers. Essential visitors can include families who need to register, pre-arranged meetings, other paperwork, guest speakers, presentors, social workers, delivery personnel, etc. Volunteers are pre-approved through classroom teachers and the administrator for specific needs and must complete the required background check and vaccination verification.


Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
Doors open at 8:00 AM for breakfast and 8:20 AM for students who do not plan on eating. Students should line up before entering the building. If students arrive earlier than 8:00 AM, please remain with them in the car until we can supervise them at 8:00 AM.

Due to the small space in the front of the school, we are asking families to keep the area clear for student drop off and pick up. For dismissal, all parents will once again be receiving color coded cards indicating the grade level for all grades and a space to put your student's name. Parents who are walking or parking can display their cards in the middle island of the parking lot. Families in the car pick up zone can display their card in the passenger side of the car. When we see your card, we will send your student to the corresponding spot for pick up. This system has created a safe and efficient dismissal for our students, giving our teachers an opportunity to make sure students are accounted for and get to where they need. Thank you for your help and patience as families are learning the system.

Dismissal Procedures
At the end of the day, students will exit the building with their teacher, using their designated entrance/exit doors. Bus riders will walk directly to their bus. Students biking or walking will be dismissed. Students waiting to be picked up will wait with their teacher in their designated areas on the playground blacktop. Please be patient as students and families learn the dismissal routine.
In order to make dismissal run smoothly and efficiently, it’s important families follow the parking lot procedures listed above.

Late Students to Office
Any students arriving at school after 8:30 AM need to check in at the office before going to class. All other entrances will close at 8:30 AM.

Update Your Child’s Health Information
Ensure your child’s health records are current. Linked here is the Asthma Assessment Form and the General Medical Profile Form, which you can email to front office staff.

Breakfast & Lunches
All students will be provided with a free breakfast and lunch. Doors will open at 8:00 AM for breakfast.

Families are welcome to send home lunches if you choose. For students with nut allergies, we offer a Nut-Free Table for students to eat. Students may bring a friend to eat with them if they have a school lunch, which are nut free.

Visitors & Volunteers
We are once again able to welcome essential volunteers into the building on a teacher-directed basis and administrative approval. If a teacher has a need for volunteers in their classroom, they will notify parents and the office. We'll work together to make sure a volunteer background check is in place. If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to access the Volunteer Background Check application. It takes time to process the paperwork so please make sure you complete that well before the time you need to volunteer.

Bus Transportation
All students who live within bussing range are eligible to ride the bus to and from school. If you need to verify that you are in bussing range, click here and then click on the 'Find My Route' link.
If you are transporting your own students to school by walking, biking or carpooling, 4J's Safe Routes to School coordinator can help with route finding for active and shared transportation, can email them at saferoutes@4j.lane.edu. All 4J students also can get a free LTD bus pass.

Sheila Minney - Principal

K.C. Bodily - Assistant Principal

Miranda Emanuel - Student Success Coordinator

Debbie Serra - Office Manager

Haley Myers - Office Assistant

Tory Jenkins - Kindergarten

Audrey Hartsfield - Kindergarten

Julie Schneider - Kindergarten

Patrice Cowman - First

Kimberly Dame Brown - First

Suzi Swinehart - First

Lisa Robbins - Second

Sarah Ausborn - Second

Ann Hubbard - Second

Jannine Johnson - Third

Patrick McIlrath - Third

Jocie Roberts - Third

Amber Burns - Fourth

Griffin Meyer - Fourth

Lucy Miner - Fourth

Carrie Balavender - Fifth

Amanda Johnson - Fifth

Leah Mode- Fifth

Ann Parks - Learning Center

Trieve Rue - CLC

TBA - Life Skills

Cassidy Temple - Title Reading & Math

Nengah Mandra - ELL

Mary Poppen - Music

Marie Kempf - PE

Anya Kean - Librarian

Alicia Bongon - Counselor

Linda Hesketh - Speech & Language

Jessie Wagner - Speech & Language

Jill Lancaster - OT

Maria Biederman - Psychologist

Matthew Monson - MTSS

Mondo Mora - TSS

Amy Baker - EA

Machelle Cheung - EA

Sandra Corbin - EA

Sarah Dreyer - EA

Trish Egge - EA

Tami Hellwege - EA

Lindsay Manley - EA

Jeannette McCord - EA Behavior Specialist

Phuong Morgan - EA

Susan Victor - EA

Michelle Williams - EA

Summer Bartlett - EA Life Skills

Kyla Duncan - EA Life Skills

Maricelia Fadness - EA Life Skills

Karra Russell - EA Life Skills

Rachael Shuffield - EA Life Skills

Anna Walker - EA Life Skills

Ari Windstein-Nyack - EA Life Skills

Lindsey Brown - EA CLC

Gavin Ogan - EA CLC

Rachel Stauffer - EA CLC

Katlyn Tucker - EA CLC

Stephanie Vaupel - EA CLC

Katie Will - EA CLC

Josh Zuidmulder-Goss - EA CLC

Rolando Sason - Maintenance Coordinator

Gillian Lowe - Night Maintenance

Cathy Erickson - Nurse

Laura Sipos - Health Clerk

Joanie Weyant Kitchen Coordinator

Sarah Peterson - Food Service Assistant

Betsy Mathieson - Food Service Assistant

Be sure to check in with the YMCA for openings for their before and after school care program here at Willagillespie. Please click here to visit their website for more information or to register for the Fall.

Re: Student Injuries and Insurance

2024-2025 School Year

Dear Parent/Legal Guardian:

The safety of our students is of critical importance to all of us and we want to protect them from injury. Even so, accidents do happen (at school and elsewhere) and required medical care can be expensive. Please know that your school does not assume responsibility for such costs but does offer you access to several student accident insurance plans for voluntary purchase. Details can be found in the attached brochure/enrollment form.

Options are available to cover your child 24/7, anywhere in the world or you can limit coverage to school-related injuries only. The plans do not restrict your choice of doctors or hospitals. However, you’ll also have access to an extensive network of providers with discounted fees. Seeking care through contracted providers may further reduce your out-of-pocket costs, particularly if your child needs surgery or hospitalization.

Also offered is the pay-as-you-go Student Accident & Sickness Plan which covers sickness as well as injury, in and out of school. The Dental Accident plan can be of particular value with younger students as final treatment to injured teeth often needs to be deferred until after they mature.

Common emergency benefits – Regardless of the benefit level selected, all of the accident medical plans and the Student Accident & Sickness Plan will cover eligible charges for Ambulance, Emergency Room and Emergency Room Physician at 100% of Usual, Customary and Reasonable charges (UCR) up to plan limits.

Enhanced benefits for qualified concussions – If an insured student suffers a concussion while participating in any covered activity and is consequently removed from play from his/her interscholastic sport per the school’s formal concussion protocols, then any deductible or inside limit features of the plan are waived and eligible charges for the evaluation and treatment of the concussion are paid at 100% of UCR subject to remaining policy terms and conditions.

Interscholastic Sports – Please know that all plans offered (other than the Dental Accident Plan) may be used to comply with applicable state and local insurance requirements for participation in interscholastic sports (coverage for high school tackle football is offered on a stand-alone basis).

You are strongly encouraged to carefully review the information provided. If your child already has health coverage, the student insurance plans offered can also be used to expand your choice of providers and help cover the high deductibles and 30% to 40% cost sharing obligations imposed by many health plans today.

To enroll, please visit www.myers-stevens.com; instructions for enrollment are available on the website. While your child is eligible to enroll at any time, one-time-pay rates for the accident medical plans and Dental Accident Plan are the same regardless of enrollment date. As such, you are encouraged to consider enrollment now in order to include coverage for this summer and the full 2024-2025 School Year. Once processing is completed, an ID card verifying coverage will be mailed home to you.

If you have any questions concerning the coverages available or need help with enrollment, please call Myers-Stevens & Toohey at (800) 827-4695. Bilingual representatives are available for parents who need assistance in Spanish.

Sincerely,

Lane County School District 4J

Re: Seguro Medico de Accidentes Para Estudiantes

Año Escolar 2024-2025

Estimado Padre/Guardian legal:

La seguridad de nuestros estudiantes es de vital importancia para todos nosotros y queremos protegerlos de lesiones. Aun así, los accidentes ocurren (en la escuela y en otros lugares) y la atención médica requerida puede ser costosa. Tenga en cuenta que su escuela no asume responsabilidad por dichos costos, pero le ofrece acceso a varios planes de seguro contra accidentes para estudiantes para la compra voluntaria. Los detalles se pueden encontrar en el folleto o formulario de inscripción adjunto.

Disponemos de diferentes opciones para la cobertura de su hijo las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana en cualquier parte del mundo, o puede limitar la cobertura solo a lesiones que ocurran en la escuela. Los planes no restringen su elección de médicos u hospitales. Sin embargo, también tendrá acceso a una amplia red de proveedores con tarifas con descuento. La búsqueda de atención a través de proveedores contratados puede reducir aún más sus gastos directos, en especial si su hijo necesita cirugía u hospitalización.

También se ofrece el Plan de accidentes y enfermedades para estudiantes de pago por uso, que cubre enfermedades y lesiones dentro y fuera de la escuela. El plan de Accidentes dentales puede resultar especialmente útil para los estudiantes más jóvenes ya que a menudo se posterga el tratamiento final de los dientes lesionados hasta que los estudiantes se hacen mayores.

Beneficios de emergencia comunes: independientemente del nivel de beneficio seleccionado, todos los planes médicos de accidentes y el Plan de accidentes y enfermedades para estudiantes cubrirán los cargos elegibles para ambulancia, sala de emergencias y médico de la sala de emergencias al 100% de los cargos usuales, habituales y razonables (Usual, Customary and Reasonable, UCR) hasta los límites del plan.

Beneficios mejorados para conmociones cerebrales calificadas: si un estudiante asegurado sufre una conmoción cerebral mientras participa en cualquier actividad cubierta y, en consecuencia, es retirado de la participación en su deporte interescolar según los protocolos formales de conmoción cerebral de la escuela, entonces se renuncia a cualquier deducible o característica dentro del límite del plan y los cargos elegibles para la evaluación y el tratamiento de la conmoción cerebral se pagan al 100% de los cargos UCR sujeto a los términos y condiciones restantes de la póliza.

Deportes interescolares: tenga en cuenta que todos los planes ofrecidos (que no sean el Plan de accidentes dentales) pueden utilizarse para cumplir con los requisitos de seguro estatales y locales aplicables para participar en deportes interescolares (la cobertura para fútbol americano de escuela secundaria se ofrece de forma independiente).

Se le recomienda encarecidamente que revise de forma detenida la información proporcionada. Si su hijo ya tiene cobertura de salud, los planes de seguro estudiantil que se ofrecen también pueden utilizarse para ampliar su elección de proveedores y ayudar a cubrir los deducibles altos y las obligaciones de participación en los costos del 30% al 40% impuestas por muchos planes de salud en la actualidad.

Para inscribirse, visite www.myers-stevens.com; las instrucciones de inscripción están disponibles en el sitio web. Si bien su hijo es elegible para inscribirse en cualquier momento, las tarifas de pago único para los planes médicos de accidentes y el Plan de accidentes dentales son las mismas independientemente de la fecha de inscripción. Como tal, se le recomienda considerar la inscripción ahora para incluir la cobertura para este verano y el año escolar 2024-2025 completo. Una vez que el procesamiento se haya completado, se le enviará a su hogar una tarjeta de Id. que acredita la cobertura.

Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre las coberturas disponibles, o necesita ayuda con la inscripción, llame a Myers-Stevens & Toohey al (800) 827-4695. Disponemos de representantes bilingües para los padres que necesiten asistencia en español.

Sinceramente,

Lane County School District 4J

Email: serra_d@4j.lane.edu
Website: www.willagillespie.4j.lane.edu
Location: 1125 Willagillespie Road
Phone: 541-790-7100
Facebook: https://facebook.com/willagpto