WILLAGAZETTE

We're excited to welcome all of our new and returning families and students to Willagillespie for the 2023/24 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

• September 5th - Meet the Teacher from 12-1 PM
  

• September 6th - First Day KINDERS ONLY Groups A & B
• September 7th - First Day for Grades 1-5, & Kinder Group A (Day 2!)
• September 8th - School for grades 1-5, & Kinder group B
• September 11th - School for grades 1-5, & Kinder group A
• September 12th - School for grades 1-5, & Kinder group B
• September 13th - School for grades 1-5, & Kinder groups A/B
• September 14th - School for grades 1-5, NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERS
• September 15th - School for grades 1-5, NO SCHOOL FOR KINDERS
• September 18th, 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.

We’re excited to welcome your child to the start of school through a new program called Kindergarten Smart Start. We have re-designed the first eight days of school for our youngest students to help set them up for success this year and beyond.

Providing a staggered start allows for smaller classes and time to connect with families, giving teachers the opportunity to understand your child’s unique strengths as well as their academic and social needs from the very beginning. Kindergarten Smart Start will help ensure a successful and personalized introduction to school for each student and a smoother start for all students.

We understand that the Kindergarten Smart Start schedule may present childcare challenges. Unfortunately we are not able to offer childcare on the days your child is not scheduled to attend class.

Estamos emocionados de darle la bienvenida a su hijo al inicio de la escuela a través de un nuevo programa llamado Smart Start o Comienzo listo para kindergarten. Hemos rediseñado los primeros ocho días de clases para nuestros estudiantes más pequeños para ayudarlos a tener éxito este año y más allá.

Brindar un comienzo escalonado permite clases más pequeñas y oportunidades para conectarse con las familias, lo que brinda a los maestros la oportunidad de comprender las fortalezas únicas de su hijo, así como sus necesidades académicas y sociales desde el principio. Kindergarten Smart Start ayudará a garantizar una introducción exitosa y personalizada a la escuela para cada estudiante y un comienzo más tranquilo para todos los estudiantes.

Entendemos que el horario de Kindergarten Smart Start puede presentar dificultades de cuidado infantil para nuestras familias, ya que no podemos ofrecer cuidado de niños en los días en que su hijo no está programado para asistir a clase.

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. You do not have to apply, but it is VERY HELPFUL for our school if you fill out a Federal Free and Reduced Meals application. This helps us retain our status as a Title school which provides us with extra resources that all students benefit from (reading & math support, staffing, supplies, etc.) Click here to fill out the confidential form.
• 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, September 1st 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 5th from 12-1 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! A be sure to check out thePTO 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 6th, 8:30 AM – 1:45 PM. This is for groups A & B. 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 7th, 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

Doors open at 8:20 AM for students who are not having breakfast

Meet the Teacher
Tuesday, September 5th from 12:00 - 1:00. 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, September 1st at 3:00 PM, just prior to Labor Day weekend with the exception of kindergarten students.

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 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. If you feel you would qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Meals program, please click on the link to get more information, it is a great benefit to our school to have you fill out that form! 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 limited, 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 automatically 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

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

Griffin Meyer - Fourth

Jennifer Lee - Fourth

Lucy Miner - Fourth

Carrie Balavender - Fifth

Sydney Mertz - Fifth

Amber Verkler - Fifth

Ann Parks - Learning Center

Trieve Rue - CLC

Hannah Stamp - Life Skills

Cassidy Temple - Title Reading

Michael Dempsey - ELL

Mary Poppen - Music

Marie Kempf - PE

Scott Pierce - Counselor

Linda Hesketh - Speech & Language

Jessie Wagner - Speech & Language

Jill Lancaster - OT

Maria Biederman - Psychologist

Beth Saxon - Title Math

Matthew Monson - MTSS

Jordan Johnson - TSS

Amy Baker - EA

Alicia Bongon - EA Behavior

Machelle Cheung - EA

Sandra Corbin - EA

Sarah Dreyer - EA

Trish Egge - EA

Tami Hellwege - EA

Lindsay Manley - EA

Phuong Morgan - EA

Susan Victor - EA

Michelle Williams - EA

Rachel Bryant - EA Life Skills

Sallou Cole - EA Life Skills

Kyla Duncan - 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

Dino Raviolo - 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.

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