Eugene IHS March Newsletter

Hello IHS Community!

Semester 2 is off to a great start, and we're looking at some very busy and exciting months ahead in IHS! Our IHS juniors and seniors have been working their way through IA (Internal Assessment) season, with most of our seniors completing IAs in science, math, TOK, history, and literature--all due by the middle of March! And our juniors have been just as busy, completing IAs in math and economics, as well as making their way through the final stages of their 4000-word extended essay in Junior Seminar. This can be a stressful time for our juniors and seniors, so if you have a junior or senior in your house, please take a moment to acknowledge just how hard they've been working lately! The seniors are in the home stretch, and soon we'll turn the corner into the countdown to graduation!

And just as we finally feel like we have our footing for this school year, we start forecasting for classes next year! Yes, that's right--forecasting season is already upon us. Working with the school counselors and our IB Coordinator, we will be going into classrooms over the next few weeks to provide important scheduling information and answer questions as students start to create their class schedule for next year. For our 9th and 10th grade students especially, there are decisions made now that will impact their options and pathways for junior and senior year, so students should select their classes carefully. Students and parents can reach out to me anytime with questions (dearinger_c@4j.lane.edu) or our IB Coordinator, Steve Smith (smith_st@4j.lane.edu). Counselors are also available to help with scheduling at all three of our host schools. See below for more information about forecasting.

Thank you all for your continued support for our IHS community!

Courtney

March 4-18: OSAS statewide testing for juniors

March 24-28: SPRING BREAK

April 11: NEW Midterm Grading Day/End of Quarter 3

April 25-May 17: IB Testing Season

May 19: IHS Celebration at Oakway Center

June 6: Eugene IHS Graduation (Last day for seniors)**

June 13: Last day of school

**SENIOR PARENTS--PLEASE READ IMPORTANT GRADUATION INFORMATION AT THE END!**

The school district has revised the A/B calendar for April to accommodate the end of the 3rd quarter and offer a special day for various assessments and testing. The end of the 3rd quarter and the midterm grading day is now Friday, April 11 (moved back a week from previous calendar). There is also now a C day schedule for the last day of the quarter on Thursday, April 10.

Friday, April 18 is now a 1/2 day Testing Day. Students will only attend school in the morning. More information will be communicated from the school district in the coming weeks.

IHS Site Council Meetings are held once a month, on the second Tuesday of the month, from 4:15-5:15 at South High School in room 541. Snacks are provided :) OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 11TH!

If you are interested in being a parent member for IHS Site Council, please email me: dearinger_c@4j.lane.edu. I will add you to our email list so you can receive updates and a copy of the agenda before each meeting.

PARENTS: WE WILL NEED YOUR HELP WITH IB TESTING THIS YEAR! We have many more students testing this year than usual, so we need lots of parent volunteers to help! Exams start on April 25th and end on May 17th; each exam will be held either in an afternoon or a morning, so there are many options and a lot of different exam duration times. If you think you will have time to assist with an exam, please contact Leann Hollenbeak (hollenbeak_l@4j.lane.edu) or 541-790-8012. to register as a 4j volunteer. Volunteers must complete the 4J volunteer application: https://www.4j.lane.edu/volunteers.

You may not volunteer for an exam your child is taking, so be sure you know which exams your student is registered for before contacting Leann. Thank you!

Volunteers are needed to help with Oregon Battle of the Books this year! This is a great opportunity for IHS juniors and seniors to earn CAS hours--and help out with a great event!

The 5th grade teachers at Charlemagne Elementary School are looking for French Immersion juniors and seniors to help in a variety of ways. CAS hours can be awarded for all of these volunteer experiences!

1) A weekly after school tutor for a 5th grader from 3ish - 3:50ish at Charlemagne Elementary on Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays. If that doesn't work for their schedule, I can put them directly in touch with the family and they can make arrangements independently.

2) One or two high schoolers that would be willing to lead a French reading fluency small group for students that need immediate reading accuracy feedback when reading out loud. This would be for students that are well below reading rate benchmark. Would only work with 1-2 students at a time. Very flexible for where / when. Would need to be same time(s) every week for at least 6 weeks. Lots of options. Just have interested students contact me directly.

3) One or two high schoolers that would be willing to come in on Fridays and do some basic clerical work -- photocopies, pencil sharpening, filing, sorting, putting materials away / setting up materials for science, etc. Time of day can be flexible.

4) We are also looking for junior and senior FI students to be student counselors at our 5th grade Outdoor School at Camp Tamarack at the end of May! Last year was our first time at this new Outdoor School experience, and we had many IHS FI students help as student counselors--it was a great success! The camp runs the last week of May after Memorial Day--IB and AP exams will be finished, and there is official paperwork to be excused from school the days of the camp.

If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities, please contact Genna McLaren directly at mclaren_g@4j.lane.edu.

On February 12th, IHS was honored to welcome guest speaker Evie Banko to talk with our students in the South Little Theater. Ms. Banko is a Holocaust survivor, and her presentation was a capstone for our IHS sophomores who just finished studying the Holocaust. She told students about her life in Vienna, Austria before the war and took them through her family's harrowing journey across Europe and Asia to escape the Nazi regime. Her family eventually settled in Portland, where she has lived her entire life, working as a public school teacher in the Portland Public Schools.

There were many highlights of her presentation, but two stand out: she brought her actual passport to show the students, marked with a large red "J" on the inside cover, filled with the stamps of every country she went through on her journey towards safety. And she told the story of her uncle who decided to stay behind to take care of his sick father, and she showed students the actual letters her uncle sent from concentration camps to his family, letting them know he was still alive. Her uncle died in the camps, and she explained to students how her mother never got over his death.

As always, our students were exemplary. They sat riveted during her entire presentation, they asked thoughtful and poignant questions at the end, and even though the final bell had rung and they could have left, they stayed long after she finished speaking to shake her hand, give her a hug, take a picture and thank her for speaking with them. We are so grateful to Evie Banko for spending her day with us--we think it was an afternoon our students will not forget.

We were sad that we didn't have enough room for all IHS students to attend. Thankfully, Ms. Banko agreed to allow us to record her entire presentation, and we have that video posted on our IHS school website (https://ihs.4j.lane.edu/). Please feel free to watch her speaking to our students on your own.

Students will begin choosing their classes for next school year in March--each campus uses a slightly different schedule, but all high school forecasting for next year will be done in March and early April. Students will spend the next few Advisory classes reviewing their transcripts, going over graduation requirements, and discussing class options. IHS students are automatically enrolled in the IHS course sequence for the next grade level, but students need to make decisions about math, science, language, and elective courses.

IHS Course Sequences by Grade:

9th Grade: Global Geography, Global Health, Global Literature

10th Grade: Civics and Engagement, Narratives and Perspectives, Literature and the Arts

11th Grade: IB History of the Americas, IB Literature of the Americas, IB Economics, Junior Seminar

12th Grade: IB Theory of Knowledge, IB 20th Century History, IB 20th Century Literature

We will be visiting all our 9th and 10th grade classrooms to talk with students about their options and explain more about the IB classes available to them at each campus. Students will have a chance to ask questions or get more information during those presentations. Please talk with your student about their plans for next year, and maybe even their plans for after high school, to help them make thoughtful decisions about their course schedule. And as always, feel free to reach out to me (dearinger_c@4j.lane.edu) or Steve Smith (smith_st@4j.lane.edu) with any questions.

The Eugene IHS Student Government is excited to host the EUGENE IHS CELEBRATION! This year our celebration will take place on May 19th from 5:30-8:00. Join us for food and fun as we take over the Oakway Center!

The Eugene IHS Celebration will take place at Oakway Center. Alumni, retired teachers, current staff and students are all invited to celebrate our shared history of international education.When you eat at one of the participating restaurants in the Oakway Center during the event, Eugene IHS will receive a percentage of the proceeds toward funding student government and future events. This event has been a great success in the past, both in helping to raise money to improve our school and in providing the Eugene IHS community with a day to come together and relax and have some fun. There will be games, entertainment, and a student art auction. So mark your calendars for May 19th!

Many thanks to Oakway Center and local businesses for supporting Eugene International High School. We hope to see you there!

We are thrilled to announce that IHS social studies teacher Joanne Heidel has been awarded the 2025 Genocide Education Teacher Fellowship to Armenia for next summer! Joanne is one of 15 teachers chosen for this prestigious award. Here is what she says about her upcoming experience: I look forward to deepening my knowledge of Genocide Studies and Armenian History and Culture. I also look forward to sharing what I learn with my colleagues and students next school year as we continue to explore themes of Responsibility, Reconciliation, Justice, and Memory.

And here is a bit more information about this program:

Launched in 2022 through a unique partnership with the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute (AGMI), the program combines Genocide Education’s expertise in training high school educators with AGMI’s unique role in Armenian Genocide remembrance and research, including its in-depth museum exhibits, collection of primary source documents and artifacts, and its ongoing scholarship on the genocide and its aftermath, including continuing effects today.

The GenEd Teacher Fellowship Program includes a 10-day trip to Armenia in July, with academic and workshop sessions at AGMI’s museum and conference facilities and afternoon field trips complimenting the workshop content. Upon their return to their home states, the GenEd Teacher Fellows lead professional development workshops for other educators in their region under the supervision of The Genocide Education Project.

Express your appreciation for a 4J employee or volunteer by nominating them for a 2025 Golden Apple Award!

The Golden Apple Awards, 4J's annual recognition ceremony, returns to honor the outstanding contributions of our teachers, licensed specialists, classified staff, administrators and volunteers. 4J employees also can be nominated for the new Apple Seed award for early-career staff, the Lifetime Achievement award or the 4J Spotlight spirit award. Nominate a staff member or volunteer now through Sunday, March 23, by completing and submitting the online form.

SAVE THE DATE: Join us to celebrate all our nominees and winners at the Golden Apple Awards celebration, Tuesday, May 6. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact 4J Communications at information@4j.lane.edu.

Last Friday, South IHS Alum Brian O'Kelley was inducted into the South Eugene High School Hall of Fame. Brian has a special place in our IHS school community because in 2008, he began a Travel Scholarship for IHS students to help fund international travel experiences. To date, Brian has donated thousands of dollars for (35) students to travel and study abroad! Last week, we were able to gather a few of the students who benefitted from his generous scholarship over the past few years to meet him and tell them how much their travel experiences meant to them. Brian was so excited to meet these students and hear about all the good his money has done for them and their education.

In case you're interested, here are just a few of Brian's accomplishments since he graduated from IHS:

• Chief Technology Officer of Right Media, where he invented the ad
  exchange and other foundational technologies for the $100 billion
  programmatic advertising industry.

• CEO and co-founder of AppNexus, which he grew to 1000 people before
  selling to AT&T for $1.6B in 2018.

• CEO and founder of Scope3, a company focused on reducing the
  environmental impact of AI, ad tech, and other energy-intensive
  digital supply chains.

• With his wife Elizabeth, an active philanthropist focusing on impacting the neediest 10 percent of the world’s population, with a special focus on the environment, refugees, and education.

The Eugene-Kakegawa Exchange Program is looking for host families over spring break in March. Kakegawa, Japan is a Eugene Sister City, and students come from Japan each year to spend a week in Eugene with host families. As of Feb. 20th, they are still looking for (2) host families for (2) male Japanese school delegates. A $150 stipend/student will be paid to each host family.

Please email Miiko Suzuki, Japanese teacher at Churchill high school (suzuki@4j.lane.edu) if you are interested in this great opportunity!

As of 2/20, the schedule is planned as follow:

--3/27 around 1:30 pm Kakegawa welcome pizza party with host families will be held at CHS. After the party, host families will take their host student to home or any activity. *This day's schedule might be changed depending on their formal visit to the Eugene City Mayor.

--3/28-29 Kakegawa students will spend two days with their host families.

--3/30 Host families will take their host student to the Eugene Airport by 4:00 am. (Their flight departs at 5:15 a.m.)

As part of both the IHS diploma and IB diploma requirements, our students research for and write the IB Extended Essay. By the end of junior year, students have completed a 3500-4000 word essay that reflects original research and learning. As part of this project, students receive instruction and supervision from their teacher advisor in their Junior Seminar course. Optionally, students are also encouraged to find and work with a community member who will advise the student as they work to complete the project. That's where you come in!

We are looking for parents and community members who possess knowledge and expertise on a wide variety of topics. Are you a psychologist or therapist? Are you a professional in a STEM field? Do you have expertise in issues related to climate change? Do you have a degree in philosophy you've been waiting to use? Are you a lawyer who specializes in immigration issues? Are you a fan of science fiction books and movies? Since students can choose to write about ANYTHING that interests them, we need people who know a little something about a range of topics and issues. You don't have to be a professor and it doesn't have to be your career--just a topic you know enough about that could help guide a young researcher!

Essay advisors could take on any of these roles that range in time commitment:

• Offer suggestions for scholarly resources in the particular discipline the student has chosen.

• Assist the student in formulating a research question and provide guidance in conducting original research.

• Encourage and support the student's efforts in researching and writing the essay.

• Give feedback on the student's rough draft for the research paper around February of junior year

• Volunteer to be a guest speaker in our Junior Seminar course; providing insight into the career and research interests of faculty members.

If you are willing to have your name included on a list of possible EE essay advisors for our IHS juniors, please contact Jenny Hehnke (hehnke_j@4j.lane.edu) with your name, contact information, and areas of knowledge.

Each year, Oregon public schools are asked to give juniors the OSAS tests in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. Students are taken out of their regular classes to complete the exams--each exam takes between 1.5-3 hours (there is no time limit so students can take as long as they need to finish).

However, these exams are not required--they are not included in any class grade nor are they required for graduation. So if you would like to opt your student out of any or all of these standardized tests, you simply need to fill out the opt out forms and turn them into the IHS office at your school. There are TWO opt-out forms--one for the ELA/Math exams, and one for the science exam. Click on the link below to access online opt-out forms or print out paper forms. We will also have both opt-out forms available in all IHS offices and host school main offices until the date of testing. If you want to opt out of all exams, make sure you fill out BOTH opt out forms. Students may turn in opt out forms all the way until the morning of testing.

ACCESS OPT-OUT FORMS

SHELDON TESTING DATES: March 4th-5th

SOUTH TESTING DATES: March 11th-12th

CHURCHILL TESTING DATES: Science (March 13-20), Math (May 19-26), and ELA (April 1-18)

Looking for a place to donate all your old magazines? Our IHS Health teachers are in need of fashion magazines or any magazines with advertisements (Vogue, GQ, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, etc) to use in their upcoming media literacy unit. If you have any old copies of magazines you'd like to donate, please contact Deon Saraceno (saraceno_d@4j.lane.edu) to coordinate a drop off time. Thank you!

This is a reminder that our Spanish immersion teacher, Mr. Ricardo Zapata Bello, is sponsoring the Hispanic Honor Society at Sheldon High School. The Hispanic Honor Society is open to all Sheldon students (including students not in IHS) who fulfill the prerequisites listed below:

• Student must have taken Spanish for at least 2 years to join
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 (unweighted GPA)

Benefits for members:

• Scholarships for seniors pursuing post high school education
• A formal induction ceremony
• Graduation cords to be worn at IHS and Sheldon graduation
• Weekly meetings with other students about issues and concerns important to the group

If this is a club you think your student would be interested in joining, please tell them to go to the next meeting and check it out! Meetings are held in Mr. Zapata's room (B10) on Tuesdays during lunch.

The IHS branch of Model UN has officially kicked off the 2024-2025 session! This year, our group will be representing Slovenia, Egypt, and Guyana. Meetings are held twice per month at each campus, and the Model UN State Conference will held in the spring at the University of Oregon. Students are still able to participate this year! So If your student is interested in joining Model UN, please reach out to Steve Smith (smith_st@4j.lane.edu) or Joanne Heidel (heidel_j@4j.lane.edu). Mr. Smith tells me that this year we have the largest Model UN club in recent IHS history with over 50 members! All are welcome to join!

Eugene International High School offers students a chance to earn an honorary diploma at the end of our four years together. Students still earn their high school diploma from their host school--for example, a student's high school diploma is from Sheldon High School, but they also receive the honorary IHS diploma as recognition for completing our separate set of standards and requirements. Eugene IHS holds our own separate graduation ceremony at the Hult Center (my favorite night of the school year!) where we recognize graduating seniors together from all three host campuses.

In order to earn the honorary IHS diploma, students must do the following:

• PASS all required IHS courses in 11th-12th grade
• Submit a final draft of the Extended Essay research paper (completed during Junior Seminar)
• Take at least (3) years of a world language (does not have to be the same language all three years)
• Complete (100) CAS hours (Creativity, Activity, Service) during junior and senior year
• Complete all graduation requirements for the high school diploma

**Please note that students DO NOT have to take any IB exams in order to earn the IHS diploma. IB testing and the IHS diploma are separate and do not affect the student's ability to earn the diploma.**

Senior Parents: PLEASE READ!

**Artwork for the IHS Graduation Program is now being accepted! IHS seniors can submit artwork for consideration to any of the IHS offices until May 1. Please encourage the artists in your life to submit their original work!**

**Auditions for the IHS Graduation Ceremony will be held at each campus in April. We are looking for singers, dancers, musicians, speakers--solo or in a group! All performers must be current IHS graduating seniors. Seniors who want to audition should look out for flyers in the IHS offices and hallways with more information. Here are the dates and locations:

South Choir Room: Thursday, April 4 (3:45-4:30)

Sheldon Choir Room: Wednesday, April 9 (3:45-4:30)

Churchill Choir Room: Tuesday, April 15 (3:45-4:30)

**Seniors can go to any audition that works for their schedules--it doesn't have to be their home campus **

**IHS Graduation Tickets will be available in the IHS offices at each campus starting on May 12, 2025. Every IHS student is guaranteed (6) tickets. After Memorial Day, students are welcome to check in with the IHS secretaries to ask for more tickets if needed. We do not ever run out tickets ;)

**There are also separate French immersion and Spanish immersion graduation ceremonies, usually held at Charlemagne and Buena Vista, respectively. These events are not organized by IHS, but instead are coordinated by FI/SI parents of the graduating senior class. If the parent organizers of these immersion graduation ceremonies want me to include any information in this newsletter, please just email me!

Mark Your Calendars:

- Monday June 2, 2025: Eugene IHS Graduation Rehearsal for ALL SENIORS 8:30-9:35am, South Eugene High School Auditorium. Our Farewell Assembly will follow from 9:45-11:15am.

- Friday June 6, 2025: Eugene IHS Graduation 7:00pm, Hult Center for the Performing Arts (seniors will need to arrive at 6:00pm for class photo and taking the stage).