School Events & Important Dates
2/6: Second Semester Begins!
2/9: PTO Family Craft Night (6:00-7:30pm)
2/13: Report Cards Sent Home (Monday Mail)
2/13: Awbrey Park PTO Meeting (6:30pm, Room 16)
2/15: 4J School Board Meeting (7:00pm via Zoom)
2/16: Walking Field Trip - Santa Clara Fire Station (2nd Grade)
2/17: Sluggo’s Home Run Reading Challenge Kick-off Assembly
2/20: President's Day (No School)
2/28: Site Council Meeting (3:15-4:00pm)
3/1: 4J School Board Meeting (7:00pm via Zoom)
3/13: Awbrey Park PTO Meeting (6:30pm, Room 16)
3/14: Field Trip: Eugene Symphony Orchestra (4th & 5th Grade)
3/15: School Board Meeting (7:00pm via Zoom)
3/16: PTO Family BINGO Night (6:00-7:30pm)
3/17: Staff Workload Relief Day (No School)
3/27-3/31: Spring Break (No School)
February News, Events & Updates
Dear Awbrey Park Families,
We have a full newsletter for you this month with information regarding Kindergarten hearing screenings, new after-school programs, a proposed 2023-24 school calendar, and upcoming traffic safety projects in our community.
We are also hosting a PTO Family Craft Night this evening from 6:00-7:30pm in the Awbrey Park cafeteria! There will be crafts, cookie decorating, and a flower walk for all families to enjoy. We hope to see you there!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a great Thursday!
Sincerely,
Jared Tiecke, Principal
February PTO Meeting
Our February PTO meeting will be on Monday, February 13th at 6:30pm in Room 16. We have invited Kristen Gianforti (Awbrey Park Student Success Coordinator) & Jocelyn Mendelssohn (4J Health/TAG Teacher on Special Assignment) to talk about their roles in the district, TAG, and our new health curriculum, The Great Body Shop.
If you interested in volunteering and/or helping to organize events at Awbrey Park, consider joining our Parent-Teacher Organization! Our PTO meets on the second Monday of each month from 6:30-7:30pm. Please contact Kellie Rushing karushing22@gmail.com or Katie Schnider katie@ohdeugene.com for more information.
Family Craft Night!
Join us TONIGHT from 6:00-7:30pm in the Awbrey Park cafeteria for our PTO Family Craft Night! This is a great opportunity to get creative with your friends, family, and the Awbrey Park community. Hope to see you there!
Kindergarten Hearing Screening
On Friday, February 10, 2023, we will be hosting a hearing screening for all Kindergarten students at Awbrey Park Elementary School. University of Oregon speech language pathologists will administer the screenings. Students who do not pass an initial screening will be re-screened at a later date. If your child does not pass a second screening, you will be notified in writing, in which case a professional exam may be suggested. Students already identified as having a hearing loss will not be screened.
Parent/Guardian permission slips were sent home in Monday Mail this week. If you do not want your student to participate in the hearing screening, please complete the form below and return it to your child’s teacher by Friday, February 10th. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school office at 541-790-4050.
2023 NextStep Electronics Recycling Competition!
Have any old electronics collecting dust? If so, Awbrey Park is participating in an electronics recycle competition with other Lane County schools! If an item is mostly metal, has a plug, or takes batteries it counts. E-waste examples include microwaves, TVs, printers, old cords and cables, cell phones, computers, and audio/visual equipment.
Between February 1st and April 30th, drop of any old electronics at NextStep (245 Jackson Street, Eugene) and let them know you are supporting Awbrey Park Elementary School. We will also be hosting our own on-site collection box March 20th-24th near the front office.
The school with the most “e-waste” collected wins a $500 grant and a Next Step Robot made by a local artist. For questions, please contact Kristie Long in the front office at 541-790-4050. Help support Awbrey Park by recycling some old electronics!
Afternoon Dismissal Safety Reminders! (REPEAT)
Spring Creek Drive is currently on the city and county’s radar as it is in need of further safety improvements for students walking and biking to school. While we await these improvements, there is a small, but important step parents/guardians can do to help!
In addition to maintaining safe traveling speeds and watching for people along Spring Creek Drive, we could use your help at afternoon dismissal. We currently open our gates at 2:45pm for parents/guardians to access the back parking lot. We are noticing an increase in vehicles arriving before our back gates open, pause parking on the road and shoulder. To help ensure the safety of people walking, biking, and using mobile devices to and from school, as well as in the community, we ask that parents/guardians avoid arriving early in an effort to help keep our roads safe. We have heard concerns from the county and want to do our best to avoid any safety risks or ticketing from the sheriff’s office. Thanks again for all your help!
Proposed 2023–24 4J School Calendar
Eugene School District 4J wants to hear what you think about the proposed calendar for the 2023–24 school year!
Notably, school would start before the Labor Day weekend, with kindergartners, sixth and ninth graders beginning on Wednesday, August 30, and the remaining grades returning on Thursday, August 31, under the proposal. Thanksgiving break would be extended to three days, from November 22–24. No-school parent-teacher conference days for grades K–8 would occur on November 20–21, with the exact conference schedule varying by school.
The earlier start date will increase the number of instructional days, allow for greater flexibility throughout the year (to add make-up hazardous weather days for example), enable a longer Thanksgiving break which is a historically low attendance week, and provide for a softer start for students returning after the long summer break.
Proposed Key Dates:
• NEW First Day of School: August 30 for grades K, 6 and 9; August 31 for all other grades
• NEW Parent-Teacher Conferences/No School (Grades K–8 only): November 20–21
• NEW Thanksgiving Break: November 22–24
• Winter Break: December 18–January 2
• Spring Break: March 25–29
• Last Day of School: June 13
4J Virtual Screening: LIKE (A Documentary About Social Media)
Our 4J Equity Department is offering a virtual screen of LIKE for students and families from February 6th – February 13th.
HOW TO WATCH: The district will send an email with the video link to families and staff. If you do not receive the link prior to Feb. 6, please check that your school has your correct email address or email equity@4j.lane.edu. To watch the LIKE trailer and learn more, visit https://www.impactful.co/like.
Students and families are encouraged to watch the film together and discuss these topics afterward. For questions, contact the 4J Equity Department at 541-790-7576 or email equity@4j.lane.edu.
4J Medical or Religious Exception Process for Volunteers
4J has created a process for religious and medical exemptions for volunteers. The information can be found on the 4J website under the Risk Management and School Safety Department and the Parents tab under "Volunteers”.
Linked here are the Instructions for filling out the COVID-19 Exemption Request Form.
- Volunteers not vaccinated against COVID-19 due to a qualified medical or religious exception, may complete the Oregon Health Authority’s Medical Exception Form or Religious Exception Form (Medical Exception Form or Religious Exception Form).
- The completed document should be uploaded to the Volunteer Application, where proof of COVID-19 vaccination is requested.
- Volunteer Obligations: Upon exception approval the volunteer will receive a Vaccine Exception Accommodation letter signed by the Director of Risk Management and School Safety stating the volunteer exception has been granted and the volunteer will comply with all recommendations and guidance for reducing the spread of COVID-19 published by governmental authorities, including the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as maintaining physical distancing and wearing an approved face covering and will also comply with all rules, guidelines and protocols adopted by Lane County School District 4J for reducing the spread of COVID-19.
New Request for Pre-Arranged Absence Form
Our 4J Attendance Committee has a new Request for Pre-Arranged Absence Form families should:
- Complete for or all absences that are 3 or more days in length
- Submit the form to the office at least 2 days prior to the absence
The form does not apply to sickness, an emergency, or an authorized religious holiday, but is required to excuse any planned absences 3 days or more. Without the form, absences will be unexcused.
Parents/guardians only need to complete the first section and then turn into the office. If you don’t have your child’s Perm ID #, our office staff can assist with that once the form is submitted. For questions, please contact Jade Chrissis at 541-790-4050 or at chrissis_j@4j.lane.edu. Thank you!
Upcoming Traffic Safety Projects in our Community!
We have great news to share! Many projects to improve traffic safety in the neighborhood are getting funded and/or are being seriously considered. Below is an update and requests for your input:
- Grove between Silver and Maxwell: The City and County are considering a “quick build” project to make it safer and more comfortable for people to walk and bike on this street. If you’d like to see a separated space for people to walk and bike on Grove using the existing pavement (not adding sidewalk and not removing trees), please weigh in here.
- A Bike/pedestrian bridge over the Beltline near North Eugene High School would provide an alternative toRiver Road for people traveling between River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods. The City secured $6 million in federal funding for this project and has grants pending for the remaining costs. This is still many years from construction and the City would like to know if and how this bridge would improve your life. Please share your thoughts here. Contact City of Eugene Planner, Catherine Rohan, with any questions at p: (541) 682-8472 | e: CRohan@eugene-or.gov
- Maxwell at North Park: The County plans to install a pedestrian island and flashing lights (rectangular rapid flashing beacon) this summer to make it safer to cross, along with a short stretch of sidewalk to connect the crossing to Kelly and Yujin Gakuen.
- Howard Ave: The City has funding to add safety improvements for people walking, biking and using mobility devices, but increased construction costs and the poor condition of this County road are slowing down this project. Updates to come.
- Spring Creek Drive: The County plans to kick off their Traffic Calming pilot project by Awbrey Park Elementary with speed cushions to be installed this summer or fall. Meanwhile, the City has just secured funds to add a separated walking/biking space between the school and River Road and make lighting improvements!
If you have any questions regarding upcoming traffic safety projects or how to provide feedback, please contact Our Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator Sarah Mazze (mazze_s@4j.lane.edu) for more information.
Inclement Weather (REPEAT)
With the possibility of inclement weather quickly approaching, this would be great time to double check that your contact information is updated in the event of a school closure or delay. Information will be communicated through our regular notification system (via text, voicemail and email) from the district office. You can subscribe to our flash alert notification system by visiting the Eugene School District website or by logging into ParentVue and updating your contact information.
