4J Educator
October 2023, Volume 2
Information for Eugene School District 4J employees
In this message
• Employee Survey: Time is running out to submit survey gauging your building's morale
• Advisory Committees: Add your voice and discuss important issues with Superintendent Dey
• North Star: Hundreds gather to celebrate ribbon-cutting at new North Eugene High School
• Affinity Groups: 4J continues to invest in and expand groups that support student belonging
• Walking Challenge: Teams from Cal Young, River Road and Facilities Department big winners
• Gym Benefit: All 4J employees, spouses eligible for low rate at area gyms
• Super Insights: Learn about 4J's Future Building career technical ed program in latest podcast
• The Water Cooler: Check out the latest district-level newsletters
Reminder: Employee Climate Survey Due October 20
You have until Friday, October 20, at 6 p.m. to submit the employee climate survey — the first of two to be conducted this school year — as district leaders are committed to more regularly checking in and hearing from you. The link to the survey is contained in an email you should have received.
The aim of the survey, which will be repeated in the spring, is to collect your insights to help gauge the current culture and morale in 4J's school buildings, district office and other locations. We are committed to creating the best possible working environment both to support student success and to ensure your work is meaningful and propels you forward in accomplishing your career and life goals.
This is the second year of the survey managed by Upbeat, a third-party vendor, and all information shared is completely secure and anonymous.
Final Call: Join New Advisory Committees
Apply now to serve on advisory committees being convened by Superintendent Andy Dey to hear from classified and licensed employees.
One of his priorities is to keep an open line of dialogue with you throughout the year to hear what’s working and what needs to be improved in our buildings. The aim of the committees is to hear your comments, suggestions and questions as well as collaboratively process challenges as they arise.
The committees will provide venues for an open and honest conversation so we can work together to continue to provide exceptional educational experiences for our students in a work environment that promotes professionalism and a sense of supportive belonging among staff.
North Star: Hundreds Celebrate New High School's Ribbon-Cutting
A large crowd celebrated the public unveiling of the new North Eugene High School on the evening of Tuesday, October 10.
Hundreds of people walked the hallways and checked out the classrooms and other learning spaces of the first traditional high school opened in the Eugene-Springfield area in more than a half-century. The open house drew superintendents, school board members, mayors, faculty and students, both past and present.
The new, 216,000-square-foot high school is the largest of the three new 4J school buildings paid for by the bond measure that local voters passed nearly five years ago. District leaders thanked the community for its continued investment in the local K–12 education system, as well as the team who shepherded the project from vision to reality.
“This magnificent, state-of-the-art high school symbolizes our community’s profound faith in the potential of our students and the dedication of our staff,” said school board chair Maya Rabasa, minutes before former school board member Jim Torrey cut a red ribbon, flanked by current and former school board member and district leaders.
Nurturing Student Communities
Our district continues to invest in and expand student affinity groups so students who share common backgrounds and interests have dedicated time and space to learn and grow individually and collectively.
Additionally, the groups offer students from communities that have been historically marginalized the opportunity to network, build friendships and nurture their personal identity.
There are currently seven* funded affinity groups at 4J: Asian Pacific Islander Student Union, Black Student Union, Gender Sexuality Alliance, Jewish Student Union, Latinx Student Union, Mind Body Divergence Alliance, and Native American Student Union. More than 1,400 4J students participate in these groups at all school levels — elementary, middle and high.
Each group meets regularly and is provided a small budget for activities that include workshops, field trips, film screenings and outreach at community events. Starting in 2021, our district hired district-level program coordinators to support the efforts of school advisors who offer guidance to students and help them plan activities. Last year, advisers began receiving a stipend for their work, bargained through 4J’s employee groups.
“The sense of belonging and connection and learning that you're giving our students is invaluable, it’s irreplaceable,” school board member Jenny Jonak told program coordinators after a presentation about the student affinity groups' work at a board meeting earlier this week.
*The previously published newsletter mistakenly omitted one of the affinity groups.
Three Teams Walk Away with $300 Mini-Grants
Three teams went on a "terror" to capture one of the $300 mini grants offered up during the recently concluded Spooky USA Walker Tracker Challenge
The winners are:
- Most New Team Members: River Road / El Camino del Río with 15 new members
- Most Pictures Posted: the Facilities Department was tops with 17 pictures posted to the Walker Tracker app
- Most Steps*: Cal Young tallied 915,895 steps
* River Road was tops in this category with 1,156,673 steps, but as teams can only win in one category, the prize went to the second-place finisher.
Look for details about next month's challenge, connected to a character little-seen but well-known for wearing red and white (and, no, it's not Santa). The walking challenge program is funded by an OEA Choice Trust wellness grant.
No Sweat: Gym Membership Benefit Expanded
All 4J employees can now take advantage of discounted gym memberships through the district's new partnership with Active&Fit Direct.
Active&Fit Direct members pay $28 a month for a gym membership without having to sign a long-term contract. Spouses of members also are eligible for the same monthly price. The benefit remains available to employees covered by Kaiser and Moda insurance plans offered through 4J.
To access the benefit, visit this webpage and log in using your 4J email address. The webpage also has information about other 4J wellness initiatives, including yoga, Walker Tracker challenges and wellness webinars. If you need assistance, reach out to the benefits coordinator for your employee group.
Super Insights: New Podcast Episode Released
The fifth episode of Super Insights, our podcast featuring Superintendent Andy Dey, dropped today.
The podcast gives listeners an in-depth look at the major programs, priorities and issues for our district. The new episode focuses on Future Build, a career technical education program that provides 4J students with real-world projects to develop their skills in the construction trades.
You can find this and prior episodes by clicking the link below. Happy listening!
The Water Cooler
District-level newsletters:
- NEW! The Library Lowdown
- Eco Experience with Eco Chick (eco tips and more)
- Student Services Department Newsletter
- EdTech (technology tips, teaching strategies and more)
- Hadley Herald (tech tips for 4J educators)
- Equity Extra