May Newsletter
2019-20 calendars, employee awards, César Chávez celebration
Springfield staff honored with district excellence awards
More than 80 staff members were nominated by their colleagues earlier in April. Nomination categories included certified, classified, administrators/confidential and supervisors. District volunteers were also nominated.
Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees! For a complete list of winners, click here.
2019-20 district calendars finalized
Thurston High School teacher receives prestigious award
Tyler Nice, an AP U.S. History and AP U.S. Government teacher at Thurston High School is the Oregon recipient of this year’s James Madison Memorial Fellowship.
The fellowship, which is awarded to one secondary teacher per state per year, is a prestigious honor for educators who have shown commitment to teaching the U.S. Constitution.
As part of the fellowship, Nice will receive $24,000 to put toward earning another Master’s degree in a constitution-related field such as history or political science or a combination of the two.
The James Madison Memorial Foundation, through which the award is given, allows for recipients to work toward their degree over the course of several summers, instead of taking time off from their teaching jobs.
The grant also pays for a four-week stay at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where Nice said he’ll be overjoyed to walk around the historic city.
“This is a huge honor for me,” Nice said. “I thought, ‘there’s no way they’ll pick me,’ I’m still kind of in shock.”
In case you missed it: César Chávez event
Hundreds gathered at Hamlin Middle School April 4 for the 17th annual César Chávez celebration, complete with music, poetry, student dance performances and food.
The cafeteria of the school was filled to the brim with parents, students, Springfield district staff and community members who came together to celebrate the life and work of César Chávez – an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist who was committed to justice and non-violence
Large student drawings and other artwork of Chávez were strewn across the walls of the school, and educational and informational booths were set up for attendees to gather information about local nonprofit organizations such as Downtown Languages. The nonprofit is dedicated to increasing opportunities for immigrants and building respect and understanding across cultures by providing language, literacy and other educational programs.
Students across the district also submitted written essays and artwork as part of a contest after teachers throughout the Springfield district held lessons on Chávez and his work and accomplishments leading up to the event. For the contest, students were asked to submit an essay, video, poster or another form of art using the Chávez quote: “The end of all knowledge should be service to others.
Click here to read more.
Changes coming to free and reduced lunch programs at seven district schools
For the last several years, seven Springfield district schools have been able to provide free and reduced-price meals without requiring applications for the program, thanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
But that will change this upcoming school year (2019-20) as the Community Eligibility Provision, the program through which schools are reimbursed for the free meals they serve, has determined that the seven Springfield schools no longer qualify for such services.
The seven schools affected include Douglas Gardens Elementary, Guy Lee Elementary, Hamlin Middle School, Maple Elementary, Page Elementary, Riverbend Elementary and Two Rivers-Dos Ríos Elementary.
Students who qualify can still receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch, but beginning next school year will need to fill out paperwork applications to get signed up for the program. The communications department will be working with schools to help alert families to the change, and ensure that everyone has access to free and reduced-price program applications.
For more information on the program and the changes, click here.