Cheetah Chatter

1510 W. 14th Street, Eugene, Ore. 97402

School Office Hours 7:30 am-3:00 pm

541-790-5300

carey_k@4j.lane.edu

http://chavez.4j.lane.edu

facebook.com/CesarChavezCheetahs

Dear Chávez Families,

It is hard to believe this school year is coming to a close! We have been through so many ups and downs. It has been a true pleasure to have your children back in the building in person this year. Students have learned academic skills and have grown together as a community. For many of our youngest students, this is the first time they have been together in a school setting. I am so proud of the growth I have seen. Our students are resilient and strong. Thank you to all families for the partnership this year.

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and raise awareness of issues related to the gay rights movement. I want to take a moment to state my support for all of our LGBTQ+ students and staff. Our 4J School Board policy is very clear about supporting and providing equal educational opportunities to all students; we prohibit harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual identity and gender identity. Additionally, an important part of our 4J Student Suicide Prevention policy is to address the needs of our students identifying as LGBTQ+. At Chávez, and throughout 4J, everyone is welcome. My hope is that everyone in our community will learn, thrive, and feel a sense of belonging, all while being their true selves.

Lastly, I ask all of you to fill out our Family Survey. We are always looking for ways to improve the academic and social emotional experience of our students and families here at Chávez. We would love to hear from you about you and your child's experience in school this year. Please take a few moments to fill out this survey. We will use the results to help improve our practices and expand our outreach efforts. Thank you for taking this opportunity to let us know what we are doing well and what we can do to improve. We truly appreciate your input!

Link to survey:

• English https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZNCBJH7
• Spanish https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/28RXV73

Again, thank you for the honor you have entrusted in us as a staff to care for your children. I wish you the most wonderful of summer vacations, and I look forward to welcoming you back to school on Wednesday, September 7th.

Wishing you well,

Ms. Pearson, Principal

June 10 - No school/Grading day for teachers

June 16 - 5th grade promotion 5:30 - 6:30 See invite for details

June 17 - Last day of school - Early release at 11:10. Look for Report Cards coming home in backpacks on the last day!

https://www.4j.lane.edu/calendars/elementary2021/

DATES FOR NEXT YEAR:

Elementary School Calendar
Middle & High School Calendar
More Annual Calendar Information

JUNE:

• June 20 Office closed in observance of Juneteenth
• June 21-24 Open 8:00-12:00, 1:00-3:00 daily
• June 27-29 Office closed, by appointment only

JULY:

• Closed

AUGUST:

• Offices reopen with limited hours on August 17 and 18. Contact us for open hours.
• Regular hours resume on Monday, August 22.

Moving out of the neighborhood? Planning on attending a different school next year? Please let us know by calling the office ASAP! This helps us with our planning for the fall. Thank you.

A big THANK YOU to all of our families and to the community that supports our students. We were thrilled to bring back our annual Jog-a-thon after two years on pause. It was a super fun day, and we raised $7500. We couldn't have done it without you!

Register here for Olympic Day

• What: Olympic Day “Celebrating 50 years of Title IX”
• When: June 11 – 12:00pm
• Where: Jane Sanders Stadium
• Who: All K-8 students + families
• Cost: FREE
• Pre-registration required: Click here

Fun Options at Recess

This spring, we have been providing options for relaxation, exercise, team camaraderie, and just plain ol' fun for first graders at recess. Teacher-led soccer, basketball, music and a bubble machine, and an art cart have been huge hits. A fan favorite, here's a picture of some of the first graders at Art Cart.

Who: Chavez Fifth Graders and Families

What: Fifth Grade Promotion

Where: The Chavez Playground

When: Thursday, June 16th from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Please join us on Thursday, June 16th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. to promote our wonderful, talented, and special group of fifth graders. We invite all 5th grade families to join us at the playground for a special gathering where students will receive their promotion certificates, photo with their teacher and enjoy a treat provided by Kona Ice!

Attire: BEACH THEME! Wear your cool, casual clothes ready for Summer vacation! Please no swimsuits.

At the event we will grab certificates, take photos with teachers and friends, and grab a special treat from Kona Ice. Kona Ice will be done serving at 6:30 p.m. This is an informal event. Please drop in anytime between 5:30-6:30, mix and mingle, and leave when you’re ready.

REMINDER: Friday, June 17th is a school day! We will have field day and dismissal is at 11:10.

We look forward to a special evening!

~The Fifth Grade Team

The Unitarian Universalist Church Food Pantry is a block away from our school, at 1685 W. 13th Ave. They are open every first & third Thursday from 2:00-6:00.

The Eugene Faith Center Food Pantry is across the street from our school, at 1410 W. 13th Ave. They are open every second & fourth Thursday from 2:00-6:00.

Both food pantries offer fresh produce as well as shelf-stable items.

Be safe and respectful in the parking lot.

• Keep your speed to 5 mph
• Do not attempt to pass other vehicles
• Use the white-striped areas for curbside drop-off and pick-up
• Do not park in the crosswalk

Thank you for working together with our staff to keep everyone safe in the parking lot!

Are you curious about what is going on at school? Do you want to be involved in helping plan events? Do you want to get to know other Chávez parents? PACK is a great place to start! You can attend a meeting or email for more info: chavezcheetahpack@gmail.com

Check out our current newsletter!

Parents and families are essential partners in promoting good attendance because they have the bottom-line responsibility for making sure their children get to school every day and on time. Just as parents should focus on how their children are performing academically, they have a responsibility to set expectations for good attendance and to monitor their children’s absences, so that missed days don’t add up to academic trouble. Visit www.attendanceworks.com for more information.

• Make getting your child to school on time every day a top priority.
  

• Work with your child’s school to help with barriers that keep your child from attending every day.
  

• Ask for and monitor data on absences

Site Council met on May 23 for the final meeting of the year. We reviewed our academic and attendance data. We talked about some year-end events, like 5th Grade Promotion on June 16th and Field Day on June 17th. We planned the Site Council elections for new members for 2022-2023. School employee elections will take place in June. We decided to hold off on the parent elections until the fall, when we welcome families back to the new year. We will be looking to elect one new parent representative at that time. If you are interested in joining Site Council, please let your student's teacher know!

With the devastating news from Uvalde, Texas right on the heels of the devastating news from Buffalo, NY, and the context of heightened stress many of us were already navigating, I just wanted to take a moment to share this graphic from the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. I hope we can all take some time to reflect and find ways to center our individual and collective well-being!

I know some resources have already been shared out to support caregivers in conversations with children and youth about violence, but I wanted to share one of my favorite compilations I've come across, which also includes some multilingual tips as you scroll down, in case it's of interest.

Thankfully, May was also filled with bright spots here at Chávez, with students bringing their joy and curiosity and unique selves each day! Teachers have continued their SEL Lessons, many related to problem-solving and getting along, and I've had the opportunity to continue Sources of Strength lessons with upper grades related to regulation, positive friends, and family support. We will wrap these up over the next week or so.

June is often very bittersweet for me--getting to see and celebrate students' growth in academic, social and emotional areas, the gorgeous weather and fun events...while also preparing to bid farewell to students for the summer and to send off our awesome 5th graders and other students who will not return in the Fall. I began working at Chávez when this class of 5th graders were kindergartners, so they will always have a special place in my heart! I wish them all the very best on their journeys and send especially warm wishes to all the families and caregivers for whom this is the end of your family's time at Chávez!

I've done one final virtual office update for the school year, where you'll find a variety of resources, especially in the caregiver corner. Please feel free to reach out to me between now and June 17 if you would like to discuss your student or family's needs. I'm available via email: sell_s@4j.lane.edu or by phone at 541-790-5383 (direct office line).

I wish you and your family a wonderful summer!

All the best,

Ms. Shannon

4J families, does your student or a family member need help with mental health care? Eugene School District 4J is providing students, staff and their families free access to Care Solace, a confidential care coordination service, to help provide an additional layer of care and address the growing need for mental health care and substance abuse treatment.

Care Solace will connect you to verified community care providers matched to your needs, including providers that accept your medical insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or sliding scale options for those without insurance. Their care companion team is always available. Get help finding care providers that meet your needs at caresolace.com/eugene or call 888-515-0595 anytime, day or night, in any language. (Note, Care Solace is not a mental health service provider or emergency response service. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255.)

Learn more: 4j.lane.edu/2022/03/care-solace-mental-health-care-coordination-service/

Being there for Kids during Challenging Times:

Two part Saturday Series June 11 & 18 9am to 12:30p @ The Box in Eugene 661 E. 19th Ave.

A learning experience for all who interact with children! Parents, grandparents, childcare, teachers, and anyone else caring for children in any way would benefit from this program. Learn the basics of how to help children understand and manage the strong emotions they are experiencing due to the pandemic, return to school, loss of social connections, difficult family situations, and other challenges in their lives. Find the right balance between structure and nurture to help build strong, self assured, and confident children through role modeling, building positive and predictable environments, promoting understanding of the brain-state model, and fostering rich connections between children and adults.

Part 1 Saturday June 11th, 9am to 12:30 pm. Part 2 Saturday June 18th, 9am to 12:30 pm

Breakfast and Snacks Provided!

Parallel learning track, art, and play activities for children will be provided with times for adults and parents to practice new skills!

The class is free but registration is required. Sign up at True Insight Parenting

Looking for something for your children to do over the summer, or are you needing resources or support? Directions Service Summer Directory has information on activities, camps and services available to youth and families. Visit their website www.directionservice.org for more information. Or see attached PDF for local resources.

Registration open for classes July 5th - August 19th. Classes will be held at Oak Hill School. Registration open now oakhillschool.net/summer-on-the-hill

As summer approaches some families may be thinking "what am I going to do with these kids all day"! Here is a link to "100 Fun Summer Activities for Kids". There are many great ideas mostly FREE for the summertime!

https://funcheaporfree.com/100-summer-activities-for-kids-free