4J Parent News

Information for parents and guardians from Eugene School District 4J

• School Choice: Learn about school options and apply for transfers in January

• Suicide Prevention: 4J joins with JED Foundation to help strengthen mental health services

• Video Replay: Watch November 30 informational session about helping teenagers grieve
• Low-Cost Internet: 4J families may qualify for discounted broadband service
• 'Tis the Season: Remember to keep your child home if ill to help keep students, staff healthy

• Employee Spotlight: Meet Juan, custodian at Howard

• Work With 4J: Serve local youth and the community—apply for a 4J job today!

In Eugene School District 4J, every school offers students excellent educational opportunities. Students may enroll in their neighborhood school at any time, or request to enroll in a different 4J school if space is available. School choice requests are accepted in an order determined by lottery.

To be included in the school choice lottery, 4J residents must apply between now and January 31. Non-district residents apply later, March 1–31.

Families are invited to explore their school choice options, including their neighborhood school. All 4J schools will hold a virtual and an in-person visit later this month. There also will be two virtual information sessions—one in English on Jan. 10 and the other in Spanish on Jan. 12—where families learn more about 4J's school choice process.

The district is working with a national foundation to reduce suicide and substance misuse and strengthen mental health services at 4J's high schools for lasting change.

Over the next three years, the JED Foundation, through its JED High School program, will provide 4J's high schools with expert support, best practices and guidance to protect student mental health and prevent suicide. The program is built on the premise that mental health initiatives at high schools must be supported by building-level administrators and the community at large.

The work begins next month when the foundation will help high schools complete a student assessment, which will be repeated near the conclusion of the partnership. The assessments will gauge each school's substance use and suicide prevention efforts and promotion of mental health services. Your student's high school will send out more information soon about this in-depth, confidential assessment.

In addition, the foundation will participate in a campus visit either in-person or virtually to develop a road map to help each school establish and meet its goals for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. It will provide consultations, guidance and resources toward that end.

Eugene School District 4J held a community talk with Dr. Tiffany Brown in late November for parents and community members to learn how to help teens process grief in a healthy way.

Speaker Dr. Brown is a licensed family therapist and senior lecturer / clinical director in the Couples and Family Therapy graduate program at the University of Oregon.

The Oregon Health Authority and the Lines for Life Suicide Rapid Response Program funded the event in collaboration with Lane County Public Health. The presentation is part of an ongoing 4J series of community events addressing youth mental health and suicide prevention.

4J families may qualify for a $30 monthly discount on broadband Internet service through a federal program to help connect families and households that struggle to afford internet service.

To qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, your household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, or $55,500 for a family of four. You can also qualify if a member of your household receives certain government assistance, such as Medicaid, SNAP or WIC. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider, including Comcast, or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail in application. Learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP, or by calling 877-384-2575.

With the arrival of winter and illness circulating in our community, we also often see more students getting sick. As a reminder, please keep your child home if you see signs of illness, such as a fever greater than 100.4 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, or serious, sustained cough. Current COVID-19 symptoms often are mild and similar to cold or allergy symptoms.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep our student and staff community as healthy as possible during the cold winter months!

Custodian at Howard Elementary School

“We’re here to provide a clean and safe environment for students. When the kids, especially the little ones, are ready to go to recess during lunch, they say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Juan, for cleaning after us.’ That makes me smile.”

JOIN TEAM EUGENE!

Accounting & Business Systems Specialist • Bus Aides • Bus Driver • Campus Safety & Security Monitors • Construction Project Manager • Counselor • Database Administrator • Educational Assistants • Equipment Operator • Food Service Coordinator • Grant Accountant • HVAC Refrigeration Technician • Music Teacher • NATIVES Program Tutors • Plumber Specialist • Registered Nurses • Safety Specialists • School Psychologist • Security Program Coordinator • Senior Groundskeepers • Special Education Assistants • Special Education Teachers • Temporary Workers • and more!

1/10 School Choice Informational Session (English)

1/12 School Choice Informational Session (Spanish)

1/16 No School: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday (Observed)

1/18 School Board Meeting

1/31 School Choice Application Deadline

2/1 School Board Meeting

2/3 No School

2/15 School Board Meeting

2/20 No School: Presidents Day (possible school closure makeup day)

3/1 School Board Meeting

3/15 School Board Meeting

3/16 No School: Middle & High Only (Grading Day)

3/17 No School: Staff Workload Relief Day

3/27–31 No School: Spring Break

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