Eugene School District 4J — School News for Community Members
Noticias del Distrito Escolar de Eugene 4J para nuestro comunidad—en español
In this message:
• Superintendent Selection: Final days to weigh in with online forums or survey
• Free Testing: Sign up now get free tests for COVID-19 mailed to your home
• COVID Changes: Local and state changes to keep students learning in-person
• COVID-19 Dashboard: Tracking 4J COVID-19 cases, quarantines online
• Safe & Secure: Meet 4J’s campus safety team and suicide prevention specialist
• 4J School News: Check out some recent news headlines and school updates
• Join Our Team: Serve local youth and community—come work or sub with 4J!
Superintendent Selection Process: Input Invited
Share your thoughts in online forums, survey open through Jan. 25
The Eugene School Board has begun the process to select the permanent superintendent for Eugene School District 4J. Community members are invited to provide input on desired strengths, qualities and priorities for the district’s leader. Public input is being collected through an online survey and public forums.
Community Forums
• Saturday, January 22, 1–2:30 p.m.
Zoom Link •https://lane.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d7f2a5fa857a1e5dc153421d&id=e1b9194a0e&e=2281b50d74 Invite Friends • Learn More
Forum held in English with Spanish interpretation
• Español: Tuesday, January 25, 7–8:30 p.m.
Zoom Link • Invite Friends • Learn More
Forum held in Spanish with English interpretation
Online Survey
Superintendent Selection Survey
www.surveymonkey.com/r/4JSurvey
closes Tuesday, January 25
Superintendent Selection
Community Forums
Online Survey
Be Safe. Be Sure. Get Free COVID-19 Testing
Free COVID-19 test kits available to households by mail • Weekly testing also available for 4J students through school
COVID-19 testing is an important tool to reduce the spread of the virus. Regular testing can identify when people in the school community are positive for COVID and help keep from spreading it to others. The federal government is making test kits available to individuals and families by mail, to have on hand to use when needed.
The federal government is offering free COVID test kits by mail. Each residential household may request four home tests to be delivered at no cost. Here’s how:
Complete online form to order tests: special.usps.com/testkits
Limit of one order per residential address
One order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
Orders will typically ship within 7–12 days, starting in late January
For more information, see COVIDTests.gov
What to do if you test positive
Testing is also available for 4J students at school under certain circumstances. K–12 students and staff can sign up and participate in free weekly screening testing. Testing also is available for students who are exposed to COVID at school or develop symptoms at school. Weekly Student Testing • Weekly Staff Testing
In addition to home testing kits, there are many other options for getting tested for COVID-19 in our community, including dedicated testing sites, pharmacies, healthcare providers and public health: Community Testing Sites
Order Free Test Kits
Keeping Up With COVID Protocols
4J schools maintain a high standard of health protocols to protect our students, staff and families. This has so far been successful in preventing any significant transmission of COVID-19 in the school environment.
Our aim and intent are to keep schools open and students learning in-person. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep students safely in school on-site.
We have made some temporary changes to support these efforts, including:
Staffing: Hiring floating substitutes to cover when staff are absent
Support: Dispatching district staff to help with school needs
Virtual: Holding most meetings and events virtually, not in-person
Sports: Limiting spectators and prohibiting food & drink at athletic events
There are some other changes for schools being implemented statewide, to reflect changing public health guidance and keep students in school as much as safely possible—including changes in contact tracing, quarantine and isolation; requiring boosters for adults to be fully vaccinated and up to date; making more tests available to schools; and a “test to stay” option for students exposed to COVID at school:
Keeping Up With COVID Changes
Do Your Part to Slow the Spread
We must all do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and continue to protect our school community. You can help! Public health experts say the most important things you can do include:
• Stay home when you don’t feel well, are positive or have been exposed to COVID
• Get tested if you’ve been exposed or are having any symptoms, even mild ones
• Get vaccinated against COVID, including any recommended booster shots
Did you know? COVID booster shots are now needed for adults to be considered fully vaccinated and up to date.
CDC: Stay Up to Date With Your Vaccines
OHA: Find a Vaccine / Lane County Clinics
The State of Oregon is offering information and resources for residents who test positive for COVID via the COVID-19 Positive website and hotline, 866-917-8881.
Thank you for doing your part to help us keep students learning in person, slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health of our school community.
Get Vaccinated
Stay Home When Sick
Get Tested for COVID
If You Test Positive
COVID-19 Dashboard
District’s transparent display of cases and quarantines by school
Eugene School District 4J publishes an online COVID-19 case dashboard to provide our school community access to current, relevant information about COVID cases in our school community.
The dashboard is available 24 hours a day and is as real-time as possible—it is updated constantly around the clock, reflecting cases as they are tracked in the district’s reporting systems.
The dashboard shows active COVID cases and quarantines among students and staff in 4J schools. When a student or staff member’s required isolation or quarantine period is completed, it will no longer appear as an active case or quarantine.
During periods when volume is high, such as during the current surge, it takes longer to complete tracking of the cases reported each day, so there may be a longer than usual delay before a case appears on the dashboard.
COVID-19 Case Dashboard
Campus Safety Team
Meet 4J’s campus safety and security team. The district now has eight full-time campus security and safety monitors, two assigned to each high school region, and is also hiring a daytime lead monitor and two night monitors. The campus monitors now work in all 4J schools to help keep our students and schools safe and secure.
Campus Safety Program
3-Minute Intro Video
Suicide Prevention Awareness
Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people aged 10–24 in Oregon, and certain groups of students are at greater risk.
As a school community, we can offer hope, help, and strength. Working together, we can decrease the suicide rate in our schools and community.
4J’s superintendent and suicide prevention specialist stress in this short video the importance of supporting students’ mental health, and integrating social emotional learning and proactive prevention for all ages.
Suicide Prevention
In Other News…
Check out some recent headlines
• On the Rise: High school graduation rates trending upward
• Climate Conversation: 4J students present about climate education
• Cabinet Making: Adams fifth-grader on Oregon’s Kid Governor exec team
• Cozy and Cool: Volunteers knit hats for students in 4J after-school program
• Four-Legged Therapy: “No Drama Llama” brings furry hugs to Howard
Last issue’s most-read stories
• Future Build Project: New program teaches 4J students construction skills
• Story Time: NATIVES program director captivates second graders
• National Nod: Churchill High School senior is National Miss Juneteenth
More 4J News
Coming Up in 4J
1/22 Superintendent Selection Forum
1/24 Budget Committee Meeting
1/25 Superintendent Selection Forum
1/25 Superintendent Survey Closes
1/31 School Choice Request Deadline
2/2 School Board Meeting
2/16 School Board Meeting
2/21 District Closed: Presidents Day
3/1–31 Out-of-District School Requests
Upcoming Events
Apply for 4J Jobs
Teachers & Licensed Specialists: School Psychologists • School Psychology Intern • Registered Nurses
Classified Staff: Bilingual Educational Assistant • Bilingual Office Support • Building Utility Support Educational Assistant • Bus Aides • Bus Driver • Bus Driver Specialist • Custodial / Maintenance Coordinator • Department Assistant • Educational Assistants • Special Ed Educational Assistant: Edgewood, River Road, Howard • Electrician • Electrician Specialist • Evening Custodian: Family School & Kelly, Sheldon • Licensed Practical Nurse Pool • Maintenance Workers • NATIVES Program Tutor • Painter Specialist • Program Coordinator Assistant • Regional Equity Managers • Senior Groundskeeper • Technology Support Specialist • Temp Workers
Coaches: Track
Substitutes: Athletic Trainers • Bus Drivers • Bus Aides • Custodians • Educational Assistants • Food Service • Non-Instructional Support • Speech & Language Specialists • Teachers • Technology Support Specialists
4J Job Openings
I Want To…
• Send question or comment to 4J
• Attend a school board meeting
• Contact a school
• Enroll a new student
• Find the school calendar
• Donate to support local schools
More 4J Information
Eugene School District 4J • 200 N. Monroe St. • Eugene, OR 97402 • USA • www.4j.lane.edu