Bulldog Bulletin
Awbrey Park Elementary School Newsletter
12/15-12/19: Scholastic Book Fair!
12/17: 5th Grade Wax Museum (9:30am, Gym)
12/17: Awbrey Park PTO Meeting (6:30pm, Room 16)
12/18: 5th Grade Field Trip: U of O (9:00am)
12/18: 4/5 Morning Choir Concert (5:45pm, Gym)
12/18: Title 1 Family Reading Night (6:15pm, Classrooms)
12/19: Spirit Day! (Pajama Day)
12/22-1/5: Winter Break (No School)
1/7: Special Board Meeting (6:00pm via Zoom)
1/8: Awbrey Park Site Council Meeting (5:30pm, Room 16)
1/14: In-Person School Choice Presentation (9:30am, Library)
1/14: Special Board Meeting (6:00pm via Zoom)
1/16: PTO Winter Dance! (6:00-8:00pm, Gym)
1/19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)
Dear Awbrey Park Families,
We have a lot of exciting activities this month, including our 4/5 Winter Music Concert for morning choir students, the Scholastic Book Fair, and Pajama Day this Friday!
We are also hosting our annual Title I Family Reading Night this Thursday, December 18, from 6:15-7:30 pm in the Awbrey Park gym. There will be a variety of fun activities and it's a great opportunity to connect with our school community.
Beginning in the month of January, we will be starting our Awbrey Park Quick News, which will include new information and reminders for students and families on the third Monday of each month, in between our monthly Bulldog Bulletins.
As a reminder, winter break begins on Monday, December 22 and continues through Monday, January 5. Students will return to school on Tuesday, January 6.
I hope you all have a safe and relaxing winter break!
Sincerely,
Jared Tiecke, Principal
Awbrey Park will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair December 15th - 19th!
See our Book Fair Dates & Times below:
Monday, December 15th: 3:00-4:00pm (Room 32)
Tuesday, December 16th: 3:00-4:00pm (Room 32)
Wednesday, December 17th: 5:00-7:00pm (Room 32)
Thursday, December 18th: 6:00-7:30pm (Room 32, During our Family Reading Night)
Friday, December 19th: 9:00am-3:00pm (Students Only)
Visit the link here for book fair information and the ability to set up a cash free way for your child to purchase books. Set up an e-wallet and your child can purchase books without you having to be there. Any unspent money can still be used at scholastic online.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Book Fair Coordinator, Kari Kokkeler (kokkeler_k@4j.lane.edu) for more information!
Join us for our Title 1 Family Reading Night, Fetch a Good Book!
When: Thursday, December 18th
Where: Gym, Cafeteria, & Classrooms
Time: 6:15-7:30pm
Join us for guest readers, book swaps, reading activities, refreshments, raffle prizes, and more. This year, our theme is all things "DOGS", featuring therapy dog visits, photos with Kingston, and plush dog reading buddies for kids to take home. We hope to see you there!
Hello, Bulldogs! It's time for the Winter Break Reading Challenge! ALL students who meet their grade-level goal of reading minutes during winter break will earn a token to use in the book vending machine!
To participate, simply read and record your minutes on the calendar provided below. It will also be provided in Monday Mail this week. Be sure to return this form to your teacher by Friday, January 9th, 2025. Happy Reading!
Are you interested in volunteering and/or helping to organize events at Awbrey Park? If so, consider joining the Awbrey Park Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)! Our PTO meets on the third Wednesday of each month from 6:00-7:30pm.
Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, December 17th at 6:00pm in Room 16. Parents and guardians are welcome to enter through the purple hallway doors or join us via Zoom (click here). See the agenda here for more details.
See our November Awbrey Park PTO Minutes below for all the latest news and updates!
For more information, please contact our PTO President, Jasmine Lawrence at awbreypto@gmail.com.
As a reminder, please encourage your child to check the Lost & Found near the cafeteria prior to Winter Break. All non-claimed items will be donated at the end of the day on Friday, December 19th.
We do our best to return items labeled with students’ names to them. If you haven’t already, please label your students’ jackets and sweatshirts/sweaters with their names. Our upcoming family reading night is a great time to check the Lost & Found for missing items in December. We hope to see you there!
The Awbrey Park library is bustling with activity, and students are eager to check out books! With so many books in circulation, Mrs. Gonzales would greatly appreciate some help in returning them to the shelves. If you enjoy spending time in libraries and being surrounded by books, we’d love to have your support.
If you're interested in volunteering in our school library, please email Mrs. Gonzales at gonzales_d@4j.lane.edu for more information. If you are not an approved 4J volunteer, fill out an application today!
The Awbrey Park Health Room is one of the places students go when they occasionally get wet, muddy, or need a change of clothes. As such, we could use some of the following clothing items for all students:
- Underwear (Sizes: Small & Medium)
- Pants, Sweatpants & Leggings (Sizes: Small & Medium)
- Socks (Small sizes preferred)
If you have any questions, please contact the office at 541-790-4050. Thank you!
With the possibility of inclement weather quickly approaching, this would be great time to double check that your contact information is updated in the event of a school closure or delay. Information will be communicated through our regular notification system (via text, voicemail and email) from the district office.
You can subscribe to our text alert notification system by logging into ParentVue and updating your contact information or by calling the school office at 541-790-4050. You can also visit district website for the most recent weather updates, alternate bus routes, and school closure information.
How to find out if there is a change:
- Check the district website, www.4j.lane.edu
- Follow 4J social media: Facebook, X @4Jweather & @4Jschools
- Tune in to local radio and television news stations
- Text message from the district (If you are concerned about the weather and have not received a text by 6:30 a.m., check the 4J website, Facebook page, radio or TV.)
Are you interested in substituting as an Educational Assistant at Awbrey Park? If so, apply today through the 4J Educational Assistant Substitute Pool!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Awbrey Park Principal, Jared Tiecke at 541-790-4050 or at tiecke_j@4j.lane.edu.
We are excited to welcome volunteers back into our schools! If you are interested in volunteering at Awbrey Park Elementary School, please contact your child’s teacher for upcoming opportunities.
Volunteers will need to complete a volunteer application on the district website and be approved prior to volunteering. Please contact Jade Chrissis in the school office at 541-790-4050 for more information.
In Eugene School District 4J, every school offers an excellent education for our students. Students may enroll in their neighborhood school at any time, or may request to enroll in a different 4J school provided there is space available. School choice requests will be accepted in an order determined by lottery.
To be included in the lottery, 4J residents must apply by February 15th at midnight. Non-district residents must apply between March 1 and 31. All students who want to obtain a transfer must apply, including new incoming siblings and students who have moved out of our school neighborhood or the district and want to remain enrolled next year.
Virtual and in-person school visits are scheduled in the month of January. If you have any friends or family members who are considering school choice, please invite them to learn more about our wonderful school and their school choice options!
School Choice Information Sessions
- Get answers about the school choice process
- Spanish interpretation provided during Spanish presentation
Tuesday, Jan. 6, 12:00pm – English Session (Link to Virtual Session)
Thursday, Jan. 8, 6:00pm – English Session (Link to Virtual Session)
Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:00pm – Spanish Session (In-Person, 4J Ed Center, 200 N. Monroe, Tower Room)
Visit www.4j.lane.edu/schoolchoice for additional details.
Virtual School Visits
- Learn about your neighborhood school and more!
- Each school offers live virtual visits or in-person info sessions with an opportunity for questions
- Spanish interpretation provided
School event schedule: https://4j.lane.edu/22061_3
Awbrey Park Elementary School Choice Presentations
- Wednesday, January 14th: Awbrey Park School Choice Presentation & Tour (9:30-10:30am, In-Person, Cafeteria)
- Wednesday, January 21st: Awbrey Park School Choice Presentation (5:00-6:00pm, Virtual via Google Meet - Phone Number 1-470-326-0218, Pin 821 709 326#)
- Thursday, January 22nd: Awbrey Park School Choice Presentation & Tour (6:00-7:00pm, In-Person, Room 16)
- Spanish translation & childcare for Kindergarten - 5th grade children will be available for this event.
New Student Cell Phone Policy Starts Jan. 1 (REPEAT)
Beginning Jan. 1, 4J students will be prohibited from using smartphones and other personal electric devices for the entirety of the school day under a revised policy the school board approved on Wednesday, Oct. 22, to comply with a statewide order.
The device must be stored and silenced “off and away” from the start bell to the dismissal bell for all grades, including during meals and time between classes. The district already generally prohibits student use of personal electronic devices during instructional hours, although high schools have allowed students to use them between classes and at lunch and free periods.
After surveying families and students about device use and concerns earlier this fall, district staff will develop rules to implement the revised policy, including how phones may be stored and how students will be reminded to follow the policy.
Other things families should be aware of under the policy:
- Personal electronic devices are required to be stored in locations designated by district and school administrators, such as lockers, backpacks, secured pouches or classroom storage. Different schools may have different methods of storage.
- The district will adopt rules that enable students and families to reach each other in some circumstances. More information will be shared with 4J families in the coming weeks.
- Use of personal electric devices would continue to be allowed, if required by an IEP, 504 or health plan, or another approved exemption.
- Prohibited use of personal electronic devices have been expanded from the current policy to include, among other additions, bullying, harassment, unauthorized recording.
- The revised policy moves away from suspension or expulsion for unauthorized use of personal electronic devices, although students could face discipline for violations.
Erin’s Law and Child Abuse Prevention Lessons (REPEAT)
In 2015, the state of Oregon passed Erin’s Law which requires that all K-12 students engage in personal safety and child abuse prevention lessons each school year. All students participate in 4-6 developmentally appropriate lessons each year regarding personal safety. This includes lessons in general safety and specific information about recognizing, responding to, and reporting child sexual abuse. The lessons are spread out across the year to ensure students consistently receive messaging about keeping themselves safe.
In the Eugene School District 4J, our elementary schools use the Second Step Child Protection Unit. Classroom teachers will be sending home a family letter at three different point during the school year to provide parents/guardian with additional information.
For more information regarding Erin’s Law, see our parent/guardian resource here.
About Us
Email: tiecke_j@4j.lane.edu
Website: https://awbreypark.4j.lane.edu/
Location: 158 Spring Creek Drive, Eugene, OR 97404, USA
Phone: (541) 790-4050
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AwbreyPark