26-27 Academic Calendar Available

Early Release All Students*

• Friday, May 8
• Friday, May 22

No School All Students

• Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day Holiday)

On early release days, elementary students are released at 12:30 p.m.
Secondary students are released at 1:15 p.m.
Lunch is served as normal.
Bus riders will be dropped off at their bus stops 2 hours and 20 minutes earlier than their regular time.

Notable change taking effect in 2026: The last day of school for the 2025-26 school year (June 11) is now an early release day.

*Does not apply to A3 Academy of Arts & Academics, which has its own calendar.

The School Board approved the 2026-27 Academic Calendar at its April 13 meeting

Key dates:

• September 9 - First day of school
• Dec. 21-Jan 1 - Winter break
• March 22-26 - Spring break
• June 17 - Last day of school

Download the calendar on the Academic Calendar page by clicking the big blue button.

Springfield Public Schools has started the process of selecting an interim superintendent to lead the District for the 2026-27 school year. The school board is working with a professional search firm to identify a leader who can effectively support students, staff, and the Springfield community during this transition period.

As part of the search, the search firm is seeking input from families, staff, students, and community members on the qualities and characteristics that matter most for the interim superintendent. Community feedback will help inform the Board throughout the selection process.

A brief, anonymous survey is now available and takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. The survey is available in multiple languages. The survey closes on May 8.

Thank you for helping shape the future leadership for our students!

Read more about the interim superintendent search in the SPS Newsroom.

The Springfield Board of Education is currently reviewing recommended instructional materials for elementary science and grades 6-12 social science. Community members are invited to preview these materials alongside District staff and ask questions.

There is one final session still available:

• May 6: 4-6 p.m.

Appointments are required. To schedule a time, please contact Brenna Germano at 541-726-3262. Scheduling in advance ensures staff are available to support each session.

Learn more about the materials on our website.

It's here! Register and Review for the 2026-27 school year opens May 4. Have questions or can't remember your ParentVUE password? Contact your school's secretary for help!

Complete your Register and Review before the end of this year!

Help us best prepare for next school year by completing your Register and Review before the end of the school year. Registration help is limited over the summer when most secretaries and bilingual staff are out of the office.

Completing the review gives you an opportunity to review and update your and your student's information including contact information, health information, custody information, emergency contacts and more.

Log on to ParentVUE or visit our enrollment page by clicking the big blue button to get started! ⬇️

Springfield Public Schools welcomes in the Class of 2039 at its May Kindergarten Welcome Nights!

Kids who turn five on or before September 1, 2026 are ready to start kindergarten in the 2026-27 school year!

We are so excited to get the Class of 2039 started on their school journey and can't wait to meet you!

Enrollment open now! The Thurston High School Child Development Center (THS CDC) is an affordable, quality preschool open to the community. Children between the ages of three and five are cared for and taught by professional staff and Thurston High School students enrolled in the Child Development Program. The THS CDC operates during the school year (closed over the summer) and follows the Thurston High School academic calendar. Contact THS CDC Coordinator Dara Tuulik at 541-744-6478 or dara.tuulik@springfield.k12.or.us to enroll.

State funding has allowed SPS to expand its SPARK offering to three additional elementary schools! Registration for this free summer program offering enrichment, academics and community is open now for enrolled students of eligible schools.

Registration for SPARK is open now for students who attend these schools:

Elementary:

• Guy Lee
• Two Rivers-Dos Ríos
• Maple
• Page
• Riverbend

Elementary SPARK will be located at Maple Elementary for all eligible students.

Middle School:

• Hamlin Middle School (incoming 6th grade students and current 6th and 7th grade students)

Willamalane After-SPARK Care

Willamalane is offering optional after-SPARK extended care at Maple Elementary from 3-6 p.m. Families can register for this directly through Willamalane. The cost is $210 for the month.

In 2026, the summer KITS program will be available for enrolled incoming kindergarteners attending most SPS elementary schools.

This program is designed to equip children with the skills needed to successfully begin school.

Learn more about KITS 2026 and register on our website.

The SPS 1Pass lottery is complete and families were notified by email if their student was randomly selected to receive a district-paid 1Passes.

If you entered your student into the lottery and did not receive an email informing you if your student was selected or not selected, please contact SPS.

At the April 13 Business Meeting, the School Board declared May 4-8 as Certified Appreciation Week with a proclamation. Certified staff are teachers, learning specialists, school counselors, nurses, deans of students, speech therapists, school psychologists, and more that provide instruction and support to every student, every day.

Share your shout-out to an awesome certified school employee by clicking on the button below.

The School Board met several times during the past month.

• April 13 Business Meeting
• Selected search firm to lead Interim Superintendent hiring process
• Grundmeyer Leader Services
• Interim Superintendent in place by July 1, 2026
• Adopted 2026-27 Academic Calendar
• Postponed elementary social science adoption
• Allows elementary teachers time to perform gap analysis and make recommendations that are in line with ODE-approved action plan in which SPS requested the postponement.
• First reading of instructional materials for Elementary Science and Secondary Social Science adoption.
• Discussed board priorities
  
• April 20 Special Session
• Heard update on the interim superintendent search process
• April 27 Special Session
• Discussed Board priorities
• Heard update on the interim superintendent search process
• Introduction of several potential policy changes

The Springfield Public Schools Board of Education is scheduled to hold one public meetings in May:

• Monday, May 11, 7 p.m. (Business Meeting)

The Board may schedule additional meetings as needed. Notification of additional meetings will be made on the District's website.

The public is invited to attend in person, and Spanish interpretation is available for those attending in person. School board meetings are held at the District Administrative Office, 640 A Street. School board meetings are streamed and recordings are available on demand on the District Vimeo channel.

More information, including Board policies and meeting agendas can be found on the Springfield Board of Education webpage.

The Budget Committee will meet for its first Budget Committee Meeting of the year on May 7 at 6 p.m. and will be presented the proposed 2026-27 Operating Budget.

All Budget Committee work sessions and meetings are held at the District Administrative Office, 640 A Street. Budget committee work sessions and meetings are streamed and recordings are available on demand on the District Vimeo Channel. More information, including available agenda and materials, will be posted on the District Budget Committee webpage.

Springfield Public Schools (SPS) will present its proposed 2026–27 operating budget to the Budget Committee on May 7, marking a key milestone in the District’s annual budget development process. The proposed budget is currently available for review.

The proposed budget reflects months of planning, analysis, and community engagement as the District works to address a projected $7.9 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year.

To meet budget requirements and align staffing with declining enrollment, Springfield Public Schools must implement significant staffing reductions compared to the 2025–26 adopted budget.

Read more in the SPS Newsroom ⬇️

A team of three THS students have turned a pile of broken hardware into functioning computers and laptops for the school’s Family Resource Center. In just one year, "Tech Turnaround" has refurbished and donated more than 20 computers to low-income families and McKinney-Vento seniors.

The team welcomes help or donations from the community to continue the program.

Read more about how the program has breathed new life into an old idea in the SPS Newsroom: ⬇️

It has been a year of firsts and amazing connections for 2026 Oregon Teacher of the Year and Springfield Public Schools Community Transition Program (CTP) teacher Sally Golden.

From throwing out the first pitch to sharing, learning and collaborating with teaching professionals, Sally's tenure as Oregon Teacher of the Year has kept her calendar full.

Read more in the SPS Newsroom ⬇️

Hamlin Sports Complex serves students, families, athletes, coaches and community members, making it the perfect choice for a SaveStation Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) unit designed to increase sudden cardiac arrest survival rates.

A ribbon cutting was held in April with district staff, first responders, and PeaceHealth and HeartSafe representatives in attendance.

Read more in the SPS Newsroom ⬇️

SPS' commitment to fresh, local produce in school meals continues to grow! The SPS Farm was recently awarded a $100,000 Farm to School Grant from the Oregon Department of Education.

The grant funds will not only increase the variety of fruits and veggies the farm grows, but will create greater opportunities for student learning and involvement on the farm.

Read more in the SPS Newsroom ⬇️

In a first-of-its-kind honor for a Thurston High School student, THS senior Theo Shields has been named a candidate for the 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.

Shields earned an Associate’s degree from Lane Community College at age 14, then made the decision to enroll in high school. He says he was looking for a community, and THS has definitely delivered.

Read more in the SPS Newsroom ⬇️

Guy Lee PTO's 4th Annual Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Celebration is a free family-friendly event, and the whole community is invited!

• Friday, May 8
• 5-8 p.m.
• Guy Lee Elementary, 755 Harlow Rd.

Features:

- Cultural Performances from local artists and dance groups
- Delicious foods from AANHPI food trucks.
- Fun activities like Hawaiian lei making, calligraphy, henna, and more that will help kids learn about the different Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultures in our local community.

Missing one day of school isn't just about that day. For every class you miss, youˇll be playing catch up, plus keeping up with new material.

The further behind you get, the more overwhelming it is, and the harder you have to work to catch up. Missing just two days a month doesnˇt sound like a big deal, but it actually puts you at risk of falling behind. And by high school, those days add up fast.

Source: SchoolStatus, "Why 'I'll Go Tomorrow' Isn't Working"

Good attendance habits in school set students up for a bright and successful future in the workplace. Attendance matters - every day!

We're on your student's attendance team. Reach out to your school and learn more on our website:

• Simple ways to support your student's attendance.
• When to keep students home with illness.

Springfield Public Schools Acting Superintendent Jodi O’Mara is inviting families and community members to join her for an informal Coffee and Conversation gathering.

• Wednesday, May 6
• 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
• Crossroads Center Starbucks (3348 Gateway St.)

These no-host events are designed to create a welcoming space for parents, guardians, and community members to share their perspectives, ask questions, and talk about what they want from their local school district.

Community members are welcome to stop by at any time during the event to share their thoughts and connect with O’Mara.

Do you or your child want to learn how to ride a bike? Join 4J, Bethel, and Springfield Safe Routes to School programs, the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, and Shift Community Cycles for this fun event with bike checks, free helmets and information about bike share.

We’ll start with balancing and gliding without pedals or training wheels. Some will learn to pedal in one session, while others may need more practice to reach that final goal. You don’t need your own bike to participate, but please bring a helmet and bike if you have one. Contact Safe Routes to School at mazze_s@4j.lane.edu or albee_b@4j.lane.edu with questions or to volunteer.

• Thursday, May 7
• 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
• 4J Education Center, 200 North Monroe St, Eugene

Please join us in celebrating our 2026 graduates!

🎓 May 31: Chifin Center Native Graduation Ceremony, 4:00 p.m., Longhouse at LCC

🎓June 3: Brattain Campus (Gateways High School, SPS Online, Brattain Online, GED Program), 6:30 p.m., Wildish Theater

🎓June 4:The Academy of Arts and Academics (A3), 6 p.m., SHS Auditorium

🎓June 5: Community Transition Program (CTP), 1 p.m., Silke Field

🎓June 5: Thurston High School, 5 p.m., THS Stadium

🎓June 5: Springfield High School, 7:30 p.m., Silke Field

🎓June 8: English Language Development (ELD) Promotion Ceremony, 6:30 p.m., SHS Auditorium

🎓June 11: Willamette Leadership Academy, 6:30 p.m., Wildish Theater

The new SPS Connect mobile app is available now, designed with parents and staff in mind. Stay informed and up-to-date with personalized news, events, and resources. Download SPS Connect in the App Store or on Google Play to get lunch menus, the academic calendar, and more - right at your fingertips!

App Store | Google Play

SPS has made it easier to report instances of harassment, intimidation, bullying, cyberbullying and teen dating violence online.

At the top of every school web page, you’ll find a link titled “Safety Concern.” This directs users to two options to report being unsafe at school.

And as always, you can share a concerning incident with a trusted adult by messaging them or talking face to face.

The SPS equity statement reflects the District's mission of serving every student, every day.

The statement stands as an affirmation of the District’s commitment to equity, inclusion and belonging and will guide our continued efforts to support the vision of SPS as a place where students want to learn and staff want to work.

Springfield Public Schools board meetings are available for anyone to watch live or on-demand on the district's Vimeo channel. View the calendar of upcoming board meetings. A Spanish interpreter is also available during in-person board meetings.

In accordance with public meeting law and Oregon HB 2560, the school board will be providing remote access through live streamed meetings to our community.