Bulldog Bulletin

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 (9:00am, Cafeteria)

1/14: Special Board Meeting (6:00pm via Zoom)

1/16: PTO Winter Dance! (6:00-7:30pm, Gym)

1/19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (No School)

1/22: Virtual School Choice Presentation (5:30pm via Google Meet)

1/21: Awbrey Park PTO Meeting (6:30pm, Room 16)

1/21: Regular Board Meeting (6:00pm via Zoom)

1/22: In-Person School Choice Presentation (5:30pm, Gym)

1/28: Spirit Day! (TBD)

1/30: Semester Grading Day (No School)

2/2: Transition Day (No School)

Dear Awbrey Park Families,

Welcome back! It's been great to see all our students and families again after the winter break. Be sure to mark your calendars for our PTO family dinner night at Papa’s Pizza TODAY from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and our PTO Winter Dance (Neon Pajama Jam) on Friday, January 16th, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.

This month, we are hosting three school choice events for new students and families interested in attending Awbrey Park. Our first event will be an in-person presentation on Wednesday, January 14th, at 9:00 a.m. in the cafeteria. Our second presentation will be virtual on Wednesday, January 21st, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. via Google Meet. Our third and final presentation will be on Thursday, January 22nd, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Room 16. The presentation will also be recorded for parents/guardians who are unable to attend.

Please note that there will be no school on Monday, January 19th (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), Friday, January 30th (Semester Grading Day), and Monday, February 2nd (Transition Day).

Thank you for your continued support, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jared Tiecke, Principal

Get Ready to Dance, Awbrey Park Families!

The Awbrey Park PTO is excited to invite you and your student to the return of the fun-filled neon dance party on Friday, January 16, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Put on your favorite pajamas and get ready for this free, fun-filled dance party designed to get kids moving, laughing, and celebrating our amazing school community. Parents and guardians must attend with their children. There will be music, popcorn, fun lights, and other festivities. Water fountains and water bottle filling stations will be available for students and families. We can’t wait to see you on the dance floor!

If you have any questions regarding the event or need special accommodations, please contact the school office at 541-790-4050. We hope to see you there!

Awbrey Park will be hosting our annual vision and dental screenings on Wednesday, January 14th from 9:00am-12:30pm. All K-5 students will participate in both the dental screening and vision screening.

The vision screening will be done by a “Spot Test” with the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation volunteers and does NOT take the place of a thorough eye examination by an eye health specialist, as serious or eye health problems can be missed. If the results of the vision screening indicate your student needs a thorough eye exam, you will be notified of results after we receive them, generally 1-2 weeks after the screening date. If your student wears glasses or contacts, please have them bring those to school and wear them for the K-5 vision screening.

Our dental screening is also offered for all students. Students of parents and guardians who chose to return the Authorization for Dental hygiene Services form can receive a fluoride varnish treatment, which helps prevent cavities. These services are provided by the Community Health Centers of Lane County dental hygiene providers.

If you do not want your child to participate in the vision and/or dental screening, please fill out the Health Screening Opt-out form at least two days prior to the screening date. For questions, please contact our School Nurse, Suzie McCall, at mccall_s@4j.lane.edu. Thank you!

Tonight, Wednesday, January 14th is our PTO Family Dinner Night Fundraiser at the Coburg Road Papa’s Pizza!

You can support our PTO fundraiser with dine-in and take out orders. Just bring the Papa’s Pizza flyer with you when you order and the Awbrey Park PTO will receive 50% of the value of your food purchase! Families also have the option of purchasing Fundraiser Bucks that are good for all future purchases. These Fundraiser Bucks will earn 25% of their value for our PTO as well.

All students should have received a Papa’s Pizza flyer in Monday Mail this week. See the flyer here for more information!

This spring, Awbrey Park will host a Girls on the Run program after school! Designed for 3rd to 5th grade students, the program runs from April 6th to May 25th (8 weeks). Participant registration starts on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, and scholarship opportunities are available.

Practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 to 4:45pm at Awbrey Park Elementary School. The season concludes with a 5K run on May 31st. See the flyer below for more details.

For questions about the Girls on the Run program, please contact our coach, Alyssa Nelson, at nelson_a@4j.lane.edu for more information.

Girls on the Run After School Program

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 is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21st, at 6:00 PM in Room 16. Our guest speakers will be Kristen Gianforti, our Awbrey Park Student Success Coordinator, and Patrick Chesterman, 5th-grade teacher. They will share information about our Awbrey Park student council and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the production of our video announcements. 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 December 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.

December PTO Minutes

Each spring our 3rd-5th grade students participate in state assessments in English Language Arts, Math, and Science (the Science assessment is given to 5th grade students only). These tests occur during the regular school day and students are encouraged to take their time to do their best to demonstrate what they have learned in the past year.

Under Oregon law, a parent or student age 18+ may opt out of Oregon’s annual statewide math and language arts assessments by filling out an annual opt-out form provided by the Oregon Department of Education. Exemptions from the English language proficiency or science tests may also be requested based on a student’s disability or religious beliefs. Opt-out/exemption requests are only valid for the school year in which they are completed.

Please click on the following link to learn more about each test and the opt-out/exemption process. Families wishing to opt-out of statewide testing must complete the required form/exemption process in the link above and submit it online or turn it into the school office prior to Friday, April 10th.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school office for more information.

There is a strong correlation between good attendance and success in school. On the other hand, students who regularly miss school are also more likely to struggle in school.

Missed days add up quickly: Just two days a month (2 days x 9 months = 18 days/year or 10% of the school year) puts a child's success in jeopardy because students fall behind and disconnect. By third grade, it gets much more difficult to catch up. Students who regularly miss school can quickly feel hopeless, and returning becomes harder and harder (“Why Attendance Matters”, ODE).

It is our hope that we can work together to encourage your child’s regular attendance and success at school. When your child is going to be late or absent from school, please call the attendance line at (541) 790-4054, before 8:30am and inform our office staff. You may also leave a message on our voice mail if you are calling before regular office hours. Please leave your child's name, their teacher’s name, and the reason for the absence.

If we can be of any support to you or your child in improving their attendance at school, please reach out to our Student Success Coordinator, Kristen Gianforti at 541-790-4050 or gianforti_k@4j.lane.edu.

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!

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.)

New Personal Electronic Device Policy, Starts Jan. 1

Cell Phones, Smartwatches, Earbuds, & Other Electronics

Beginning January 1, 2026, Eugene School District 4J will implement updated expectations under its Personal Electronic Devices policy (JFCEB) and Administrative Regulation (JFCEB-AR). These expectations align with statewide guidance issued through a Governor’s Executive Order and Oregon law, and are designed to support student focus, well-being, safety, and belonging. Current elementary school expectations are already aligned with Administrative Regulation (JFCEB-AR) and the Governor’s Executive Order.

What to Expect

January 2026 will be a learning and calibration period. Staff will teach expectations, practice routines with students, and answer questions.
February 1, 2026 marks full implementation, with consistent application across schools.

What This Means at Our Elementary School

During the instructional day, personal electronic devices are expected to be off and away. Off and away means devices are powered off and not visible or in use during learning time. This is already the current practice in 4J elementary schools.

What “Pack or Park” Means in Elementary School

In elementary school, personal electronic devices are expected to be powered off and stored out of sight for the entire school day.

Most students will pack devices by keeping them in backpacks or assigned cubbies.
Some classrooms may use a designated storage space (such as a classroom caddy). In those cases, students may be asked to park their device in that location for the day.

Students do not access devices during the school day unless explicitly directed by staff for an approved reason.

Students who need to communicate with families will be supported through school systems and staff. Students who require device access for medical, instructional, or documented reasons will continue to receive appropriate supports.

This update reflects a districtwide and statewide effort to create consistent, supportive learning environments. For more information, please visit our district website. This page will be under construction in January and will be updated as additional guidance and resources become available.

If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office at 541-790-4050. For additional details, including answers to common questions, please review the Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) Family FAQ, available here: FAQ LINK HERE.

January is School Choice Time in 4J! (REPEAT)

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 (9:00-10:00am, 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 (5:30-6:30pm, In-Person, Room 16)

Spanish translation & childcare for Kindergarten - 5th grade children will be available for this event.

SAEBRS (Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener) Assessment

All 4J elementary schools will be administering the SAEBRS (Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener) universal screening tool in three windows throughout the 2024–2025 school year. SAEBRS (teacher version) and MySAEBRS (student version) is a brief, norm-referenced tool for screening students to identify areas of potential growth. This universal screening tool is built to align academic and socio-emotional learning opportunities and interventions to increase well-being and developmental competencies.

Students will have the opportunity to take the student assessment 2 to 3 times per school year. Our winter assessment window will take place from January 19 to January 30, and our spring assessment window will occur from May 25 to June 12.

To learn more about the student assessment, click here for more information. For questions regarding the SAEBRS assessment, please contact our School Counselor, Ashli Williams (williams_as@4j.lane.edu) or Student Success Coordinator, Kristen Gianforti (gianforti_k@4j.lane.edu) at 541-790-4050.