Upcoming Events
September 8, 2021, 8:25am -11:45am : First Day of School! (half day)
2021/2022 Calendar is available here!
Administrator's Message
Dear Village School Families,
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! When the pandemic forced us to close our school in March 2020 none of us imagined we would continue to grapple with the pandemic in September 2021. Yet as we prepare to open for the new school year we once again find ourselves planning to use the best mitigation techniques and protocols to keep our students and staff safe. We have learned a great deal during this time of crisis and I believe our experiences will allow us to more adeptly navigate the complexities of our new normal as we adjust to being back on campus full-time.
In this packet there are some important items for you to return:
The free and reduced meal form -- We need all families to return this form. The number of families that qualify under the federal income threshold is keyed directly to the amount of funding we receive to retain Title I staff. They are indispensable in providing reading and math support and are part of our cadre of caring educators on campus.
Volunteer & Parent Support Survey -- Lending a hand this year will be different due to the safety protocols and yet there are numerous ways to help. We want to be ready to involve more volunteers when conditions change. We want to know your interests.
Supply Fee -- The supply fee is important to help provide the unique materials our students use in their school work.
There are additions and changes to our administrative staff. We now have a full-time school counselor. Rebecca Macemon comes to us with ten years of experience. She couldn’t have arrived at a more critical time. Read the next issue of the Village Voice to learn more about the school’s upcoming counseling program. Another major change is that Shannon Powell and Sue Romatz each will serve as part-time Assistant Principals. Shannon will be AP of lower school, grades K-4, and Sue will be AP of the upper school. Collectively Shannon and Sue bring 30 years of Village School experience to their new assignments. The administrative support for our students and families has become more robust, talented and diverse with these changes in the administrative team. Parents of students in Shannon and Sue’s class please watch for a letter from each of them that will explain more about their schedules.
Our goal of serving all students takes on wider meaning this year. We are taking special steps to mitigate the risk of virus transmission above and beyond state requirements. However, for families seeking remote learning we will have an on-line option led by Village School staff. Keep in mind that main lesson teachers will need to focus all of their time on in-person instruction. Let us know if you have an interest; we can explain the model.
The entire staff is thrilled to welcome your students to full in-person learning. We learned that there is no replacement for an in-person affirmation of success, a sympathetic ear that hears a child’s voice directly and live, the exchange of an impromptu “Hello, how ya doing?” or the special bonds and teamwork between classmates. The Village School community is rising. We will reimagine our shared purpose as we hold space for one another and travel together on a journey of caring for and educating your students.
Sincerely,
Bob Kaminski
Principal
Free Opt-in Testing through U of O and OHA
The Village School has joined other schools in a program that makes weekly testing available to our students! U of O has partnered with Oregon Health Authority to provide free, voluntary COVID-19 testing kits to children attending participating K-12 schools.
Use the link below to opt-in:
Village School Kitchen
This is our last week of food bags!
Thanks to the help of all our amazing volunteer delivery drivers, we have provided over 21,000 bags of food to our Village School Community over the past 17 months.
We look forward to cooking for everyone again. We are committed to making delicious meals from scratch and will continue partnering with local farmers, producers and distributors to source the best ingredients to nourish the bodies and our school children and staff.
All students will receive free breakfasts and lunches this school year regardless of family income. However, it is still vitally important that families fill out free and reduced forms because the percent of families that qualify for federal subsidized meals directly affects our funding for Title I small reading and math groups. Free and Reduced Lunch Application.
For more information regarding our service model and a menu of September meals, please read the information in your packets and/or check out the Kitchen page on our school's website. If you have any food service related questions or concerns, please direct them to Toña at taguilar@eugenevillageschool.org.
Thanks to all the parents that shared photos of meals you made using food bag ingredients, recipes and kind words of gratitude. We love that our program helped us stay connected through the pandemic.
See you soon!
Toña
Toña Aguilar The Village School Eugene, Oregon w - 541-345-7285
A Message From the Counselor
Hi, my name is Rebecca Macemon and I am excited to be the new School Counselor at The Village School!
Here's a little bit about me: I was born in Montana, and grew up in Oklahoma. I’ve lived in Oregon for 16 years now, and feel fortunate to be raising my 2 young kids here surrounded by an abundance of natural beauty. Some of my favorite ways to spend my time include writing, hiking, cooking, gardening and paddleboarding.
I have my undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma in Sociology, and my Masters in Counseling from Oregon State University. For the past 10 years I have worked as a school counselor at Thurston High School in Springfield. This past year I completed my Registered Children's Yoga Teacher training through Yoga Ed with a Trauma-Informed Focus.
The past year and a half has been very difficult. Students and families are experiencing a wide range of feelings, emotions and thoughts at this time, and I look forward to supporting you this school year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call me at or email me at 541-345-7285 rmacemon@eugenevillageschool.org.
Free and Reduced Lunch
Please Check and See If You Qualify!
The new free and reduced lunch income requirements have been significantly expanded so please apply, even if you think you may not qualify!
If you have not yet done so, take a moment to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application, and turn it into the office. Extra copies are available in the office.
Our school’s Title I funding is based on the number of qualified households we have, so it is crucial that everyone see if they qualify.
If you received a direct certification letter from the school district that lists your student(s) eligibility, please turn that into the office instead of the free and reduced lunch application.
Contact Tristin in the office for details at office@eugenvillageschool.org
Wellness Resources - The Well
School Psychologist Kelly Korach created a wonderful resource for Village School families. Please check out The Well for wellness resources for parents and children!
Parent Council
The first Parent Council Meeting of the year will be on October 13th!
Please join us and send questions and ideas to parentcouncil@eugenevillageschool.org.
The notes from past meetings can be found here.
Every Village School parent and guardian is a part of Parent Council - The Virtual Parent Council Meetings are open to all parents and guardians on the 2nd Wednesday each month starting again in the fall!
You can also engage with Village School families on the Parent Council Facebook page, The Village Vine!
Village School Frisbees!
Get your own Village School Frisbee, perfect for the summer! Frisbees are available for $15 in the office or from Ben Fogelson (father of Hero in 3rd grade!). Travis Eiva and Ben have spearheaded this fundraiser and Ben can be reached at 541-514-4567 to purchase one from him personally!
Principal Kaminski practicing with the new Village School Frisbee!
Return Computers!
We still have technology out with families and need to have them returned to the school!
1) Clean the computer: gently and carefully clean the outer case and screen of the laptop with glass cleaner and dry towel.
2) Wrap up cords for power supply, webcam, and headphones (whichever ones you have)
3) Bag: Place items in a bag marked with your student's name.
4) Deliver: to office.
Please let us know if you have any questions: support@eugenevillageschool.org
Age 12 and Older Vaccination Clinics
There are still plenty of appointments available at COVID vaccine clinics for anyone 12 years of age or older. Anyone 15 years old and older can consent to their own vaccination but people under the age of 15 years of age must be accompanied by one parent or guardian (due to space limitations each person being vaccinated may have a maximum of one person with them if needed for reasons of the consent). The vaccine being administered at these events will be Pfizer.
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