Upcoming Events
Tuesday, March 15th: Picture Day!
Wednesday, March 16th, 6:30: Village School Board Meeting (Zoom)
Friday, March 18th: Village School Lottery
Monday, March 21-Friday, April 1: No School, Spring Break
Monday, April 4: No School, Teacher Work Day
Administrator's Message
Dear Village School Families,
Before we get to the important messages about
statewide student assessments coming in April,
restating protocols about mask wearing at The Village School,
special fundraiser for World Central Kitchen, and
picture day,
we want to wish you all a healthy and happy spring break. May the sunshine deliver warmth, the rain freshness and all the flora and fauna you experience the joy and beauty needed to enrich your heart and soul.
The Village School was among the first schools to be chartered in Oregon. We acknowledge the awesome responsibility we have to provide an education that fully integrates the arts with an academic curriculum, guided by observations of child development that promote the healthy growth of the whole human being and also prepare students to meet or exceed Oregon curriculum standards. As a public charter school, the leadership of our school is granted the right to make local decisions within the guidelines put forth by the Oregon Department of Education in Ready Schools Safe Learners
We take our responsibility seriously. As a staff we collaborate extensively to design our curriculum and to select the protocols to create a safe school environment. We stand out from other schools in many ways. One way is we have delayed lifting the in-door mask mandate until March 19, 2022. Let’s be clear what the protocols are at our school so we all may appreciate and support each other as community members. If you have any questions, please contact a school administrator at principal@eugenevillageschool.org.
From 8:25AM to 2:45AM:
Mask wearing is required for parents on campus.
Mask wearing is required indoors, and when walking the hallways and breezeways to and from classes.
At recess and during supervised, structured outdoor activities masks are optional for students and staff.
Before 8:25AM and After 2:45PM (dropoff and pickup)
masks are optional for adults, staff, and children.
Be Respectful
All students, staff and parents are protected by a school wide rule that prohibits shaming or disrespecting a child or adult, explicitly or implicitly for the choice they make as to whether they wear a mask or not.
Be Responsible
If you see some disrespectful behavior please let us know. If you have an opinion about a school policy, contact a school administrator via email or phone. The administrative staff are the correct people to address your concerns about school wide policies. We are here to serve.
Be Safe
Emotional safety is as important as physical safety. Whatever you do to promote the unity embedded in the word community your words and deeds will not go unnoticed. In fact as adults we should model the behavior and choices we would like to see our children doing.It has been said, “The teacher creates the weather in the classroom environment.” By extension we can say, “The adults within a school community set the temperature of the water in which we swim.”
In closing, a reminder spring will arrive. A few lines from The Secret Garden by Francs Hodgson
“Is the spring coming,” he said. “What is it like?’
“It is the sun shining on the rain and rain falling on the sunshine…”
Enjoy,
Sue, Shannon, Bob and Andy
Is State Testing Happening during the Pandemic?
Yes, For the 2021–22 school year, state testing will return to normal. The Village School is required to administer annual statewide assessments of language arts and math for students in grades 3–8 and science in grades 5 and 8. Testing at The Village School will begin sometime after April 11. You will be notified which days the test will be administered once the actual days are determined. One bit of good news is that the assessments are much shorter than they were several years ago.
All public schools in the U.S. are required to systematically assess student learning and report participation and results in school accountability systems. Students in Oregon are assessed periodically to measure proficiency in state and district standards, including completing statewide assessments in certain grades. State test results provide important information for students, parents, teachers, schools and districts.
Can students opt-out of state testing?
Yes. Under Oregon law, a parent or adult student may opt out of Oregon’s summative statewide assessments of math and language arts for any reason, by annually submitting a form. 2021–22 state testing notice and opt-out form (English / Español). For students who opt out of a particular assessment, their test score will default to a “Non-Proficient” rating. This could affect our proficiency ratings in subject areas across the grades as it is used as a performance indicator in our annual state Report Card. Further, our participation rate is evaluated by the 4J School District and is part of our compliance requirements. If we do not meet 4J’s participation expectations, our evaluation could be negatively impacted. Parents may submit an opt-out form at any time. Preferably the forms are submitted 30 days prior to the administration of the tests. If you have any questions please send an email to principal@eugenevillgeschool.org
For the science assessment, there is no opt-out form. Requests for exemption must
Be submitted in writing to principal@eugenevillageschool.org
Include the reasons for request (disability or religion)
Propose an alternative learning activity for the student
Exemption requests are subject to review and determination whether to approve.
Announcement from the Health and Safety Committee
As a school, we want to ensure the safety and wellness of our students and staff. We prioritize equity in making decisions. We place a high value on creating the conditions where students may attend in-person learning with as few disruptions to the rhythm of their day as possible. We are dedicated to allowing our students to play, learn, and enjoy being with their peers. We are taking measured steps to resume the activities that make The Village School unique, such as festivals, field trips and parent meetings. Together we will gradually reconnect those interpersonal relationships and reestablish those in-person meetings and school wide celebrations.
Updated Village School Protocols:
Please keep in mind that while the State lifted the mask mandate as of March 12, 2022, schools are still allowed to make their own local decisions on health and safety matters. At times our decisions may be more conservative than what is mandated by state or county authorities, but our mitigation policies can never be less restrictive.
Beginning Monday, March 7th, masks became optional during outdoor recess and outdoor structured learning activities for all students and staff. *Please note: Anyone (regardless of vaccination status) who has been infected or exposed must wear a well-fitting mask around others, including outdoors, during the 10 days after initial exposure, positive test, or symptom onset.
Children will be allowed to play, learn, and socialize without distancing restrictions, both indoors and outdoors, except in cases of very close contact. (For example, a knot of children climbing together, creating a huddle and other close contacts of multiple children). We will continue 3 foot minimum spacing of classroom desks.
Beginning Thursday, March 10th, wearing a mask outdoors prior to 8:25 and after 2:45 became optional for all students, friends and family of students, and staff. Family picking up or dropping off students during school hours, and volunteers working during the school day are subject to the school rules and will continue to wear a mask at all times unless a supervising staff person has indicated otherwise. Masks must be put on prior to entering any building classroom or office.
Face masks will become optional starting March 19th for all Village School classes and activities as long as CDC COVID-19 Community Level for Lane County is in the low or moderate risk levels. As of today , Lane County is in the moderate risk zone. If the county moves into the high risk category, we will set a timeline to reinstate the indoor mask mandate. (Click here for more explanation about this change).
There will be no changes to snack and lunch protocol. Students will eat snack outdoors and should remain stationary and 6’ apart while eating. Lunch seating arrangements will stay the same. Kindergarten will continue eating outdoors with 4-6’ of distance between students.
The Health and Safety Committee meets this week to review the latest guidance, scientific data, and input from families. Job Openings
Open right now: Recess supervisor
(11:40 to 2:00 daily)
Duties: Work in teams of 2-3 staff supervising students on the playground during mid-day recess. Qualifications: Ability to communicate effectively with student volunteers, co-workers and school staff. Proven ability to manage and oversee large groups of children Ability to be on feet 100% of time and move quickly over various terrain. Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs. Willingness to get CPR training Background check required Complete Covid vaccination records Starting Wage: $12.75 - $14.21 Hourly, depending on experience.
Open April 5th: Handwork Assistant
(Mondays: 1:15-2pm) & (Weds: 1:15-2:45pm)
Duties: Assist classroom teacher by working with students individually or in small groups with hand crafts. Qualifications: Experience working with children and adults in a positive manner Knowledge of Waldorf Handwork curriculum including skills in knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch and various other needle work as well as classroom management skills a plus Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs. Willingness to get CPR training Background check required Complete Covid vaccination records Starting Salary Range: $ 13.02 – $14.56 per hour
Grades 4/5 Teacher (for 2022-23)
Qualifications: Either Valid Oregon Teaching License or Waldorf Teacher Certificate
Minimum Bachelor’s Degree
Demonstrated ability to interact with children and adults in a positive manner
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Commitment to arts-integrated education and familiarity with Waldorf education
Willingness to get CPR training
Willingness to attend Waldorf education trainings
Ability to lift and carry 40 lbs
Salary Range: $41,653 - $64,011, depending on experience and education. Additional variable compensation included. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, PERS and defined contribution pension, and lunch from our healthy kitchen.
Robotics Teacher (for 2021-22)
Paid position: $25/hour for class time and prep time.
Equipment: Lego Mindstorms EV3 Robots and PC Laptops
One or two days per week for 3rd - 5th graders
Class size (8-12 students)
Spring Term (Week of April 5th to June 10th) 3PM to 4:30PM
Qualifications: Demonstrated ability to interact with children and adults in a positive manner
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Willingness to get CPR training
Ability to lift and carry 30 lbs
If interested, please contact
The Village School Kitchen
In the spirit of our school’s traditional walk-a-thon, we’d like to offer The Village School a tangible way to come together and support an organization that is making a positive impact on a community in crisis.
We invite you to join the Village School Kitchen in a school-wide fundraiser for World Central Kitchen this coming week from March 14-20. Let’s come together to help WCK provide fresh, healthy meals to Ukrainian refugees on the frontlines. Our community will join with others around the world to plant seeds for a more peaceful future.
At school this week, classes will paint sunflowers and prepare packets of seeds to include in a Bograch Bag for each family that would like one. Inside your Bograch Bag you will find a recipe and ingredients to make Bograch, a traditional Ukrainian soup, as well as a packet of sunflower seeds. Student volunteers will come together on Wednesday afternoon to assemble a Bograch Bag for each family that would like one.
How to Participate
Our online fundraising page can be found at: Village School Kitchen
All donations will go directly to World Central Kitchen.
Bags will be available Thursday March 17 at morning dropoff and afternoon pickup in the school courtyard. You can also donate via cash or check at school on Thursday in lieu of an online contribution. There is no need to sign up for a bag, simply pick one up on Thursday if you would like to make Bograch Soup with your family and plant sunflower seeds this spring.
Donations in any amount are welcome. If you are heading out of town for Spring Break and won’t have time to make soup, please consider donating in solidarity with our Village effort to help feed the refugees who have lost their villages.
Share widely with family, friends, and community members!
The Village School Kitchen has been serving made-from-scratch meals to students and staff for the past 12 years. We believe that nutritious food, prepared with love, can nourish the body and soul. Cooking foods from different countries provides a wonderful opportunity for children to learn about unique cultures. We are grateful for the generous help of the Organically Grown Company which is donating most of the soup ingredients.
About the World Central Kitchen:
Chef José Andrés founded the World Central Kitchen to provide meals to communities experiencing community, humanitarian, and climate crises. They are currently set up in eight locations on the border of Ukraine feeding tens of thousands of refugees around the clock. Beyond providing meals, WCK works to create resilient food systems and partner with local efforts.
About Bograch:
Bograch is a traditional Hungarian goulash with potatoes, onions, carrots and peppers and a generous amount of Hungarian paprika. It’s typically prepared in a large cauldron in the open air. WCK has been serving hot Bograch in large quantities for the past week.
About Sunflowers:
Sunflowers have long been known as the peace flower in Ukraine, and the unofficial national symbol. Across the globe, displays of sunflowers show solidarity for the people of Ukraine. Wait until the ground is a bit warmer before you plant your seeds. They should be planted about an inch down in a sunny location. Water every day until the seedlings emerge and are well established.
For more information about the efforts of World Central Kitchen’s current efforts, check out their Instagram page @wckitchen.
Or read this story from Civil Eats about WCK efforts in Lviv: On the Ground in Ukraine
“One of the big things that we’ve been making, especially at the train station, is a bograch soup. It’s kind of like a goulash, with potatoes, onions, carrots, and beef. It’s a very hearty, tasty, warm stew, which is perfect because the nights are so cold and families are arriving at 1:00 or 3:00 in the morning and it’s freezing out and this hot bowl of soup is probably the first hot meal they’ve had in a day or two and sometimes longer, depending on where they’re coming from. It’s comfort food—that’s what we’re trying to provide.” - WCK CEO Nate Mook
Warmly,
Toña
541-510-8604
April Parent Council Meeting
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 of each month.
You can also engage with Village School families on the Parent Council Facebook page, The Village Vine!
Don't forget to sign in to HelpCounter and report your hours so we can see the amazing contributions from our Village School Families
Monthly LGBTQ+ and Allies Gathering!
Sarah Maxwell and her family are "hosting" a monthly gathering at Tugman park, the first Sunday morning of each month at 10:00 am, at the picnic tables on the Hilyard side of the park. The meetings are open to all LGBTQ families & allies, with the simple mission of just building community.
There is no need to RSVP or commit to bringing anything. Since Village School is continuing to mask outdoors for playtime, our group will be doing the same. Students of all ages and their families are welcome and encouraged to join in! The dates of the gatherings are Sunday, 10:00 am on April 3, May 1, and June 5.
Library News
We have recently received the exciting news that the Village School has been given a grant from the State Library of Oregon to purchase new books! I will be expanding the nonfiction and middle school YA book sections, among other goals. During the last couple years, however, the Village School library has been running out of shelf space. The number of new books coming to the library makes procuring more shelving even more of a necessity. Adding on to the custom shelves made for the library in 2016 is the ideal solution for both practicality and to match the aesthetics of the space. My vision for the space is to expand the custom shelving in the fiction section, move the nonfiction and YA areas for easier access, and add new shelves to accommodate the picture books. If you or someone you know is interested in making custom bookshelves for the library, please contact me.
The fiction section has bookshelves custom made in 2016 but has run out of space for books.
The middle school (YA) section has a mismatched bookshelf and has run out of space.
OBOB News
Congratulations to the 5th grade OBOB team, the Bookish Butterflies, who are this year’s Village School OBOB winners! Over the last two weeks we’ve had several battles between three 3rd grade teams (the Flying Dogs, Historic Hippos, and Scientific Rainbows) one fourth grade team (the Pandas) and the fifth grade team (Bookish Butterflies).This year we had the most third grade participants ever! I’m so proud of how hard these students worked reading and practicing together.
The Bookish Butterflies, whose members are Moira Gammon, Trinity Carmichael, Ella Scarola, and Juniper Vold, will be competing in the (virtual) regional competition in early April.
Well done everyone!
Molly Bautista, VS Librarian
Lost and Found
We have many Lost & Found items that need to find their homes! Anything not picked up by Friday will be donated to a good cause. Check to make sure your child doesn't have any clothes living in front of the office!
1619 Project postponed
Keep an eye out for the date of the next meeting!
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Book Study
The Parent Council is sponsoring a book study of the text The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story created by Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times.
The project which led to the book, sought to reframe the United States history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the U.S. historical narrative.
It has been proposed there will be six group sessions that will be held every two weeks via zoom. The group will read between one and three chapters in preparation for each meeting. Each chapter is an essay so a person may attend all the sessions consecutively or any of the sessions that their schedule will allow. The goal is to make a welcoming environment for all that want to attend all or in part.
When conditions permit the group will consider when to shift to in-person meetings. A limited supply of the book is available for check out at the school office.
LTD Passes Available!
The Village School has worked with 4j and LTD to make touchpasses available to Village School students!
Fill out the form below to sign up and provide permission for your Village School student to have a card. Then come into the office to have a card assigned to your child!
If you have a child that does not attend Village School, please contact their school to see if they have touchpasses available for students. We are only able to provide passes to Village School Students.
