Wildfire smoke is affecting air quality in the Eugene area. We take our students’ health and safety very seriously. We are closely monitoring air quality conditions to guide our decision making around school-sponsored outdoor student activities.
Eugene School District 4J staff regularly monitor the Heat Index and Air Quality Index and do regular visual inspections of outside air quality to determine outdoor activity levels for students, per the public health guidance from the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon School Activities Association.
Decisions about outdoor school activities, including recess and PE, will be made throughout the day, using the OHA guidelines mentioned above. During unhealthy air quality conditions students will have indoor recess and PE and a reduced level of physical activity.
Decisions regarding athletics will be made daily as necessary. When air quality conditions are unhealthy, practices will be moved inside or canceled and games will be rescheduled or canceled. Our high school athletic directors, coaches and support staff will notify families whose students participate in OSAA activities if any changes are made to games or practice times and locations. Any changes to OSAA-sanctioned high school game schedules also will be posted on their website.
The Oregon Health Authority advises that parents of sensitive children should follow their health care providers’ advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms, and watch the smoke forecast to decide when to limit their child’s activities. Children who may be more sensitive to air pollution include those with asthma, respiratory infection, lung or heart disease. Schools will honor parents’ individual decisions about school attendance based on health concerns.
Current Air Quality Index | Current Heat Index
Public Health Guidance for Outdoor School Activities / Pautas de Salud Pública para Actividades Escolares en al Aire Libre
