Información en español

March 1, 2023
School Board Work Session & Regular Meeting

On Wednesday, March 1, the school board held a regular meeting. The sessions were open to the public via in-person meeting, live video on Zoom, live audio stream, and radio broadcast on KRVM 1280-AM and 98.7-FM.

Regular Meeting

Introductory Comments

Superintendent Andy Dey noted the impact of the recent inclement weather on schools as well as the opening of the nomination period for the 2023 ACE Awards. He also recognized the hard work of the district’s classified staff and read a proclamation dedicating the week of March 6–10 as Classified School Employees Week (watch).

Items for Action

• Approved the consent calendar (watch): With a single vote, board members approved an outdoor school contract and personnel action. The vote was unanimous.

• Approved making revisions to February 1 board meeting minutes (watch): The board approved making revisions to the official minutes of the February 1 board meeting and returning them to the board for approval at the next board meeting. The vote was unanimous.

• Approved a letter of support for proposed legislation (watch): Board members approved a letter of support for House Bill 2883. The bill would provide immunity from civil and criminal liability any school administrators, teachers or other school employees designated by a school administrator who administer naloxone to students experiencing opiate overdoses.

• Approved amendment to board meeting agenda (watch): Board members voted to amend the meeting agenda to move several remaining agenda items to a future meeting due to the late hour. The vote was unanimous.

Items for Future Action (board action is expected at a later meeting)

• Discussed proposed Integrated Guidance activities (watch): Representatives of 4J’s employee groups provided feedback to board members about the list of proposed activities to help 4J achieve its three priority outcomes and strategies through the Integrated Guidance adoption process.

Public Input

The board heard live public comment in person and virtually via Zoom (watch). Seven individuals testified about student musician success, child care as a 4J employee benefit, Frederick Dunn and literacy education, among other topics. To request to provide public comment to the school board, community members may complete an online request form by the Monday before the next regular board meeting. Community members also may send comments via email to board@4j.lane.edu.

Información en español

Construction CTE program expands, students learn to build transitional shelters for homeless

4J’s Future Build project is an innovative career technical education (CTE) program to provide high school students hands-on learning opportunities in the construction trades. Launched in 2021, the CTE project not only provides students job training and a boost in helping them land a good-paying position in the construction industry one day, but also helps fill an important need in the community.

In it’s first year, more than a half-dozen students began working with industry mentors to construct a single family home on a vacant lot the district purchased off Northwest Expressway. Dev NW, a nonprofit organization, will facilitate the purchase of the home by a low/moderate income family for whom homeownership is out of reach.

4J’s construction CTE program has grown in its second year. The nearly 30 students enrolled split their time between two projects: completing construction on the single family home through the Future Build project, and on a new collaborative project with Lane Workforce Partnership, called Constructing a Brighter Future, to build single room transitional shelters for the unhoused.

Each transitional shelter is 96 square feet, not including a small front porch, and features a sleeping loft, electric heater, mini-fridge and desk. 4J is joining with other school districts in Lane County and Lane Community College with a goal of building 30 shelters for the nonprofit SquareOne Villages.

“This applied learning goes directly to helping solve a community need,” said Ed Mendelssohn, a 4J teacher on special assignment working with the construction CTE program.

At both work sites, 4J students are gaining valuable trade and so-called “soft” skills, including work ethic and time management, and a boost in their job prospects after graduation. Students can earn both high school and college credits, a pre-apprenticeship certification, and industry-recognized credentials verifying to an employer that a graduate has gained entry-level knowledge and skills and is ready for work.

“It’s obviously a for-trades program, but I want to help anyone who’s in here to get where they want to go,” said 4J construction CTE teacher Peter Wiebe.

Colt Arciniega, a South Eugene High School senior, said he and his peers are reaping a lot of benefits from the program — and they’re feeling good doing it.

“We’re learning, we’re gaining industry-recognized credentials and, on top of that, we are helping people,” Arciniega said. “And we can help them while learning the construction trades.”

Learn More

Building Homes, Building Skills, Building Community (Dec. 6, 2021)
4J Students Build for the Future (July 12, 2022)
VIDEO: Eugene School District students get hands on construction experience (Register Guard, Jan. 26, 2023)
Eugene high school students build tiny homes for homeless people (KGW8, Jan. 30, 2023)

Pequeños refugios, gran aprendizaje

El programa CTE de construcción se expande, los estudiantes aprenden a construir refugios de transición para personas sin hogar

El año pasado, el distrito lanzó Future Build, un innovador programa de educación técnica profesional para brindar a los estudiantes de preparatoria oportunidades de aprendizaje práctico en los oficios de la construcción. El proyecto Future Build no solo brinda a los estudiantes capacitación laboral y un impulso para ayudarlos a conseguir un puesto bien remunerado en la industria de la construcción algún día, sino que también ayuda a satisfacer una necesidad importante en la comunidad.

En su primer año, más de media docena de estudiantes comenzaron a trabajar con mentores de la industria para construir una vivienda unifamiliar en un lote baldío que el distrito compró en Northwest Expressway. La Dev NW, una organización sin fines de lucro, facilitará la compra de la casa por parte de una familia de ingresos bajos o moderados para quienes la propiedad de la vivienda está fuera de su alcance.

El programa CTE de construcción del 4J ha crecido en su segundo año. Los casi 30 estudiantes inscritos dividieron su tiempo entre dos proyectos: completar la construcción de la vivienda unifamiliar a través del proyecto Future Build, y en un nuevo proyecto colaborativo con Lane Workforce Partnership, llamado en español “Construyendo un futuro más brillante”, para construir refugios de transición de una sola habitación para los desamparados.

Cada refugio de transición tiene 96 pies cuadrados, sin incluir un pequeño porche delantero, y cuenta con un altillo para dormir, calentador eléctrico, mini refrigerador y escritorio. El 4J se está uniendo a otros distritos escolares en el condado de Lane y Lane Community College con el objetivo de construir 30 de estos refugios para SquareOne Villages, una organización sin fines de lucro.

“Este aprendizaje aplicado va directamente a ayudar a resolver una necesidad de la comunidad”, dijo Ed Mendelssohn, un maestro del 4J en asignación especial que trabaja con el programa CTE de construcción.

En ambos sitios de trabajo, los estudiantes del 4J están adquiriendo habilidades valiosas de la industria y las llamadas habilidades “suaves”, que incluyen ética de trabajo y administración del tiempo, y un impulso en sus perspectivas laborales después de graduarse. Los estudiantes pueden obtener créditos tanto para la preparatoria como para la universidad, una certificación de aprendiz principiante y credenciales reconocidas por la industria que verifiquen a un empleador que un graduado ha adquirido conocimientos y habilidades de nivel de entrada y está listo para trabajar.

“Obviamente es un programa de oficios, pero quiero ayudar a todos los que están aquí a llegar a donde quieren ir”, dijo Peter Wiebe, maestro de CTE de construcción del 4J.

Colt Arciniega, estudiante de último año de la Preparatoria South Eugene, dijo que él y sus compañeros están obteniendo muchos beneficios del programa, y ​​se sienten bien haciéndolo.

“Estamos aprendiendo, estamos obteniendo credenciales reconocidas por la industria y, además de eso, estamos ayudando a las personas”, dijo Arciniega. “Y podemos ayudarlos mientras aprenden los oficios de la construcción”.

Infórmese más

Construyendo Hogares, Construyendo Habilidades, Construyendo Comunidad (6 de diciembre de 2021)

Los estudiantes del 4J construyen para el futuro (12 de julio de 2022)

VIDEO: Los estudiantes del Distrito Escolar de Eugene obtienen experiencia práctica en la construcción (Guardia de registro, 26 de enero de 2023)

Los estudiantes de preparatoria de Eugene construyen casitas para personas sin hogar (KGW8, 30 de enero de 2023)