4J Learning Online for Fall Trimester
Tuesday, August 4, 2020 22:13
Important update: School year will start online for first trimester
School districts’ plans for the coming school year continue to evolve along with the public health situation.
Our students, families and staff deserve as much certainty and stability as possible in an uncertain time. We also know that both Lane County and the state of Oregon are currently not meeting the lower rate of new coronavirus infections to safely return students to buildings under the updated state guidelines. This leads to an important update for the return to learning this fall.
4J schools will teach and learn online for the first trimester of the school year. The district had previously planned to start the school year online for at least the first several weeks, with some on-site school days for the youngest students, and welcome students back to school buildings starting as early as mid-October.
Now, students in all grades will learn online through the beginning of December, while teachers will teach online from school buildings or remotely. Some limited, targeted supports may be provided on-site for individual students or small groups, but not regular classes in-person.
Students may return to school buildings in Trimester 2 for a hybrid of online and on-site learning, with all appropriate health and safety measures in place, if public health conditions allow. The district will decide in mid-November if on-site learning will begin on December 7. (This is the start of the second trimester for middle and high schools, and these dates apply for elementary schools as well.) If school buildings do not reopen on December 7, the district will decide in January if on-site learning can begin with the second half of the trimester, starting February 1.
Families who prefer 100% online learning, with no return to on-site learning this year, may choose the Eugene Online Academy.
This news may provide a sense of reassurance to many families who have been hesitant about a return to in-person instruction or unsure how to plan with an uncertain schedule. Having clarity about students learning online for the fall term will provide families a more stable schedule to support their planning, teachers the ability to plan for a full trimester in one instruction model, and students a greater continuity of instruction for academic success.
We also recognize that this change represents a further challenge in an already challenging time, for families who regularly rely on having their students learning in school buildings every day.
Thank you for your understanding and grace as schools navigate the challenges of returning to learning in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. We continue to plan and prepare for the day that we will be able to welcome students safely back to school buildings. Online or on-site, Eugene School District 4J will continue to provide the best education and care we can for all of our students.
Cydney Vandercar
Interim Superintendent
Eugene School District 4J
More Information
Eugene Online Academy: Grades K–12
Eugene Online Academy Interest Form
