Roosevelt Middle School eNEWS | June 12, 2023
New Announcements:
- Roosevelt School News
- Principal’s Message
- Yearbooks on Sale
- Incoming Freshman News
- Axe Football Info
- Summer Camps
- Summer Youth Football Camp
- Junior Derby Camp
- South Girls Lacrosse Camp
Schedule of Events
This Week
JUNE 12th (M): A DAY
- 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, RMS Theatre Production: Taming of the Shrew
- Show starts at 6:00 PM
JUNE 13th (T): B DAY
- Drop Off COVID-19 Test Kit
- 3:40 PM – 4:40 PM, Chess Club in the RMS Library
June 14th (W): A DAY
- 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM, 8th Grade Promotion Rehearsal
- mandatory for all 8th grade students
- 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, 8th Grade Promotion in the RMS Gym
- 6:00 PM Eighth graders report to lower A Hall and Forum to line up for promotion.
- 6:30 PM -7:30 PM Promotion Ceremony, large gym
- Doors open at 6:00 PM
- 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM, 8th Grade Dance
- 8:00 PM, Doors for admission close
June 15th (TH): B DAY
- 1:50 PM – 3:30 PM, 8th Grade Summer Social in the Field and outside of the Gym
- Last Day of School
JUNE 16th (F): NO SCHOOL
- First Full Day of Summer Vacation
Next Week
Hello Summer!
**A and B School Calendar for 2022 – 2023
Roosevelt School News
Principal’s Message
Greetings, families!
Welcome to the last installment of the 2022-23 RMS eNews and welcome summer! (Yes, we are still looking for an eNews coordinator for next year… please let us know if you are interested!)
What a year 2022-23 has been! Through it all, we have much to celebrate as we close out this last week of the school year. Our students, teachers and parents have navigated significant challenges with poise and perseverance, and our students continue to grow and change as they embrace community and grow in their understanding of what it means to have empathy and perspective. We could not be more proud of how our staff, students and families adjusted to the intensity of the last three years, even as we work tirelessly towards a better ‘new normal.’
This week, we take time to wrap up classes with projects and activities and though students are turning in devices Tuesday in House, there is still plenty of time to complete academic work for the school year. Teachers have taken great care to end the year with specific kinds of closure activities that support student reflection and a look ahead to the following year.
One of the closing events we are most looking forward to happens this Wednesday night for our 8th graders at Promotion. After the event, 8th grade students will enjoy a dance to send them off to high school next year. We’re looking forward to seeing all our students all week, Monday – Thursday, with an additional special extended House session on Thursday and a fun social for 8th grade students Thursday afternoon.
And, as we close out the year, please join me in congratulating Chad Heidke and Drew White as they both move on next year to new opportunities.
- After 18 epic years at RMS, Chad will be moving up to high school to help lead a Career-Tech Ed program in Construction Engineering. This will allow him to pursue a long-held passion and though we will miss his energy, enthusiasm and unflagging student support, we fondly wish him well on his desired path. If you’d like to drop him a note, please email: heidtke_c@4j.lane.edu.
- After three wonderful years, Drew will also be moving into two new roles– as a district-level teacher-on-special-assignment for Social Studies and as a doctoral candidate at the University of Oregon. We will miss Drew’s keen sense of humor, deep understanding of student behavior, and his ability to build community. If you want to wish him well, please email: white_d@4j.lane.edu.
- We’re also saying a true goodbye to Steve Robare (robare@4j.lane.edu), our 6th grade Band teacher as he retires for a second time. Many thanks to Steve for revitalizing our 6th grade program!
- Melissa Nixon (nixon_m@4j.lane.edu) will be leaving her RMS class to teach full time at Edgewood Elementary next year. Best of luck to her with the littles!
We wish all of our families and friends a restful and joyful summer vacation and thank you for your continued support.
Courtney and Mike
Yearbooks are on Sale now!
They will be dispersed the last day of school where students will be able to autograph each other’s books during extended house.
- Yearbook Purchase Link: https://www.schoolpay.com/link/Roosevelt-2022-2023-Yearbook
- Free & Reduced Lunch Link: https://www.schoolpay.com/link/Roosevelt-2022-23-Yearbook-freereduced
- Cash and Checks accepted in the front office as well.
Please reach out to Skye if you are unsure if you’ve purchased a yearbook already or if you have any questions, stier_s@4j.lane.edu
PAR Info
I can hardly believe that this amazing school year is coming to a close! Along with all the learning and growing in the classroom, our students and community also enjoyed being together and learning from one another through clubs, extra curriculars like track, activity nights, parent education nights, equity nights, teacher appreciation events, teacher grants, and of course, Showcase!
Our teachers, administration, and staff are amazing, but much of this would not have been possible without you. Thank you for helping support PAR with your finances through Nights Out and Showcase this year (we raised almost $8000 to support our community next year!), with your time chaperoning events and volunteering in classrooms/offices, and with your generosity towards teacher and staff appreciation events. We are so thankful for you!
Come September, we would love to continue the tradition of PAR at Roosevelt and will need your help. If you have even a few hours a month, a skill to share, or just a love to be with our students, we would encourage you to join us. You can contact Laura Furhiman for more information.
Thanks again for a fabulous year and Happy Summer Break!
Jamie Harms
PAR Chair
Incoming Freshman News
IMPORTANT 8TH GRADE DATES AND EVENTS:
Eighth grade Promotion and celebration activities are drawing near. Please read the following information for activities on the last days of school. We look forward to a safe, fun, and exciting end of the year!
Wednesday, June 14:
- 1:50 PM – Mandatory promotion rehearsal
- 6:00 PM – 8th grade students arrive for Promotion and stage in the small gym
- 6:30 PM – Promotion event in the large gym
- 7:30 PM – 8th grade Dance (ends at 9:00 pm and we do not allow students early exit)
Thursday, June 15:
- 8:30 AM – 2:35 PM – Regular school day for all students, including 8th grade students
- 1:50 PM – Summer Social for 8th graders (gym patio + field)
AXE Soccer Info Night
AXE Football Info
8TH GRADE STUDENTS attending SOUTH EUGENE HIGH SCHOOL this fall…
Are you interested in playing AXE Football? Get information about Spring/Summer Football Practices and football next fall by filling out the form below. We will include you in our Football communication.
https://bit.ly/SEFootballsignup2023
Pool Party for 8th Graders at Amazon Pool on 6/29
There will be a Pool Party for all 8th graders! On June 29th all 8th graders are welcome to come to Amazon Pool from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. This event is not sponsored by the school so, you will have to pay an entrance fee of $4.50 per person.
High School Webpages for “Class of 2027”
Most of the local area high school host a webpage dedicated to incoming freshmen. Check out these links here:
**Not all of the webpages have been updated for the “Class of 2027” yet.
UO COVID Screening Testing Program Results
Students and Tech- What’s Your Take?
Tech is ubiquitous, there’s no question! We’re curious what you’re seeing at home, and the kinds of ideas and responses your students have when you discuss tech use. As we work to craft new tech goals and parameters for student laptops next year, we’d love to hear from parents.
Would you take a moment and fill out our tech survey? It’s linked here and will give us valuable feedback on our next steps as a school. If you are interested in having a parent conversation or lending your voice to a larger effort of support responsible tech use at middle school, please reach out directly to Courtney: leonard@4j.lane.edu.
Thank you!
Digital Citizenship to Finish out the Year
Over the course of the year, we’ve had periodic lessons about digital citizenship in House. These have included examining our digital footprint, cyberbullying, and tech well-being. We primarily source lessons through Common Sense Media; there are really outstanding family resources on this site, too.
Coming up in the next three weeks, we’ll be completing lessons including Who Are You Online? Countering Hate Speech Online, and Digital Drama Unplugged. While the lessons vary for grade level and age, we re-craft the existing lessons to be relevant for middle school students and rely on the relationships students have created, grades 6 through 8, to have meaningful and thoughtful discussions. We hope you will hear about these lessons from your students and as a result, have an opportunity to discuss the questions and scenarios presented in House.
School Safety @ RMS and 4j
This week, we had yet another reminder about school safety when RMS went into a district-directed ‘secure’ based on reports of both a bomb threat and a school shooter at South Eugene High School. If you did not get our emails or texts on Thursday, May 11, please contact Skye Stier at stier_s@4j.lane.edu.
Incidents like this give us all pause and cause incredible stress and worry, particularly when we think about dropping our beautiful children off at school each day. We count on our schools to be safe places and recognize that sometimes, it can feel like a leap of faith to send our students through the front doors each morning.
Please know, we feel the impact, too, and outlined below is our approach to school safety. Though there are myriad variables, we know what to do in the event of emergencies and we follow both our standard protocols and our intuition, and guide students to do the same.
Our first step in school safety is planning and preparation. Our administrative team has had extensive training– more than 30 hours– in the Standard Response Protocol. We have also both participated in and led district exercises for reunification procedures. In turn, we have prepared our staff, our front-office has a ‘go-box’ in the works, and we have access to the Raptor Alert on our devices. On Thursday this week, we will practice an evacuation drill using our Raptor system for messaging and accounting for students.
We do drill regularly. When we drill, we try to be very overt with students about why, what they need to do and listen for, and the importance of following the instructions of adults who have the information. In the case of Wednesday’s ‘secure,’ we told students we were closing our building based on events at SEHS and debriefed with students on Thursday during House, including ‘lessons learned.’
Overall, we practice:
- A hold– we wait in classrooms for a hallway to clear, i.e., bodily fluids, a sick staff or student, etc.;
- A secure– no one comes in or out of the building and business goes on as usual inside the building because the threat is outside our building;
- A lockdown–we lock ourselves in our classrooms in response to a danger inside our school;
- An evacuation– we leave the building to get to safety. Depending on the nature of the threat, an evacuation might look different from a regular fire drill.
Any adult in the building can call a lockdown at any point either from the app on their phones or by immediately texting or calling the front office. It is crucially important that during an emergency in the school building, students follow the direction of school staff.
Along with drills, we talk to students specifically and say: If you see something, say something. For students and staff alike, if something doesn’t seem right or is out-of-the-ordinary, when in doubt, we ask them to report. School safety is one of the reasons we work relentlessly on building a culture of belonging and connection– we have to work together and be together to learn, support each other, and take care of each other if we’re worried about someone or something happening at school.
It may also be helpful to know that when there is an emergency, first responders, including police and fire, also use the Raptor app so adults in the building have access first hand to law enforcement information and directives which we then communicate school-wide. In the case of the SEHS lockdown, evacuation and reunification last Thursday, staff who had the app on their phone were much more able to prepare students and respond. Administrators work directly with law enforcement and district directors to make decisions and send out communications.
We understand that as parents, it’s hard not to have access to minute-by-minute updates when a school moves into a ‘secure’ or a ‘lock-down.’ Our goal is to get you information as quickly, evenly, efficiently and as accurately as we possibly can without overwhelming you or our systems. Situations at schools are dynamic and ever-shifting and while we plan as much as we can, invariably, different variables will arise.
We’ve heard from some of you that it would be helpful to have information about how incidents resolve. While we don’t always know the outcomes, if we do, we try to share what’s transpired. Do know there is extensive follow-up and debrief between schools, the district, and law enforcement so those variables during emergencies become more and more predictable.
If you would like to discuss school safety further, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s difficult to talk about or even consider and in our current climate, we do and must continue to plan. We welcome your questions and considerations– thank you!
Summer Camps
South Girls Lacrosse Camp
Junior Derby Camp
Summer Youth Football Camp
Ages: Kindergarten – 8th Grade
When: July 31 – August 3 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Where: South Eugene High School Football Field
For more information and to pre-register go to:
https://bit.ly/SEFootballCamp23
4J Summer Learning for Grades 5 – 7 (S.E.A.L.)
Ultimate Frisbee Summer Camp
SPICE Camp
Have you ever wished you had an invisibility cloak or gone looking for the end of the rainbow? Are you the kind of person who always wants to know WHY?
SPICE Camp is a UO supported program designed to engage young women in the sciences through hands on experimentation.
- Session 1:July 10-21, M-F
- Session 2:August 7-18, M-F
Camp Hours
- Camp runs from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM each day (M-F) for two consecutive weeks.
Camp Topics
- Rising 6th & 7th Graders – More than Meets the Eye: Science Discovery
- Navigate the science scavenger hunt, visiting well-known and hidden features of the UO campus to collect data and solve the puzzle. Learn about the scientific method with paper airplanes, plumb the depths of the mystery box, and apply what you’ve learned in the Amazing Science Race.
- Rising 7th & 8th Graders – Whodunit? Forensic Investigation
- How do we know what happened before we arrived on the scene? Forensics is the science of figuring out just that, whether it’s a 100 million year old comet strike or a murder that happened just last night, learn how scientists solve mysteries with geology, chemistry, and archaeology.
- Rising 8th & 9th Graders – Build It! Maker Camp
- Learn about simple and complex machines, computer programming and all the physics in between. Then put your knowledge to work building a series of maker projects such as BEAM bots, e-textiles, and interactive Automata.
Register
SPICE camp is a STEM program at the University of Oregon, serving middle school girl, trans, and nonbinary individuals. Our goal for the past 15 years is to provide STEM opportunities and enrichment to encourage continued interest in math and natural sciences during the time that interest often wanes. Our research shows that when provided a supportive, inclusive environment grounded in curiosity, motivation to pursue degrees in STEM fields increases.
Click here to see the flyer (in English and Spanish).
Summer Row Camp
PNW Teen Mindfulness Retreat
Mindfulness retreats (hosted by Inward Bound Mindfulness Education) provide young people with the rare opportunity to experience uninterrupted and genuine insight into their own life experience while connecting with their peers and mindfulness teachers in a welcoming and safe community. Come for the fun & friends. Stay for the calm & community.
Suggested Age
- 15 to 19 years
Cost
- Sliding scale: 1% of annual household income, up to $2,500. Learn More.
Duration + Location
- 6 days, 5 nights at Pack Forest Retreat Center in Eatonville, WA
Application Deadline
- June 22, midnight
Dates
- Starts: July 6, 2023
- Drop-off: 4:00 PM
- Ends: July 11, 2023
- Pick-up: 1:00 PM
**Click here to see the flyer or here for more information and to register.
Axe Soccer Camp
Registration is OPEN NOW for the 32nd Annual Axe Soccer Camp!
2023 Camp dates are Monday, June 19 through Friday, June 23 from 9 AM until 2 PM. Camp T shirt and soccer ball are included with registration!
To register or for more information visit: https://www.sesoccerclub.org/axesoccercamp
Summer Track and Field Camps
2023 Free UO Summer SAIL Program
Curious about college and exploring your interests?
Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2023 Student Academy to Inspire Learning (SAIL) Summer Program!
SAIL is a FREE week-long summer program hosted on UO campus where students get to experience college firsthand through exciting, hands-on, and interactive activities taught by distinguished UO Faculty. We offer in-person Day Only programs as well as Day + Residential Programs where selected students will get to stay in a UO Dorm Hall!
There are 18 different programs being offered this year including Spanish, Italian & French Languages Program.
Discover what college life is all about with SAIL! Visit our website sail.uoregon.edu for registration and additional details.
**Click on the links to check out the flyer (Spanish and English).
Willamette Valley Youth Football and Cheer
Churchill/South Youth Football and Cheer, a tackle football and cheerleading program open to youth in grades K through 8th, will open for registration on May 1st.
The season will begin August 21st. People interested in cheer should sign up by August 1st to be included in the uniform order. Scholarships are available.
The team is part of Willamette Valley Youth Football and Cheer.
For more information, contact south.churchillboard@gmail.com.
**Click here to check out the flyer.
SEHS “All skills” Youth Volleyball Camp
SEHS Volleyball Camp is designed to help athletes at every level to improve their volleyball skills. Our coaching staff and high school athletes will instruct on fundamental skill work, offensive and defensive skills and short-sided game drills.
When:
- Monday, 6/26 – Thursday, 6/29
- 9:00 AM -11:00 AM
Equipment needed:
- Athletic shoes
- Comfortable active clothes
- Knee pads (optional)
- Bring a long sleeve shirt
- Water bottle
Cost:
- $125
Camp Goals
The goal of SEHS Volleyball Camp is to provide a place for kids to learn the fundamentals of volleyball, gain valuable team experiences and build a competitive volleyball community.
Camp Director:
Alicia Chamness and Zoe Scott
**Check out this flyer for more information and for the registration form.
Summer Art Camps with Emerald Art Center
Our summer program is designed for youth to explore a variety of visual and digital art and cultivate creativity. Students will develop new skills and techniques in drawing, painting, digital art and more. Using traditional mediums, iPads/iPencils for each student and the Cricut Explore 3, these camps are for ages 11-14.
Our instructors are working artists with extensive experience teaching art to youth and have crafted the program to allow kids the flexibility and freedom to be creative, have fun and develop skills they can use not only in art, but in life!
Session 1: DRAWING WHAT YOU SEE & DIGITAL DRAWING GAMES
- July 18-21, Tuesday-Friday from 1:00 PM – -5:00 PM
- Ages 11-14
- $160/ $140 Early Bird (price ends June 30)
Session 2: DESIGN AND PRINT YOUR OWN ZINE, USING GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRINTMAKING
- July 25-28, Tuesday-Friday from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Ages 11-14
- $160/ $140 Early Bird (price ends June 30)
Session 3: DIGITAL ART, STICKERS & T-SHIRTS
- August 1-4, Tuesday-Friday from 1-5 pm
- Ages 11-14
- $160/ $140 Early Bird (price ends June 30)
Session 4: PAINTING!
- August 8-11, Tuesday-Friday from 1-5 pm
- Ages 11-14
- $160/ $140 Early Bird (price ends June 30)
“An excellent camp for older kids, focused on building art skill and not entertainment, group activities or busy work.” – Parent Feedback
“It was an awesome program. Just the right amount of freedom and direction.” – Parent Feedback
Our website has more info, scholarship forms and registration links.
**Check out the flyer for more information (in Spanish and English).
Community Resources
Cleaning for a Cause
Are you getting ready to clean out closets and cull through books and toys?
Please consider donating to Bags of Love, a local nonprofit helping children in crisis. We rely heavily upon community donations to keep our inventory stocked, and we accept donations of new and gently used clothing, toys, and books. Items must be clean, tear- and stain-free, and in good condition. Serving children birth-17 and sizes preemie to adult 4XL means our clothing needs are wide-ranging and never-ending!
You can drop off donations at our warehouse (1052 Green Acres Rd), which is open Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Host a Foreign Exchange Student through ETC
ETC is a nonprofit organization that places high school exchange students with voluntary host families. Exchange students enrich the lives of their host families, peers, teachers, and the entire community! I can truly say that hosting is an amazing experience and an unforgettable time for the whole family. Most people walk away with a new member of the family, new traditions and menu ideas, great memories, and a vacation invitation from abroad! Our students bring their own spending money and insurance and totally integrate within the family; they are not a guest! You can expect them to do chores like American teenagers and they participate in all your usual family activities. One member of the host family can also earn the Presidential Volunteer Service Award and that looks great on college or job applications!
Please go to the Education Travel and Cultural website to find out more information.
Mental Health Support
Free Access to Care Solace
4J families, does your student or a family member need help with mental health care? Eugene School District 4J is providing students, staff and their families’ free access to Care Solace, a confidential care coordination service, to help provide an additional layer of care and address the growing need for mental health care and substance abuse treatment.
Care Solace will connect you to verified community care providers matched to your needs, including providers that accept your medical insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or sliding scale options for those without insurance. Their care companion team is always available. Get help finding care providers that meet your needs at caresolace.com/eugene or call 888-515-0595 anytime, day or night, in any language. (Note, Care Solace is not a mental health service provider or emergency response service. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline at 800-273-8255.)
Learn more: 4j.lane.edu/2022/03/care-solace-mental-health-care-coordination-service/
Familias de 4J, ¿Necesitan ayuda con la atención de salud mental de algún miembro de su familia? El Distrito Escolar de Eugene 4J brinda a los estudiantes, el personal y sus familias acceso gratuito a Care Solace, un servicio confidencial de coordinación de cuidados, para ayudar a proporcionar una capa adicional de atención a la salud mental y tratamiento de abuso de sustancias para abordar la creciente necesidad de atención mental.
Care Solace le conectará con proveedores de atención comunitaria verificados que se ajusten a sus necesidades, incluidos los proveedores que aceptan su seguro médico, Medicaid, Medicare u opciones de pago por escala de ingresos para aquellos sin seguro. Su equipo de acompañantes de cuidados siempre está disponible. Obtenga la ayuda de contactos que satisfaga sus necesidades en caresolace.com/eugene o llame al 888-515-0595 en cualquier momento, de día o de noche, en cualquier idioma. (Tenga en cuenta que Care Solace no es el proveedor de los servicios de salud mental ni un servicio de respuesta a emergencias. En caso de una emergencia de vida o muerte, llame al 911 o a la Línea Nacional de Suicidio al 800-273-8255).
Infórmese: 4j.lane.edu/2022/03/care-solace-mental-health-care-coordination-service/
____________________________________________________________________________________
If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health right now, please check out these links for support. You are LOVED, we miss you, and can’t wait until we are all back together again!
- HOOTS (Helping Out Our Teens in Schools) is offering mental health support by phone for students, families, and staff of 4J high schools during school closures. The phone line is accessible from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday and is staffed by crisis counselors who normally work HOOTS clinic or work on CAHOOTS. Video support is available from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM on weekdays and is accessed by emailing hoots@whitebirdclinic.org with your name and preferred time. HOOTS is able to provide short term counseling and mental health support, resource referrals and OHP sign up. Students, families and staff of 4J please call (541)246-2342.
- A chat-line for students. Teens are available to help daily from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM Pacific Time via call, text, chat or email (adults are available by phone at all other times). YouthLine is a free, confidential teen-to-teen crisis and help line. No problem is too big or too small for the Youthline!
- A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth via call, text, and chat: 866-488-7386 – The Trevor Project
- YouthEra has virtual “drop-ins” from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Discord Streaming live (moderated chat) with two state-certified youth peer support specialists, on Twitch Monday-Friday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
- All of the phone services are free and confidential. See also Youthline as part of Lines for Life.
- Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis. A live, trained Crisis Text Line Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds, all from our secure online platform. The volunteer Crisis Counselor will help you move from a hot moment to a cool moment.
- Safe Oregon, the 24/7 statewide school safety tip line, is here for you; for all students and the whole community. Anonymously or confidentially report student safety concerns (suicidal ideation/thoughts, cyberbullying, child abuse, drug/alcohol abuse, etc.) and we will pass this information to school personnel and law enforcement (when necessary).
15th Night Resource Guide for Youth by Youth
The 15th Night Youth Action Council (YAC) is so excited to share their Resource Guide For Youth By Youth. It includes all kinds of resources for young people in our community; from emergency shelter, to job application assistance, reconnection to school, or where to find a meal on Fridays at 4pm, this resource guide covers it all. Read more.
Earn Free Money for Roosevelt!
You can help Roosevelt earn money for our school by registering your credit card with eScrip. Earn money for Roosevelt every time you shop at Market of Choice, Sizzle Pie (& other local restaurants). Register your credit/debit cards, designating Roosevelt Middle School—Recipient ID #6723045. Click on this link to get started.
Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Roosevelt. You can search by our name or by our non-profit number GB554.
Download the Box Top for Education App in Google Play or the App Store, sign up (or sign in) and take a picture of your receipt within 14 days of purchase. It will automatically credit the school for each product. For more information, click on the link above.
| Roosevelt Middle School | Phone: 541-790-8500 | Attendance: 541-790-8525 |
STAY CONNECTED: Join the Parents at Roosevelt (PAR)
Instagram and Facebook Pages