G’Lancer Back-to-School Edition, August 2021

Churchill Families,

Welcome to the 2021–2022 school year. In this special back-to-school issue of the G’Lancer, we hope to give you information and resources to help you start the year off well. As we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to encounter challenges that require our staff and families to be flexible, creative, and gracious with each other. Our top priority is the safety of our students and the Lancer community. These are our kids.

The G’Lancer is published at the beginning of each school term. In addition to the G’Lancer, Churchill communicates information to families in a variety of ways.

  • Principal Greg Borgerding will email weekly Family Bulletins with information about the upcoming week’s events and important announcements.
  • The 4J school district and Churchill High School use SchoolMessenger to send reminders and time-sensitive announcements to families as recorded voice messages, emails, and text messages. These messages can be very frequent at the beginning of the school year when a lot of important events take place. You are encouraged to create a SchoolMessenger account at go.schoolmessenger.com using the email address that we use to contact you. Once your account is active you will be able to control how you receive messages through SchoolMessenger, such as opting out of phone messages or opting into SMS (text).
  • Occasionally, we will post announcements on our social media pages. In addition to our school pages, some of our clubs, departments, and teachers manage their own social media accounts. The creator of the account, teacher, or club advisor is responsible for the content on those pages.
  • Finally, check out our website at chs.4j.lane.edu. You can find all of our announcements, newsletters, and links to social media pages from there.

Welcome back! We are excited to begin this new school year together.

 


Calendar


Churchill School Events Calendar | Churchill Athletic Calendar | 4J District Calendar

Back-to-School Events

August 16 Fall Athletics Practices Begin (register here)
(cheer, cross country, football, boys’ and girls’ soccer, volleyball)
August 26, 27
9 AM–NOON
Back-to-School Days
August 26: 10th and 11th grades
August 27: 9th and 12th grades and new students
September 6 Labor Day — School Closed

Term 1

September 9 9th-Grade Orientation Day
September 10 Classes Begin
September 17 Picture Makeup Day
September 30
6:30 PM
Open House
October 15 No School — Progress Reports
October 19 Picture Retakes
November 10 Winter Athletic Registration Due
November 11 Veterans Day — School Closed
November 12 No School — Professional Development
November 15 Winter Athletics Practices Begin
(basketball, swimming, wrestling)
November 25–26 Thanksgiving Break — School Closed
December 6 No School — Grading Day

Term 2

December 7 Term 2 Classes Begin
December 20–31 Winter Break — School Closed
January 3 No School — Planning Day
January 4 Classes Resume

 


Churchill News


Back-to-School Days

New Students: Your Back-to-School day will be more helpful to you if you complete your enrollment ahead of time. Re-enrollment is not required if you are coming from a 4J school. Visit our New Students page for complete information.

All students are expected to attend Back-to-School Days.

  • Thursday, August 26, 9:00 a.m.–noon — 10th and 11th Grades
  • Friday, August 27, 9:00 a.m.–noon — 9th and 12th Grades and New Students

The school office will close at 12:00 p.m. on both days. 

At Back-to-School Days, students will take school photos, receive student ID cards, bus passes, and parking passes, and more. New students can pick up their student computers on these days.

If a student or responsible family member cannot attend the assigned back-to-school day, they may attend on the alternate day. If no family member can attend on either day, please complete the Back-to-School Packet online (coming soon) and plan to come to Picture Makeup Day on September 17.

Although we are planning for Back-to-School Days to be in person, we recognize that we may have to respond quickly to changing public health conditions. Please look for emails from Churchill and check chs.4j.lane.edu for updates.

Project Hope Fair: August 29, 1:00–4:00 p.m.

“Removing barriers, equipping kids with dignity”

Working within 4 school districts, the Kids’ Fair is held simultaneously at five different locations in the Eugene/Springfield Community. Through the combined efforts in 2020 of 80+ organizations, businesses, and churches, we provided 3,500 pairs of shoes, pairs of socks, and backpacks filled with school supplies. Community members and churches donate the backpacks and school supplies, local businesses partner to purchase shoes through grants, and volunteers from all partners create the community event.

Learn more or make a donation at http://onehopenetwork.org/project-hope.

9th-Grade Orientation: September 9

Churchill is planning an orientation day for 9th-graders on September 9. More information is coming soon. Keep an eye on your email inbox for updates.

Classes Begin: September 10

COVID Protocols

Students, staff, and visitors are required to wear masks at all times while in school buildings. There are brief exceptions for actively eating or drinking, or playing wind instruments.

Outdoors, staff and students are not required to wear face masks.

Exception for high school sports: Student-athletes and coaches who have been verified by 4J Health Services to be fully vaccinated may remove face coverings indoors while engaged in athletic activities outside the school day. Masking requirements for school sports are set by OSAA (osaa.org).

Staff and students may still choose to wear face coverings in situations where they are not required. All students, staff, and visitors are encouraged to continue physical distancing, even while wearing masks.

What to Bring

Because of the diversity of classes offered at the high school level, each student will have different needs for school supplies. Teachers will list any special supplies on the class syllabus, which will be shared on the first day of class. We recommend bringing these basic supplies on the first day of school.

  • Face mask
  • Your student computer
  • Notebook
  • Pencils/pens
  • Water bottle
    • Drinking fountains are unavailable for COVID safety. Churchill has several water bottle filling stations available throughout the school.
    • Liquid spills may damage your computer beyond repair! Please keep your water bottle away from your student computer. Do not put your computer and water bottle together in the same pocket of your school bag. Make sure your water bottle is securely sealed. We recommend carrying your water bottle separately or using a school bag with an exterior pocket that can hold your water bottle upright to avoid spills.

Bell Schedule

The complete final bell schedule for the 2021–2022 school year has not been announced. When it is available, you will find the bell schedule at chs.4j.lane.edu/bell-schedules.

Log on Before the First Day of Classes

Before classes begin, students should log on to 4J services with their 4J username and password and make sure their student account is working correctly. Students are expected to check their student email regularly for important announcements from their teachers and counselors.

Email chs_info@4j.lane.edu to request a password reset or to request student access to 4J Google Services.

All other technology support questions should be directed to the Technology Support team. Fill out a help request at technologysupport.4j.lane.edu.

Depending on your classes, some of your teachers may ask you to use other web-based programs. Please check with your teacher or read your course syllabus for complete information about the programs and online services your teacher expects you to use.

Accounts for Parents

Parents can view their student(s)’s progress and control the way they receive announcements from Churchill and 4J. Here are some of the web services available to 4J parents.

  • ParentVUE — Email chs_info@4j.lane.edu for activation information.
  • Canvas — To set up your account, look for the link that says “Click Here For an Account” and follow the instructions from there. Your student or their teacher can provide the pairing code.
  • SchoolMessenger — Log in or create your account using the email address we have on file for you in your student’s record. Look for the preferences option in the menu to adjust whether you receive texts, phone calls, and emails from 4J and Churchill.

Technology Support

Visit our Student Links page for a list of important links and resources for your technology questions.

Picture Makeup and Retake Days: September 17 and October 19

Picture Makeup Day on September 17 is intended for students who did not have their picture taken at Back-to-School Days. Students who enrolled after Back-to-School Days, or who were unable to come on those days can have their photos taken during school hours.

Picture Retake Day on October 19 is for all students who have not taken a school picture this school year or are unhappy with their picture.

Attendance

To excuse a student’s absence, please email chs_attendance@4j.lane.edu or call 541-790-5102. Absences must be excused by a parent in advance, or within two school days after the absence.

Attendance is taken every day within the first ten minutes of each class period. Parents are notified of their student’s absences or late arrivals through email and phone calls using an automated process. Automated messages are delivered twice per day.

If your student was marked absent or late in error, please contact the teacher directly as soon as possible to make the correction. Teachers cannot go back more than two school days to make attendance corrections.

Counselors

We are pleased to welcome Laura Martin to our counseling team. Counselor caseloads have been adjusted for the new year. Please refer to the list below to see who your counselor is for this year.

9th Grade: Casey Tiemann | 541-790-5136 | tiemann@4j.lane.edu 
10th–12th Grade, A–G:
 Nita Halstead | 541-790-5113 | halstead_n@4j.lane.edu
10th–12th Grade, H–O: Katy McAuliffe | 541-790-5118 | mcauliffe@4j.lane.edu
10th–12th Grade, P–Z: Laura Martin | 541-790-5116 | martin_l@4j.lane.edu

Do not email or call your counselor to request a correction to your class schedule. Links to the schedule correction request forms are posted at chs.4j.lane.edu/scheduling.

To schedule an appointment with your counselor, visit the Counseling page.

Mental Health Resources

This is a stressful time. Our counselors want you to know about some of the mental resources available to students and their families.

Click here to view the list in your web browser.
Click here to download the list as a PDF.

The Oregon Family Support Network has a supportive helpline available for parents of children that are experiencing mental health concerns. On this line, parents can speak with other parents that have gone through similar challenges. Find more information at www.reachoutoregon.org.

Student Health Center at Churchill

The Churchill Health Center is open and available for 4J students to access medical and mental health services. The PeaceHealth medical team provides wellness visits, sports physicals, sick visits, management of chronic conditions, reproductive health care, and immunizations. We are currently offering this season’s flu shot.

The Lane County Behavioral Health therapists provide mental health assessments and counseling services including individual counseling, group counseling, and family counseling.

The health center can bill most private insurance and the Oregon Health Plan. We are committed to making sure our patients get the care they need, whether they can afford to pay or not. Please ask us about financial assistance options if you have any concerns about billing.

Call 541-790-5227 to schedule an appointment; same-day appointments are often available.

Volunteers

Churchill relies on the contributions of skilled and committed volunteers to make the vision of “Excellence every day for every Lancer” a reality. Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the school. We can use your skills. Volunteers tutor students, help them apply for schools and scholarships, answer phones, help maintain the grounds, build sets and sew costumes for plays and musicals, organize fundraisers, chaperone events or field trips, serve on Site Council, and so much more.

All volunteers must complete the 4J Volunteer Application. Volunteer background checks expire after 2 years and each volunteer must complete the application again to renew their background check at the end of the 2 years. Only current registered and trained volunteers may be on campus or chaperone a school function without a staff escort.

Contact the 4J volunteer helpdesk at volunteersupport@4j.lane.edu to check your volunteer status.

Churchill volunteer coordinator:
Jill Reents, Secretary
reents_ji@4j.lane.edu

Free and Reduced Benefits

All 4J families are encouraged to learn more about the benefits of the Free and Reduced-Price meals program. Families who qualify can benefit outside of the school lunch program with low-cost internet, healthcare, reduced sports fees, and more!

Learn more about these benefits at http://www.4j.lane.edu/nutrition/freelunchbenefits, or http://www.4j.lane.edu/nutrition/freelunch.

 

Fall 2021 Athletics Registration<< >>Summer P-EBT (food cards) for Qualifying Families