PARENTS AND STUDENTS
Over the last week, I have been working closely with the leadership of our teaching and classified staff unions. The primary topic has been to brainstorm ways to save dollars in anticipation of possible significant cuts to our State School Funding for the 20-21 school year. Going into those discussions, the goals of all the parties were to minimize the impact on students and families, while saving as many dollars as possible in payroll. We have been able to negotiate and agree on the plan described below.
Furlough Days: All staff are taking three furlough days. These days will save the district our employee wages for three days (about $50,000 a day, $150,000 total, with all 162 employees). The unions agreed to make these days be days that DO NOT impact students. All employee groups, classified, certified, administrator, and confidential employees, will be taking these three days in lost wages.
WorkShare Days: In addition, beginning Monday, May 18th, all staff will have their daily hours reduced by 20-25% through the remainder of the school year. This will result in another four days of savings (although not quite as much as a furlough day, about $37,000 a day) for the final four weeks of the school year. For these four days, staff will be participating in the Employment Department WorkShare Program. This program allows businesses with more than three employees to reduce the hours of employees while maintaining their jobs and other benefits such as insurance. The total savings for these four WorkShare days to the District General Fund will be another approximately $150,000. The only way these WorkShare days will affect families and students is that K-8, teachers will be available to work and communicate with students for a little less each day, office hours will be approximately 8:00-2:30. For our High School students, individual teachers may vary, but in general, will be available for about 90 minutes less each day at varying times. Also, while school offices will remain open each day, the hours will be adjusted to be 8:00-2:30. We hope that the direct effect on students and parents is minimal, knowing that the effects of our current situation is already tremendously impactful on our students and families.
The savings the district will see will begin to partly address the reduction the district is expecting to see in our State School Fund payment for the 20-21 school year.
Thank you to our staff for agreeing to participate in these reductions, and to our students and families for their continued grace and patience.
Please see the dates and updated information regarding the meal service and packet pick-up schedule through Tuesday, May 26th:
May 18th (Today): Normal meal service + packet pick up routes taking place.
May 21st (Thursday): Double meals being served this day (2 lunches + 2 breakfasts due to no deliveries on Friday).
May 22nd (Friday): No service due to it being a non-contract day for FRSD Classified staff.
May 25th (Monday): No service due to Memorial Day.
May 26th (Tuesday): Normal meal service resumes + packet pick up routes taking place.
This is to inform you that The Fern Ridge School District Budget Committee Meeting Agenda and Notice for the Tuesday, May 19, 2020 – Budget Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m., has been posted. In response to the current health emergency resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, the District facilities are closed to the public and meetings are being held electronically at https://meet.google.com/bka-yggy-ggd?hs=122 or by dialing (US)+1 406-578-4644 PIN: 654 284 727#.
Agenda items include: Receive Superintendent’s Budget Message, Review Proposed Budget, Take Public Comment, and Approve Budget and Tax Levies.
To access the agenda click here. This will take you to the Fern Ridge SD 28J BoardBook site where you can review board meeting agendas, attachments, and minutes. Included in the May 19th, 2020 Budget Committee Meeting Agenda is the 2020-2021 Proposed Budget Document.
Please email any questions to qbennett@fernridge.k12.or.us or gcarpenter@fernridge.k12.or.us at your earliest convenience and preferably prior to the day of May 19th, so that we can provide the most appropriate and accurate answer.
Dear Parents and Students of the Class of 2020,
During these uncertain times we are doing our best to keep you updated on our plans for celebrating our 2020 graduates. We know that nothing can replace the loss of prom, senior trips, and a traditional graduation ceremony, but we are striving to create an experience that will be memorable and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates.
Last week we received additional guidance from ODE, OHA and the governor around what is allowable for graduation. These guidelines drastically impact our ability to stage a traditional graduation ceremony, we also received word from the governor that it is unlikely that any large group gatherings will be allowed to occur until after September. We feel that this limits us to sticking with the original graduation date of June 5th. We are fearful that too many graduating seniors would be unable to participate in a postponed ceremony, and we also believe that the date of that ceremony would be too open ended and make it difficult for families to plan.
We believe that we can create a memorable graduation ceremony on the original June 5th date and we will be attempting to keep as many of the traditions of graduation intact. We will be providing more details next week, but for now we wanted to share some of what has been decided. The following are important things for you to know:
- Graduation will take place as scheduled on June 5th at 7:00 PM.
- Graduates and their families will remain in their vehicle for the majority of the ceremony.
- Each graduate will be allowed a maximum of two vehicles, no exceptions.
- Each vehicle must be able to fit in a standard sized parking spot in the EHS parking lot (no RV’s trailers or buses will be allowed).
- Pickup trucks are allowed but no one will be allowed to sit in the bed of the truck.
- We will conduct a rehearsal on Wednesday, June 3rd that we would like students and parents to attend.
- The Lane County Sheriff will be in attendance to ensure the safety of all of our guests and graduates.
We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our seniors and we feel confident that we can do that in a safe manner that honors many of the traditions of graduation. We will be in touch next week with additional information.
Sincerely,
Rick Gardner
Principal
FRSD Families, in partnership with DHS and ODE, who have been enrolled in the Free/Reduced Lunch program or who may now be eligible with the current health emergency, will receive $5.70 per child per day in assistance on an EBT (Oregon Trail card for March-June).
The Fern Ridge School District and Chartwells staff are currently working on getting ODE our updated information. They, in turn, will pass along to DHS to make this happen.
If you are currently enrolled in the Free/Reduced Lunch program, no further action is needed. Our understanding is that those who already receive SNAP benefits will receive a supplement automatically on their EBT card. Those who don’t have SNAP will receive an EBT card with the issuance by mail. The payments will be retroactive to March 16th, 2020.
This program is only available to families with students currently enrolled in FRSD. Parents/families who have not been on free/reduced lunch may now be eligible due to the current economic/job situation with COVID-19. Families are encouraged to apply with the school district. Your information will be picked up with a 2nd data submission to ODE. The benefit amount will be pro-rated to the 1st of the month of the student enrollment date. If you would like to pursue becoming eligible now, you should apply immediately. For information on how to apply, as well as contact information for our food service staff, please visit the following webpage: https://www.fernridge.k12.or.us/?page_id=337
This is to inform you that The Fern Ridge School District Budget Committee Meeting Agenda and Notice for the Tuesday, May 19, 2020 – Budget Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m., has been posted. In response to the current health emergency resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, the District facilities are closed to the public and meetings are being held electronically at https://meet.google.com/bka-yggy-ggd?hs=122 or by dialing (US)+1 406-578-4644 PIN: 654 284 727#.
Agenda items include: Receive Superintendent’s Budget Message, Review Proposed Budget, Take Public Comment, and Approve Budget and Tax Levies.
To access the agenda click here. This will take you to the Fern Ridge SD 28J BoardBook site where you can review board meeting agendas, attachments, and minutes. Included in the May 19th, 2020 Budget Committee Meeting Agenda is the 2020-2021 Proposed Budget Document.
Please email any questions to qbennett@fernridge.k12.or.us or gcarpenter@fernridge.k12.or.us at your earliest convenience and preferably prior to the day of May 19th, so that we can provide the most appropriate and accurate answer.
Mrs. Herbert and Mrs. Perrier from EES are planning a 3k virtual fun run! The flyer below includes most of the information you need. Also included at the bottom of this post is a “virtual bib” and a “virtual finished picture banner.” You do not NEED either one of these items, but they are there for your convenience and fun if you want one. The bib can be printed (with any number you want)–and worn when you run, and the “banner” can be held up when you and or your family finish your run and want to take a picture! The pictures can be emailed to the email address on the flyer. Anyone that sends in a picture will be eligible for a grand prize drawing of a one year Family Pass to Willamalane Parks and Recreation. The pictures sent in will also be used in a video that will go out on social media. If you want to be included in the drawing, but not in the social media posts, just mention that in the email that you send.
A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Fern Ridge School District 28J, Lane County, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. In response to the current health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the District facilities are currently closed to the public and meetings are being held virtually through Google Meet at https://meet.google.com/bka-yggy-ggd?hs=122 or by dialing (US)+1 406-578-4644 PIN: 654 284 727#.
The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comments from the public on the budget. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Public comment will be taken in written form. Written comments received by 10 a.m. on May 19, 2020 will be read into the record during the public comment section of the meeting on May 19, 2020. To schedule public comment, please provide your name, address, along with the comment to qbennett@fernridge.k12.or.us. Comments will be subject to a three-minute limit per community member as they are read into the record. Any person may submit questions to qbennett@fernridge.k12.or.us.
A copy of the budget document may be inspected on line at www.fernridge.k12.or.us or obtained by mail via email request to qbennett@fernridge.k12.or.us. The budget document will be available for viewing and mailing on or after May 13, 2020.
This notice and more information about the budget can be found at www.fernridge.k12.or.us.
UPDATED MEAL ROUTES: Route 13, beginning tomorrow May 6th, will drop the Fleck stop and add a stop at the Department of Forestry Parking lot. CLICK HERE for the updated meal bus route schedule.
PACKET PICK-UP AND DELIVERY: This continues every Monday. Yesterday we were able to pick up over 40 packets, and deliver around 20. If you would like to try out having your distance learning packet delivered, please communicate with your child’s teacher or school. The route and stop times can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
May 4 to May 8 is the week set aside to recognize teachers for the extraordinary work they do with our students.
Great teachers do more than teach reading, writing, and math. They help set our children up for success in life. Whether students enter into a trade, go to college, or jump into a career, they are more prepared for life because of the teachers who guided and supported them along the way.
Even when faced with the incredible task of educating students virtually on a moment’s notice, our Fern Ridge teachers have shown they are dedicated to their students, no matter the circumstances.
Now more then ever we want to recognize the teachers who step into the lives of their students and make a positive impact. Please join me by thanking all of our Fern Ridge teaching staff!