Springfield School District

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down all Oregon public school buildings for the rest of the academic year.  As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, this has prompted many a student to remember an unreturned library book…a favorite jacket…or an uneaten lunch that’s going on several weeks old.

Local firefighter Nathan Kunasek has started a non-profit organization to train the community in techniques to stop life threatening bleeding. He feels passionately that all educators can and should be first responders to emergencies. KLCC went to a training at Malabon Elementary School in Eugene’s Bethel District. 

When you check out at a store, cashiers will often ask you to donate to a cause. As KLCC’s Elizabeth Gabriel reports, customer donations at Rack Room Shoes in Springfield provided an entire elementary school with free shoes.

For the last five years, students at Springfield High School have had a unique learning experience creating an outdoor magazine. Their hard work and dedication earned them a Pacemaker award from the National Scholastic Press Association this spring. 

With Sunday temperatures forecast to be below 30 degrees, Eugene and Springfield’s Egan Warming Center sites are set to open on Sunday night. Because of changes in locations this season, organizers expect to need more volunteers.

The Academy of Arts and Academics in Springfield has a new principal, and will also lose its charter status later this month.

The now-adult victim of years of sexual abuse by her high school principal is suing the Springfield School District and its former superintendent for 5-million dollars. The suit was filed in federal court on Monday.

More than 80 parents met at Springfield’s Academy of Arts and Academics last night, for facilitated discussions on the school’s future. A3 faces the loss of its charter status after revelations surfaced of a sexually-abusive relationship between its principal and a student. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

Documents show a decade-long pattern of sexual abuse, grooming, and stalking by the late principal of the Springfield Academy of Arts and Academics towards a now-former student. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

The Springfield School District plans to open a new Hamlin Middle School building this winter. It’s much larger than the current 70-year old campus and will help the school focus on STEAM—science, engineering, technology, arts and math.

District officials plan to replace the underground water system at Page Elementary School in Springfield. Six classrooms were found to have higher-than safe lead levels.

School leaders want to hear from all Oregonians about their hopes and dreams for education in the state. Wednesday, Eugene 4J, Bethel and Springfield schools are holding a community meeting as part of Oregon Rising.

A bike safety program for middle school students in Eugene and Springfield is expanding. A $30,000 grant will help the program add over 40 classes.

On, Wednesday morning, the first day of school, KLCC's Rachael McDonald caught up with Springfield Interim Superintendent Sue Rieke-Smith at Hamlin Middle School.

Thursday is the last day of school in Springfield and this week the school board finalized a few big decisions about next year.

At a special meeting Thursday night the Springfield School Board formally selected Assistant Superintendent Sue Reike-Smith to be the district's Acting Superintendent. She will take over for Hertica Martin who announced her resignation Monday.

Reike-Smith says besides the contractual duties of a superintendent, she plans to keep doing what she always does, visit schools and interface with teachers and students. The focus of her new role is on the last ten weeks of school.

Springfield Public Schools are once again asking voters to approve a bond to fund improvements to the district's aging schools. Last year, a similar measure was defeated by just 446 votes. This time, backers say they’ve made some changes to Measure 20-226.

The district asked voters why they said no last year to a school bond measure. Springfield Schools spokeswoman Devon Ashbridge says the previous bond focused mainly on funding a new Hamlin Middle School.