Dear YG Families!
Welcome back to another exciting year at Yujin Gakuen Elementary School. I have been working at the new site since July 25; and I can say it is a bright and welcoming place for students. There will be lots of information in this email and more to come.
First, I need to inform you of some staffing changes. Alison Johnson, Kindergarten English teacher, will be taking a year long leave of absence for the 24.25 school year as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer. If you are so inclined, she has shared ways to support her and her family. There is a meal train and a link to sign up will be provided upon request. She has also shared that gift cards for restaurants can be helpful. And finally, cards, letters, children art (especially from her former students) will lift her spirits. Gift cards and letters can be dropped off with Brigitte and we will get them to Alison and her family.
I also need to inform you that Kelly Stroh, 5th grade English teacher, is taking a part-time leave of absence for this school year. What this means is that she will do a job-share with another English teacher. We have hired for both of these positions (see below for their name and introduction).
YG will be welcoming two new, temporary, teachers for the 24-25 school to fill in for Alison Sensei and Kelly Sensei. Interviews are complete and HR worked really fast to get the hires approved. See below for a brief introduction to Taylor Kellogg (kindergarten teacher) and Bree Young (5th Grade).
Second, below is some information about busing, Kindergarten Smart Start, Meet the Teacher, etc. I will need to send a ‘part two’ to this newsletter right before Labor Day with more specific information about drop off and pick up logistics for car riders.
I am looking forward to seeing you all again for the 24-25 school year.
Kimberly Ingram, Principal (Kocho Sensei)
Yujin Gakuen Japanese Language Immersion Elementary
Busing
The final routing information will come from 4J communications, but here is information I have from Transportation.
4J will introduce a new phone app called “My Ride K-12” where “Parents and students can access their bus stop location, route, and pick up time on the … mobile app. The app uses vehicle GPS geolocation to show bus arrivals each day, drastically reducing support calls.” More to come from 4J
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Times and Locations - *final routing information will be communicated via 4J*
AM bus pick up - 7:30 @ KELLY MIDDLE SCHOOL (*between 7:25-7:35).
PM -bus drop off - 3:26 @ HOWARD ELEMENTARY (*between 3:20-3:30).
Parents, please remain with your child until they load on the bus. There will not be staff supervision in the morning.
At the end of the day, there will be a Howard staff member available to support the bus driver with student release from the bus.
Meet the Teachers
Tuesday, Sept. 3rd, 11:00-12:00. This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to see their new classrooms, introduce themselves, and meet their teachers/sensei. We will ask families to leave right at noon so our teachers and staff can continue to prepare for kinders on Wednesday and the rest of our students on Thursday (see below for details about kindergarten Smart Start).
Back to School Picnic
Event: Back to School Picnic
Date: Friday, September 13th, 2024
Time: Set-up to start at 3:00
Picnic 5:30-7:30
Clean-up until 8:30
First Days of School
Kindergarten - Wednesday, September 4th, 8:30 - 1:45
Grades 1-5 - Thursday,September 5th, 8:30 - 3:00
Kindergarten Smart Start
Please click this link for the 4J page with information about Kindergarten Smart Start
Wed. September 4, 8:30-1:45 - All kinders
Thurs. September 5, 8:30-3:00 - Group A - Last name A-L
Fri. September 6, 8:30-3:00 - Group B - Last name M-Z
Mon (9th), Tues (10th), Wed (11th) - All kinders, all day
Thurs (12th) & Fri. (13th) - No Kindergarten students for parent/teacher conversations.
School Supplies…just a backpack and water bottle
Eugene 4J school district provides most of the supplies families usually buy. Please plan on sending your student to school with a backpack.
Class/Cohort Assignments
Class lists/cohorts will be emailed to families on the afternoon of Friday, August 30th, just prior to Labor Day weekend.
YMCA Before and After School Care
The YMCA offers a before and after school program for YG students, on site at 2855 Lincoln St. See Flyer for details
Welcome New YG Staff
Taylor Kellogg - Temporary English Kindergarten Teacher
Hello YG families! My name is Taylor Kellogg and I will be teaching Kindergarten at YG for the 2024-2025 school year. My husband and I just moved to Eugene from Nashville, TN this summer with our dog Roxie. I have been teaching for 9 years and my classroom philosophy is based on creating a loving classroom community where all students feel safe and welcomed. I love to spend time outdoors hiking, kayaking, or slowly wandering the forest. Since moving to Oregon, I have discovered a new found love for the ocean and beach! While at home, I love to spend my time creating, whether that be watercoloring, hand lettering, or making a new recipe in the kitchen. I am so excited and honored to be joining the YG and Eugene community!
Rin Legare - Special Education teacher
Rin Legare has nearly 10 years of experience in education and is thrilled to join Yujin Gakuen as the new special education teacher. They bring a diverse background, having worked as a substitute teacher, ESL teacher, ESL curriculum writer, and educational assistant in special education and life skills. Rin spent five years living in eastern and SE Asia and is eager to engage with Japanese culture within the YG community. Outside of work, Rin lives with their husband and dog, Raven. She enjoys hiking, foraging, exploring different cultures, and eating good food. Rin uses they/them and she/her pronouns.
Haruka Takei - 4th Grade Japanese Language teacher
Hello! My name is Haruka sensei and I am the new Japanese 4th grade teacher! I am a recent MS graduate of Special Education at the University of Oregon. While I have experience working with various age groups, I’ve found that I enjoy teaching elementary students the most!
Both my parents are from Japan and I grew up as a heritage Japanese speaker. My hobbies include vlogging, baking cheesecakes and shokupan, and playing Stardew Valley. I also enjoy going on hikes with my fiance and our corgi, Popcorn.
Conner Uhlinger - Kindergarten Japanese Language teacher
Hello everyone! My name is Coner Uhlinger, but you can call me Conner-sensei. Originally from the small town of Mose Lake, Washington, I found a love of Japanese culture early on through my favorite hobby: origami. In college, I studied Japanese and linguistics, including a short study abroad in Nagoya where I discovered my favorite Japanese food: miso Katsu (fried pork with sweet and salty miso sauce). After graduating, I taught English as a second language in my hometown before eventually relocating to Hannan City, Osaka, where I taught English for two years alongside many amazing Japanese educators. I can’t wait to put everything I’ve learned to use in our classroom this year.
Bree Young - Temporary Half-time 5th Grade English Teacher
Hi there! I'm Bree Young and am so excited to join the YG team again. This is my 7th year teaching in Eugene, and I can say without hesitation, that YG is my favorite school. I have been lucky enough to have done a long term position here in the past for 5th grade and I am looking forward to re-joining the team and my friends. I bring a lot of energy and excitement with me and look forward to supporting the community in 5th grade this year.
Librarian (2 days per week) - TBD
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