Public schools in Eugene OR (Springfield: house, transfer, middle school)

[cave76]

If you have children in school, think again about moving to Eugene, OR. It's bad all over the nation probably but it certainly won't be any better here.

Moderator cut: copyright issues

[Sizzle-Chest]

Lyme disease and now this? Why do you live here if you hate it so much?

[cave76]

I like it in Eugene but I do know that every city has it's flaws.

[hamellr]

School Budget cuts are hardly the city's fault.

[1208]

Originally Posted by cave76

...
At one table, a group of junior and senior boys plays Magic, a complicated card game.

When asked, they say they’d rather be in class."

"a junior at North, would be taking Advanced Placement physics and chemistry this term if he could, but there is no room in those classes for him."

I don't think these people are representative of the general feeling of most high schoolers. They sound like nerds.

[Sizzle-Chest]

Originally Posted by hamellr

School Budget cuts are hardly the city's fault.

It's the teachers fault.

[haggardhouseelf]

I am the mother of a high schooler and a middle schooler - both in public 4j (Eugene) schools.

We had a great experience with our elementary and middle school, but we have experienced a lot of problems with our high school. And supposedly this is the #2 public high school in the state.

I have vented my frustrations in other threads, so I won't repeat myself here. I think cave76 is just trying to make Eugene look bad for whatever reason... but I have to admit and partially agree that the high schools in Eugene are facing very hard times and do need help.

If you are moving to Eugene and will have kids in public high school here... try to get them into the IHS or honors programs. Students in those programs aren't currently facing all the problems that the rest of the students and their families are facing. If your student is going with the basic comprehensive/regular high school program - good luck!

Our new superintendent seems to be serious about changing things for the better. If you read the local paper - the register guard - you'll find recent news about changes he is implementing. Beginning next school year (I think), they want all Eugene high schools to follow the same schedule. Personally I think this will help quite a bit. Of course it won't make everyone happy, but it will save the district quite a bit of money which will help all the high schools perform better.

Also beginning next year, he wants all Freshman students to be given a full schedule of classes. Currently, that seems to be the biggest problem: kids have too many gaps or "free periods" in their schedules where they aren't able to have a class due to the schools not being able to afford to hire enough teachers. Streamlining the schedules among the four high schools will help face this challenge as schools can share teachers more efficiently.

Anyway - it is a huge mess right now. It's very stressful to have your child in a Eugene high school right now. I am hoping things get better. Soon!

[Sizzle-Chest]

Now that there's open enrollment you should try Springfield Public Schools. The district is smaller and managed much better, and the teachers are awesome!

[haggardhouseelf]

There has always been open enrollment. You've also always been able to do an interdistrict transfer between Springfield and Eugene schools.

We considered it last year, but are glad we decided against it. The Springfield high schools are switching to having the same schedules as well - block scheduling, which we don't like. Also, when we toured both Thurston and Springfield high schools, we weren't impressed. Not that Sheldon impresses us much, but still...

We face block scheduling in Eugene as well... but it wouldn't be worth it to transfer into a different high school simply to face the same or similar issues. Not to mention the peer group differences among the student and family populations comparatively. Sometimes it's better just to bloom where you're planted (or at least try your best to...)...

[Sizzle-Chest]

Eugene and Springfield have traditionally allowed interdistrict transfers, but the open enrollment house bill 3681 is new this year.

Both my wife and I went to South Eugene High and neither of us felt it was deserving of it's reputation. I have also worked at North and Sheldon and didn't care for those schools either.

Our kids currently attend Springfield High. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's a great school and has excellent programs. I'm not a fan of the block schedule either, but both my kids are looking forward to it, so what do you I know!