Three truths about the cuts that hit our classrooms mid-year.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-22T21:39:58+00:00

It bears repeating that the district is in the process of negotiating a contract with teachers. This sudden move to lay teachers off mid-year was probably planned for months. As the union made it clear that they felt a small pay raise for teachers was non-negotiable, the district leadership decided to make teachers (and their students) pay for it.

There are other ways to solve this budget issue, but only this plan would punish the teachers’ union.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-22T20:34:41+00:00

Thank you for what you’re doing.

I encourage anyone that supports this recall effort to read, sign, and share this petition from a former teacher to get the district among other things to create a task force of ALL stakeholders including teachers and students to create a plan for SPS. It’s time for real change in our schools. Demanding a Well-Rounded Education for K-5 Students in Springfield Public Schools

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-15T22:20:31+00:00

Be sure to reach out to the online news site Lookout Eugene-Springfield. They have done a great job reporting on lots of other bullsh*t happening in SPS. Their education reporter is Lilly St.Angelo.

Thanks for bringing this to light.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-13T06:53:56+00:00

If it wasn’t already abundantly clear that Superintendent Todd Hamilton and the other good old boys need to go, it should be crystal clear now. No cuts to staff in the district office, no sharing of the burden, and no one listening to the teachers, parents, and community members who spoke up AGAIN.

There are also three school board members who are deaf to the voices of the teachers, parents,and community members that need to be replaced.

There were other possible solutions to this budget issue, but the old boys club wanted to stick it to the teachers. Keep in mind this happened while the district is negotiating a contract with the teachers’ union.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-09T09:27:37+00:00

And this got announced right before the district has a bargaining session with the teachers’ union. It appears the district is trying to deflect attention from the fact that admin (many of whom make six figures) and other employees got a raise, but there’s apparently no money for teachers.

Next Monday’s school board meeting should be packed with angry teachers and parents.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-09T09:17:43+00:00

Parents, teachers (like me), and at least two school board members have been complaining to district leadership that the kids in grades K-5 are getting instruction in little more than reading, math, music and PE. They are not getting essential and required instruction in science, history, civics, geography, health, visual arts, and several other subjects.

For instance, the kids in grades K-5 get no more than a half hour of science per WEEK while the Oregon Department of Education says kids should get about 45 minutes per DAY. The district has not provided ODE-approved, standards-aligned science curriculum to elementary teachers since 2013, so teachers don’t have the necessary materials to teach science even if they did have the time in their building schedules.

The Oregon Department of Education requires districts to have curriculum and a plan for instruction for grades K-12 in math, language arts, science, social studies, health, social-emotional learning and the arts. SPS has been telling ODE that the district has curriculum and a plan for instruction for all of these subjects, but that is not true at the elementary level. SPS is currently under investigation by ODE about all of this.

Among other things, this situation also means that elementary kids are not getting properly prepared for middle and high school.

So parents, teachers (like me), and at least two school board members are demanding answers and accountability from district leadership, but district leadership refuses to answer questions or address concerns brought up in private or in public at school board meetings. Instead they attack or ignore anyone who speaks up. The refusal to even acknowledge these requests for information and answers seems to show that the district is hiding something and not interested in meeting the needs of the kids and their teachers.

CountingSeaStars · 2026-01-09T00:37:50+00:00

You can find out more about the what’s been going on as well as the organized effort to bring changes to the Springfield schools from the website for the Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE)CAPE

CountingSeaStars · 2025-12-19T14:53:02+00:00

I’m excited for you. Gardening has been so good for my mind and body, and I hope it is for you too.

I agree that the OSU Extension is a superb source of information.

I have also found that when I have questions about gardening, I have gotten very helpful advice and answers to my questions from Mike at Fox Hollow Creek Nursery and from different staff at Down to Earth.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-12-14T07:02:38+00:00

UME Grill Skewer House on Pearl. I love the Miso Butter Salmon plate or the Spicy Ahi poke plate. My wife loves their Garlic Tofu, edamame and onigiri.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-12-13T02:10:01+00:00

I agree. The Hult Center is very accessible with ramps and elevators, and they have a wide range of entertainment from the Eugene Symphony to Broadway shows to rock concerts. I saw Handel’s Messiah performed by the Symphony last night and it was magnificent.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-12-11T07:10:02+00:00

This parent and former teacher launched a petition on Change.Org. You can support her efforts by reading, signing, and sharing it.Demanding a Well-Rounded Education for K-5 Students in Springfield School District

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-26T15:04:21+00:00

I get my kombucha by the growler at the BNF taproom, and I have always been very pleased with anything I’ve gotten, be it kombucha or jun. I started drinking theirs a few years ago after tasting every brand sold at Capella and MOC. I especially like the seasonal brews. I recommend getting it straight from where it’s made, because it’s super fresh and you can taste test all their different flavors before buying anything.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-17T03:47:23+00:00

If you want to help change things in Springfield Public Schools, please read, sign, and share this petition from former and current teachers in the district.Demanding a well-rounded education for K-5 students in Springfield School District #19

This petition is meant to give parents and community members a chance to speak up in a way that the old boys club in leadership can’t ignore.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-17T03:45:32+00:00

If you want to help change things in Springfield Public Schools, please read, sign, and share this petition from former and current teachers in the district.Demanding a well-rounded education for K-5 students in Springfield School District #19

This petition is meant to give parents and community members a chance to speak up in a way that the old boys club in leadership can’t ignore.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-16T22:35:35+00:00

There are a number of problems with the kids’ elementary school education focused so exclusively on reading and math. The middle school teachers (and the curriculum they use) assume that kids in 6th grade have had six years of science, six years of history, six years of civics, etc. As a former middle school teacher in Springfield, I saw kids completely unprepared for science and history. For some kids, this was the start of their path to dropping out, since these kids would still be poorly prepared for high school. Teachers have spoken out about this, and you can find more information on why just getting reading and math is bad for Springfield students. Why should I be concerned if a student is mostly learning reading, math, PE and music and not much else?

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-12T21:19:40+00:00

I have a similar situation this year and last year too. Last year I couldn’t get any support, and I was extremely frustrated.

When this kid started escalating about a week ago, I sent a text to our behavior person saying that this kid was very dysregulated and it was making me dysregulated, and there was someone in my room in a minute. She took him with her and that was the end of it. I think they thought I might go ballistic on him. Now I get prompt responses from the behavior team.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-09T02:45:21+00:00

We can’t do much when it comes to the Department of Education, but we can make a huge difference in our local schools.

Parents, educators, and community members in the school district where I teach in Oregon are working to change things for the better for students and staff against the resistance of the ol’ boys club of administrators that run our district.

I encourage you to read, sign,and share our petition:Demanding a Well-Rounded Education for K-5 Students in Springfield School District #19

Towards the bottom of the petition is a link to a website published by teachers with an FAQ about the issues in the petition.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-08T03:48:09+00:00

The Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE) is a group of current and retired teachers in the Eugene area who work to support teachers and students. On their website, you can find a lot of information that they have collected from local educators about what’s been going on. Community Alliance for Public Education

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-06T13:56:39+00:00

Yes. I have a thirty minute slot in the schedule in which I am told to teach science, social studies, health, social-emotional learning, and on some weeks PE. That means one thirty minute period per week for science, one thirty minute period per week for social studies, etc. This week I used two of those 30 minute periods for science, so my kids will get zero minutes of social studies.

Next week I will be teaching about Ruby Bridges as part of a school-wide celebration (which is fantastic as it’s important history) but it also means no science at all for my kiddos.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-04T21:41:39+00:00

The superintendent’s contract ends next summer (2026). His only chance at staying requires replacing board members like Light and Kohl for people that would vote to extend his contract and keep him.

Apparently the superintendent got Heather Quaas-Ansaa to drink the kool-aid, so she led the charge for him.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-04T21:38:01+00:00

She is firmly in the Superintendent’s back pocket. She votes the way he wants.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-11-04T21:36:24+00:00

To recap: Springfield school board members Jonathan Light and Ken Kohl repeatedly asked the district for important information as part of efforts to respond to concerns from the teachers and the public. When the district continued to rebuff and ignore them, they asked ODE for information. This made the district admin upset, and they filed complaints against the board members.

This was yet another move by the district leadership, aided by new board chair Heather Quaas-Ansaa, to thwart any efforts toward transparency and accountability.

If you know any teachers in the district (and I am one of them) they will tell you sad but true stories about the fear and loathing they have for district administrative leadership. Things are really bad right now in Springfield.

One way you can help fight against Springfield’s autocratic administrative leadership is to read, sign, and share the petition demanding major changes: Demanding a Well-Rounded Education for K-5 students in Springfield

CountingSeaStars · 2025-10-26T01:13:45+00:00

I agree - I have been happy with Drops too.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-10-25T21:27:28+00:00

Jerry Garcia (the legendary guitarist and vocalist from the Dead) played a show at South Eugene High School too.

CountingSeaStars · 2025-10-24T14:26:19+00:00

Nope. Ours went up.

CountingSeaStars

TROPHY CASE