The Transition Times

Can you believe that Fall term is ending and Winter Term is almost here?  Many of you have been asking about Winter Term.  Connections staff is currently putting the finishing touches on our Winter Term Schedule; we will announce the Winter Term Seminars later this week.  Look for copies of the schedule in the student Lounge in Building 2120.  Our schedule will be posted to this website as well.

You will be able to register for Winter Term on Thursday, December 18.  Each student will make a registration appointment to take place in Building 2120.  Registration meetings will take about a half hour.

If you plan on attending Lane Community College ABSE/GED program during Winter Term, you must attend an ABSE Orientation.  Winter Term 2014 ABSE Orientation dates are Dec. 15th and 17th at 9:00am at the Main Campus and Dec. 18th and 19th at 9:00am or 5:30pm at the Downtown Campus.  If you have any questions, or you are unsure if you need to attend oritentation because you already attend ABSE, please contact Amy: (541) 953-8768.

Mark Your Planner: Below is our Schedule for the Final Two Weeks of the Fall Term:

December: 8 through  December 12: Normal Schedule.

-December 15 and December 16:  Normal Schedule.

-Wednesday December 17: No Connections: Grading Day.

-Thursday December 18: Connections Registration for Winter Term

–Friday December 19: End of Term Community Enrichment: Stop #2 of the Burger Tour of Lane County: 5 Guys Burgers and Fries and Valley River Center.  Alumni Welcome!

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I would like to thank everyone who attended Alumni Afternoon.  Alumni Afternoon was a huge success and a good time was had by all!

I hope everyone had a nice and restful Thanksgiving Break and everyone is ready for the last 3 weeks of the Fall Term. They are going to be legendary!

You know what they say about Oregon… If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes.  We had an epic storm in December 2013. I don’t know if mother nature will repeat herself, but we need to be prepared just in case. In case of snow: Connections is part of the Eugene 4J school district.  If 4J is open, Connections is open.  If 4J is closed, Connections is closed.  The 4J web site (www.4j.lane.edu) will have the latest information on school closures.  I will post a message on this website if we are delayed or closed for the day.

In case of a 1 hour delay: All 9 am seminars and advocates will be canceled.  We will have a regular schedule starting at 10 am.

In case of a 2 hour delay: All 9 am and 10 am seminars and advocates will be canceled.  We will have a regular schedule starting at 11 am.

Sometimes Lane Community College will be closed and 4J will be open.  In that case, Connections will be open. If you have classes or advocates that take place at LCC, please talk to your teacher about what to do if LCC is closed.

If you have any questions, you can always call me at (541) 912-3618.  If you choose to text me, please leave your name and a phone number where I can call you.  My red phone will not allow me to respond to texts in a timely manner  (the Red phone will allow me to read them).

And… our buildings’ name is now officially Building 2120!  Therefore, the work crew that takes place after Employment: How has a new name as well!  The work crew is now known as Building 2120 Maintenance Team!

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Here ye, Here ye… Starting December 1, the Transition Building will no longer be known as the Transition Building. The building formally known as the Transition Building will now be known as BUILDING 2120! Yes, the 4J school district has given our building a much cooler name. The district will be placing a sign with our new name near the front of our building in the near future. We will now be referring to our building as Building 2120.

Not to worry! Connections will still be called Connections. That name is here to stay!

We have another short week in Connections.  We will have a regular schedule on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Morning this week. Alumni Afternoon will take place Wednesday Afternoon (meet at Downtown LCC at 1 pm).  We will not have school on Thursday or Friday.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year.  If you are going to miss class on Wednesday due to travel plans, make sure you contact the teacher you have for class on Wednesday!  If you have more than one teacher, you will have to make more than one phone call.  You can find our phone numbers on the contact page of this site!  Travel safe everyone, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Keep in mind that Connections will be closed on Monday, December 1 for a Professional Development Day. All 4J schools will be closed on Monday. Lane Community College will not be closed on Monday. If you have class at LCC, please attend!

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The first issue of the Transition Times Newsletter has been published!  A big thank you to Emma D, Elliot J, Ivan M, Colbalt R, Josh A, Ben K and Jae S for putting in the hard work, meeting their deadlines and putting out a great product!  Pick up your copy of the Transition Times in the Student Lounge Today!  Get them while they’re hot!

You don’t have to attend newsletter class to write for the Transition Times.  We will be publishing issue 2 before winter break, and we would love anyone who is interested to contribute.  If you have story idea, please schedule a meeting with Josh Barbour to discuss deadlines for submitting your rough draft and final copy.  Remember, being on the Transition Times staff looks great on a Resume!

Mark Your Planner!  Thanksgiving Break is coming up fast!  Please make sure you know our school schedule for the next 2 weeks!

November: 17-21: Normal Schedule.  All Seminars, Advocates, Tutorials and Work Crews will take place as scheduled

November: 24 and 25: Normal Schedule.  All Seminars, Advocates, Tutorials and Work Crews will take place as scheduled

November 26:  All Morning Seminars, Advocates, and Tutorials will take place as scheduled.  Alumni Afternoon will take place in the afternoon.  No Connections Seminars, Advocates or Work Crews in the Afternoon.  Please meet at Downtown LCC at 1 pm for Alumni Afternoon.

November 26 and 27: Thanksgiving Holiday: No School

December 1: 4J Professional Development: Connections Is Closed.  Note: Lane Community College is open on December 1.  If you are a LCC student, please attend class on December 1!

December 2-5: Normal Schedule.  All Seminars, Advocates, Tutorials and Work Crews will take place as scheduled

And Attention Mod This Apartment!  Your first coat of paint looks fantastic!  Please be prepared to add a second coat of paint on Wednesday and Friday this week!  Wear painting clothes that you do not mind getting dirty!  See Josh if you have any questions!

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Alumni Afternoon is back!!! Our first Alumni Afternoon will take on Wednesday, November 26 when we take a trip to Killer Burger, Sizzle Pie and Smith Family Bookstore!  Killer Burger is a brand new hamburger restaurant in Downtown Eugene, right next door to Sizzle Pie. Sizzle Pie earned 2^nd place in Eugene Weekly’s best pizza category in their 2014 Best of Eugene survey. And, Smith Family Books is always an outstanding place to buy used books in great condition (and has an amazing comic book store)! You don’t want to miss this trip.

Please keep in mind, Connections is unable to pay for your burger, pizza and/or comic books. Save your money (after all, November is track your spending month). Burgers will cost between $8.50 and $11.50 (they come with bottomless fries).  Slices of pizza will cost between $3.00 and $5.00. However, you do not have to pay for food to come to Alumni Afternoon.  Hanging out with us at is free and always fun.  You also don’t have to be an Alumni to participate, all current and former Connections students are welcome.

Alumni Afternoon will take place from 1 pm to 3:30 pm.  Students will meet staff in the lobby of Downtown Lane Community College at 1 pm.  Connections will be on a regular schedule the morning of November 26.  All Wednesday Afternoon seminars, advocates and work crews will not take place on November 26.

Attention all Mod This Apartment Students! Our prep work is finished, and we will be painting on Wednesday and Friday! Warning: you will get paint on your clothes! Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty! If you have any questions about this, please see Josh!

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Mark Your Planners! We will have no school on Tuesday, November 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day. All 4J schools and Lane Community College are closed on November 11. Now, here is where things get weird… All 4J schools will be open on Monday, November 10. School will resume a normal schedule on Wednesday, November 12.

The Connections Board of Directions declared the month of November as track your spending month!  Tracking your spending is the process where you keep a record of where you spend your money.  There are several ways to track spending; you can keep receipts, keep a ledger, monitor your bank account online or follow the envelope method.  Keep track of where your money goes. You will be surprised how much money you can save!  After all, it is a November to Remember (your spending)!

Attention Mod This Apartment!  We will begin our painting project on Friday!  Make sure you wear old clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or full of paint.  Leave the clothes you would wear to a Job Interview at home!

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We all make choices each day. Sometimes choices might be easy, sometimes they might be more difficult. A difficult choice occurs when there is no clear right or wrong answer. When these situations occur, think of the upshot before making your choice. The upshot is the result of your choice, in other words, it is what happens after you make your choice. Try to predict upshots before making those difficult choices this week. For more information, please attend the The Right Choice Seminar, Tuesdays at 11:00 am in the Transition Building or Thursdays at 1:30 pm Downtown LCC, Room 310.  We will sell you the whole seat, but you will only need the edge!

We need more pictures for the Cooking Tutorial wall of fame! Remember, if you cook at home; please take a picture your food (or better, you eating your food)! We want to celebrate your accomplishments! We want to get your picture on our Wall of Fame! You can email pictures to barbour@4j.lane.edu or text them to (541) 912-3618.

We have a full week ahead this week.  It is going to rock!

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You’ve been warned!  The flu season is here, and it is time that everyone protects him or herself from the flu (and other illnesses)! Please follow these steps:

1. Make sure you wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often, especially when you are entering or leaving public buildings (and bathrooms).

2. Cover your cough with your elbow (not your hands).

3. If you are feeling sick, Please stay home.  Get rest, feel better, and come back to Connections when you are 100% healthy!  If you do stay home, please make sure that you call the staff who is teaching your class/advocate/work crew! Be responsible, always call when you are absent or late!

4. Get a Flu Shot! The flu shot will keep you healthy against many common flu strands this season! Ask your advocate where you can get a flu shot!

Stay healthy because you don’t want to miss Alumni Afternoon!!! We want to have an Alumni Afternoon in the near future. What is Alumni Afternoon you ask? Alumni Afternoon is were we invite former students back to Connections to participate in a fun community activity.  What is the next event?  We need you to decide!  Connections is looking for current students to join the Alumni Afternoon board of directors and plan the next Alumni Afternoon event! Please see Josh if you are interested in joining the Alumni Afternoon Board of Directors!  Let’s make Alumni Afternoon happen!

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Right now, we are about to begin our 5th week of the Fall Term.  Wow, 5th week, time sure flies when we are having fun!  You know what to expect from all your seminars.  You know what to expect when you attend Advocate.  Be Prepared for your seminars and advocates.  Make sure you bring your 3-ring binder, a pencil or a pen and last week’s classwork.  Make sure you have completed the away work.  Make sure you are ready to participate in class!

Be prepared for the weather!  The fall season has officially arrived, and the weather seems to be fairly unpredictable.  Be prepared for frequent rain, overcast skies and cooler temperature.  Many of our seminars (e.g. Map It!, Smart Shopping, and Guy’s Group) take place outside.  Bring a raincoat, waterproof shoes and clothes that will keep you warm even if you get wet!

Be prepared for your morning commute.  You now know the bus route to the Transition Building and Downtown LCC. Give yourself enough time in the morning in order to catch the bus that will get you to class on time! Get to that bus stop early to make sure you don’t miss your bus!

Be prepared for your day!  Make sure you get enough sleep at night.  Make sure you eat breakfast and pack a lunch. And make sure you have your LTD bus pass, you don’t want to be without it if you need it!

Be prepared for your future!  It is not too late to join ABSE/GED at Lane Community College! If you are interested in participating in ABSE program fall term (and are not currently attending ABSE), please attend the mid term orientation October 27 and 28 at the LCC Main Campus or October 29 and 30 at the LCC Downtown Campus. If you have any questions, please call the LCC ABSE office: (541) 463-5214.

We have a full week this week, and it is going to be amazing!  See you at the Transition Building, on Main Campus or at Downtown LCC!

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Mark your planners: All 4J schools, including Connections, are closed on Friday, October 10 for Teacher State Wide In Service Day.  All Connections activities will not take place on Friday, October 10.  Remember, Lane Community College is not a part of 4J.  Lane Community College will be open on Friday, October 10.  Please attend class on October 10 if you are a LCC student.

We always appreciate your phone calls and text!  If you do send a text, please leave your name in the body of the text so we know who it is from!

Please make sure you have a valid Connections LTD bus pass, even if you do not ride the bus every day.  Many Connections seminars take place in the community.  Many Connections seminars ride LTD bus.  Please make sure you have your bus pass.  You never know when you’ll need it!  If you do not have a Connections Bus pass, please make an appointment with Lori or Heather to get one!  Lori’s phone number is (541) 915-8493.  Heather’s phone number is (541) 954-3162.

And speaking of phones… Desere has a phone!  Please add Desere to your contact list.  Desere’s phone is: (541) 953-0147!

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