Last year, on her first day on the job, Superintendent Miriam Mickelson greeted incoming kindergarteners. On the same day, she became responsible for Eugene School District 4J’s projected $30 million budget deficit.
Previously a superintendent in Washington state, Mickelson prepared for the role by watching budget committee and school board meetings as soon as the district hired her in the spring of 2025. The meetings warned of the deficit.
It became clear after she arrived, however, just how much she needed to learn — everything from Oregon state school funding rules and education laws to people’s names and the traditions unique to 4J. At the same time, she was making painful decisions that would impact careers and livelihoods.
“I did not have the luxury to wait until after my first year, after I’d done some learning and connecting and networking and relationship-building,” Mickelson said. “I had to do all of those things my very first year.”…