Tuesday Notice

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

It was so wonderful to see you on campus for conferences at the end of last week. Thank you for making time to converse with the teachers. Many thanks also to the new families who met with Lora and me to connect around the bigger picture of the school.

Hopefully, everyone had a wonderful long weekend and soaked in the beautiful colors of this fall season.

This week we look forward to the 8th grade sharing their play with students in 1-8 and with 8th grade parents. The 8th grade play is always a highlight, and this one will be a new experience for performers and spectators alike. Due to Covid, Director Eve Smyth and 8th grade teacher, Ms. Razi, have had to come up with creative staging. The class will perform half of their play on the wood chips and the other half in the Glendale yard! Since we can't invite all parents of the school onto the campus to see the production, we will post a video link online for all interested to access.

The 8th grade has begun going through their line-up of “last” events: Last October conferences, their last class play, and soon -- their last Halloween at the school. This will go on through the year, but it's usually when they perform their play, that they begin to realize...

The 8th graders, amidst all their other activities, have also started their fundraising for their 8th grade trip which will happen in May. When you order lunches for your children through the Hot Lunch Program, you are supporting the 8th grade class. Please consider also purchasing your holiday wreath from the 8th grade to help them reach their fundraising goals. The 8th grade class is the only class allowed to fundraise for its own purpose. Every year a new 8th grade launches its efforts. Thank you for supporting the Dolphin Class of 2022!

In Waldorf education we build on daily rhythms, weekly rhythms, monthly rhythms, seasonal and festival rhythms – and yet, some things stay the same through the year. One of those is the morning verse spoken together with the whole class and the main lesson teacher. This verse sets the mood and the intention for each day; it helps the children remember the bigger context and guidance in life as they journey throughout the year. To the right is the lower grades’ morning verse.

Have a wonderful and peaceful week! ~ Aurilia

This Week

Tues, Oct 19: 2nd Grade Enrichment Evening with Nina Gallwey, 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Tues, Oct 19: 8th Grade Wreaths for Sale! See below.

Wed, Oct 20: 5th Grade Enrichment Evening with Karen O'Dougherty, 6:30pm-7:30pm.

Thurs, Oct 21: 8th Grade Play (Class only event)

Fri, Oct 22: 8th Grade Play (Class only event)

Looking Ahead

Wed, Oct 27: 3rd Grade Play (Class only event)

Thurs, Oct 28: 3rd Grade Play (Class only event)

Thurs, Oct 28: On-campus pumpkin carving.

Fri, Oct 29: In-house Halloween celebration.

The Siskiyou School is looking for a receptionist! Please click on the button below for the position description. Please send cover letter, resume, and list of references to Aurilia at Aurilia.McNamara@siskiyouschool.org.

Halloween is made so special here with over a hundred grinning jack-o-lanterns arrayed in Pine Hall. Come help the children carve with their buddies (across the parking lot) on Thursday, October 28th. Different classes will carve at different times, click HERE to sign up and help! Thank you!

Please note, all parent volunteers interacting with the students are required to have proof of COVID vaccination on file with the office.

Recycling Program Volunteer

The Siskiyou School is looking for a volunteer to oversee the recycling program here at school. If you are passionate about both recycling AND helping the school, this is the job for you!

Duties include:

• Checking the outdoor blue bins 2x/week to be sure that only the appropriate items are included.
• Occasionally getting the plastic bag bin contents to the recycling center.
• And brainstorming ways to reduce, reuse, & recycle more efficiently here at school.

Interested? Contact Cynthia at cynthia.bower@siskiyouschool.org or 541-622-5565.

Costume Storage Volunteer

We are also looking for a volunteer to oversee the costume storage. Now that we are able to have Class Plays, our costume storage could use some love.

Duties include:

• Organizing and discarding current items in storage.
  
• Checking storage after a play to make certain it's ready for the next play.
  

Interested? Contact Lora at Lora.Wilde@siskiyouschool.org or 458-232-6778.

Thank you in advance to anyone that is open and interested to help.

Support the 8th Grade class trip and provide your child with a delicious hot lunch!

Forms are available below, on the front hall table NOW, and during conferences.

• TUESDAY is Falafel or Chicken Box from Falafel Republic (co-owned by Lisa & Tom Beam, alumni parents)!

• WEDNESDAY is Pizza from Martolli’s Pizza (co-owned by Brad Martell, alumni parent)!

Halloween is one of our favorite school festivals. It has traditionally been an in-house assembly with teachers and students. The children come dressed in costumes and love seeing each other all dressed up and then celebrating with music, pumpkins and parade. Please read the school's costume guidelines below. Thank you so much!

Halloween at the Siskiyou School is about celebration and lots of fun! Please do wear costumes to school, but please follow the guidelines below:

• Be creative and keep in mind we have young ones on campus!

• Please no scary costumes, blood, or weapons. Just bring fun!

• If you’re not sure if your child’s costume will “work”, please check in with their class teacher before Halloween.

• NO CANDY is to be brought to school on or after Halloween.

If your child gets sick, please call the office and/or send an email to Kristin and Jenny: Kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org; Jenny.james@siskiyouschool.org.

Jenny does all the illness tracking and Kristin makes a note for attendance.

As a reminder, if your child or someone in your family is ill or developing symptoms, please keep your student home and notify the office and your child’s teacher of their absence. We’re so happy to help navigate the illness protocols with you and appreciate you keeping everyone around your child healthy as well. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

We're getting ready to start our enrollment process for our incoming 2022 first grade class. If you have a child or know someone that is interested in enrollment with us, please contact Kristin to get onto our enrollment emailing list. Call the office at 541-482-8223 or email kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org.

The 8th grade is happy to announce their online wreath fundraiser. The students will be pre-selling wreaths online (see button below) and at the Siskiyou School Holiday Market on December 4th. These wreaths are 100% handmade by the students. They begin their wreath making by going into the forest where they forage for supplies such as evergreen, holly, juniper, pine cones, and more. Once gathered, they will begin creating the wreaths and adding decorative elements, such as bows. Supplies are limited, so please order your wreath today! Thank you for supporting the 8th grade. The proceeds will go towards helping to fund their 8th grade trip in the Spring.

All pre-orders must be submitted by Wednesday, November 17th. The 8th grade will also have a booth at the Holiday Market on Saturday, December 4th from 11am-5pm (with limited quantities). They will be selling pre-made wreaths at that time.

All wreaths may be picked up at the Siskiyou School, or we can arrange for delivery in Ashland or Talent. We do not ship wreaths via mail.

If you have any questions, please contact Lora at Lora.Wilde@siskiyouschool.org.

Class Four is finding grand entertainment with studies of the imaginative realm of the ancient Norsemen! We have painted and sketched scenes from the stories and written long narratives in our main lesson books. Norse mythology is a special Waldorf 4th Grade tradition. These tales were written down in the 10-11th century by an Icelandic monk. They weren't transferred from oral into written script for a long time, therefore they remained in the oral tradition of the Scandinavian people for eons, deeply influencing their consciousness. The liveliness and drama that they bring to the children is next level! Their themes are just perfect for the ten year old's unfolding and soul development. My creepy chalkboard drawing is of Ymir, the evil primordial frost giant. ~ Mrs. Martin

More eager than ever to learn, work, and play, the Forest Class is shining with the spirit of the fifth grade. Being the oldest class of the lower grades and not yet in the eye of the needle of puberty, the fifth-graders find themselves at the zenith of childhood, shining with strong capabilities, honed skills, and harmony in their being. Each morning they enter the classroom with lightness in their step and eagerness in their being, ready to sing, laugh, learn, move, and engage with the lesson at hand. Their forward lean in their seats and vivid contributions to discussion shows the full imaginative capacities of young children combined with an awakening, budding intellect, and the curriculum is there to meet them at this place of harmony.

Exploration of the plant world tasks the child to extend their gaze beyond the easily relatable animal kingdom to something more subtle in nuance and one further step away from themselves. One can imagine both the scientific and moral consequences. Geography studies brought to life a picture of the earth as a living organism, with ever-changing waterways and land formations, dynamic climate ranging from the equator to the North Pole, and the powerful effect of the Gulf Stream along its path.

Botany brings the plant world as a living, ensouled expression of that landscape. Last week, the children were moved through the life cycle of the sunflower. My highlight of the year thus far was seeing how deeply they were engaged in hearing the description of the seed struggling to free itself from the earth, unfolding into leaf and flower by the light and warming of the sun – bodies leaning forward, eyes alert, hands gesturing the movement of the blossom. Their attention was so palpable, one could only imagine the qualitative effects on their imaginations, knowledge, and feeling.

In this way, we see plants as an expression of the relationship between the earth and the sun above, and that any certain wild plant is special to its place upon the earth and the conditions there. So, too, each child has their place in the classroom.

Attached you’ll see images of the Tribes Projects, a highlight of North American geography studies just two weeks ago, as well as some of our work from North American geography. ~ Miss Benson

This week we are featuring an article from AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools North America) about Rudolf Steiner and the History of Waldorf Education. We are also happy to share a yummy homemade granola recipe from Cedarwood Waldorf School. Click the link below to learn more.

"Never be late to school again!"

We are selling our home at 2691 Mickelson Way which less than three minutes walk from the school. It was the perfect location and neighborhood for our family as our kids grew with the Siskiyou School. Maybe you or someone you know who is looking for a wonderful home close to the school? Please contact Kelly Burns (father of 8th grader, Raquel) (541) 482-3376 if you're curious, and click the link to the listing for pricing and details: https://apexvideotours.gofullframe.com/bt/2691_Mickelson_Way.html

Kelly & Ashleigh

Looking for a loving home for our kitty mama who is still in Oregon. We couldn’t bring her with us (yet) and thought we had found someone who would take care of her. That isn’t happening. Manx cats are incredibly personal. Throws herself on her back to get her belly rubbed. Lays upside down amongst pillows whilst getting pet. Loved to sleep with us but apparently now she doesn’t even want to go in our house according to our neighbor. She’s very sensitive and needs to be with someone that loves her. She loves children. She’s only ever been fed a raw meat diet. Born under my daughter’s bed. We were really sad we couldn’t bring her but thought we’d found a solution.

Please call Lisa (828) 808 7533

Saturdays 10 AM starting Oct. 23 at the Siskiyou School Pine Hall.
Bring your body and let’s do yoga together! Women of all levels and body types welcome!
Gentle and strengthening practice. Come into your own place of power from within as we open our hearts and move our bodies. Class ends with a guided visualization to promote self love.
Bring water, a mat, and a mask , we will be well spaced apart. Wear clothes you can move in and bring a sweater for savasana 🙏🏽
$20 per class
Call Kamalla to RSVP
541-488-6616

Nurturing, fun, loving, holistic nanny available, over 20 years experience with all ages, lots of time outside, nature walks, creative play, yoga and reading. CPR, first aid and water safety certified. ECE credits, Kids yoga certification, $25 an hour starting rate for one child. Looking for 20 hrs per week , available weekdays.
Kamalla M.
541-488-6616

Short-term rental in beautiful furnished home close to the Siskiyou School on Clay St. Two bedrooms,( third bedroom may be available if needed) 2 1/2 baths. The rental is from November 9 - February 11. Contact Leah Avital by text for more information. 541-301-2398 Please don't share publicly.

We are selling 2 electric-assist bikes, both in excellent condition! We bought them both towards the end of 2019 from Piccadilly Cycles downtown. The Raleigh is a woman's bike, size large. The Haibike is unisex, size medium. Both bikes are suitable for riding all over town, up the steep hills of Ashland, etc.. They have different modes, allowing for a full range of electric assistance. You can still ride them as normal bikes, or can add the electric assist if/when you need it.

Please see these Craigslist ads for full descriptions. And for Siskiyou families, I'll donate a percentage of the sale to our beautiful school!

~ Jesua 707-327-8122

Haibike sDuro Cross 3.0: https://medford.craigslist.org/bik/d/ashland-2019-haibike-sduro-cross/7391157698.html

Raleigh Detour: https://medford.craigslist.org/bik/d/ashland-2019-raleigh-detour-electric/7391154165.html

Tis the season! 8th graders have their ideas for their 8th grade projects and are looking for an adult who can help guide and mentor them through their project. This would involve meeting with the student 6-10 times between now and February. This week we are looking for someone to mentor a student who would love to learn how to do Make-Up, another whose first choice is the medical field, specifically EMT work, and a third, an artist, who wants to use the 8th grade project opportunity to learn specifically how to do figure drawing and portraits. If you can help with any of these, please contact me. I am helping coordinate 8th grade projects this year. It's such a pivotal experience for our students; thank you in advance for considering helping or for any leads.

My number is 541-531-3893. My email is catherinerazi@yahoo.com.

-Catherine Razi

Hello,

My name is Eli and I am an 8th grader at the Siskiyou School. I am looking for a mentor who can help me with my 8th grade project on landscape/nature photography. If you, or someone you know, can help, please contact paulmartinsiegel@gmail.com.

Thank you, Eli

~Nurturing roots to support developmental growth~

Does your child struggle with learning challenges, sensory processing issues, ADHD, ADD, balance and coordination issues, eye tracking challenges, anxiety, melt downs, sleep issues, social and emotional challenges, weakness, fatigue, speech delay, autism, food sensitivities, PTSD? When the brain and body are not working well together, challenges arise.

Roots to Rise utilizes a holistic approach to enhance a child’s learning through supporting a healthy development of the Central Nervous System and the foundational senses (Tactile, Vestibular and Proprioception).

Children can make positive gains in attention, emotional well being, academics, coordination and balance through neurodevelopmental movements (integration of reflexes) and sensory integration. Jane Higgins, the founder of Roots to Rise has trained with Nina Gallwey, a remedial teacher at the Siskiyou school. Jane taught at the Madrone Trail School (Waldorf inspired), where she brought one class of students from first grade all the way to eighth grade.

Currently, Jane works with children one-on-one in her Roots to Rise Ashland office. Movement is brought in a playful and fun way specifically focusing on the integration of reflexes and sensory imbalances.

“In my 30 years of working with children, I’ve never seen anything transform a child’s success as I have since focusing on sensory integration, primitive and postural reflexes.”

To apply or for more information on supporting your child contact Jane Higgins at janemhiggins10@gmail.com

541-708-1688

Ashland, OR

Email: office@siskiyouschool.org
Website: www.siskiyouschool.org
Location: 631 Clay Street, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: 541-482-8223
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siskiyouschool/