TRAILS Outdoor School News

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Dear TRAILS Outdoor School Families,

As you may have heard, my husband is unwell. He was in the hospital but is finally now home. This is very difficult for our family and as a result I am taking a leave of absence to determine next steps and sink in together. I apologize if my absence has or will impact you in terms of communication or commitments. I am grateful for the support of our excellent staff and the kind wishes of our families during this time. I absolutely treasure the privilege of being the principal of this incredible school and can't wait to resume doing just that.

Some important information in this newsletter and other announcements:

• Homework Club: We are launching a homework club before school two days a week! Read below for more details.
  
• Lottery Applications: The TRAILS lottery for the next school year is now open. If you know of anyone who is interested in having their child(ren) join our school community, please encourage them to apply. Applications are available on our website or in the front office and the deadline is Friday, April 21st. https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/trails/page/application-information
• Intent to Return Forms: Please complete Intent to Return for no later than Friday, 4/21. Links are below.
• Approved Volunteers: Just a reminder that volunteers must be approved each year. Mark your calendars now to apply as early as August 1, 2023 so there is no delay in volunteering.
  

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or celebrations, please do not hesitate to reach out! At this time please contact our Office Manager Helen Cleary and she will connect you with the appropriate person supporting in my absence.

Warmly,

Jennifer Parks

Principal

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Jen leaves some big shoes to fill, even in a short leave.

Debbie Pew, Principal at Willow Wind, will serve the TRAILS community through April and will split her time between TRAILS and Willow Wind. Debbie formerly served as the TRAILS principal when the school was still named John Muir Outdoor School. Debbie is working on the details of her daily schedule as she works to meet the needs of both the TRAILS and the Willow Wind communities for this brief period - a dual role she has managed in the past.

We are working on plans for administrative coverage in May and June, and anticipate sharing this information soon.

Thank you for your understanding and support with this contingency. If you have questions, please email Office Manager Helen Cleary, and she will make sure the right person gets the message.

Our Youth Advocate, Angela Close, has taken on the role of facilitating a drop-in homework club. For the time being, this homework club will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30, with the potential to add more days and times in the future. Homework club will begin this week, with our first meeting occurring on Tuesday. Angela will be support students in need of homework help in the Community Room and our office manager Helen will be on site to let students into the building.

This is a great opportunity for students to seek help from peers and/or Angela regarding difficult homework assignments, and it is also a space to complete homework that didn’t get finished. We want to stress that this is not a time to be social with peers outside of collaborating on homework, and it is not a time for childcare.

We are really looking forward to providing this much sought after opportunity for our TRAILS students and families, and Angela is looking forward to getting to know your students even better!

TRAILS 3rd-8th grader students will participate in the Oregon Statewide Summative Assessments in Math and English Language Arts beginning mid-April. 5th and 8th graders will also participate in the Science Assessment. These assessments help measure students' skills in Reading, Writing, Research, and Mathematical concepts. It is our goal to provide every student with the supports they need to accurately show what they know.

Annual Notice for Oregon’s Statewide Summative Assessments

• For more information on Oregon Statewide Assessment System, CLICK HERE.
• For information on State Assessment opt-outs and exemptions options, CLICK HERE.

Join us for a Virtual Public Input Session on April 17th, 5:30 PM! Share your thoughts on the K-12 math curriculum adoption process in Ashland School District. Review info, ask questions & make your voice heard! Click to join: https://asdconnect-org.zoom.us/j/94828181269... (Passcode: 276444)

For more information on the Math Adoption Recommendations please visit our website: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/.../ashland-school-district...

Oh my goodness! We couldn’t be more grateful for the Cheney Foundation! $10,000 dollars!!!!

“It was wonderful to meet you, Jennifer, and to see your beautiful new school. Brad and I both left there jealous that we didn’t have opportunities like that when we were in school. We want a re-do.

We will be able to award you a grant of $10,000 toward the playground project.

We will certainly take you up on a visit next time we’re in town, and until then, we’ll work on our climbing skills!”

To learn more about the organization that provided this generous gift, please see: https://www.benbcheneyfoundation.org/

April is Annual Fund Drive month at the Ashland Schools Foundation (ASF)! Since 1989, ASF has served Ashland students by offering supportive grants to teachers and classrooms for a wide variety of materials, hands-on projects, tools and special instruction. This month, ASF is raising $100,000 for the 2023-24 school year grant cycle.

Visit www.ashlandschoolsfoundation.org today to learn more about how ASF has impacted your classrooms and to contribute to next year's grant fund today. A gift in any amount goes a long way in supporting Ashland Students!

Ashland Schools Foundation (ASF) phone banking nights are back! Please join us April 25th and 26th from 5p-8p at Scienceworks Hands On Museum to help raise funds for the 2023-24 grant cycle. Volunteers will enjoy a donated meal and refreshments while we work together to text and call past supporters to reinstate their support of Ashland Schools. Do good for Ashland Schools and have fun while doing it! Sign up to volunteer today at www.ashlandschoolsfoundation.org/volunteer.

As you may know, Oregon passed Senate Bill 856 ("Erin's Law") that mandates sexual assault prevention education in grades K-12. The elementary schools in the Ashland School District are working with the Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team (JC SART). JC SART is a local organization that provides services to sexual assault survivors and brings prevention education classes into our local schools.

The Prevention Coordinator will be offering a comprehensive K-12 sexual and gender violence curriculum for schools that focuses on prevention, as well as risk reduction methods. The lesson plans are age appropriate and in line with state and national sexual health standards and Erin’s Law recommendations.

The spring lessons this school year for our students will be on May 17th and 18th.

The K-5 curriculum focuses on personal space, understanding and recognizing a freely given yes, and a reluctant yes- in the perspective of playing a game with their friend, telling/reporting to an adult if someone is getting hurt, empathy, internet safety and peer pressure. They will also focus on good touch/bad touch, body ownership, good secrets/bad secrets, and grooming. The presentations are delivered with sensitivity, in a conversation style.

Please feel free to contact Amber Langer (our Child Development Specialist) with any questions or concerns.

This year we are partnering with ACCESS to provide the non-perishable items for participating families. TRAILS volunteers will add additional items and fresh items when available.

It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior, and achievement of every student that participates. Though the program is intended to help those children whose families find it difficult to have enough food for the entire month, all children are eligible for this program. Information to sign up for the program will be sent home with kids in the coming weeks. The program is run completely by wonderful volunteers who help pack the food bags. The program is funded through the generous gifts of Access, the Maslow Project, and from generous contributions from our TRAILS community.

For more information or questions, please contact Jennifer Parks at angela.close@ashland.k12.or.us.

Thank you to all those who helped our school raise $15,302 for the new playspace! That’s more then we’ve ever made! We are incredibly grateful to each and every person that purchased a ticket, students and families that worked so hard selling them, the PTC for putting on a Raffle Reveal Community Bowling Night, and especially our tireless fundraising committee of Amy, Cathy, and Liz. Such an incredible success and so much gratitude!

PTC Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month from 5:30-7pm. Meetings will be held on campus in our Community Room with dinner and childcare provided. Be sure to get these upcoming dates on your calendar!

• Tuesday, April 18th
• Tuesday, May 16th
• Tuesday, June 20th

ASD Elementary Parenting Series: Spring 2023

Building Capable, Confident and Resilient Children

In-person, snacks and childcare provided

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/asd-elementary-parent-workshop-series-spring-2023-1730729

Tween and Teen Drug and Alcohol Use:

Knowing the Facts, Clarifying Your Values,

Supporting Your Child’s Safe and Healthy Decisions

Wednesday, May 17, 6:00-7:30 pm

TRAILS School, Community Room

We now understand that early experimentation with drugs and alcohol can significantly increase a child’s risk of numerous risky behaviors and later addiction. We also know that many of the substances now available to our children, are very different than those available a generation ago—both in dose intensity and type. Parents can reduce their children’s risk of unsafe experimentation and use by becoming more informed and having regular age-appropriate conversations beginning in elementary school.

This presentation and discussion will be led by Cynthia Levesque (Director of Kolpia Counseling Services) Diane Berry (ASD Counseling/Behavioral Health Coordinator), Austin Wallace (AMS Dean/Student Support Specialist), Sarah Weston (AHS Dean of Students) and a panel of AHS students.

6pm-7:30pm, Presentation from 6pm-7pm

In the AMS Library (Located Next to the TRAILS Campus)

Snacks and Childcare Provided

Flyer

• April 24th: Transition to High School
• May 22nd: Teen Drug and Alcohol Use

At GracePoint Church of the Nazarene

1760 E Main St, Ashland

2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month.

2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

See below for more information.

The various programs offered in this email newsletter are distributed to Ashland School District students as a courtesy to families per board policy. Ashland School District does not endorse or sponsor community activities including any described in this newsletter. If you have questions regarding this policy, please contact our principal, Jennifer Parks.

Health coverage for you and your family.

Marketplace: Open enrollment Nov. 1 - Jan. 15

OHP: You may apply at any time

Learn More

Flyer in English and Spanish

March 21: PTC Meeting (5:30-7pm)

March 23: Spring Music Concert (K-8) 2:15-2:50pm

March 27-31: NO SCHOOL - Spring Break

April 17: School Day (due to previous Snow Day closures)

April 18: PTC Meeting (5:30-7pm)

April 20: Site Council Meeting (3:15-4:15pm)

April 21: Application Deadline for 2023-24

May 10: TRAILS (K-8) Hike-a-Thon (10am-1:30pm)

May 16: PTC Meeting (5:30-7pm)

May 18: Site Council Meeting (3:15-4:15pm)

May 19: 4th and 5th District-wide Track Meet

May 25: TRAILS Family Literacy Night (5:30-7pm)

May 29: NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day

June 13: 8th Grade Graduation (Evening Celebration/K-8 Performances)

June 15: Last Day of School (8:40-12:50)

June 19: Report Cards Mailed

School-wide Unit of Study: Space

Approved District Calendar for 2022-2023

• Trust
• Respect
• Awareness
• Interdependency
• Leadership
• Stewardship

TRAILS: Inspiring our students to deepen their connection with the Earth through integrity, the arts, stewardship, and authentic learning experiences.

At TRAILS Outdoor School, we value the outdoors, the arts, collaboration, responsibility, and kindness. We guide students to become resilient, independent learners who give back to their community.

#wegetkidsoutside

Email: jennifer.parks@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/trails
Location: 158 Walker Avenue, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: (541) 482-8577
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trailsoutdoorschool