The Tuesday Notice

At our first all-school assembly last Friday we had a fun moment brought to us by the Raven Class (5th grade) with a skit demonstrating good and not-so-good behaviors at pick-up time. We all have to remember to be neighborly and help our teachers and each other to keep our school (and traffic) running smoothly. Thank you for sharing, Raven Class, and parents, thank you for reading the Clay Street traffic notes below.

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

In autumn Saint Michael with sword and with shield,

Passes over meadow and orchard and field.

He’s on his way to battle ‘gainst darkness and strife.

He is the Heavenly Warrior, protector of life.

After the setting of the sun last night, I also spotted the setting of the waxing moon on the eastern horizon. That slim sickle of a moon looked as though it was heralding the change of the seasons that is now upon us.

Yes, indeed, I’m sure we can all sense the change of seasons in the air: Leaves are starting to turn color, the sun is setting earlier and earlier in the evenings, nights and mornings are cool and the morning air is crisp.

With the Autumnal Equinox on Saturday, September 23rd, we are also preparing for our fall festival, Michaelmas, which will take place next Friday, September 29th from 3:30-7pm. All Siskiyou School families are invited and all children of our eight classes will perform at the assembly under the big maple tree after the challenge games at Clay Street Park. We especially look forward to seeing the Michaelmas play performed by the 2nd Grade. We hope to see you all there.

Last week the 8th grade had a wonderful fall orientation trip backpacking along the Oregon coast. This week the 6th grade will take off to camp and hike around Mt. Lassen and to visit the Shasta Caverns on their way back home. Next week the 7th grade will be going to a beautiful camp spot further north on the Coast. These trips are great gifts for teachers and students and serve as time in the outdoors, strengthening of the social fabric of the classes, and also just to have and experience of fun and inspiring time together.

The 4th grade is busy with local geography field trips, and the 3rd grade will be going to pick apples next week for the apple crisps for our festival, and all other classes are also busy with engaged learning in all their subjects. It’s a good time on campus of the Siskiyou School!

Have a wonderful week, Aurilia

This Week

Mon to Fri, Sep 18 to 22: Picture Week with Bryon DeVore

• Monday - Classes 6 & 3
• Tuesday - Classes 7 & 2
• Wednesday - Classes 8 & 1
• Thursday - Classes 4 & 5
• Friday - Kindergarten

Wed, Sep 20 to 22: Class 6 Orientation Trip

Wed, Sep 20: Class 4 to Table Rock

Wed, Sep 20: Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Next Week

Mon to Wed, Sep 25 to 27: Class 7 Orientation Trip

Tues, Sep 26: Class 3 to Leonard Orchard for apple picking

Wed, Sep 27: Wellness Program Evening for Parents (details below), 6:30 p.m. on Zoom

Thurs, Sep 28: Class 5 Apple Crisp construction (details to come)

Thurs, Sep 28: Class 4 to hike Roxy Ann (during school hours)

Fri, Sep 29: Michaelmas Festival (games, assembly and Class 2 play, family potluck), 3:30 p.m.

Looking Ahead

Tues, Oct 3: Hot Lunches begin! See forms below.

Wed, Oct 4: Siskiyou School Parent meeting with the City of Ashland, 6:30 p.m.

Thurs, Oct 5: Main Lesson Tour, 8:30 a.m.

Last week we had a couple requests from our Clay Street neighbors.

1) Please TURN OFF YOUR CAR if you've parked along Clay Street. The exhaust and noise are disturbing and disruptive.

2) Do NOT use driveways to turn around on Clay Street. Please continue to a cross street or chose another route.

Please join us Wednesday, September 27th, for an evening on Zoom about our developmental Wellness Program. The Wellness Program has become a very important part of the Siskiyou School curriculum, and this evening is an opportunity for you to learn more about it and meet some of the teachers of that curriculum.

Under the umbrella of our Wellness Program, students in grades 4-8 receive between 4-8 Wellness Program classes each year. Different presenters, specialists in their field, come into the classrooms to talk to the students about specific topics and facilitate discussions with the classes around these subjects. The program was established in 2015 with the following goals:

• To support teachers in holding the social & emotional development of the children.
• To ensure that Siskiyou School students are given the tools and language to have conversations around their feelings and difficult topics.
• To ensure that Siskiyou School graduates have accurate information and appropriate guidance about range of “wellness” topics related to healthy relations, healthy choices & self-care, appropriate use of social media, sexuality and gender -- with all topics brought with developmentally appropriate sequencing and language.
• To ensure that the school has protocols and lines of communication in place to properly support students needing extra support socially and emotionally.
• To provide education for parents on issues adolescents in our community are facing and guidance for how to navigate these issues with their kids.

This year hear from Kelly Tisdel (www.kellytisdel.com), Paul Arredondo (www.paulmarredondo.com), Kyndra Laughery of JCSART, Sage Trail, Angela Fleischer, Carole Whitridge, and Jenny James on what they will present and why it's important for your children.

The Zoom link will be emailed out to current parents on Monday, September 25th.

First Semester Hot lunches begins the week of Oct 2nd, 2023. Hot Lunch forms are here in the front hallway for Falafel Tuesday and Pizza Wednesday. You can turn them in by Wed, September 20th, 2023. If you have questions, email Phyllis.Cooley@siskiyouschool.org. Thank you for supporting the 8th grade trip!

Per the parent handbook, please note that children must be 24 hours well before returning to school after an illness and 48 hours after a gastrointestinal illness. The parent handbook is linked below. Thank you for helping keep our whole school healthy!

Per a requirement of Jackson County Health, Siskiyou School can be viewed on our website at:

https://www.siskiyouschool.org/information-forms-for-parents-guardians

Please enjoy our quick video featuring the sounds of the Siskiyou School campus in September.

Our wonderful Michaelmas celebration is happening on Friday, September 29th. We need volunteers to help with setup, cleanup, and manning games and activity stations. Please contact Erin Dickinson or Jenny James. erin.dickinson@siskiyouschool.org or jenny.james@siskiyouschool.org

We will be hosting a question-and-answer session with the City of Ashland in Pine Hall on October 4th, at 6:30p.m., to discuss the shelter opening down the street from our school. We’d like to provide drinks and snacks for attendees. If you’d like to volunteer to bring in a snack or baked good to share, please let Erin Dickinson know. erin.dickinson@siskiyouschool.org

We didn’t want it to end. The entire journey to the coast had been so incredible. The weather was absolutely sublime. The views were awe inspiring. The laughter was infectious. The joyful looks on faces, the cooperation over meals, the shared learning of hanging bear bags, operating portable cook stoves, collecting and filtering drinking water, loading and toting backpacks through shady trails or along the sandy shore, sleeping under the stars; all of it was simply beautiful. We circled up at night and spoke appreciations. We listened well to our trusty guide, Tom. We made a new friend in Olivia, an experienced guide and true chaperone. This 8th Grade Orientation Trip had been so much more than just another field trip or overnight. And now it was ending…

The trail from Floras Lake to Blacklock Point to Cape Blanco, the nights and days we spent in the woods and on the promontories above the Pacific Ocean; in these moments there was a deepening. We grew upward and inward individually, we grew stronger, and we grew closer as a group. There is a bond formed and a love of nature nurtured when we journey out together as a class. So, in a sense, it hasn’t really ended. It’s always with us now.

The remarkable dichotomy, of course, is that cozy feeling of relief and rest after such an adventure, when one finally returns again to their humble abode, and finds such remarkable truth in the words of Dorothy: “there’s no place like home.”

We are so very grateful for one another, for our parents, for our school, and for our place on this land. The Dragonfly class says thank you.

~ Mr. Beech

For the first seven days of school, the Third Grade began main lesson by painting each of the seven days of Creation from the Hebrew Bible. It was a wonderful way to start our year. The paintings will be glued into the main lessons books to accompany the daily writing. We are also busy learning new dances and dancing with our eighth grade buddies.

~Ms. Whitridge

“In serving the best interests of children, we serve the best interests of humanity.” -Carol Bellamy

OCTOBER OFFERINGS

ROOTS CIRCLE: Three Tuesdays, October 10, 17, 24 9:00-10:30

Three Tuesday morning coffee talks exploring child development for the “root time” of childhood. Learn why and how to strengthen the foundations laid in the first seven years for healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual capacities in the future. Parenting to this age group can be greatly enhanced by understanding how bottom- up development works. Join us in a small circle (limited to 8) for inspirational and informative talks followed by time to check in and ask your personal questions. For parents of children ages 4-7 years.

TWEEN CIRCLE: Full

For parents of children ages 8-12 years. Contact us if you would like to join the next group!

FOUNDATIONS WORKSHOP: October 21-22 or November 4-5 9:00-3:00

The Foundations Workshop is an in-depth exploration and experience of how to support the neurological and sensory foundations that support a life-long ability to access higher capacities for learning and relating. In addition, we will look at the various gateways for learning and how each of us are wired to access some gateways and not others. Learn how to identify your child’s learning profile and your own! What former participants shared:

“This workshop has completely changed our home life for the better! Thank you!” J.P

“I came to the workshop to learn about how to support my child. I now have so many tools AND I know how to support myself as well! So worth the time! I am inspired!” A.L.

October offerings all led by Nina Gallwey. Nina has 33 years experience in elementary education, 25 of it in special education. In addition, Nina has been leading workshops, lecturing and running parent circles for over 20 years with a passion for sharing her expertise on child development.

E-mail ohanafamilyresources@gmail.com for more info/pricing (we work around your needs)/or to register.

Education, Inspiration, and Tools for your parenting journey

295 E. Main St. Ashland, OR

Does your child need some extra academic support this coming school year? Experienced Waldorf class teacher available for virtual tutoring and curriculum support for grades 1-8 and highschool. Expertise includes math, reading, and writing. Check out my website and feel free to reach out.

catherinehdixon.com

Furnished studio garden apartment available October 1. Month-to-month lease. Tenant must be able to navigate exterior steps down to apartment entrance. Street-side parking. No smoking. Pets will be considered. Utilities included (garbage, wifi, water, electric): $1250 per month. Three blocks from Lithia Park playground. Walking distance to TID trail and Strawberry Hill.

Reach out to Julia Vinciguerra if interested: ocejul@gmail.com.

Hello Siskiyou Families! Miss / Coach Tracy here. I so enjoyed getting to know so many of your kiddos thru teaching games last Spring! As you may know, I’ve owned FlipSide for the last decade, and throughout and following the pandemic, we have made a conscious shift to refocus mainly on positive youth mental health thru Circle Mentoring and Camps. This means 2 things moving forward:

*** I have a small gym for sale! If you know of someone with a big heart and coaching skillset to match, please send them my way! I have enough equipment basics to get someone started for an extremely reasonable price.info@FlipSideAshland.com (sorry, I’m not piecing it out- it’s a whole package deal.)

*** Also, FlipSide is currently enrolling for our (last couple) spots in our 3 Mentoring Circles for fall session (for female bodied/identifying youth)- Want to come and try us? First Circle for high school is Sept 23. Middle School Circles begin in October! ! Circle is a time of fun and laughter, creativity, expression and connection, reflection and growth! We use a strengths based approach to fostering youth & teen emotional intelligence, empathy, confidence, boundaries and resiliency while learning they’re not alone in their journey. For more info: www.FlipSideAshland.com/classes/ Do reach out to see if we have room for your adolescent / teen! (For male bodied / identifying, we highly recommend Inner Guide, Karen O’Doughtery’s Body Basics for Boys or Guided Passages) Thank you!

Little Gnomes Nature School has just begun our 8th year of Waldorf inspired, nature immersion preschool and kindergarten in the beautiful parks of Ashland. We still have openings for 3-6 year olds, contact us now to join! littlegnomesnatureschool@gmail.com or check www.littlegnomesnatureschool.com for more information.

Seeking school pick and 2-2.5 hours childcare on Tuesday’s for Kotori. (3rd grade)
Please contact Yaffa (541) 621-9343

Dear friends! We want to wholeheartedly invite you to our second annual Harvest Celebration event! It is an amazing time of year with cooling temperatures, still some work to be done in preparations before major holidays and immense gratitude to the passing season that brought so much!

It feels like the life is speeding by like a meteor, with multiple events almost every day and at the same time, this is a Fall Equinox when we want to slow down, be together, prepare food, reflect, laugh and sing!

That is exactly what we will do on Saturday, September 23, from 3 to 6pm at the Grebenniki Farm. 1645 Anderson Creek Rd Talent.

Please join us for Cabbage chopping, carrot grating, salting and mixing! Farm produce (mostly meat products and bread), home made foods and crafts will be presented as a small market place. And most importantly, be part of our Gratitude circle, seasonal song sharing, potluck dinner, hugs and conversations! We truly hope to see you soon! Please feel free to RSVP and share!

Natalya and Greg

408-420-0095

I am looking for an individual to come to our home, here and there, to provide childcare for my 6 year old when I have outside obligations. It will mostly be for a couple of hours in the evening once or twice a month. I would need help starting October. I can be reached by phone at: (719) 321-2211. Thank you, Analisa.

Friends of our wonderful school housekeeper, Rafaela Gonzalez:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/lets-help-carlos-loeras-family-lay-him-to-rest?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=sms&utm_source=customer

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/