Tuesday Notice

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

Life on campus is wonderful, with the warm sunshine making it especially so. Walking across campus we are met with a chorus of joyful sounds, reflecting the multiplicity of everyday campus activities. We have impassioned games of four square, students rehearsing play lines, singing and fluting, children and teachers in conversation, students studying together around picnic tables, and so much more! Our hearts overflow with gratitude for all the good things happening and for all the spring activities and events we can now once again, for the first time in a long time, look forward to hosting.

This spring we want to bring back our monthly morning coffees in the front parking lot for the first time in a couple of years! In March we are looking forward to hosting the 8th grade projects in Pine Hall and holding History & Vision Night, In April we will have the Auction (4/23) and our beloved May Day (4/29). In May we are looking forward to the 5th grade Olympiad and class field trips and, possibly, some overnights!

Next week we look forward to welcoming you on campus for conferences. If you haven't signed up yet, please do so ASAP. See the link in the office section.

As the signs out front herald, we have entered the 2022 Siskiyou School Read-a-Thon time. Last year's first ever Siskiyou School Read-a-Thon was a huge success due to the children's excitement and level of participation and your support! Please, once again, do what you can to support the Read-A-Thon. Help your children find books they are excited to read and encourage them to reach out to grandparents, friends, neighbors, extended family, etc. to support their reading goals. The no-school days next week along with the extended Presidents' Day weekend may provide some good reading time! From a fundraising standpoint, we are hopeful that, like last year, the revenue from the read-a-thon will help us meet this year's budget, with all the extra expenses we have incurred through this time. Last year many children said it felt good to them to help their school; may it be so this year as well! Thank you for your help with this effort.

Indoor Masking Update: As everyone might have heard, yesterday, on February 7, the Oregon Health Authority announced a decision related to universal masking in schools. The decision allows local school districts, in collaboration with local public health authorities, to make decisions about universal masking. The change to local district decision making goes into effect on March 31.

We are certainly excited at the possibility of being mask free on campus after spring break! It would be so wonderful to finish the year that way! That said, as has been the case with each new Covid-related update and development over the past two years, we will take time in faculty and on the COVID committee to discuss this next step, including checking in with Jackson County Public Health and the Ashland School District. Of course we will keep you updated.

I’m grateful every day for the great team of teachers and staff who hold our children day in and day out, and for you, parents, for all the things you do to help your child flourish and their school thrive as well.

My best to you all,

Aurilia

This Week:

Wed, Feb 9: 1st Grade Enrichment Evening, 6:30pm. Zoom.

Fri, Feb 11: Open House for enrollment, 2:00pm.

Next Week:

Mon, Feb 14: 8th Grade Singing Valentines.

Wed, Feb 16: Book Exchange.

Thurs, Feb 17: No School - Parent-Teacher Conferences, 7th Grade Bake Sale.

Fri, Feb 18: No School - Parent-Teacher Conferences, 7th Grade Bake Sale.

Fri, Feb 18: Read-A-Thon reading begins.

Looking Ahead:

Mon, Feb 21: No School. Presidents' Day.

Tues, Feb 22: No School. Wellness & Relief Day for Faculty & Staff.

Fri, Feb 25: Read-A-Thon reading sheets due and fundraising concludes.

Fri, Feb 25: Board/Faculty/Staff Conference, 1:30pm-6:00pm.

Please sign up for a Parent-Teacher conference by clicking the link HERE. The link will CLOSE at noon on Tuesday, February 15th. If you need to make changes after Tuesday, please call the office.

• Click on the tabs at the bottom of the page to get to your class teacher’s page.

• After entering your information, click to another location to “save” your work.
• These times have been carefully chosen by the teachers, please do not alter them.
• If you cannot make the times available, please contact your teacher. Please note, make-up conferences are reserved for emergencies only. Two household families, please sign up for ONE conference time.
• If you need help signing up, please call or email the office.
• Class 7 and 8 families, please sign up for an additional MATH conference with your child’s math teachers.
• Class 6, 7, & 8 families, please sign up for an additional LANGUAGE ARTS conference with Mr. Dilansa.
• All conferences will be in person.

If you need help signing up, please call the office at 541-482-8223 or email Kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org. Thank you!

We’re excited to be able to offer childcare for conferences again! Please note that masking will be required for all children indoors and out for conference childcare. Childcare will be available from 8:00 to 4:00 on Thursday and 8:00 to 3:00 on Friday. Children stay free during your conference time, beyond that time childcare is $10/hour (cash or check only please).

We’re looking for a responsible adult to help manage our Childcare for conferences (February 17 and 18). If you’re interested, please contact kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org. Thank you!

Starting today we will change our way of notifying parents about positive COVID cases in our school community.

OPT IN: If you WANT to receive emails that notify you about any positive COVID cases in our school community, please fill out the little survey attached below in the link. IF you don’t fill it out, we assume that you DON’T want to get these notifications. Thank you!

Starting today, students will no longer have the option to zoom into the classroom from home when they are absent due to quarantine or illness. Based on student and teacher feedback, it’s not really working for the students who are zooming in or for the teachers and students present in the room. Teachers will now go back to the traditional system of outlining make-up work for students as appropriate and needed. To find out about make-up work for your child in cases of prolonged absences, be in touch with your child's class teacher.

Class teachers in 6th through 8th will offer office hours to go over assignments as needed to students who are at home for a prolonged period due to illness.

Class teachers in grades 1-5 will explain what if any main lesson or skills work needs to be made up and provide materials accordingly.

Thank you for your attention to this.

Help support the 8th Grade with their fundraising for their end of the year trip, while at the same time warming the heart of a friend or a loved one. Forms are now available and orders will be available until Wednesday, February 9th. The cost is $20 which includes a friend or loved one being serenaded to on Valentine’s Day and receiving a card and a bar of chocolate. This is an annual tradition for the 8th grade class and our community, and you can really make someone’s day!

You can learn more about the Read-A-Thon works, along with all the fundraising details below. For easy access, you can access your class fundraising links below. These links can be sent to Friends & Family, via social media, text, email, etc. As a reminder, the ask is for your student to be "sponsored" to read for the Read-A-Thon. You do not need to collect money after they read.

Each class has its own class fundraising link with class-specific sample letters:

• Class 1- Ms. Tourzan Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 2 - Mr. Criswell Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 3 - Raven - Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 4 - Blue Heron - Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 5 - Forest- Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 6 - Dragonfly - Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 7- Hummingbird - Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

• Class 8 - Dolphin - Fundraising Page & Sample Letter
  

If you would like to donate to the general fundraising page, you can do so HERE.

Need Help with Online Fundraising? Please see the Online Fundraising Tutorial Here.

If you have any questions, please contact Lora in the office via email: lora.wilde@siskiyouschool.org or phone: 541-613-1146.

And just like that, we are now in the second semester!! The first graders are now at school full days and enjoying Games and Spanish, along with a full day of emerging reading and writing and math fun! The first grade has become a strong family with a lot of patience, kindness and appreciation for one another. Listening to one another, taking turns, and learning to work in groups have been very important parts of the social work of the classroom. They are moving in unison, singing together, and reciting verses and poetry together, which is building their ability to sense themselves as a class.

We just finished up the Math block, where I introduced the four processes. We are now in a Story block. I just told them Snow White and Rose Red, an enchanting Grimms fairy tale of two kindhearted sisters who take in a wild bear and become friends. The children had fun analyzing the characters in the story, as well as using descriptive words. Through the stories, word families are introduced. The stories make up the content of their work. The children are led more deeply into their learning by expressing these experiences through writing and drawing in their main lesson books. On Fridays, the children have been enjoying painting, Show and Tell, and special time with their sixth-grade buddies.

These children fill my heart with laughter and bring a smile to my face each day.

Warmest regards, ~ Ms. Tourzan

Rome has fallen! We just finished our last Rome block and can see what happens when an empire continues to grow without its capacity to maintain, while new pressures push in on the existing structure. The stories of crazy emperors came to life: one who wanted to make their horse consul (leader of the Senate), another who locked people in a room so they couldn't leave as he sang terribly and off-key to them.

For the current block, we have Ms. Franczak as our Main Lesson teacher for World Religions, as I am in the 7th grade teaching Artists of the Renaissance. It's so good to switch main lesson teachers when we are able in order to give the middle-schoolers a new voice, energy, and requirements. It asks the class to be flexible as new thinking is sparked.

We have Valentine's Day right around the corner. The 6th graders have a Valentine to make for their buddy/ies and one to make for their secret Valentine in our class by Monday. Have a fabulous week, everyone! ~ Ms. Tisdel

Willa Vogel, a Siskiyou School graduate, is available to babysit weekends and afternoons. Willa’s creative, imaginative energy is engaging for kids 2-8.

Call/text for availability: 541-630-3107

Waldorf Graduate and Waldorf Trained Teacher available for remote tutoring of all kinds! Raised in Washington DC and Maine, I was a middle school teacher in Baltimore city for a few years before getting my masters from Antioch University and becoming a Waldorf class teacher. I taught at The Siskiyou School for seven years before moving to the Oregon Coast.

Take a look at my website: catherinehdixon.com

Catherine H Dixon Tutoring & Educational Support Services | Oregon

Hello! I’m Catherine and I provide virtual tutoring and educational support services to students across the country. I offer tutoring instruction in history, English, math, science, and French. Additionally, I provide students with homework support and work with them on study skills and time management strategies.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with your child!

Let me know if you can do that and if you need anything else.

Grateful,

Catherine Dixon

Are you ready to take your singing voice to the next level? Mia currently offers voice lessons to kids, teens and adults and has openings M-Th after school (other times arranged upon request). All levels welcome! We focus on the fundamentals of singing, including breath support, posture, diction, tempo, pitch, tone and performance/audition techniques. She provides a fun and relaxed environment and lessons are available in or outdoors (depending on weather and comfort level- masks not required for students) or via Zoom. Mia has over 25 years of experience in Musical Theatre and has been teaching in the Rogue Valley since 2014. $30 for 30 min lessons.

Call (323) 552-6812 for more info!

A first grade parent is announcing a 3 bedroom townhome for sale. The Townhome is located at 1221 Calypso Court. It's a 3 Bedroom Townhouse for sale, offered at $395,000.

HOME FEATURES:1472 sq. ft. open floorplan, utility room, in a co-housing community. The house is located in a co-housing neighborhood where people share resources and make decisions collectively. It is within easy walking distance to Garfield Park, North Mountain Park, several schools, and the Rogue Valley Growers Market. There are various common areas for community members including a grass lawn, kids play structure, outdoor gas fireplace, and a large patio, great for group gatherings.

Fieldguides Outdoor Education is offering a three-night Spring Break backpacking trip in Point Reyes National Park (bay area) for 11-17 year olds. Transportation to/from Ashland is provided.

https://www.fieldguides.org/spring-break-trips.html

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/