The Tuesday Notice

This winter break the Woodworking shop got a much needed gift of a new concrete floor! No more muddy days in the shop! A huge thank you to our incredible Grants Committee, whose dedication and tireless efforts in securing resources—like our beautiful new woodworking classroom space—continue to enrich our school community. Gratitude goes out to Adroit and Knife River for the donated concrete and installation, as well as our school volunteers, Mr. Aaron Smith, Anouschka Andresen, the whole Levin family, Christie Chiang, Jojo Willis, Adrian Criswell, and Alicia Welder.

This Week

Mon, Jan 6: School resumes

Thurs, Jan 9: Class 6 Parent Meeting, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Fri, Jan 10: Middle School Fridays (Middle School elective program) begins!

Next Week

This Week: Spirit Week for Middle School students! See below for details.

Mon, Jan 13: Parent Enrichment evening talk with Joanne Lescher, 6:30 p.m. - Join us!

Tues, Jan 14: Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.

Fri, Jan 17: Middle School Dance, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (8:30 p.m. for student council members)

And Beyond!

Mon, Jan 20: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Thurs, Jan 23: History & Vision Night and Class Meetings, 5:45 to 8:00 p.m.

Fri, Jan 24: Lunar New Year assembly, in-school for the children

Join us on Monday, January 13 at 6:30 pm for an informative and important talk with Joanne Lescher, communication facilitator. Joanne will help us, as parents and caregivers, turn conversations into connections rather than disputes. Come learn tried and true techniques for getting (or keeping) the conversations going. This talk is intended for parents or guardians with children of all ages looking to support family communications throughout each stage of family growth and change.

Joanne Lescher has impacted the lives of countless families, couples, and individuals through her seminars, workshops, and counseling. The skills taught through the nonviolent communication model encourage anger management, create common ground, and promote effective listening skills. As a skilled presenter, trainer, mediator, and group facilitator, Joanne effectively models the skills needed to deal with conflict and to communicate compassionately. Her reputation has been affectionately summarized as "having the ability to tame lions."

Hot lunch order forms for Second Semester are available now! Please download a form below or pick up forms from the front hallway table. We must have a completed form and payment in the office for your child to receive hot lunch. If you are unsure if your child is signed up to get hot lunch for next semester, please contact Amy in the office (amy.bull@siskiyouschool.org). Thank you for supporting our 8th grade trip!

Forms are due Wednesday, January 22nd.

With the seasonal spread of communicable illnesses such as flu and Norovirus, please make sure ill children stay home from school and are fully well before returning.

Our Wellness Policy states:

"Out of consideration not only your child's well-being but for that of all their classmates, please do not send your child to school if they are not feeling well, even if it appears to be a mild illness. The School will follow all communicable disease protocols outlined by Jackson County Health and children need to stay home with any cold, gastrointestinal, and other flu symptoms. Students can only return to school 24 hours after a fever has subsided.

Any child with diarrhea and/or vomiting must stay at home for 48 hours after symptoms subside in accordance with the State of Oregon’s communicable disease policy."

We're gearing up to start our Kindergarten and first grade enrollment process for the 2025-26 school year. If you have a kindergarten student or know of a family that may be interested in our school, please be sure to contact Kristin at kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org to ensure you're on the list to be contacted in the next weeks. The first step is returning an application for admission, available here. Thank you!

Spirit Week is a fun way for our Middle School students to get excited about the upcoming dance! Please join us by showing your school spirit with these fun themes for each day! Students are to keep in mind the school dress code and remember they will still need to participate fully in each class (including Games!).

We're excited to host our first Middle School dance of this school year! Please note that the dance is for Siskiyou School students only, we request a $5 donation along with a class specific food or drink contribution, and pick up will be at 8:00 pm. Students in the Siskiyou School Student Council will be asked to stay until 8:30 to assist with clean up. More details from class teachers will be coming soon!

Dear Siskiyou School Families,

Thank you for the kind words, gifts and holiday contributions that brightened my birthday and sweetened the winter holiday. The heart felt messages were lovely to receive this winter holiday. So many folks have supported the kindergarten program in its second year, and each day I feel the love, joy and dedication that was poured into starting this sweet program! Every day I look forward to coming to school. May the new year bring joy, health and prosperity to you all.

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

Happy New Year to all families! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words in the holiday cards and also for your huge generosity towards the Teacher and Staff Gift Fund; it was such a wonderful gift to receive for the holiday season. May everything you give be returned to you many fold and may blessings of peace, joy and deep connection with your children throughout the year fill your hearts for the New Year 2025.

Dear Parents,

Thank you always for your kind and beautiful hearts! Seeing each and every child on campus everyday fills me with so much joy. Thank you for your kids and thank you for your generosity.

Dear Siskiyou School Families,

I want to say how grateful I am for your well wishes and generosity. I am deeply touched by your constant support of the school. What a gift it is to be here with you and your children and ring in another year. Wishing each of you and yours, a happy new year!

The kind words and wishes you shared, filled me with warmth that carried right through the holiday break. Your generosity and thoughtful support of our faculty makes a noticeable impact in my life and is a continual reminder that I am part of a very special community. Thank you for all the good you share. Happy New Year!

Reflecting on the warmth and kindness you've shown me this holiday season, my heart overflows with profound gratitude. Your thoughtful holiday cards, filled with such beautiful and encouraging words, touched me deeply, and the generous monetary gift was an unexpected blessing that speaks volumes about your support and appreciation. Each carefully written message represents more than a gesture—it's a testament to the incredible community we share. Thank you for being such extraordinary educational partners and making a difference in ways you may never fully realize. May this new year bring you abundant health and moments of pure happiness.

Thank you, dear friends and families of the Siskiyou School community for the kind words and generous donations to the Teacher Gift Cards this holiday season. It is simply wonderful to receive your friendly support at this time of year. Happy New Year!

Dear Siskiyou School Families,

Thank you, deeply, for your generosity during the teacher gift-giving time. Your words of gratitude were truly inspiring. The extra bit of cash helps a lot around the holidays, too. Here’s to a New Year with many blessings! Cheers and Many Thanks!

Wow! I’m always so humbled and amazed at your overflow of kindness during the holidays. For you to take time out of your day to write kind and thoughtful words, and give financially to us during a season that is already financially stressful for many, is just incredible. Thank you ever so much! Wishing you and your family a joyous 2025!

Being a teacher and a parent here, I'm aware of the Chutes and Ladders-level complexity of remembering-to and finding-parking-for sitting down to add thoughts to the holiday cards. So I'm doubly grateful for your words and kindness.

Happy New Year Siskiyou Community. Your cards are such a gift. The heartfelt words and recognition a buoy though the cold and busy holiday season. Thank you for the kind, supportive, and inspiring reflections. I am very grateful.

Greetings of the New Year!

There are so many wonderful things about the Siskiyou School, from Michaelmas to Winter Assembly, I have enjoyed experiencing the celebrations of this amazing community. The kindness I feel each week from my students and their families is truly heart-warming. Then, to receive a holiday card filled with personal expressions and generous contributions, was the icing on the cake! Thank you so much! I am excited to move forward into the new year with much gratitude and appreciation for all you do.

Dear Parents,

Thank you for your generous contribution to the teacher gift fund and for your sweet words. Your support is the best at this time of year. I love teaching your children and am grateful to share the magic of the Siskiyou School with you and your family.

As the darkest days of this school year recede (sooooo dark when I get to work in the morning!) and we head back towards the longer, lighter ones, I’m reminded again how I am comforted by the rhythms and routines of the year. I’ve enjoyed my winter break and I’m ready to jump into the full on work and business of the coming months. But before I leave the holiday season behind, I want to thank everyone for the inspiring words written in the cards and the incredible monetary gift that came with them. I look forward to the cards every year, they’re part of the Soltice ritual that grounds me in these darker days and helps launch me into the holiday break. So thank you to each and every one of you that helped make that happen!

To be thanked for doing something that I absolutely love is a surreal experience: it is my great privilege and joy to help your children along their individual life journeys. Your magnanimous and gracious gifts are felt so very deeply, and I am proud to be a small part of our Siskiyou School community.

I was so very touched by your warm messages and beyond grateful for your generous gift. Thank you for taking the time during the busy holiday season to stop-by and send your best wishes to me. You inspire and motivate me to give my best at what I do. The Chinese Lunar New Year, starting on January 29, brings with it the arrival of the Wood Snake, a rare and significant combination that occurs once every 60 years, symbolizing transformation and growth. I wish you a prosperous Year of the Snake with good health, happiness and cherished moments with family.

Dearest Siskiyou School Parents,

Thank you for the many ways you support our school community—with your time, resources, and care. Your recent gift has been a true blessing, as it allowed a special treat for me and Quinn--a soak at Chozu, and a new (to us) espresso machine!

The beautiful card, signed by so many of you, was deeply moving. Reading your kind words during a quiet, foggy morning with a lit candle was just the ticket. I cherish working with your children--thank you for the opportunity to help them shine. Wishing you a joyful start to 2025.

What a sweet gift to start the holiday break with. Your kind and loving words filled my heart! I’m so grateful to be a part of this school community and was so moved by your thoughtful sentiments and generous gifts to the Guft Fund. I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year!

Wonderful parents! What joy you brought me opening up an envelope full of cards that were filled with so many lovely messages. I felt so seen and appreciated, and it started off what was a new and unchartered holiday season with love and care, and I cannot thank you enough. Your children are so fantastic, and I feel truly lucky that I get to see them all day, every day. Many Thanks!

Dear Families,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity, thoughtful notes, and warm wishes during the holiday season. Your kindness reminds me of why I love what I do every single day. The start of the year feels even more hopeful knowing I am part of such a caring and supportive community. I look forward to the wonderful moments we’ll share in the months ahead. Wishing you all a New Year filled with happiness, health, and love!

Our community classifieds are posted as a service to our Siskiyou School families and our broader community. If you would like to include something in the classifieds, email your text (a few lines in length) or an image file (png or jpg only), to kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org no later than Monday by 3:00 pm. We may edit it for space purposes. Classifieds are included for two weeks, require a break for a week, and then can be renewed upon request.

Welcome back from break everyone. I'm excited to have Chess Club return on a weekly basis. A quick reminder of the details:

Chess Club meets Fridays after school from 12:30-1:45. We will gather in the Math Room for initial instruction, daily puzzle, and lesson, then moving to Pine Hall for games. As stated in the fall, this year I want to be dedicating more time to the learning and instruction aspects of chess. Going deeper into the techniques and strategies than in previous years. This requires an ability on the student's part to sit to instruction and then stay engaged playing games for the full hour plus. My goal is to not have to wear the disciplinary/baby-sitting hat as much as in the past. Parents please know your child and enroll accordingly.

Session 1 will be January 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st, with a break for end of semester conferences that first week of February. Chess Club is for grades 2nd through 8th. Cost is $60 if enrolling for Session 1, $20 for drop-ins, free for 8th graders. Please pack and extra snack/lunch for your child on that day.

Please email me at dustin.monda@siskiyouschool.org if your student is planning on attending or if you have any further questions. Thank you, Dustin Monda

Concerned about your child use of technology/screen time?

Lexi Alma, a counselor specializing in adolescents (and mother to Lily in 7th) is giving a free talk at Ashland Middle School this Thursday evening, January 9th at 5:30 pm, to share the current research on teens and screens and will also be offering a tool box for helping your family manage your children’s use of technology. Hope you can make it!

AMAZING opportunity to experience Rogue Valley Symphony performing Beethoven’s 5th on January 12th at 3pm in Grant’s Pass. We organized this for class 7 and many can’t make it so we are opening it up to the rest of the student body. We have drivers/transportation set up and will plan to leave Ashland by 1:45pm—would your child or children care to join us?

Tickets are $15 student rate Contact Lexi to RSVP. 541-631-9456

Ashland Children's Theatre - starting January 18

Get thee to the theatre! ACT has 3 spots available in their Performance Company in the upcoming session. The company will be bringing to the stage an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors, directed by Eve Smyth. Rehearsals and performances at The Bellview Grange. Check our website for details www.ashlandchildrenstheatre.com. To register contact us at info@ashlandchildrenstheatre.com.

· Performance Company - ages 12+

· Rehearsals: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:45-5:3, Saturdays from 10:30-12:30

· Performances March 14, 15, 16

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