From the Director

Dear Madrone Family,

If you were at Parent Night, you heard me mention the well beaten path leading from my grandparents’ farmhouse, past the garden, the chicken coop, and on to the barn. I have so many memories that took place while walking that path. My grandpa stopping halfway to the barn, and returning to wash the breakfast dishes because my grandmother wasn’t feeling well. He washed, I dried. He talked to me about the importance of work, and that on the farm, all work must be done, and while the dishes were typically a chore that fell to my grandma, since she wasn’t available, it was now our chore. That taught me a solid work ethic. It taught me to look at work in a different light. 

However, my most impactful memory of a journey down that path occurred shortly after my grandpa passed. I was in high school, and quite full of myself. My grandma stopped, looked up at me (She was 4’10”,) and said, “You will never know how much I miss that man." She didn’t say that she missed him being there so he could help with the chores. She said she missed the man he was. She was referring to his character. She then asked me, “What kind of man do you want to be?” I knew it was a character question. I was raised in a Christian home. I was raised to respect my elders, respect my parents, respect women, and treat others with kindness. Until that question was posed, I had never truly thought about who I wanted to be as a man. That was the point in my life where I made a conscious choice to be an honest, trustworthy, and faithful man. 

Rudolf Steiner stressed on many occasions that we should become aware of the temperaments of the children in front of us, in order to develop their character in a balanced fashion. So what is temperament exactly? Steiner used the concept of the four temperaments, first conceptualized in ancient Greece, as one way to understand children, and meet their needs. Steiner elaborated on these ideas, and taught them to the first Waldorf teachers. 

In this model, there are four main categories, each linked to an element – earth, air, fire, and water. They are sanguine (air), choleric (fire), melancholic (earth), and phlegmatic (water). 

We all have each of the four temperaments. Steiner believed adults should work to harmonize the temperaments in themselves.

One could say it describes the ‘type’ of child, or ‘disposition’ if you like. And it is directly linked to the physical constituency of the child. There are four distinct temperaments which relate directly to the balance within the child’s body, between the formation of solid substance, the rhythmical movement of fluids, the process of breathing and the right body temperature. When one of these four is overdeveloped or out of balance, then a specific temperament will predominate. We can observe it in children through their physical features, behavior, their movements, posture, mood and tendencies.

Here they are, with limited explanations:

The Choleric Child:

A fiery, quick-tempered child, hard to reason with in the heat of the moment. Often seen to be bossing other children or challenging adults, steaming like an overheated car. An arresting gaze and sharp features are common. Good leadership potential.

The Phlegmatic Child:

Slow, lazy and dull children who could very often ‘just not be bothered’ about what’s going on. Generally known as couch potatoes, living for their food, they tend to have round and soft features. They are able to be very compromising.

The Sanguine Child:

Happy-go lucky children who move quickly from one interest to another, having a rather unfocused and fickle outlook. They take very little too seriously and struggle to concentrate. Sunny disposition, with flamboyant gestures and elongated limbs. Positive and friendly influence.

The Melancholic Child:

Pre-occupied with themselves, and their continued failings, they will not easily mix with others and tend to have an inferiority complex. The ‘woe is me’ child who will want a bandage on a tiny scratch! These children are often stooped and move cautiously and slowly, tending to be thin and having very fixed ideas in their head. Good attention to detail and deep thinkers.

Only by understanding these temperaments can we surely avoid so many incorrect decisions as a teacher and be in a position to help balance the character of the child. We won’t feel helpless or lose patience or become disheartened or feel threatened by the children if we can see through their behavior by understanding it, by understanding them. And if they feel understood by us, well we can teach them anything!

I guess you could have called me a Choleric with a dash of Sanguine in my youth, and now more Sanguine with a sprinkle of Choleric. I know that you are looking at your children and fitting them into one or more of these categories, I can almost hear you laughing at how well this describes them! As an educator, I want to know each child, and how I can work with their uniqueness. Beyond the four categories above, my goal is to create positive character traits that will serve them well as they grow into adulthood. They are so much more than their grades, or how well they perform at sports or music. Who they are is better defined by their character, and the way they treat others in life.

Have a wonderful weekend,

~Kendall Roberts

Director

kendall.roberts@madronetrail.org

From the Office

Our Lost & Found is already growing. The new location for the Lost & Found rack is by the bathrooms past the Kindergarten classrooms. Please check it periodically if your child is missing something. Jewelry and small items that are found are in the office with Ms. Sherrie.

Our 2022-2023 yearbooks sold out quicker than expected last year. If you were not able to purchase one and would like one, we have ordered a few more for purchase. We have 20 more, so get yours soon. This is your last opportunity to get one. They are $20, and can be purchased from Ms. Sherrie in the office. Cash, check, or credit card accepted.

Please let the office know no later than 2:30 pm if plans change for the pick up of your children after school. Leave a detailed message who will be picking your child up (or what bus they need to ride) with your name as well as your child's full name and grade. After 2:30 pm, we may not get to your message in time.

We are still having issues with our afternoon bus service to Jefferson and Lincoln. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Unfortunately it is out of our control and due to lack of drivers for First Student. If there is any way you can pick up your child next week if your child normally rides the Jefferson/Lincoln bus, that would be appreciated.

There are several dates each school year that we have school when MSD has a mid-quarter break day. On those days there is no bus service. The first of those three days is Friday, September 29. Please plan accordingly.

The office sent home registration packets for all returning students the first week of school. If you haven't gotten one by now, let Ms. Sherrie know. (sherrie.gasper@madronetrail.org / 541-842-3657) Please DO NOT register your student using Medford School District's new online registration system. They are still working out some glitches and at this time cannot accommodate Charter School student registration. Don't forget to also pay your Supply and Field Trip fees when you return your packet.

Board Update

Hello Madrone Trail!

The school year is officially in full swing and we are excited to see what this school year holds! The board has been hard at work both now and over the summer trying to ensure that our students and school community can continue to thrive. Here are a couple of things you might find useful to know.

The budget committee along with Mr. Roberts has been diligently working to make sure our budget is balanced and sustainable. There have been a lot of things to figure in and consider especially after experiencing monthly short fall last school year. This year the budget is in better shape and looking like we will have a balanced budget each month as the school year continues on. Budgets are complicated and so if you would like any clarity on the financial standing of the school please reach out to us at board@madronetrail.org and someone on the budget committee with a strong understanding of the big picture will be able to answer any questions you may have.

A second pressing issue is our playground. You have all heard or noticed that our play structure from last year is now gone as it was no longer up to code. The board has been in talks with a company called Play by Design for a new structure and fundraising has commenced. This process has had its challenges and we are currently evaluating whether this particular opportunity is the right fit for our school. We are committed to making the best decisions possible for our school community and especially our students.

Along with these two items we have been hard at work in all other areas we are responsible for including fundraising, interacting with parent council, and trying to support wherever needed in the life of the school. We are excited to see the library almost up and running and the kitchen fully staffed and about to open up a full and delicious menu of nutritious food options. 

We are grateful to have the opportunity to serve our school and would love to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us with any of those things at board@madronetrail.org.

Finally, Saturday, September 23rd there is a school wide picnic at Doc Griffin Park from 11-2 pm. There will be some board members there and if anyone would like to chat about anything we would love to connect with you there as our students play and enjoy each other’s company. 

For the good of the school,

Madrone Trail Board of Directors

Library Opens Next Week!

Thanks to our Library Committee and dedicated staff, the Madrone Trail Library will open next week on Monday, September 18! Your child will have an opportunity to visit the Library every week with their class.

In order to check out books, you must fill out our Library Parent Policy Agreement Form before their first visit! Please take a moment to sign the agreement so your child may access these services. We appreciate your cooperation. We have had around 50 students get this formed signed so far, so many parents still need to do this! This form can also be found on our website here.

If you would like to assist in the library and help keep it open and running smoothly, please consider joining the Library Committee.

Thank you for your support!

From the Athletic Director

This week has been very busy with both of our fall sports having their first competitions. While I can’t make all of the sporting events I want to; I feel a great sense of satisfaction knowing that so many of our Madrone students are competing, learning new skills, and staying active.

Volleyball

Our volleyball players started their season off against Rogue Valley Adventist on Wednesday. Varsity lost all 3 sets, but had a tremendous battle in set 3, eventually falling 13-15. JV won 2 sets to 1. Coach Jen was extremely impressed with how hard the girls played and is excited for the rest of the season. Standouts were Anastasia Lamont for her great serves and Natasha Wright, who had some great returns.

Next week:

Monday, 9/18 at Ruch JV plays at 4:00 pm, Varsity at 5:00 pm

Cross Country 

Our runners, Kaela, John, Theo, Maddy, and Sidra had their first meet yesterday at Ruch Outdoor Community School. There were 7 schools represented including Fleming, Hanby, Logos, Lorna Byrne, Madrone Trail, Oakdale, and Ruch. Official results will come out next week.

Next week:

Thursday, 9/21 at Ruch Outdoor Community School.

Girls race at 4:30 pm, Boys race at 5:00 pm

Meet our Cross Country Coach

Alexis Dial is 31 years old and has been a hairdresser for the past 12 years and at the moment building her own business outside of her home. She has been married for 12 years and has two beautiful young kids. In high school she played many sports, but her love for running has continued. It’s what she does to clear her mind and grow her endurance. She hopes to teach others that they can push themselves farther than they could ever think possible, also how to be confident in oneself and that having a growth mindset is everything. She is also hoping to bring a lot of laughs and fun times this next school year. 

Go Dragons,

Jeff Roberson

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

From the Parent Council

Hello!

We had a great turnout of 17 people at this month's Parent Council Meeting. Including both our Director, Assistant Director, a faculty member, 3 board members and 11 parents!

• We are missing representatives from 7th grade. If you have a child in 7th grade please reach out to me at meganzshaw@gmail.com! We need your help this year.

• Our next Parent Council Meeting is October 2nd @ 6pm at Bella Union. I would love to see some new faces! At each parent council meeting parents will get a chance to share. If you have any questions or great ideas for our school this is the place for you.

• 3rd Grade is catering the faculty lunch this coming week on 9/20! Thank you in advance 3rd grade and thank you 1st and 2nd grade for two successful faculty lunches so far this year!

• Remember to keep an eye on your emails for Parent Council Updates from your class representatives. They include important sign-up opportunities each month, the more volunteers we have the greater success our school festivals and events are!

• Please come to our Beginning of the Year Picnic at Doc Griffin Park Saturday, September 23, 11-2 pm. It's a bring your own everything event, and a time to socialize with other families and get together as a community. Hope to see you there!

Thank you to all those dedicated parents who make time to participate in our school community! And please remember to Log Your Volunteer Hours either at school or at home via the link below. And if you haven't already, sign up for a committee below!

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to me.

Your Parent Council Chair,

Megan Shaw

meganzshaw@gmail.com

Crafting Circle Forming

Knitting, Crocheting, Felting, Sewing and More!

Hello all you lovely crafty (or wishing to be crafty) Madrone Trail Parents! I am fielding interest for a Madrone Trail Crafting Circle. We will have two options:

1. A child friendly Crafting Circle that will be held after school from 3:15-5:00 pm. For this circle children are welcome to play on the playground (or quietly join us) while us parents get some craft time in!
2. An adult only Crafting Circle held in the evening at a park, facility or someone’s home from 5:30-7:00 pm. For this circle we will have some distraction free focused time to learn a new skill or work on current projects.

This is a great opportunity to build community and learn some new handwork skills! If you are interested please click on the links below and let me know your availability! If you have any questions please email me at meganzshaw@gmail.com

*Supplies can be provided with a small donation fee please inquire via email

Sincerely,

Megan Shaw

From the Kitchen

Greetings from the lunch program!

We’re happy to announce that we now have three regular kitchen staff members (and a sub!) and will be announcing daily lunch special additions to the menu very soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we start the new school year. 

Our kitchen staff are Chef Jenn (kitchen manager), Chefs Sage and Sassy (kitchen assistants), and Chef Aram (our kitchen sub). Chef Evan is still supporting the program behind the scenes tackling all of the state paperwork and logistics of coordinating a national school lunch program.

Reminder: Pre-orders are still not required – this will change however when we add new menu items and we will give you plenty of advance notice.

In case you haven’t done so already, you can still apply for free meals and set up your EZ app account.

Click here to apply for free breakfast and lunch 

Free lunch applications are being accepted and are essential to complete if you qualify, even if you were approved last year. 

New parents: Click here for instructions to register your EZ app meals account 

Snacks

Please note that snacks are available during each class’ snack period. We highly encourage parents of students in grades K-2 to pack a snack so your student does not have to leave the classroom during this period. We do not offer free snacks, even if you qualify for free breakfast and lunch and you do need to have funds on your EZ app account if you would like your student to be able to purchase snacks. Examples of snacks we offer are fresh fruit, milk, cheese, granola, nutri grain bars, and chips (baked Lays, pita chips).

Pricing and Payments

If you do not qualify for free meals, a complete meal for lunch will be $3.50 for grades K-2 and $4.25 for grades 3-8. Breakfast including fresh fruit and milk is $3 for all grades. A la carte and snack items will also be available for purchase during breakfast, snack and lunch periods. You will need to have funds in your EZ account to pay for snacks and a la carte items (all parents). Funds can be added to your account online or you may avoid the processing fee and provide funds to Ms. Sherrie ($10 minimum please). We do not accept payments at our point of service. 

Thank you!

Michaelmas

Festivals are a vital part of Waldorf education. Madrone Trail celebrates the rhythm of the year through festivals honoring the seasons and the natural world. As we celebrate and mark the passage of the seasons through art, music, and story, we deepen our connection to the rhythms of nature and our relationships with each other and create community. Many of our festivals are celebrated community-wide. Some festivals are celebrated with the children during school.

Our first festival is Michaelmas, which will be celebrated on Friday, September 29th, from 2:15-3:00 pm. Michaelmas, as it is observed in Waldorf schools, is the "festival of courage." Michael, the archangel who inspires courage, is associated with this festival at harvest time. The students will hear a story of a knight conquering the dragon, sing songs of courage, and enjoy dragon bread and cider. Through this community festival, we celebrate the apples and wheat harvested in the fall, while preparing ourselves for the inner wakefulness and courage needed for the winter months ahead.

Class teachers and your class parent representatives will be sending out emails with details of what each class needs to bring to make this festival a success. For those courageous parents wanting to make dragon bread, below are a few recipes to help guide you, along with some pictures of dragon bread throughout the years. They can also be found on our website.

Dragon Bread Recipe from the Washington Waldorf School

Sweet Sourdough Dragon Bread Recipe

Gluten Free Dragon Bread Recipe

Dragon Bread Examples

Madrone Trail T-shirts

We are excited to announce that in next week's Friday Update we will have a link to pre-order Madrone Trail shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies. We will have our regular Madrone Trail Dragon shirts available in light green, dark green, tan, and blue in sizes from Youth Small to Adult XXL. We are also offering a limited edition 8th grade designed shirt as well. This year's Blue Heron shirt was drawn by Isaac Richardson. It will be available in light purple, dark purple, and grey.

Cans & Bottles Recycling Fundraiser

The Blue Heron Class has started to fundraise for their 8th grade trip!

Madrone Trail is now registered as a non-profit with BottleDrop! This means we have new guidelines, with a system and process for donations. Please make sure to review the details below and reach out to our office manager if you have any questions. Thank you to our parent (and staff member) Sarah Bevers for stepping up to be our parent representative for the BottleDrop 8th grade fundraiser.

Our blue bins will go out on Monday for collecting on campus for use by our staff and students.  Please do not place large donations in our blue bins.  

If you would like to donate cans or bottles, please make sure to drop off your sealed/tied bags in plastic trash bags (please no paper or open bags). These will be bagged and tagged in our special blue BottleDrop bags and taken to the center for redemption with our special coded tag that will be donated into our school account.

Parents may drop off sealed bags to the area between the dumpster and the greenhouse, at the end of the bamboo fence on the edge of the parking lot between the kinder yard and 7th-8th grade modular. Bags will be taken to the BottleDrop once a week.

If you are able to assist with transport of large quantities of bag donations, please contact the office manager:  office@madronetrail.org

If you have a personal BottleDrop account, and would like to send online donations to our Give Account, you may login to your BottleDrop account and search for Madrone Trail.

Please review the list of acceptable items:

Included, in sizes 3 liters or less:

Soda, Beer and malt beverages, Water, Kombucha, Hard Seltzer

Included, in sizes from 4 ounces up to 1.5 liters:

Coffee and tea, Energy and sports drinks, Fruit and vegetable juice, Hard Cider

Not Included:

- Distilled spirits / liquor

- Wine

- Infant formula

- Liquid meal replacements

- Non-beverage foods

- Beverages that list dairy milk or plant-based

milk as the first ingredient

- Beverages in a carton, foil pouch, or metal

container that require a tool to be opened

Thank you for supporting our 8th graders!

Handwork Needs Containers

The Handwork program is looking for empty quart size yogurt containers. If you have any, please bring them to school and drop them by my classroom (next to the Kinderyard).

Thanks, Ms. Nancy

Puppies!

A sweet family in our community (Sterling and Augustus Simonis) have a litter of pure bred Labrador puppies looking for good homes! These little cuties visited the Kindergarten last week and are 6 weeks old. They were born on a farm and are all very healthy!

If you are interested, please contact Emily Simonis by phone or email:

541-913-7573

mlesimonis@gmail.com

Community Offering

Many of our teachers have taken this workshop and have really enjoyed it. Nina Gallwey is now offering classes to the public if any parent or guardian is interested.

Quote of the Day

Handlettered by Ms. Cori

MADRONE TRAIL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL

www.madronetrail.org

Madrone Trail Public Charter School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age in its programs and activities.