From the Director

Dear Families,

What a fantastic first week of school! It is so nice to see all the smiling faces each morning as you arrive with your students! I want to thank you for helping out on Stewardship Day. We checked off quite a few items on our to do list. I also want to thank Sergio for the incredible effort he put in to get things tidy in time for the start of school! I look forward to spending more time in the classrooms, watching these amazing teachers. As Rudolf Steiner says, "The heart of the Waldorf method is that education is an art- it must speak to the child's experience. To educate the whole child, his heart and his will must be reached, as well as the mind." I have witnessed this philosophy in action, presented with such care and dedication! 

I hope to see all of you this coming Thursday, September 8 for Parent Night. Have a relaxing weekend!

~Kendall Roberts

Director

kendall.roberts@madronetrail.org

Smoke Procedures

When the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 150 and becomes unhealthy we are required to cancel all outdoor activities. Upon arrival, the students report to the gym from 7:45 – 8:15 am. At 8:15 am they are allowed to go to their classrooms. Recess and all classes are held indoors, and staff are on an alternated coverage schedule to ensure that teachers get their breaks. Our air ventilation system was upgraded last year to include MERV-13 filters which filters down to 0.3-1.0 micron particles. MERV-13 filters are commonly used in hospitals for general surgery, inpatient care, and superior commercial buildings. Mr. Roberts monitors the AQI throughout the day as we have a sensor very close by and makes an hour to hour determination as to if we can have outdoor activities. The AQI in this valley varies greatly based on location, so we also use our best judgement when it comes to letting the children be outside. Our main priority is the health and safety of our students, even when they are climbing the walls due to being inside all day. If you have any concerns about your child being outdoors in the orange zone (AQI 100-150) please let your child's class teacher know. 

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

Thank you for being patient with us this week as we continue to get into the rhythm of our new pick up routine. There may be additional adjustments as we work out the kinks. We were lucky to be able to get the parking lot striped before school started as well as the track regraded, but there are still a few projects that need to be finished to improve the process. 

If you are parking in the field please leave room for other cars to enter and leave as the first rows fill up. We have been having issues with cars getting blocked from parking or blocked from getting out. Please drive slowly through the parking lot and on the track.

Drop Off: Parents/Guardians have two options this year for drop off.

• They can pull up to the drop off zone and drop off their students as we did last year. Please use only this entrance and not the gate by the crosswalk. New this year: after dropping off students pull back and exit through the parking lot. DO NOT drive on the track in the morning.
• Parents/guardians can also park and walk their students to class. Please use the crosswalk and walkways to navigate the parking lot. 
• Students can be dropped off starting at 7:45 am. Students dropped off between 7:45 am and 8:30 am will go to the playground where they will be supervised by a staff member.

Pick Up: As with drop off, parents/guardians will have two options this year. 

• They can use our pick up lane (the track) and have their students (3rd-8th) delivered to their car as we did last year.
• They can park and walk in. Change from last year: THIS IS REQUIRED FOR K-2.
• UPDATE: If your K-2nd grader has a responsible older sibling in 4th grade or above, you can make an arrangement with those students' teachers to have the older child pick up the younger one to be picked up in the pick up line. 
• To make the pick up line go quicker, we will have 3rd-5th grade out in the courtyard and 6th-8th grade in the field. If you are walking in, please wait for those classes in the courtyard and pick them up from there. Do not go to the classroom. Pick up time will be between 3:15-3:30 pm. Please arrive in the pick up line or the courtyard no earlier than 3:00 pm.

Also, please note drop off and pick up time is not the time to engage in conversation with your child's class teacher, as they will be busy getting ready for the start of the day, and ensuring all students get to where they need to go in the afternoon. If you would like to discuss something with a teacher, please email them to arrange a time to meet or talk on the phone.

Drop Off in the morning

Drop Off Lane: Upon entering the parking lot, stay to the right and let your student out at the drop off zone. Proceed through the parking lot to exit. Do not drive on the track.

Park and Walk: Upon entering the parking lot, stay to the left and go around and park. You may park on the left side of the double row of cars, or in the field. Everyone who parks needs to use the Crosswalk to enter campus (not the far gate.)

Kindergarten parents: look out for an email from your class teacher about drop off and pick up procedures that are specific to each class.

Pick Up in the afternoon

Pick Up Lane: Upon entering the parking lot, stay to the right and go around the track, forming a line. At 3:15 pm we will begin calling for students and loading them in cars in the 3 marked spots near the exit of the parking lot. 6th-8th grade students will be able to walk directly to their car in line.

Park and Walk: Upon entering the parking lot, stay to the left and go around and park. You may park on the left side of the double row of cars, or in the field. Everyone who parks needs to use the Crosswalk to enter campus (not the far gate.) 1st and 2nd grade will be in their classrooms, 3rd-5th grade classes will be in the courtyard, and 6th-8th grade classes will be in the field.

Parent Night

Parent Night will be on Thursday, September 8 from 5-7 pm.

The schedule is as follows:

5:00-5:40 pm: 2nd-5th grade class meetings

5:45-6:15 pm: All School Welcome

6:20-7:00 pm: 6th-8th grade class meetings

Kindergarten and 1st grade parents will have their class meetings on a different night. Kindergarten and 1st grade parents are encouraged to attend the All School Welcome portion of the evening.

We ask that no children attend and there will be no childcare provided. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Parent Council Update

Welcome to a new school year. Parent Council has already had one meeting and we are very excited about the upcoming year. Our parents and families are the life blood of the school and volunteers help keep our school running smoothly in coordination with our administration, board and amazing faculty!

Parent Council is all the parents of the school getting stuff done!  We have created six fundamental committees in which to process our projects.  We meet the first Monday school is in session of every month from 6-7pm. These meetings will always begin and end on time and will go according to meeting agenda.  Our meetings are a time for communication between committees, faculty, administration, school board and parent reps.  A representative from each class and committee is expected but all parents are welcome! Our next meeting is on 9/12 at 6 pm at Las Palmas in Jacksonville.

During Parent Night, there will be an opportunity to sign up for interest in joining committees. Parent council members will be present to help with this process, which is changing this year in hopes to streamline coordination between volunteer interests and school needs. There are many opportunities to give your time to the school. All committees need members as well as 1-2 people willing to chair the committees if needed. Faculty members are also members of each of these committees. Committee chairs' main responsibilities are to plan meetings and keep committees on track.

The current committees include:

• Volunteer Coordination Committee which provides Community outreach to identify skill sets/vet volunteer interest/community development and outreach. Volunteer enlistment and coordination for calendered school events
• Festival Committee which provides Festival organization, planning and logistics administration: Lantern Walk, May Faire, Jacksonville Chinese New Year Parade. May Faire is committee we need a Parent Volunteer to chair.
• Fundraising/Auction Committee which provides Fundraising event planning and execution, especially annual auction. This is also a committee we need a Parent Volunteer to chair.
• Beautification Committee which provides aesthetic and grounds beautification planning and implementation; bulletin board, flower box, etc. They work in tandem with the Site committee.
• DEI: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee which works to make sure our school is a welcome and safe place for all students, faculty, and parents.
• Middle School Committee whose goal is to ease the transition to middle school for students and parents by providing support in planning events and needs during 6th-8th grades.

I look forward to meeting many of you at parent night and working with you throughout the year. Thank you in advance for helping make our school successful and a great place for our children.

~Michelle Sanders

Parent Council Chair

parentcouncil@madronetrail.org

From the Athletic Director

We are excited to be offering Volleyball and Cross Country this fall. Practices will begin next week. More info very soon. Both of these sports will involve an aspect of needing parent volunteers for rides to either games/meets and practices.

Parents of students who showed interest in joining one of these sports were emailed some information. If your student is interested and you did not get an email; please email me at jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

One requirement for these sports, since they are SOMSAC sports, is a sport physical. This can be done at your own doctor, but we are offering a Sports Physical day at Madrone Trail this Sunday 10am-2pm in the Gym. A medical care provider, Matthew Goodrich, of Complete Integrative Care will be available.

Cost will be $20 on this day. (Normally $30 in the office)

Please click here to sign up for a 15 minute time slot. Parents are more than welcome to stay with their student during the exam. 

Please have the first page of the sport physical form filled out prior to your scheduled time.

Basketball Club will be 5 Saturdays beginning September 10th and ending October 8th and will take place at the Grace Elementary School. To get there; enter behind the school by turning on Business Park Drive off of Biddle. See Map below.

The 6th grade will be split between A and B levels. A level is for players that have played 2 seasons or more. B level will be players just starting out or that have one season only of experience. This is really about putting students in the situation that is best for them and their progress. 

9am-10am: 5th-6th(B)

10am-11:15am: 6th(A)-8th

Current Community Opportunities

Junior Comets Kinder Soccer (Co-ed)

Cost: $35

Registration closes September 3rd (Very soon)

Register at https://jrcometsports.leagueapps.com/leagues/soccer

Junior Comets Volleyball

Who: 3rd-6th Grade (Co-ed)

Cost: $50

Registration closes September 9th

Register at https://jrcometsports.leagueapps.com/leagues (Scroll down to find volleyball)

Medford YMCA Flag Football

Who: 1st-6th Grade (Co-ed)

Cost: $65

Registration closes September 8th

Register at https://rvymca.org/programs/120019/flag-football/#division_2300062

One community group that I left off last week is the Medford Parks and Recreation department. They have a wide variety of sport offerings. Go to www.sportsmedford.com and click the youth recreational sports tab at the top for more information.

As always stay tuned for more details and Go Dragons!

~Jeff Roberson

Athletic Director

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

Dance Team

Dance Team practices will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 6th! Practice times will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 - 4:30 pm.

No practice Thursday, Sept. 8th due to Parent Night.

If you have not yet filled out the participation form and paid the $50 fee, please see Sherrie in the office. 

For any questions, please contact Mrs. Richardson at kelli.richardson@madronetrail.org

Guitar Club

Mr. Zeller is offering an after school guitar class first semester (Sept. 8 - Jan. 19) for 6th - 8th graders. There is still open spots if your student is interested. Please contact Mr. Zeller to sign up.

We have 2 guitars for highly motivated students who absolutely cannot afford one. Otherwise

students will need their own classical or acoustic guitars. Please contact Mr. Zeller for some guidelines if you are looking to purchase a used guitar for your student.

The class will cost $50.00 for the semester, due by the first day of class, Thursday, September 8, to the Madrone Trail Office Manager along with the Guitar Class Registration form.

Any questions please contact Mr. Zeller

allen.zeller@madronetrail.org

Meet Megan Shaw, Daisy Blossom Kindergarten Assistant

Megan Shaw was born and raised in the Rogue Valley. She grew up in a large loving family and enjoys an active lifestyle. In her free time you’ll find Megan rock climbing, swimming, and hiking. She also loves reading, playing board games, crafting and doing handwork with her children.

Megan comes from a long line of teachers and has enjoyed working with children from a young age. She spent much of her young adult life nannying and helping in her mother’s classroom, where she found she had a knack for working with young children.

In 2011, Megan graduated from SOU with B.S. in biology with honors and a minor in chemistry, while at the same time graduating from the RCC EMT program. She then worked for Mercy Flights as an EMT for 2 years, upon which time she had her first bundle of joy. Since then Megan has grown her family to two beautiful sons that attend Madrone Trail and has volunteered and substituted in preschools and kindergartens. She has continued her education in Early Childhood through RCC and accepted a job as a Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Facilitator where she works with families and children every week sharing the joy of play, song and stories.

After joining a plethora of committees and being a substitute Teacher Assistant at Madrone Trail for the 2021-2022 school year, Megan is overjoyed to join the Madrone Trail staff as a full time kindergarten assistant. She is enamored with the Waldorf educational style and the way that it nurtures children’s imaginations and feeds their hearts and minds. Megan is excited to further her education in Waldorf.