May 17-21
Spirit Week
May 19
No School- Grades Day
May 26 and 28
No School- Parent/Teacher Conferences
May 31
No School- Memorial Day
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4th grade watercolor paintings |
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Parent/Teacher Conferences
There will be no school on Wednesday, May 26 and Friday, May 28 for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please sign-up for your slot at your earliest convenience.
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Spirit Week--NEXT WEEK
The week of May 17-21 we will be having Spirit Week! We will be combining themes since most students are here only two days a week.
Monday and Thursday: Creative Hair and Pajamas Day
Tuesday and Friday: Hats and Rainbow Day
Students can pick which theme they would like to do each day, or they can do both, their choice!
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Hiring Update for the 2021-2022 School Year
We will be offering two mixed age Kindergartens next year consisting of 14 Kindergartners and 6 Pre-schoolers. We are excited to introduce our second Kindergarten teacher, Mary Lee Gorman. Read her bio below.
We originally announced that Ms. Schmeling, our current 8th grade teacher, would be our new 1st grade teacher, but we have had a change of plans. Ms. Schmeling will now be taking the 7th grade class next year. Mr. Criswell, the current teacher of that class, will be leaving our school and joining the Siskiyou School as their 2nd grade teacher. Therefore, we would like to announce we have hired a new 1st grade teacher, Erika Horvath. Read her bio below.
Lastly, as many of you know, Ms. Whitridge's daughter has been quite ill. Ms. Whitridge has been on leave for the past few months. She said in her email to her class parents, "Mr. Bissey and I talked and have agreed that your children need a reliable teacher for next year. Therefore, I will not return to lead the class in September. The children deserve someone who will be kind and interesting and love them as much as I do." That person will be Daniel Nicholas. Read his bio below.
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Meet the new Kindergarten Teacher
Mary Lee Gorman grew up in Southern California near Pasadena. She spent plenty of time outdoors with her nine siblings. Mary Lee has a B.S. Degree in business and a M.A. Degree in education along with a state credential for teaching in public schools. Mary Lee taught in the public school system in Southern California for sixteen years. These years included teaching children from transitional kindergarten to 6th grade. She also was a substitute teacher for the Medford School District and SOESD for two years.
Mary Lee was introduced to the world of the Waldorf teacher in 2013 during a casual conversation with a gentleman at a festival in Southern Oregon. After Mary Lee explained her philosophy of teaching to the fellow he responded, “You sound like a Waldorf teacher.” This began her inquiry and discovery of the great match between her beliefs and the teaching methods used in Waldorf schools. Mary Lee attended the Waldorf Institute of Southern California to complete her Waldorf teacher training and is grateful to the beautiful staff and competent instructors for imparting their valuable wisdom. In addition to teaching Mary Lee enjoys spending time with her family, music, dancing, hiking and sewing.
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Meet the new First GradeTeacher
Erika Horvath joins Madrone Trail after leading a class from first through fifth grade at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School. She completed the Waldorf teacher training in 2015 after having taught in both Oakland public and private schools since 2002. Erika graduated from Mills College with a degree in international studies. She has lived and studied abroad in Switzerland and loves experiencing different languages and cultures through travel. Erika relocated to the Rogue Valley with her husband and two children, ages 11 and 14. She is enjoying the many hiking trails in the region and new possibilities for outdoor adventures in Oregon.
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Meet the new Fourth GradeTeacher
Daniel Nicholas is a native of upstate New York and graduated from Eastern University near Philadelphia in 2011 with a degree in philosophy. His teaching career began in 2012 at the college level, both in administration and in the classroom, and since then he has taught in two states, working with students from seemingly every age and background, from retired veterans in Medford to the college prep academies of the affluent suburbs of Dallas, TX to the urban public schools of the greater Austin area. He first learned about Steiner-Waldorf education as parent of a preschooler, and since then his diverse and wide-ranging educational background has stoked an abiding interest in human development, motivating him to begin pursuing his M. Ed. in Waldorf Education through Antioch University- New England in Spring 2020. He is thrilled to be putting roots back down in his beautiful adopted home of the Pacific Northwest by taking on the role of class teacher at Madrone Trail in fall 2021!
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Re-Enrollment Forms
Re-enrollment forms went home last week. Please fill one out per family, and return it with your supply fee for next year. We need to know who will be returning and who will be moving on to another school by the end of May, so we can fill those spots for next year. If you need another form, please contact Miss Sherrie, sherrie.gasper@madronetrail.org, or 541-842-3657.
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State Testing and I-Ready
I-Ready testing is almost over! We have 74% of the Reading diagnostics and 78% of the Math diagnostics done. If your student is still in progress or hasn't started the diagnostic yet, please get that complete before the end of the month. Also, 4th and 5th grade will take the SBAC next week.
We will need all students who have a school chromebook at home to bring it to school with them on the days they attend in person, even if they are not taking the test that day, or are in a grade that does not test (1-2). This will ensure we will have enough school computers for several grades to test at once. The computers will be returned for use at home on Tuesdays for Group A and Fridays for Group B. Thank you to everyone who has been doing this so far!
If you choose to opt your student out of SBAC testing you will need to fill out this form and return it to Ms. Cori, the School Test Coordinator, either in person (at drop off or pick up) or via email. There is an additional form for 5th and 8th grade parents to fill out for the Science part.
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Sprouts Pre-K
We are planning to have two mixed-age kindergarten classes next year. This was our plan for this school year, but the pandemic put a hold on it. The classes will be made up of 14 kindergartners and 6 pre-k aged students. Pre-k students will need to be 4 years old by June 1. We are offering a half-day program four days a week (M-Th). If you are interested in our Sprouts program please email our Enrollment Specialist, Sky Walker, to get more information.
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Yearbook Update
Online ordering is happening now! Click the link below to order yours. This year the yearbook will be delayed. They will be ready mid-summer.
Weekly reminder! We still need more pictures of online school activities, but luckily now that students have returned to school we are getting pictures of them on campus, like this one of 3rd graders Jazelle Santos Ward and Bailey Briggs showing off their gnomes.
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Latest Metrics from the State
4/11-4/24 Case Count: 600 Cases Per 100,000: 268.8 Test Positivity Rate: 9.6%
4/18-5/1 Case Count: 598 Cases Per 100,000: 267.9 Test Positivity Rate: 9.2%
4/25-5/8 Case Count: 487 Cases Per 100,000: 218.2 Test Positivity Rate: 7.5%
To see how other counties are doing click below.
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MADRONE TRAIL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
www.madronetrail.org
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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. |
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