From the Director

Dear Families,

Over the years I have been involved with gymnastics as an athlete, and coach. As an athlete, I was engaged in Acro-Gymnastics, kind of like acrobatics. I was the big guy holding up two or three other people in a pyramid, but with basic tumbling thrown in just for fun. My daughter was involved in gymnastics and cheer from the age of three through high school, so I became the perpetual assistant coach. Why am I telling you this? Well, there is a concept in athletics and physical movement known as “Readiness to Learn." Try as I might, I could not get my running front tuck down. I would practice for hours! Weeks turned into months, still, nothing. Then one day it just happened, and I could do a front flip anywhere, any time. My body was finally ready to process the skill. As a coach, this helped me understand where each athlete was regarding their kinesthetic sense, and their readiness to learn a particular skill. I learned to not push the issue until they were ready.

We talk a lot about Waldorf education being a developmental approach. Rather than trying to keep to the Common Core, we allow children to learn concepts that are developmentally appropriate, at ages where they can firmly grasp the concepts.

The structure of Waldorf education follows a theory of childhood development utilizing distinct learning strategies for each of three developmental stages or "epochs": Birth to age seven (early childhood), seven to 14 (middle childhood), and 14 to 21 (adolescence). Steiner believed each stage lasted approximately seven years. Steiner's seven-year stages are broadly similar to those later described by Jean Piaget. The stated purpose of this approach is to awaken the "physical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual" aspects of each pupil.

Young children from birth to age seven live primarily through their senses and learn best through imitation. Waldorf early childhood educators nurture each child’s development, providing gentle, yet sensory rich environments and play-based activities that encourage the young child to investigate the natural world, explore social relationships, and expand imaginative capacities.

Between the ages of seven and 14, children learn best through lessons that touch their feelings and enliven their creative forces. The Waldorf lower school curriculum is alive with fairy tales and fables, mythological sagas, and stirring biographies of historical figures. Waldorf elementary (or “class”) teachers integrate storytelling, drama, rhythmic movement, visual arts, and music into their daily work, weaving a tapestry of experience that brings each subject to life in the child’s thinking, feeling, and willing.

Sometimes parents are concerned when their children are not reading at the same rate as other children in their peer group, or have not developed concepts parents think they should have by a certain age. What is the frame of reference? Other children in the neighborhood? Classmates? Cousins? Your children are in a rich, vibrant environment and learning is happening! As I have watched closely this year, the advice I would offer is “trust the process." It works. It has worked since 1919. 

COFFEE WITH ADMINISTRATION - I want to hear from you!

I will be making myself available each week after our assembly for a “Coffee with the Administration” discussion. This will be an informal get together where you are free to ask questions, raise concerns, share ideas and provide me the opportunity to seek feedback from you. So I invite you to stay for a few minutes after each assembly and sample Chef Evan’s special blend while we chat!

Have a wonderful weekend,

~Kendall Roberts

Director

kendall.roberts@madronetrail.org

Stewardship Day

It's time for some Spring cleaning! We need YOUR help to refresh, organize and beautify our campus:

When: Saturday, April 29th, 10-1pm.

What: Please see the project list below and click on the link to sign up for a project that calls to you. 

Mr. Joe and Mr. Sergio will be available at check-in between 10-10:30 am to guide you into your project. Please check-in at the Kinder yard. 

Bring: Tools/gloves for your specified task, and a water bottle 

Child care: TBD. If you are interested in helping provide childcare for this event, please email josclyn.shipman@madronetrail.org

Lunch: Pizza will be provided at noon! 

Projects:

• Kinderyard clean up, gardening
• Yurt clean up and organizing
• Costume closet organizing
• Field tent setup and preparation for May Faire Festival
• Moving sheds in the field

What project calls to you? Let us know by clicking the link below

Thank you for your willingness to help steward and invest in your child's school. It takes a village! 

Auction Survey-- This time the link works!

As our final wrap up for the Auction, we would like to hear from you! If you attended the Auction please fill out the survey to let us know your thoughts. If you did NOT attend the Auction, we would like to hear from you as well! Your feedback is valuable to us. Sorry the link did not work for some of you last time, but it should now! Last chance to fill it out!

May Faire Update

May Faire is coming May 6th. Please start signing up to volunteer so we can have a wonderful event. Each class booth needs a main contact who ensures slots are covered and each class must provide their own booth supplies, canopy, and table if needed. Volunteers are also needed for ticket sales, bake sale, food tent, and flower crown booths. All slots are 1 hour except for the food tent we are asking for 2 hour slots.

Students need to be at school at 10:45 am, dressed in white or off white, or very light pastel colored clothing. 

We prefer that families bring cash to spend, but will have card readers for credit cards if needed. Class booth tickets will be $1/one or $20 for 25 tickets. There will be craft booths that will take cash and cards, depending on the booth.  

We ask all families to bring fresh flowers and ivy or willow branches for the crown making booth, AND baked goods for the bake sale booth.

Please have bake sale items individually wrapped ready to sell for $2. We have categorized what treats we would like each grade to bring.

• K-1st: cookies and brownies
• 2nd-4th: cupcakes and muffins, tarts and pastries
• 5th-8th: savory items: quiche, croissants, biscuits, tea sandwiches, and biscuits.

We are on the lookout to borrow a propane powered BBQ to cook our Italian sausage dogs. If you have one to loan and possibly transport to campus, let us know! We could also use a few hands still to help out with sales, set-up/break down, dishes, etc. Please contact Chef Evan (evan.wilson@madronetrail.org). 

We are putting together our own food court for May Faire this year! We encourage you to pay for food with cash to help the line move faster! 

May Faire Menu:

Smoky Vegan Chili- $7

3-bean & veggie chili slow-cooked with a hint of chipotle 

Grilled Italian Sausage Dog- $7

With a wild spread of self-serve toppings

Mama Maria’s Mini Quesadillas (3 per order)- $7

Corn tortillas stuffed with Mexican cheeses, fresh cabbage and Maria’s special salsa verde

Mac n’ Cheese ($12 Topped w/ Pulled Pork)- $8

A hefty serving of Chef Steph’s ooey gooey mac n' cheese

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich- $9

Drizzled w/ BBQ sauce & topped with sweet n’ tangy apple slaw

Gourmet Wagyu Cheeseburger- $12

Flame grilled 1/4 lb local wagyu beef, cheese, and all the fixin's on a brioche bun

Our next May Faire Committee Meeting is April 25, 3:30 pm, in the Handwork room (former 8th grade room.)

Food Program News

Cinco de Mayo Quesadilla Lunch Special!

We are offering our first holiday special next week for Cinco de Mayo. Pre-order is required. If you have already ordered ahead for next week, there is still time to log into your EZ account and change your order. Here's what's cookin'...

Folded in a grilled flour tortilla, served w/ sour cream and green salsa, choose:

• Chicken - slow cooked with mild salsa and green chiles, cheddar cheese
• Vegetarian - Mexican-style rice, black beans, cheddar cheese
• Vegan - Mexican-style rice, black beans, zucchini, vegan sour cream

Field Trips

Field trip season is in full swing! Our kitchen crew is packing coolers with lunches for field trip days, either our turkey & cheddar or sun butter & jam sandwiches with fruit, fresh veggies, and milk. If your student is on our list for a hot lunch, we will automatically default to packing them a sack lunch for their field trip. 

From the Athletic Director

Track and Field

Notable performances from the last Track Meet.

6th Grade

Josephine Gervasi: 100 MH 30.35 (3rd), 1500M 7:37.37 (2nd), 100M H 30.35 (3rd)

Natasha Wright: 100M 18.66 (2nd), Javelin 47’5” (2nd)

Norah Costa: Javelin 21’2” (4th)

Titus Stewart: 3000M 14:17.34 (3rd), 200M 35.22 (1st), Long jump 10’8” (3rd)

Roman Roberson: 100M 17.19 (2nd), Javelin 64’2” (4th), Shot put 23’1” (4th)

Silas Moon: 100M 17.69 (3rd), Javelin 71’3” (3rd), Long jump 11’8” (1st)

Luke Walker: Javelin 72’3” (2nd), Long jump 9’8” (6th)

Lincoln Stegall: 100M 19.79 (6th)

Theo Gerig: 1500M 6:18.39 (2nd), Javelin 63’2” (5th)

7th Grade

Sidra Price: 3000 13.54.04 (3rd), 100 MH 33.06 (4th), Shot Put 17’8” (4th)

Satya Pinney: 100M 18.94 (5th), Shot put 17’0” (6th), Javelin 39’7” (4th)

Anastasia Lamont: Shot put 17’11” (3rd), Javelin 44’3” (2nd)

Emily Emry: Shot Put 17’8” (5th), Javelin 41’4” (3rd)

Theo Kingzett: 100M 15.94 (2nd), 200M 29.43 (1st), Long Jump 12’2” (1st)

Nova Star: 800M 3:20.27 (3rd), Javelin 70’1” (4th)

Isaac Richardson: 200M 33.74 (3rd), 400M 1:16.97 (3rd), Javelin 85’5” (2nd)

8th Grade

Lyra Ayres: Javelin 56’0” (1st)

Zephaniah Moon: 100 M 14.32 (2nd), Long Jump 13’8” (2nd)

Cruz Cervantes: 100M 14.75 (4th), 200M 27.08 (2nd), Discus 54’6” (5th)

Braden Johnson: 100M 16.74 (8th) 200M 31.54 (4th)

Relay Teams

Women’s 4 x100M  Sidra, Josephine, Norah, Satya 1:17.41 (3rd)

Women’s 4 x 100M Emily, Lyra, Anastasia, Natasha 1:10.10 (2nd)

Men’s 4 x 100M Roman, Luke, Theo, Titus 1:01 (4th)

Men’s 4x100M  Isaac, Theo, Zephaniah, Cruz 57.11 (1st)

Upcoming Meets- Come support your Dragons

April 21st @ Hidden Valley High (12:30 pm)

April 25th @ Saint Mary’s (4:00 pm)

April 27th (7th and 8th only) @ Illinois Valley High (3:45 pm)

May 1st (6th Grade District championships) @ Ashland Middle School (3pm)

May 10th (7th-8th Grade District Championships) @ South Medford High (4pm)

Go Dragons!

~Jeff Roberson

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

Lost & Found

All Lost & Found will be donated on Friday, April 28. Ms. Sherrie also has several small jewelry items in the office. If you are missing something small, check with her.

State Testing

The window for taking our state-wide assessment, the SBAC, is now open. Students in 3rd-8th grade are tested annually in Language Arts and Math, and 5th and 8th graders are tested in Science as well. As per Oregon law, parents and guardians have the right to opt their children out of this assessment. In order to do this, you will need to meet in person with our School Test Coordinator, Ms. Cori, to sign the opt-out form. Please email her to set-up a time to meet if you wish to opt your child out of state testing, cori.royer@madronetrail.org. New this year, 3rd, 5th, and 8th graders do not have to take the Spring I-ready assessment so they can focus all of their attention on the SBAC.

Community Event- Plant Sale Fundraiser

Parent Education Offered

Former Madrone Trail parent, Satya Beneventi, is Your Partner in Parenting and is deeply passionate about her work as a Parent Coach. Satya offers Individual, Couple & Group sessions. Click the image below to take the quiz and learn how to better connect with your child. 

Quote of the Day

Watercolor Painting by Oliver Shaw, 3rd grade. 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.