Board Update

Hello Madrone Trail Family,

The first day of school is just around the corner and we are excited for another great year! The summer has been relatively quiet but we are entering the school year with our ducks in a row.

We have added Megan Swann to our board and she brings a passion for the school as well as many community connections that will be helpful to promote our school and raise funds. She has already been active with parent council and various other ways. Her profile will be up on the website soon. This brings our board up to seven members but we would still like to add a couple more.

In addition to this, we have been hard at work making sure the budget looks good and we are pursuing as many grants as possible. We believe good things are in store for the future of the school. If you have any questions or comments feel free to email us at board@madronetrail.org or attend one of our monthly meetings to make a public comment.

Also, don't forget to fill out the Climate Survey for last school year. We would love to hear from you.

For the good of the school,

Madrone Trail Board of Directors

Lunch Program Update

The Madrone Trail kitchen crew is gearing up for what promises to be a delicious year of nutritious meals, enjoyed by students, friends, and faculty alike. We can't wait to welcome our amazing students back on August 26th!

Paper versions of this information will be mailed out to new parents or included in registration packs for returning families, but here is the Friday Update version! 

BIG NEWS: pre-orders are NOT required this year! Snacks will still require funds on your EZ app account, but breakfast and lunch are free this year so besides snacks you will not need to bother with EZ app! 

Kitchen Staff Updates

Chef Evan is back with us full-time! We’re also thrilled to welcome back Chef Sas and introduce a new member, Clinton Hall. Chef Clinton brings a positive energy and a wealth of experience, having served as Executive Baker at Fry Family Farm and Hot Bar Chef at the Ashland Food Co-op. His background working with children as an after-school teacher for the YMCA also adds valuable perspective to our team. Be sure to stop by and say hello when school starts—we’d love to see you!

Free Breakfast & Lunch for All!

Breakfast and lunch are still free for students in grades K-8, and this year, there's no need to pre-order! That’s right—no more logging into EZ App to make menu selections. Students simply come to the service window and choose from the menu. Please note: the daily breakfast specials on the enclosed menu are available while supplies last and may not be available after 8:40 AM. Daily offers like oatmeal and yogurt parfaits are guaranteed until 9 AM. Daily lunch specials are also guaranteed.

Snacks & EZ App

Just when you thought you could forget about EZ App… not quite! Our snack policy is still in effect. To purchase snack items, students must have a positive balance in their EZ App account. If you had a balance remaining at the end of last school year, it has rolled over and is available for use. Please note: students with a negative or $0 balance will not be able to receive snacks. We're currently finalizing our snack menu for this fall—be sure to check next week’s Friday update for the details!

New Families: If you would like your student to be able to purchase snacks, please visit this link and view the instructions on setting up EZ App. If your students were enrolled by August 15, an EZ App account has already been created for them. However, you will still need to activate your parent account. If you are enrolling late, please contact Chef Evan for help setting up your student’s account.

Returning Families with New Students: If you already have an EZ App account but a sibling is starting at Madrone Trail this year, you will need to link their account to yours. Please see step 4 of the EZ app instructions for guidance. If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it using the EZ App link provided above.

Allergens & Dietary Restrictions

If your student has any allergies or dietary restrictions, please complete this form. If you have previously submitted a form and there are no changes, you may skip this step. However, please notify us of any updates and be sure to complete a form for any new students.

Chef Evan is available to help and answer any questions you may have (evan.wilson@madronetrail.org)

Here’s to a fabulous school year! 

From the Athletic Director

Hello everyone, I hope you had a great summer!

Every year is an exciting one for sports here at Madrone Trail! I am especially excited to welcome our 6th graders to our SOMSAC sport opportunities. Here is what the year looks like at a glance. More specifics for each sport will be in Friday Updates as they get closer to those start dates. The first 2 weeks of each sport typically involve:

Fees:

Clubs: $75

Sports: $100

Scholarships and payment plans are available, but will need to be applied for in the office.

Sports Physicals: A sport physical is required to participate in any school sport that our 6th-8th graders are participating in. They last for 2 years. If you played a sport last year and had your sport physical completed last year, you are covered for this year. If you need to have a sport physical done; these can be completed at your PCP. The forms are attached; however your PCP will do them as well. If you are playing a fall sport and are having trouble getting in to see your PCP in a timely manner, email me and I can help facilitate getting one done at one of our sponsors, Complete Care.

Fall

Cross Country and Girls Volleyball (6th-8th)

Both sports: August 26th-Oct. 18th

Cross Country: Races are 3,000 Meters (1.8 miles)

Please email me ASAP if your athlete is interested in one of these two fall sports. We will potentially be starting practices the first week of school.

We also need a Volleyball coach: Please email me if you are interested and I will get you more information.

Winter 1

Boys’ Basketball and Cooking Club (6th-8th)

Boys’ Basketball Oct. 21st-Dec. 13th

Cooking Club Oct.-Dec., dates TBD

Winter 2

Girls’ Basketball (6th-8th) and Ski Club (4th-8th)

Girls’ Basketball Jan. 6th-Feb. 21st

Ski Club Dates, TBD

Spring

Track & Field and Soccer Club

Track & Field March 3rd-May 3rd (6th-8th)

Soccer Club (3rd-5th) March-May, dates TBD

We have quite a variety of sport and club opportunities this year. However, if you are a parent or community member with a club idea and some time on your hand to run it, feel free to email me. Also, collected fees do not cover all of the costs associated with running school sports. Last year we were able to cover all of our costs not covered by fee collections, due to our wonderful sponsors! We will be fundraising in this way once again. If you have a company and are interested in helping sponsor our sports programs, please email me for more information.

As always, our goal in offering sport opportunities is so much bigger than wins and losses. We offer sports to help our students have opportunities to be a part of a team and learn the many life lessons that come along with that. For more about some of the benefits of sport participation, check out the following articles

https://nationalacademyofathletics.com/sports-in-school/

https://ihtusa.com/what-are-the-benefits-and-importance-of-sports-in-education/

Go Dragons!

~Jeff Roberson

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

Volunteering at School

To be a volunteer in the classroom or to attend field trips, you are required to pass a background check through MSD. These expire after a few years, so if you have not filled it out in awhile, you will need to again. These typically take a few weeks to process, so now is the time to fill it out so you are ready to go for the beginning of the school year. Thanks!

School Clothes and Supplies

When purchasing clothes, shoes, backpacks, and lunchboxes this summer in preparation for next school year, please keep in mind our dress code. The dress code is most easily enforced if the clothes that parents purchase align with our guidelines.  Students engage in a variety of activities and vigorous play every day and thus their clothing and footwear should allow them comfort and freedom of movement. Students are also outside every day and should be dressed in appropriate outerwear that fits with our changing weather. Games class requires sneakers or the equivalent athletic support shoe and are strongly recommended for everyday use. Class teachers of the younger grades will indicate to parents whether children should bring a second pair of shoes to be worn in the classroom.

Here are the specifics:

• Shorts and skirts must be longer than knuckle length (arms held at sides with a fist) or a 3 inch inseam.
• No bare midriffs (shirts must be long enough keep midriffs covered during regular movement activities.)
• No mesh, see-through, plunging neckline, strapless, or halter top type shirts.
• Clothing, accessories, backpacks, and lunchboxes may not have any sign or promote: graffiti, alcohol/drugs, racism, gang affiliation, tobacco, profanity, sexual connotations, violence, or media images (characters or references from tv shows, movies, or video games.)
• No make-up or hair dye in the primary grades (K-5).
• No bare feet, flip flops, open toed shoes, high heels, or wedge style heels.

If the item of clothing is questionable, please error on the side of saying no to it. We really appreciate your support in this. In keeping with our Waldorf philosophy, we discourage clothing that draws more attention to the child's clothing than to the child. 

Updated 2024-2025 Calendar

You can also find a copy of this on our website.

Sprouts Program 2024-2025-- Updated Age Cut Off

We still have openings for the 2024-2025 Sprouts Preschool Program. Interested families who have not yet filled out the Sprouts Preschool Program Interest Form should fill out the form to get on the list. Once you have submitted the form, the program manager will send further details about the program, teacher bios, cost, etc., for your review so you can make the best decision for your family. Applications will be sent out to families who have submitted their form.

Your child must meet the following criteria to be eligible to apply:

1. Child must be 4 years of age by December 1st, 2024 to be considered for the 24-25 school year. 

2. Child must be potty trained.

3. Child must be able to be away from parents for at least a four hour period.

4. Note: Enrollment into the Sprouts program does not guarantee a spot in Kindergarten

For further questions, please contact: office@madronetrail.org

Wednesday After School Program

Visit their website for more information: https://elementsnatureschool.com/wilderness-wednesdays

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.