From the Director

Dear Madrone Family,

Ever hear the term “Strong willed child?” Silly question; we have all heard that phrase. I guess you could say I fell prey to that description as a child. More often than not, it was more of a pull toward what I wanted to do than what I was asked to do, especially in school. Not that there was any malicious intent, it’s just that it was so hard for me to focus on schoolwork when there was so much kickball to be played!

I just had two boys leave my office because they were a bit rough with each other on the playground. They are friends, but so often as friends do, the game got a bit out of hand, and one of them got upset and took it personally. My job was to show them where the line is that you don’t cross, and to know when to walk away and play another day. I don’t ever want to crush the will of a child. I know how that feels, and it doesn’t feel good because most of the time you don’t know why the adult is upset with you. If I understood where the line was, I wouldn’t have crossed it. Then emotions enter the scene, and all is lost at that point. We counsel our children with respect and patience. We are educators. Our job is to teach pro-social skills. Children do well if they can; if they know the right way to act most often they will do what is right. So we teach them, we don’t crush them. In this way we develop the will, not stifle it.

Every outer and inner challenge is an opportunity to develop spirit will, which in turn, develops our true individuality. The development of authentic individuality is the pole star that can guide all aspects of culture, especially education.

Waldorf schools, like all schools, include the three R’s of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Why do we teach our children to read and spell, to count and measure, add and subtract? Beyond preparing them to function in today’s world, there is a deeper level of significance. In learning to master cognitive capacities such as reading, writing, and arithmetic we exercise will in thinking and thereby become more free in thinking. All cognitive activities devel­op willed thinking that is free thinking.

Rudolf Steiner states that in Waldorf schools we create opportunities for our children to master not only their thinking, but also their feeling and willing. Where their thinking, feeling or willing is underdeveloped or weak, we help them strengthen these capacities. We can also guide our children to tame tendencies that are too strong. Educational goals must include the mastering of the too-strong as much as the too-weak aspects of children’s body and soul nature for it is in this way that they become strong and free individuals.

Whatever our educational perspective, no one questions the importance of developing cognitive skills. There is less clarity and unanimity, however, when it comes to assessing the value of the arts and crafts. If pragmatic value were our sole criteri­on, then it must be admitted that knitting and woodcarving are no longer skills essential to the demands of adult life. If, however, we look deeper to the inner capacities developed through art and craft activity, we will see the vital role they play in developing our full humanity. In these activities we exercise our limbs; in that sense we are active in our life will. However, our limbs would flail about as mere scribbling or wild running and crashing about if the movements of our hands and feet are not ordered and directed through the intentionali­ty of thinking. The arts and crafts allow us to learn to master our will through the power of thinking to become more free in willing. All art and craft activities develop thinking will that is free willing.

It makes me think of my grandfather who was very adept at training horses. When a trainer comes to understand that horses are flight animals, they will then have the ability to offer ‘choice’ to the horse in the starting and training process. By trusting a horse to express his natural skepticism of putting a rider on his back, the trainer can help the horse make cooperative decisions and build a valuable partnership between them.

Broke, broken in, green broke, and dead broke are all terms that simply mean the horse can be ridden. Unbroke means the horse is not yet ready to ride. All over the world, the term is the same. The connotation is to break the horse’s spirit in order to dominate the horse and bend its will to the trainer’s by a struggle. Ironically many great trainers have begun to write that it actually takes longer to “break” a horse than the gentler methods of building trust. And the “broken” horse is never as trustworthy.

Training is a balance between stretching to learn something foreign to the horse’s nature and yet creating a trusting environment. The most important element in the process of training is communication. Horses thrive in a cooperative environment. It’s in their nature.

Our goal isn’t to “break” our children, it is to teach them. By teaching children to harness their strong will, or to advocate for themselves, we are creating in young people the independent will. We nurture their individual will and set them free.

Have a wonderful weekend,

~Kendall Roberts

Director

kendall.roberts@madronetrail.org

Welcome Back Picnic and Clothing Swap-- Now October 7

Hello from the Parent Council!

We're bummed the smoke rolled in and we had to postpone our picnic. We have rescheduled it though! We can’t wait to see everyone at Doc Griffin Park Saturday 10/7 from 11am-2pm. We are also hosting a Clothing Swap at that time!

Please go through your wardrobes and donate your gently used items!

What's allowed:

-Children AND Adult clothing 

-Boots, Mittens, Hats, Socks

What's not allowed:

-Dirty clothes

-Clothing with holes or excessive damage

Can't make it? No problem! Please drop donations off under the posted signs in our breezeway.

Thank you everyone for supporting our school community! 

If you have any questions please reach out!

Sincerely,

Megan Shaw

Parent Council Chair

meganzshaw@gmail.com

From the Office

Picture Day is Tuesday, October 10. Order forms will go home soon. You can also order pictures directly from Lifetouch's website. Use Picture Day ID: EVTTXZRVF. We will need a few parent volunteers to help with picture day. Let Sherrie know if you can help out, sherrie.gasper@madronetrail.org or 541-842-3657

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 less than 20, 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.

Madrone Trail T-shirts

Madrone Trail shirts and hoodies are now for sale! Pre-order yours now until Monday, October 9. Once the pre-order window closes they will go into production and be delivered to school for pickup, hopefully before our Jog-a-thon on Friday, October 20.

We will have both our Madrone Trail Dragon and Blue Heron designs available in t-shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies from sizes Youth Small to Adult XXL. Madrone Trail Dragon shirts will be available in light green, dark green, tan, and blue. The limited edition 8th grade designed shirt will be available in light purple, dark purple, and grey. Unfortunately, long sleeve shirts and hoodies are not available in light purple.

Order yours today from the link below! If you have any questions please contact Ms. Cori, cori.royer@madronetrail.org

From the Kitchen

PRE-ORDER NEW SPECIAL ENTREES NOW!

We are rolling out new daily lunch specials starting Monday, October 2 for grades 3-8. These items will require a pre-order for grades by 10 am Saturdays for the respective upcoming week. THIS WEEK ONLY: We will allow pre-orders until Sunday 10 pm. Sandwiches & soup will still be available every day without having to pre-order.

Mondays

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Vegan Marinara Pasta (not GF)

Tuesdays

Bean, Rice & Cheese Burrito

Served with optional sour cream and salsa

Thursdays

Cheeseburger

Hamburger

Veggie Burger w/ Cheese

Vegan Burger

Fridays

Chicken Teriyaki (GF?)

Vegan Teriyaki

There are some slight changes to our K-2 menu, please see below. Pre-orders are NOT required for K-2 meals. Teachers inform the kitchen staff every morning as to which students need a meal. Please note: You still need to have funds on your account or qualify for free meals if your K-2 student would like school breakfast or lunch.

K-2 Menu

Mondays - Vegan Marinara Pasta (not GF)

Tuesdays - Bean, Rice & Cheese Burritos

Wednesdays - Sunbutter Sandwiches

Thursdays - Cheese Burgers (vegan burgers available by request by emailing Chef Evan @ evan.wilson@madronetrail.org)

Fridays - Stone Soup

Still haven’t applied for free meals?

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 classes’ 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!

Crossing Guard at Drop-Off

Many of you saw Lincoln this week join Mr. Roberts in the parking lot as our crossing guard. He will be wearing a yellow vest and holding an orange flag. As a reminder, here is the protocol that Lincoln will follow:

Dangers: 

1. Drivers looking directly into the sun
2. Drivers moving too fast in the parking lot
3. Drivers not able to see children and parents waiting to cross because of parked cars

Procedure:

1. Lincoln will stand on the left side of the lane next to a traffic cone placed just off the back bumper of the parked car
2. When parents and children need to cross from either side, Lincoln will put out his flag and MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH THE DRIVER and motion for them to stop
3. Once the driver is stopped, Lincoln will walk to the halfway point of the crosswalk, once there, he will motion for parents and children to cross
4. When they have successfully crossed, Lincoln will return to his spot by the cone, leaving the flag out until he is back in position. He will then motion for traffic to continue.

Considerations:

1. We may need to have parents and students wait a moment if cars are backed up. We will let the line of cars clear for a moment so we don’t back up traffic in the street. Mr. Roberts will help with this.
2. If Mr. Roberts is out (very rare!) then we will not have a crossing guard that day.

From the Athletic Director

It’s been a busy week for our athletes. Now that we have been running cross country and playing volleyball for a few weeks, muscle soreness is being replaced by muscle memory and athletic gains. It’s an exciting point in any sport season and a time where improvement starts to come quickly. Also, as a side note, Mr. Joe reports that the volleyball he sees being played at lunch is the best volleyball he has ever seen at Madrone Trail!

Volleyball

Monday we played at home vs. Applegate. Varsity lost 0-3, but battled hard and JV lost 1 set to 2. Wednesday, we were away at Butte Falls. Varsity lost 0-3 but took the 3rd set to the end and fell just 1 point short. JV won all 3 sets! Standouts from the week were Anastasia, who scored the most points. Also, Nusa had a great week with some awesome serves and great plays at the net. Faith also added some great serves, while Roya chipped in with some sweet returns.

Next week:

Monday, 10/2 @ Sacred Heart; JV only at 4:00.

Wednesday, 10/2 @ Shady Cove; Varsity plays at 4:30, JV at 5:30

Cross Country 

The last 2 meet results are in from 9/21 and 9/26. The meet on the 26th was a very large, all county meet.

9/21 Ruch Outdoor School

(We only had 2 runners due to illness and travel)

(Out of 54 female runners)

Maddy Bevers 13:47.3 (4th overall)

Sidra Price 14:43.8 (10th overall)

9/26 Expo Center

(Out of 241 female runners)

Maddy Bevers 13:55.88 (38th overall)

Sidra Price 14:59.35 (71st overall)

(Out of 329 male runners)

Theo Gerig 14:28.14 (140th overall 43rd out of 102 seventh graders)

Isaac Richardson 14:50.98 (157th overall 68th out of 98 eighth graders)

John Richardson 17:21.87 (241st overall 76th out of 121 sixth graders)

Next week:

Thursday 10/5 @ Umpqua Community College

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

Community Sport Opportunity 

Registration is now open for boys’ basketball through Junior Comets Sports.

Who: Boys grades 1st-7th

Cost: 1 participant $50, 2 participants $90, 3 or more participants $120

When: Practice starts 11/1, First game 11/18, last game 1/20

Skills Evaluation date: 10/21 (Location and time TBA) AND last day to register.

Register at https://www.juniorcometsports.com/registration-information2.html

Go Dragons,

Jeff Roberson

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

Looking Towards Halloween

We will be celebrating Halloween at school on Tuesday, October 31. At Madrone Trail, this means we will have a parade of costumes after lunch and then individual class celebrations afterwards. Please do not send your child in their costume to school, or apply elaborate makeup they will have to wear all day as it is very distracting for the first part of the day. Kindergarten classes will be doing their own celebrations, look for specifics in your class emails from Miss Josclyn and Miss Ina.

As you look to purchase or make your child's Halloween costume this year please observe our school guidelines surrounding the Halloween costumes that they wear at school. If students would like to dress up in something that is outside these guidelines, we encourage them to do that on Halloween night instead of at school.

• Bring your costume to change into before parade. Parade will be at 1:30 pm.
• Homemade costumes are encouraged.
• Costumes must follow the school dress code.
• Keep face paint, make-up, and hair simple (you’re going to be applying it all at school.)
• You must be able to sit, walk, hear, and see and be seen with your costume on (no full face masks)
• No costumes that are gory/scary.
• No prop weapons.

Crafting Circle

Friday, October 6th, 3:30pm-5:00pm meeting at the playground

I'm so pleased to announce we will be starting our first Crafting Circle of the year! This is a great place to hone your skills as well as learn new ones. Please sign up below if you are interested!

Bring if you have one:

-A project you are working on

-A favorite crafting book

-A mental list of things you'd like to learn 

-A few ideas to share for future group projects

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

Megan Shaw 

meganzshaw@gmail.com

New Signs for Classrooms and Offices

We want to give a huge shout out thanking Zach Pistole-Rivers (Elden in Kindergarten, Kieran in Sprouts), Ceo & Co-Founder of Carve Bros, for creating the amazing new handcrafted wooden school signs for our classrooms and offices! These signs were beautifully and masterfully created and carved, and truly add a special quality to our building. Thank you Zach!

If you or someone you know may be interested in having Zach and his team create a custom sign or art piece, please feel free to contact the Carve Bros at: 626.533.8315, or sales@carvebros.com.

Talented and Gifted Program

Medford District 549C schools are in the process of identifying students who are academically talented and/or intellectually gifted. Second graders will be screened on October 10. Additionally students may be nominated for the Talented and Gifted Program (TAG) by the following: national or state test scores, teachers, parents, community members, or by self-nomination. After nominations are complete, information will be gathered and a screening committee will screen each student. Students will be contacted if additional testing is needed. If you wish to obtain information on this program or you have any questions, please contact Suzanne Percy, the Madrone Trail TAG coordinator at suzanne.percy@madronetrail.org, or Hunter Emery, the district Talented and Gifted Specialist at 541.842.1043

Substitute Teachers and Assistants Wanted

We are always looking for more Substitute Teachers and Substitute Assistants to be on call throughout the year. If you are interested, please check out our Indeed ads here: SubstituteTeacher and Substitute Teacher Assistant

A current need we have is for music class coverage 2 days a week (Mondays and Thursdays) from 1:30-3:00 pm. One of our music teachers, Mr. Zeller, is currently out for health reasons. Please contact Ms. Taurie, taurie.michele@madronetrail.org, if you are interested in helping out.

Happening Tomorrow

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.