From the Director

Dear Families,

As the rains continue to fall, I think about how blessed we are to have a school that values outdoor play. I spent too many years in the Willamette Valley, watching students huddled in classrooms during recess. It’s nice to see our students all bundled up and running around the playground! That being said, I do look forward to spring!!

AUCTION - FEBRUARY 25

As you will see further down the page, our annual auction is scheduled for February 25. I would encourage you to attend this fun event, and reach out to your friends and acquaintances and solicit their involvement. We have several upcoming projects and a healthy fundraiser would go a long way towards their completion.  

HOT LUNCH PROGRAM

We are putting the finishing touches on our hot lunch program. Chef Evan has put a lot of time into creating a healthy menu, as well as meeting all of the regulations associated with State and Federal guidelines. On Wednesday, the school board approved moving forward with the program. You will receive more information very shortly!

COFFEE WITH ADMINISTRATION

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 long weekend,

~Kendall Roberts

Director

kendall.roberts@madronetrail.org

Auction Update

Drum roll, please....

Auction tickets are now on sale! Click on the link below to buy yours now! We are offering an affordable $20 admission without dinner and if you purchase a ticket with dinner before February 1, they are $50 (they jump to $60 thereafter). 

The menu will be advertised soon, but rest assured you won't be disappointed. Our very own Chef Evan is planning an amazing Brazilian and Caribbean inspired feast and your first beverage is included. Plates are limited, so don't miss out!

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to work at the auction! It is really coming together. However, we are still in need of volunteers (4 hours of work = a ticket with dinner and we still have work slots open that occur before the auction). Of course, cash and in-kind sponsors are still welcome as well. Email auction@madronetrail.org to connect with us!

Thanks to our generous sponsors!

Lunch Program Update

Our revamped (in-house) lunch and breakfast program is commencing on Monday, February 27! We will be sending home some very important paperwork next week with your student(s). Be on the lookout!

The process of receiving state and federal funding for a lunch program is extremely intensive, especially for a small school like Madrone Trail. We have all missed the food, but I assure you this program will be much more sustainable and BETTER for it in the long-run! We are very excited to share more information with you about the program and eventually a common vision to continually grow and improve the program to better serve our community.

I will be holding an informal info session after school on Friday, January 27th at 3:30 pm in the gym. I will share a bit about my experience with and insights into the national school lunch program, but this is primarily an opportunity for parents and students to ask questions and learn more about the program including technical help with our payment and ordering system.

The support and encouragement I have received from the students, staff, administration, board, and parents have been incredibly humbling and inspiring. Thank you so much for supporting this program and giving me a great purpose to look forward to every day! It is an honor to serve your wonderful kids!

~ Chef Evan

Board Update

Greetings Madrone Trail Community!

At least once a month we come together and try our best to make decisions that strengthen the school's ability to provide the best educational environment imaginable for our kids. The community is invited to participate at the beginning of our meetings and the entire meeting is open to the public via Zoom or in person. You will find the link in the agenda on the calendar page of our school website. We truly welcome your feedback.

For our monthly board meeting this week, we heard a final update on the plans to launch the food program, and voted to give it the green light. There are one or two small details to be worked out, and the timing of the launch is something we’ve deferred to the administration to determine. We have to provide a 30-day notice period before actually serving food, which brings us very close to the Auction, and the Spring Break, which are relevant dates to factor in when selecting the best time to launch. It is very apparent to us that Evan and the administration are considering all the logistics, and have confidence in their ability to make this successful.

In speaking of the Auction, I hope you can all attend, and we’re looking forward to the tickets going on sale! Scoop them up quick! It’s a big effort, and the Auction team can use all the help they can get. If you have a skillset or an area of interest, let them know, and they’ll find a good role for you! If pulling weeds isn’t your thing, then working with a great group of parents and teachers to throw a bumpin’ party and event is a great alternative way to get your volunteer hours in.

Our board has been very active in looking for grants and other funding sources for the school. We have several board members contributing to the effort, with Eric Cerecedes and Kelly Stofflet taking the lead in the effort, and looking at all available grants and new playground structures and shading areas. Additionally, Justin Botillier has spearheaded an effort to participate in a government program that is expected to replenish our reserves after a tough year (fingers-crossed).

We are currently conducting interviews with last year’s 8th grade class, which is something we do yearly. We are also excited to be working, at the behest of the faculty, on exploring Madrone Trail's relationship with the Waldorf Principle of Collaborative Leadership and will be reporting our thoughts back to the faculty during their inservice meeting February 17. The board is looking forward to getting together with the faculty for a social in the near future to continue nurturing a culture of goodwill and trust that's necessary for harmonious relations even amidst the various challenges that inevitably emerge.

Lastly, our charter agreement with the Medford School District runs through the end of this year, and we have begun the process of renewing the charter for another 5-year period. The process is ongoing, and there are some details to be worked out, but the school district has been extremely collaborative, and at their board meeting last night, the Medford School District unanimously voted their intent to renew our charter agreement. We’re continuing to work through the details, and will let you all know when it is all said and done.

You can contact the Board at board@madronetrail.org 

From the Athletic Director

Basketball



Girls basketball practices have been happening for the last 2 weeks and our girls, along with their Sacred Heart partners, are ready to take the court. Below is the schedule. Home games are at Sacred Heart. Come on out and root for your Dragons; Bella Waterman, Josephine Gervasi, Maddy Bevers, Charley Furrer, and Natasha Wright. 

Thursday 1/19 Home vs. Talent 5:00

Monday 1/23 Home vs. Butte Falls 4:00           

Wednesday 1/25 @ Kids Unlimited 5:30

Monday 1/30 Home vs. New Hope 4:00

Wednesday 2/1 Home vs. Applegate 4:00

Monday 2/6 @ Lorna Byrne 4:30

Monday 2/13 Home vs. Shady Cove 4:00

Wednesday 2/15 @ Prospect 5:30

Wednesday 2/22 Home vs. Rogue River 5:00

Track

Be on the lookout for track sign ups mid-February for our 6th-8th graders!

Community Opportunity

Tomorrow, Saturday Jan. 14th, is the skill evaluation and registration for the Junior Comets girls Basketball season, which runs January 23rd-March 23rd. If you did not sign up online and are interested in playing; go to the Scenic Middle School East Gym at the following times.

1:00 to 1:45pm (Level 1) 1st & 2nd grade girls

2:00 to 2:45pm (Level 2) 3rd & 4th grade girls

3:00 to 3:45pm (Level 3) 5th to 7th grade girls

Go Dragons!

~Jeff Roberson

jeff.roberson@madronetrail.org

Immunization Deadline

All students need to be up to date on their immunizations and have the necessary documentation turned in OR have their exemptions filed by the Exclusion Date: February 15, 2023. If Madrone Trail does not have either of these things for your child, they will be excluded from school after that time. Note: 13 year olds are required to get the TDap booster, so if your child is in 7th grade, they will need this one before the deadline. Exemption information can be found here. Sherrie has sent out reminders to those who are not up to date. If you are unable to make an appointment with your regular doctor, Jackson County Health Dept. (541-774-8200) also offers immunization services. If you have any questions, let Sherrie know: sherrie.gasper@madronetrail.org

Sprouts Program Openings

We currently have a few spaces available in our newly revised Sprouts Preschool Program. If you are interested in our mixed age program at Madrone Trail, please come by the office and pick up an application, or email the Office Manager: taurie.michele@madronetrail.org

1. Child must be 4 years of age by June 1st, 2023 to be considered for the 23-24 school year.  Note: child must have turned 4 years of age by June 1, 2022 to enter this 22-23 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. Understanding that enrollment into Sprout Preschool Program does not guarantee a spot in Kindergarten.

If you answered YES to all questions, please fill out and submit the form!

Easy Ways to Support Madrone Trail

If you shop at Amazon and/or Fred Meyer there is an easy way to earn money for our school! Both options only need to be set up once, then you are good to go!

For Amazon: The Amazon Smile program donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to organizations. Go to smile.amazon.com and choose Madrone Trail Initiative as your charity of choice. Every time you shop 0.5% of eligible purchases will go to our school. You can use Amazon Smile on the Amazon App or the website. Open the app and click on the 3 bars. Scroll down to Gifting, Registry, & Registry, then scroll down until you find Amazon Smile. If you have already set it up through the website, follow the directions to activate it. If you haven't picked a charity of choice, follow directions to select Madrone Trail Initiative as yours. Last quarter our school earned $96.38 from participating families.

For Fred Meyer: The Fred Meyer Community Rewards program donates to local schools, community organizations, and non-profits. Go to their website and click on the link to "Link your Rewards Card now." You will need to create a log-in if you don't have one already, or sign-in if you do. Search for Madrone Trail Public Charter School, and select us as your charity of choice. Every time you use your Fred Meyer Reward Card it will donate a small portion to our school. Last quarter our school earned $57.69 from 28 families, the more families we can get to do this the better!

Thanks for your support!

Interested in Being a Substitute at Madrone Trail?

Review our current Indeed Job listings for each position and apply today!

Substitute Teacher Assistant

Substitute Teacher

Quote of the Day

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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.