TRAILS Outdoor School

🌎✨ Celebrate Earth Day with a twist! Join us at The Farm @ SOU for an extraordinary Rogue Earth Day event! 🚴‍♂️🎭🎨 🗓 Mark your calendars: April 19 | 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM 📍 155 Walker Ave, at the heart of SOU. Don't miss out on the fun and the opportunity to connect with the community in celebrating our planet. 🌱💚 For more info, pedal over to 👉 sou.edu/earthday

🏀 Calling all young athletes! 🏀 Join us for the Ashland High School Girls Basketball Camp! Open to girls in grades 5-8 for the 2024-2025 school year. This is your chance to improve your skills, make new friends, and have a blast on the court! 📅 Dates: JULY 15-19 2024 📍 Location: 201 S Mountain Ave. Ashland, Or 97520 Register now to secure your spot: https://5il.co/2hufp or scan the QR code in the image. For more information, email allison.gida@yahoo.com or visit the AHS Athletic Office.

PREVIEW NEW ONLINE CURRICULUM FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) HERE: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/page/sel-curriculum-adoption The State of Oregon has launched its Transformative SEL Framework and Standards, a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering holistic development in students and educators alike. This comprehensive approach centers around the belief that learning is inherently a social and emotional process, deeply intertwined with the development of healthy identities, empathy, supportive relationships, and responsible decision-making. To align with the state framework, Ashland is preparing to adopt new K-12 curriculum tools. These will be online tools designed to be used in age-appropriate ways at each grade level from Kindergarten through high school graduation. Visit the site in the next 30 days to preview the online tools, read more about top choice WAYFINDER, and register your comments.

🎒 Embark on the Educational Journey: Ashland Schools Kindergarten Registration Now Open for Fall 2024! 🌈 Ashland Public Schools is excited to announce the opening of kindergarten registration for the upcoming school year! We're dedicated to providing an engaging, comprehensive, and inclusive educational foundation for every child. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Join Our Kindergarten Orientation Webinar Save the Date! 📅 Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:00 PM Dive into what makes our kindergarten program a nurturing and formative experience. This webinar is your opportunity to ask questions, and prepare for this significant milestone in your child's life. See link below or scan QR code in image for zoom link. 📌 Click the link to register your kindergartner today and for more information about our orientation session: ashland.k12.or.us/kinder We're eager to welcome you and your kindergartner to the Ashland Schools family, where every student's potential is cherished and nurtured. 🌟

Congratulations to AMS/TRAILS on their ribbon cutting yesterday, Wednesday, March 20th celebrating the completion of its new solar array at the fields for AMS/TRAILS Outdoor School, 158 Walker Avenue. The School District is pleased to share that the new ground-mounted solar array on the campus's southeast corner is operational. It is a substantial accomplishment for the district to honor the commitment to align its 2018 bond with the City of Ashland’s Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP). The new structure boasts 288 individual panels that have already produced up to 168 kWh during peak production. The ground-mounted array and location were selected carefully to minimize impact and use district space with minimal use. The Ashland School district is investigating additional solar sites to create other solar generation, lessening their carbon footprint and further aligning with the overarching City’s CEAP plan. Thank you to our Ashland community for your commitment to supporting our schools and our regional partners, True South Solar, HMK Co., and Adroit Construction, for your work! The solar field will provide power to the district’s TRAILS Outdoor School.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join TRAILS in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Amy Ming: Behavior Health Specialist Intern (1 day/week) Amy joined us TRAILS in September as an intern in Mental Health Counseling through SOU. Amy moved to Ashland after retiring from a prior teaching job at the university level. While at TRAILS Amy works with students both individually and in small groups. Amy is thoroughly enjoying her work with younger children and loves living in this beautiful town of Ashland.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join TRAILS in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Lynn Sorsoli: Student Advocate (full week) This is Lynn’s first year as the Student Advocate at TRAILS. Last year she was an EA at Helman and before that was a busy volunteer at Helman. Lynn supports students by greeting them personally each day and checking in with them if they have been missing from school. She also checks in with each classroom daily and is outside on every recess, helping students develop self-awareness, self-management, and relational skills. During non-recess periods, she can frequently be found outside supporting a variety of kids with body and brain breaks. Lynn also participates in outdoor education trips with a different class each week, providing assistance encourage positive engagement. Lynn loves “to be with kids, to get to know them, make them laugh, and provide them with connection and support because I firmly believe that every additional positive relationship can be critical in terms of helping kids to develop the resilience they need to navigate life! “ Outside of school, Lynn has a 12-year-old daughter who is now a 7th grader at Ashland Middle School. Lynn was born and raised in Ashland (one of the few and mighty!) and attended to Helman, the Middle School, and the High School. The Rogue Valley is her favorite place in the world. Her second favorite place is anywhere on the Oregon Coast.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join TRAILS in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Amber Langer: Child Development Specialist (2.5 days/week) This is Amber’s fourth year at TRAILS as a half-time CDS. Amber is passionate about supporting the unique and authentic strengths of every child, and those that care for them. Amber brings extensive clinical experience with her to her current position. Amber works with students individually, in small groups and in classrooms when teaching whole class SEL (Social Emotional Learning). She also leads the Sources of Strength Peer Leader program with the middle school age students and has supported several student lead campus-wide campaigns. You can often find her on the playground, in the hallways and in her office. Quite wonderfully, Amber is bilingual (Spanish). Outside of school, Amber’s time is often filled with exciting and fun adventures of parenting two daughters, one in middle and one in high school. Amber also loves developing as an amateur potter-you can find her at NW Ceramics here and there during a cherished spare moment.

Greetings, Ashland School District Community! The Board of Directors would like to share a quick progress update in the search for the district’s next Superintendent. The recruitment window for applications ended on December 28th, 2023. In the coming weeks, the Board will review applications and conduct preliminary interviews to determine semi-finalists. These semi-finalists will be invited to interview in-person with the board and the Community Interview Panel later this month. If you haven’t applied for the Community Interview Panel, it’s not too late! This volunteer group of students, staff members, parents, and community members will have the opportunity to interview Superintendent finalists on January 23rd. If you’re interested in learning more or would like to apply, please visit ashland.k12.or.us/supsearch. The deadline to apply is noon on Monday, January 8th. If you have questions, concerns, or input about the Superintendent Search process, the Board wants to know! You can connect with the entire School Board by emailing school.board@ashland.k12.or.us. We hope that you’ll consider playing a role in this critical process for Ashland Public Schools. Thank you!

"Let's innovate together! 🌟 Ashland School District seeks your feedback on our school calendar and schedule. We value the diverse needs of our families and invite students, staff, parents, and community members to take a brief 12-question survey. Your insights are crucial for our collaborative and comprehensive review process. Have your say and make a difference! ✏️ Survey closes 11/24/23 - click to participate: https://www.smore.com/jhnx8

Ashland School District Board of Directors has launched a search for Ashland School District’s new Superintendent, who will join our district in July 2024. They are committed to finding the right leader for our unique and dynamic community. To lay the foundation for a meaningful search that reflects the needs and priorities of the Ashland community, the Board is seeking input through a Superintendent Search Survey for students, families, staff members, and community members. To participate in the Superintendent Search Survey click the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SuptAshland For additional information about the Superintendent search process, click the following link: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/school-board/page/superintendent-search

Middle School Students (grades 6-8) who attend Ashland Connect, AMS, TRAILS, or Willow Wind can all participate in middle school sports at Ashland Middle School. Some important information and dates for the remainder of the year include: Sign up now for 7/8 Boys Basketball. The deadline to register is prior to October 23rd (first day of practice). Some practices will be held over the conference week. Now is also the time to register for any AMS sport. Below are the season start dates for the following AMS sports: Boys Basketball (October 23rd) Wrestling & Girls Basketball (January 2nd) Track & Field (March 4th) We know that students that engage in clubs, school activities, and sports are more connected to their school community and peers. Encourage your student to register today!

Today we honor and celebrate the perseverance, rich diversity and contributions of all Indigenous peoples—from the first peoples of this place to those from across the globe who now call Oregon home. We especially recognize our local tribes including the Takelma, Shasta, Modoc, Klamath, and Umpqua as well as the almost 160 students in our schools who identify as Native American and their families. We value the individual and cultural traditions and contributions that they bring that strengthens our ASD community.

Our meal payment and application processing system has changed. We are no longer using Titan. Your student accounts, including account balance, has all been rolled over to mealtime. If you had an account with Titan for online payments, it has been closed. You will need to set up a new account for your students in the mealtime system. You will be prompted to set up a username and password. Your students will be identified with the same student body number they used for Titan and for Powerschool. That number is the same as long as they are students within the Ashland school district. If you do not have that number, you can get it from the office at your school, or reach out to nutrition services directly at nutritionservice@ashland.k12.or.us Once you have an account set up you will be able to add funds to your students account, or apply for free or reduced meal benefits. Note, if you already had an account set up with Mealtime from 4 years ago, that account information is no longer valid and you need to set up a new account. https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/asd/page/nutrition-services

Water Polo Summer Opportunities Summer Drop-In Classes: Beginning June 21, the Daniel Meyer Pool will offer water polo classes on Wednesdays from 6-7:30pm for just $4. This is a wonderful opportunity to maintain your skills over the summer. All ages are welcome! Regular Fall Season: Practice for the Ashland High School fall season (exclusive to high school students) will commence in August. Please frequently check our website for updates and to register for the fall season. For more information, visit ashlandwaterpolo.org.

At TRAILS Outdoor School, we're incredibly proud of our creative teachers! 🍎 This #TeacherAppreciationWeek, we want to shine a spotlight on your dedication, your passion, and the inspirational ways you connect our students with nature. 🌲 The enthusiasm you brought to our Halloween celebration is just one example of the energy and creativity you bring to our school every day. Thank you for all that you do! As we continue to appreciate and honor you this week, know that your contributions to our community are immeasurable. You're not just teaching lessons, you're igniting a lifelong love for the outdoors in our students. 🌟 Thank you, TRAILS teachers! Keep on inspiring. 💚🏕️ #ThankATeacher #TeacherAppreciationWeek

🍎📚✏️ Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 📚✏️🍎 As we celebrate #TeacherAppreciationWeek, join us as we express our deepest gratitude to all the teachers who have dedicated their lives to shaping our minds and nurturing our hearts. Their passion, patience, and unwavering support have made a lasting impact in countless lives, inspiring generations of students to reach their full potential. We'd love to hear your stories in the comments below. Share an experience with a teacher who has impacted you or someone you know. Let's show our appreciation and remind them how much they mean to us. Feel free to tag your school and use the hashtag #TeacherAppreciationWeek to join the conversation.🏆💖 #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankATeacher

Ashland School Board Innovation Committees Ashland Families, Students, and Community Members - The Ashland School Board recently voted to create a series of Innovation Committees focused on some key areas that are of great importance to the district's operations and strategic plan. These committees will gather information and present their ideas to the Ashland School Board. We are seeking those with skills, insights, and broad perspectives to help envision schools for the future for ALL Ashland children. At this time, the three committees we are moving forward with are: • Calendar and Schedule; • Re-imagining High School; and • Enrollment: Attracting New Children and Families to Ashland. Two meetings will be held this year and work will be scheduled to continue next fall. Committees will be comprised of a number of constituent groups including community members, family members, teachers, administrators, and students. If YOU are interested in learning more or serving on one of these committees, please take a moment to fill out this form to let us know by April 30, 2023. Click the link below for detailed information and to apply: https://www.smore.com/0e5j9-school-board-innovation-committees

📣 Join us for a Virtual Public Input Session on April 17th, 5:30 PM! Share your thoughts on the K-12 math curriculum adoption process in Ashland School District. Review info, ask questions & make your voice heard! Click to join: https://asdconnect-org.zoom.us/j/94828181269?pwd=SUJlaDJmK3FQUklLYTI0Q1lmN0owdz09 (Passcode: 276444) For more information on the Math Adoption Recommendations please visit our website: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/page/ashland-school-district-math-adoption-recommendations

Safe Routes To School Plan – We Want Your Input! Does your student walk, bike, or roll to school? With planning assistance from the Oregon Department of Transportation, the City of Ashland and Ashland School District are working on a Safe Routes to School Plan to improve conditions for students and families who walk and bike to school. We could use your help identifying challenges and opportunities for active transportation. How can I participate? 1) Join us for walk audits! April 10th: - 7:50 at Ashland Middle School & TRAILS Outdoor School - @ TRAILS Outdoor School (Entrance) We will be observing students’ arrival and dismissal and documenting walking and biking conditions in the area of the school. 2) Attend a public meeting! Meet with us on April 11th, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ashland Middle School library at 100 Walker Ave. to share your ideas and experiences. 3) Share feedback using our interactive online map! [Link to the online map: http://odotsrtsprojectid.com/ ] People who provide feedback on the map will be entered to win fun prizes. Questions? Contact Jacqueline Schad, Jacqueline.Schad@ashland.k12.or.us For detailed information, visit our Safe Routes to School Page https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/asd/page/safe-routes-to-schools-plan