The Siskiyou School campus will be closed March 16 - April 28. During this time we will continue to educate our students and support our community. Current families should check their email for information on remote learning for students. For continued updates, please see the below communition from the Administration. We will upload communication in chronological order starting with the most recent information.

Prospective families are welcome to explore our website and reach out to office@siskiyouschool.org or call 541-482-8223 for more information.

RISE Updates

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

Here we are.  Who could have seen this coming only one month ago?  We had just finished interviews and acceptance of a full class of 28 new first graders for next year (with even a few on the waiting list), the 8th graders were presenting their final projects, we were preparing for the spring events we love so much, and all the children were settled in.  Things like Grandparents Day, May Day, and the Olympiad were looming on our faculty agenda. The school was humming with that sweet, delicious, rich hum that is hard to describe unless you are on campus during a normal school day. 

Just three weeks ago, the faculty was immersed in a retreat where we were visioning plans for our next 5-10 years, guided by an outside professional.  In that retreat, we were asked about how we saw the state of our school in the present moment and the unique ways that the Siskiyou School serves children.  The white board exploded with our answers.  We were unanimous in knowing that our school is so precious, and we were all aglow with gratitude for what we have right now.  Before looking at a future, we reflected on what the foundation of this school has been—enthusiasm and always looking to question:

“How can we best serve our children?”  Visioning from that place felt like a luxury, and we began to dip into what could be for the next generation of Siskiyou School families.

It was just after that meeting that we got wind of needing to close the school.  Now, here we are because Life is what happens...

And, so we RISE.  

Having come from the pioneering days of the school, jumping into the unknown feels very familiar.  In those early days we were creating it all as we went along, never knowing even where our classroom would be each year.  We taught in sections of Pine Hall, around town in rented spaces, and in spaces shared with AA and church congregations. One of our teachers even set her desks up in the parking lot one fall.   It was daunting at times, but what never wavered was our love for this curriculum and how it feeds the children.  The students in my class had a weed patch for a playground and they got the bare bones curriculum—no fluff!  They report now, being 21 years old, that it is this education that has deeply shaped their lives today.

So, here we are rising to a new challenge as a community.  We thank you all for your willingness to work with us as we cross this unknown terrain together.  As Waldorf teachers, our deepest values are linked with hands-on learning, personal connection, and living lessons inspired by our relationship with the children in front of us.  Translating all this through technology is a test that we have never faced.  It has been inspiring to see the teachers rise to the call.

Adaptation of any kind takes resilience.  Life forms that thrive through adverse circumstances are those that bend, shift and bounce back.  We are hoping that having to adapt so suddenly and deeply to an entirely new way of living and learning and being in family and community will forge our collective resilience and make our children and our community even stronger.  

I would especially like to thank the Board for rising with such grace and heartfelt concern for all our families and for the faculty.  I have been privileged to sit in their emergency meetings while they wrestle with how to steer the school safely through this storm.  They selflessly volunteer their time (which is currently a lot of time), and the gift of their brilliant minds and open hearts is inspiring to witness.

Finally, thank you, dear parents for all you are holding.  We know how

much is being asked of you as you juggle children and work and the unknown.   Please be gentle with yourselves, find self-care, and know that “this too shall pass.”  Meanwhile, take all we offer through the RISE Program and fit it into a framework that works for your family.   This will not be perfect; it will be an experience that will be one your children will never forget.  We and they are part of history in the making.  Let the story that is formed out of this for your family be uniquely yours.  If the one thing that is embraced is RESILIENCE, then your child will be well prepared for anything that life brings in their future. 

 With a deep bow to the unknown, together we can do this.

-Nina Gallwey

On behalf of the faculty

Introducing The RISE Program

Dear Siskiyou School Parents, 

The faculty is actively working on a comprehensive remote-learning program to provide the quality academic, artistic, and connective curriculum that is core to Waldorf Education. The vision and name for this program came from Nina Gallwey. We are so grateful for her leadership around this new learning initiative: The RISE Program.

We are putting together daily schedules for each class designed to meet the children in developmentally-appropriate ways using our gifted faculty and the technology available to us. We will be working with tech people to iron out the kinks over the next week as we test run our lesson plans. 

The Rise Program will include ways for whole classes to meet with their teachers and one another remotely and for smaller groups to meet with the teacher during teacher office hours, in addition to receiving video lessons, stories, music and Spanish tutorials, movement challenges, and much more.

The faculty will be working next week to solidify schedules for each class and the full picture. Expect a detailed email Wednesday or Thursday. Our start date will be Monday, April 6th.

See an outline and the inspiration behind The RISE Program below.

The RISE Program

Resilience: From the Latin—resilire: to spring back.

Meaning: to grow back or spring back after bending, being stretched, or compressed. The ability to withstand difficult conditions.

Mission Statement for The RISE Program

The RISE Program is the Siskiyou School's effort to provide a creative, nurturing, and academic interim schooling experience for our children during this time of change. Through online educational platforms, we will strive to keep the children connected to the heart of our curriculum and foster community in age-appropriate ways. We see this historical moment as a call to rise and support each other as we model resiliency through a collaborative response to challenge. We look forward to being a part of your daily lives as we navigate these waters together. 

R=Resilient

I=Interim

S=Schooling

E=Experience 

How does the Board RISE?

*makes personal calls—outreach to community

*makes decisions to navigate finances for highest outcome for school and compassionate response to financial challenges of parents/staff

*meets weekly during interim time

How does the Administration RISE?

*works closely with Board and faculty to create interim program

*supports tech needs for remote-learning program

*serves as focal point for communication between all pillars

*offers class zoom calls to parents as a way to connect with the Administrator

How does the Faculty RISE?

*finds creative solutions to deliver the curriculum & hold their class communities

*seeks out ways to use online platforms to bring strength, rhythm, and continued learning to our students

*works together on innovative ways to support the children with tools available

How do the Parents RISE?

*support children with the remote, home-based learning

*network to support each other, including sharing creative home projects (cooking/crafts)          

How do all Four Pillars RISE?

We have the opportunity to model for our children the strength of “social security”— a creative, collaborative, resilient effort to support each other during a time of great challenge. It is obvious that the greatest learning the children can receive right now is watching adults maneuver turbulent waters with courage, kindness, and wise action. As we work together to RISE for the sake of our children, they will have the opportunity to grow and learn from this experience in ways that will serve them for life.

Prompt Action for Independent School Relief

Dear Siskiyou School parents,

 There is a possibility that independent schools such as ours could receive temporary help from the government as part of the COVID-19 relief packages the Senate is working on. That could, of course, be so helpful to our school community.

 Currently, there is language in the legislation allowing non-public schools to receive relief. However, we have been notified by AWSNA, the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America, that removal of that language is being considered. 

 Please use CAPE's Legislative Action Center to urge the Senate to include support for private schools such as ours in the COVID-19 relief package they are working on.

 It takes 30 seconds to add your name.  

 Thank you so much for your help.

Updates regarding COVID-19

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

We are looking forward to the normal rhythm of school, and we sure hope it won’t be long. You have, however, likely heard rumors that schools might not re-open in May and that we might not see each other before September. The official date given to us for schools to open in Oregon by the governor is April 28th; however, we all are seeing that things change every day. These times are calling on us to stay flexible, open, positive and supportive of one another. Our highest goal is to keep the school gently afloat and to be able to open our doors again for the children when the time comes for them to reunite with their teachers for more wonderful learning. Thank you for your patience and hard work in helping your children stay grounded, inspired, calm and flexible.

Below are some updates I want to share with you today:

 Remote Learning: Nina Gallwey brought a vision to our faculty last week for how to bring remote learning to our students during this interim time, and she will be guiding and supporting our teachers in creating off-site classes for their students. Remote learning classes will start on Monday, 4/6 for all grades.

 Here is a note from her on behalf of the faculty about how we are holding these times: 

 “At the core of Waldorf education is the hope to unfurl the essential gifts within each child in our care. We strive to guide children into becoming young adults who can meet, care for, and serve the world they walk into. This historical challenge before us has the opportunity to prepare us all with the gifts of flexibility, creativity, and community as we find our way through  uncharted territory. The faculty is rising to the task of finding the best way to bring our nourishing curriculum to our students in an age-appropriate way. While we are the first to discourage screens, we are now looking to using technology with a lot of creativity to reach the children during this time when we must all be at home. We have found a platform that will serve us, and we are actively working to get on board with it and to find the ways it can work for each class in a developmentally-appropriate way. We look forward to sharing our plan with you next week. Thank you for rising in all the ways. Together, we can step forward into the unknown and come out stronger than ever before.

 Technology Details: What every household will need.

 Each household will need access to a computer, Wi-Fi and ideally to a printer.

      i.    Hardware: Computer with camera and mic (most laptops) or computer with webcam and earbuds or headset with a microphone.

     ii.    Software: Zoom app (no need for an account, although they’re free), google account (comes with a Gmail email, or link anther email with a few more steps.

     iii.   Google Accounts: Grades 6-8 students should have their own google account; grades 1-5 should have access to a parent google account.

Kristin Beers, our Office Manager, will be our IT point person and we are thinking of reaching out to one parent per class to also help as all parents find their way into this new way of learning at home. If you are a parent with those skills, please let me know.

 Scanner? Here, at school, we are in need of a scanner to be able to upload all documents to the platforms. If anyone could loan us a scanner or knows where to purchase one with a reasonable price, please let me know. The sooner we can find one, the better on our end.

 School Spring Events: All school events and Parent Enrichment events including Grandparents’ Day - are cancelled for the month of April. We will be in touch around details in regard to May and June events as things evolve.

Re-enrollment forms: Re-enrollment forms will be posted on our website the week of March 30th. All forms will need to be printed, filled out and scanned or emailed back to the office. Hard copy packets will be available upon request; please contact Kristin. We will let you know when the forms are accessible and ready on our website.

Office hours: We are closed this week. With the latest announcement around the implementation of “shelter in place”, we don’t know exactly when the office will reopen. Stay tuned for more updates.

Extended School Closure until April 28th, 2020

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

Tonight, March 17, 2020, Governor Brown ordered that school closures be extended through Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

Per the Oregon Department of Education, the Ashland School District is to “provide learning supports and supplemental services to students to the extent practical through independent study and other appropriate options…” Therefore, the Ashland School District will be closed through Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

In following the mandates of the State and the Ashland School District, the Siskiyou School will also be closed until Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

The Faculty will be meeting for the rest of this week to put our learning programs into place to begin on Monday, April 6th, 2020.

We will make sure to inform you of all the details as soon as we can. Please continue to look out for emails coming from the teachers and from me.

As a united force we will come through this time – and please know that we will do everything we can to continue this education for the children in the best way we can.

Updates regarding Covid-19

Dear Siskiyou School Parents,

 We are sending you all our best and hope that all families are still well.

 Here are more updates from our end.

 ·       Class Packets: This morning all the class teachers met online over Zoom to discuss preparing packets and instructional materials for their students for this week. Expect an email from your class teacher with specific class details and information about learning packets. Some of you have probably received your emails already.   

·       Back to school date: At this time, we don't know exactly when classes will resume. We are hoping for April 6 but that is based on the official end of Spring Break according to our school calendar rather than on directives from the Ashland School District and State of Oregon. As soon as we know anything official, we will send out an email.  If we don’t resume classes on campus on April 6, our faculty will have a full teaching plan in place. We will use a combination of online resources, shared documents and Zoom for remote classroom teaching.

·       The Home Technology Survey: If you haven’t had a chance yet, please take the attached survey so we can collect all feedback and be better able to plan for the future should the “break” be extended. Click here to take the Home Technology Survey.

·       We will also send you an email should we learn that anyone of our community has been affected by COVID-19.

·       Big Spring Events & Parent Ed: We are discussing upcoming events and will keep you updated on any postponement or cancellations. As of now, we have cancelled Grandparents’ Day and we are letting all Siskiyou School grandparents know via a mailing that will include the latest Newsletter and a letter explaining the cancellation of the event. We are so sorry to have to cancel that very special event!

·       Re-enrollment packets: Packets will be mailed to you at the end of the week. Please mail them back to us when you can.

• Ongoing impacts: The Board is holding a special meeting this week to discuss the financial impacts of a continued school closure, both to the school and our broader community. 

 An idea for staying connected: If one parent/student were to set up Zoom and invite friends to meet and chat, that can be a nice way to stay connected. This morning we had our first faculty meeting that way. It was new to us all but we found it a very effective way of connecting and talking things through!

 Please know that we will stay in touch with updates as needed. Never hesitate to reach out to me with questions.

 For now, let’s do all we can to stay positive and healthy and to provide our children with grounded continuity during these days of uncertainty.