Site Council Purpose

KUA families are invited to attend Site Council meetings, held monthly at 5 p.m. on Zoom (except in December). Each time they attend a meeting, families fulfill one volunteer hour of their required KUA hours for the year.

A school can only call itself successful when leaders, families and stakeholders all sit at the same table. At KUA Site Council, parents can share their concerns, listen to what is happening behind the scenes and, with everyone’s input, help us all keep on the same page. Meetings do not address budgetary decisions. Rather, we build bridges of understanding and trust so when challenges arise, our students know we all worked together to come up with solutions. KUA was built on this trust between our community, our donors, our staff and our families.

At our Site Council meetings, we show respect, but we also aren’t afraid to show our hearts. Together we make great things happen!

Monthly Zoom Meetings

All meetings are at 5 p.m.

Sept. 11, 2025

Oct. 9, 2025

Nov. 13, 2025 (canceled)

Jan. 15, 2026

Feb. 12, 2026

March 19, 2026

April 9, 2026

May 14, 2026

June 4, 2026 – in person

Zoom meeting link

https://kuacademy.zoom.us/j/85777275622

Recent Meeting Notes

Site Council members attending:

TEACHERS/STAFF: Julie Brunson, Monique Kruse, Sarah Lemon, Tyrone McDonald, Jacob Rooks, Richelle Souza, David Thygeson, Lupita Vargas, Heather Young

PARENTS: Mayra Duran, Reyna Leon

PRINCIPAL: Lindsay Ochs

Date: Jan. 15, 2026

Time: 5-5:30 p.m.

Students’ success under a new social-emotional learning program is supporting all aspects of their education at Kids Unlimited Academy.

“It’s fully integrated from top to bottom,” said Tyrone McDonald, KUA’s behavior coordinator. “There’s really no missing links in this program. It goes through and refines their strengths and their weaknesses.”

Ripple Effects is the social-emotional curriculum that KUA purchased last year with grant funding and implemented at the start of the 2025-26 school year. The interactive, self-directed computer modules engage students in real-life situations they may be navigating with friends or family while also building essential school skills such as emotional regulation, study habits, collaboration and healthy friendships.

Looking at data around behaviors from the 2024-25 school year, McDonald and KUA Assistant Principal David Thygeson created Ripple Effects playlists for the entire school. These included such social skills as impulse control and respecting others. KUA students completed almost 55,000 minutes on Ripple Effects by the end of the fall trimester.

“It’s really student-driven — it’s on their Chromebooks,” said McDonald. “They can get in it anytime they want.”

First-grade teachers are leading whole-class lessons, said Thygeson. But students in grades 2-5 can explore topics specific to their personal experiences, such as conflict at home.

“They don’t have to come tell us this is happening,” said McDonald. “They can go on Ripple and find a topic that aligns with that for them.”

For students who struggle with reading, the program design allows them to hear all the content, which can be translated into Spanish. Certain activities require a response, which gives students credit for completing that topic.

“All of these lessons are taught by other kids in videos, telling stories from their personal lives,” said Thygeson.

“I think we all know a lot of adults who still struggle to regulate emotions,” added Thygeson. “We started looking at a ‘skill’ versus ‘will’ mentality. We need to stop looking at just discipline.”

“We just start to see it as another solid tool,” adds McDonald. “When their hierarchy of needs are met, their grades go up — everything goes up.”

Parent Mayra Duran asked if KUA administrators would be willing to meet with someone who can help to stabilize kids at home. She said she knows a community developer who would be a good candidate. She said she hopes more connections to other community resources can be made to stabilize families. Thygeson replied that they meet with an Options care coordinator. Principal Lindsay Ochs said some of the organization’s grant work is to develop those types of community connections.

Among its most recent grants, KUA received an Oregon Department of Education PEEK award that allows the charter school to extend physical education by paying the salary of a second licensed PE teacher. KUA applied over the summer, and was notified of its successful grant application before winter break, said Principal Ochs. All KUA students participate in PE every school day, meeting the state standard of 150 minutes per week, which is a rarity. KUA’s grade 3-5 students exceed the state standard, said Ochs.

Duran asked who coordinates grants. She said she had some leads on local opportunities with Gordon Elwood and Ford Family foundations. Communications specialist Sarah Lemon explained that grants are a collaborative process with a team of KU staff, including herself, Lupita Vargas, KU Director of Educational Services, and KU Finance Director Cass Weiland. Longtime KU grant writer Jane McAlvage wrote the PEEK grant with Principal Ochs and PE instructor Jacob Rooks, she said.

Duran asked for five more volunteers for career night, which will showcase a variety of professions with corresponding activities to engage students. She also previewed family literacy night, Feb. 26, when there will be activities, crafts and two books selected for each family, along with the opportunity for every family to apply for library cards.

Duran also said she pitched an idea for an incentive program for kids that needs more consideration.

Upcoming events:

Jan. 29 – Family Night

Feb. 2 – English Language Proficiency Assessment testing

Feb. 12 – Site Council to preview Pre-K, 5 p.m.

Feb. 16 – no school for Presidents Day

Feb. 23 – no school for staff professional development

Feb. 26 – Family Literacy Night, 5-6:30 p.m.