KUA News

October 2025 Newsletter

Empowerment Through Opportunity

Our mission: to break down barriers for students by providing more instructional time, enriching programs and a high-expectations, no-excuses environment to ensure high school graduation, college success and career readiness are reasonable goals for all students regardless of race, language, ethnicity, gender, economic status or zip code.

Administrators’ message

Students’ health is getting a boost at Kids Unlimited Academy from more fresh fruits and vegetables.

This month launches KUA’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Twice each week, all KUA students in all grades will have the chance to try new fruits and veggies and enjoy more of their favorites during physical education classes and library times.

“Bite-sized” nutrition lessons complement each fresh fruit and veggie sampling. Families can look for additional educational resources in this monthly newsletter and on KUA’s social media.

Locally grown apples and pears, alongside grapes, will be among the fresh produce featured in October. Check out the “What’s Cooking?” section below for a fast, easy recipe that uses all three fruits!

FFVP encourages children to try new foods, learn about seasonal produce and develop healthy eating habits to last a lifetime. A USDA study found that FFVP students eat more fruits and vegetables than students who do not participate in the program. KUA’s program will run throughout the 2025-26 school year.

The program also encourages participating schools to work with partners at the local and state levels. These can include Rogue Valley growers, farmers markets, independent grocery stores and other distributors of seasonal, fresh foods. KUA’s community connections will acquaint students with more of their local food sources through FFVP. Government grant funding pays for the school’s produce purchases.

KUA also is promoting physical health this month with its annual Jog-a-Thon fundraiser, set for Monday, Oct. 27. Support students gather pledges for the number of laps they can run. Money raised supports our school field trips, events and other activities. Students in 2024 raised $14,000!

Spirit week kicks off with the Jog-a-Thon and concludes Oct. 31 with Trunk-or-Treat. Spirit week themes are:

Monday: Class color day – students will receive their Jog-a-Thon T-shirts;

Tuesday: “Socktober” – students can wear fun, funky socks (regular dress code applies);

Wednesday: PJ day – students can dress in cozy pajamas;

Thursday: team jersey/sports day;

Friday: Halloween costumes with school guidelines.

See the family calendar in this newsletter for more October events, including Site Council, Family Night, picture retakes and no school Oct. 10 for staff development.

Lupita Vargas – KU Director of Educational Services, lvargas@kuaoregon.org

Lindsay Ochs – KUA Principal, lindsay.ochs@kuaoregon.org

David Thygeson – KUA Assistant Principal, david.thygeson@kuaoregon.org

Lindsay Ochs

Principal

From the Principal’s desk

It’s a month of celebration at Kids Unlimited Academy!

The invitation to experience sights, sounds and flavors of Hispanic Heritage Month is open to ALL. October is a time for every student to build multicultural competence and recognize differences between themselves and others.

The contributions of Hispanic and Latino people to the United States’ history, culture and achievements are observed nationwide between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. The celebration’s origins date to 1968, when Hispanic Heritage Week was designated under President Lyndon Johnson. Twenty years later, President Ronald Reagan expanded the observation to its current 30-day period.

KUA students have been learning about countries in Latin America and others where Spanish is spoken, along with those countries’ influential figures. A banner in the school’s cafeteria hallway sparks conversation with students about the importance of exploring individual roots and how those strengthen the larger community. Students are invited to create and add to this display.

In individual classrooms, hands-on projects may include the Mexican folk art “papel picado,” traditional straw weaving, whimsical wool and fabric “worry dolls” and other tactile activities. Educational resources and ideas for engaging students are provided by KUA’s English language development team. Additionally, KUA students from Spanish-speaking families or who have cultural origins in Spanish-speaking countries may be interviewing their families about their heritage.

But this month is a time for ALL students to take pride in who they are! Learning about different ethnicities encourages the development of empathy, improves critical thinking, fosters a sense of belonging and promotes a better understanding of the world — and our community. Increasing multicultural awareness also is part of the Oregon State Educational Standards.

Although Hispanic Heritage Month nationwide will have concluded, KUA will continue its celebration through the end of October with a Día de los Muertos display near the front office. This traditional observance amid the excitement of Halloween invites us to reflect on deeper themes of respect and personal relationships that we uphold at our charter school.

Attendance matters!

Regular school attendance promotes school success and is required by Oregon Law, which mandates that students miss no more than 15 school days each academic year. Any student absent for 10 or more consecutive days will be dropped from KUA enrollment. Your child may lose his/her spot at KUA.

The loss of learning that takes place when your child is absent cannot be replaced. Chronic absenteeism in kindergarten can predict lower test scores, poor attendance and retention in later grades. If you need help getting your child to school on time, please reach out to us!

Always notify the school, by calling the office at 541-774-3900 between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., when your child is absent or going to be absent for any reason. Please provide the student’s full name, grade and reason for absence. A doctor’s note is required for absences of longer than 3 days.

Attendance matters!

Why year-round school?

We can’t speak highly enough of our year-round academic calendar, which is overwhelmingly supported by our families. Below are a few key reasons why we decided in 2021 to become Oregon’s first year-round public school.

Students retain what they learn all year, rather than experience summer learning loss.
Additional time for authentic hands-on learning opportunities, excursions and field trips.
Additional school days help to close the achievement gap.
Increased opportunities for extra help and tutoring.
Consistent routines lead to better-adjusted students — and teachers
Easier access for vacations during the school year.
Decreased teacher and student absences.

What’s cooking?

Our new Food Program puts more variety on students’ plates.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner menus incorporate more locally produced ingredients, including seasonally fresh fruits and vegetables. Beef and veggie Stroganoff and chicken, sausage and veggie jambalaya are new recipes to complement favorites like carnitas tacos and green pozole. Check out the menu at kuaoregon.org/menu

All Kids Unlimited Academy students are eligible for free breakfast, lunch and dinner — cooked from scratch using fresh ingredients in our on-site kitchen. We are an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Our nationally recognized, award-winning food program is unique in the Medford school district, and we take pride in providing students’ daily nutrition. Build your kids’ healthy habits at home with whole foods instead of processed ones.

This fast and simple fruit compote combines fall favorites — apples, pears and grapes! — all featured in KUA’s first month of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Use any varieties of these fruits you like, and look for locally grown apples and pears in independent grocery stores and at the Thursday farmers market in Medford’s Hawthorne Park. Mix and match dried cranberries or cherries instead of raisins.

Find more family-friendly, quick-fix, wholesome recipes at cookingmatters.org

Fall Fruit Compote

Ingredients:

3 medium pears
2 medium apples
1 cup seedless grapes
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups apple juice or cider
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions:

Rinse the pears, apples and grapes. Do not peel fruit.
Remove core from pears and apples. Cut fruit into 1-inch pieces.
In a medium pot, combine pears, apples and grapes with the raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add the apple juice and 1/4 cup water to pot, barely covering fruit.
Bring fruit and juice to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a colander, strain fruit over a small bowl, reserving liquid.
Return liquid to pot. Add the cornstarch. Cook on low to thicken slightly. Remove from stove and let cool.
Pour thickened juice mixture over fruit and stir. Cool and serve right away. Or store in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. Enjoy on top of yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, toast or even grilled meat and fish.

Makes 8 servings.

Table Talk

Family conversations during meals or before bedtime are a great way to reconnect, help younger kids to develop language skills and help parents to stay informed about happenings at school.

If kids are reluctant to talk about events of the day out loud, encourage them to explore their feelings by drawing or — for older kids — writing some thoughts on paper. Use the Table Talk flyer sent home with students as a guide and return it to the front office for credit toward fulfilling monthly volunteer hours.

“Describe where your family comes from and some of your family traditions.”

“Describe the flavors of your favorite fall fruit.”

“What’s your favorite Halloween costume?”