KUA News

December 2024 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

Kids Unlimited Academy is going back to the organization’s roots for this year’s Winter Camp.

Oak Grove Elementary — KU’s original Afterschool program site — will host Winter Camp for all KUA students, along with KU Afterschool students attending Medford elementary schools. Camp will be in session Dec. 23, 26, 27 and 30, as well as Jan. 2 and 3, at 2838 W. Main St., Medford. KUA’s Winter Break begins Dec. 18, and school resumes Jan. 6.

Camp offers sports, field trips, arts and crafts and science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and a snack are served daily. The cost is $10 per day for students already registered in KUA morning enrichment, or $25 for students not currently registered.

Sign up in the KUA front office. Email jpatterson@kuaoregon.org for more information.

Our Whoville Family Night is a time to celebrate together before school lets out for the holidays. Come for food, games, gifts and fun from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 17. Wear your favorite festive attire for photos with the Grinch!

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

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

Mimi Davis — KUA Assistant Principal, mimi.davis@kuaoregon.org

Lindsay Ochs

Principal

From the Principal’s desk

We have an exciting — and short — month ahead in preparation for holiday celebrations and Kids Unlimited Academy’s Winter Break.

Amid all the fun, teachers, administrators and staff strive to keep the focus on learning as we finish 2024 on a high note! We recognize that additional activities, while they may be fun and festive, can become overwhelming for some students. Maintaining routines can be especially important this time of year.

The same can be said for students’ experiences over Winter Break, when families may travel long distances or reunite with relatives they see only once a year. Navigating unfamiliar faces, places and activities can be challenging for children — particularly our youngest students.

When reacquainting themselves with extended family, kids’ willingness to express affection may not match the expectations of grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives. Coaxing a child to hug or kiss often can have the opposite effect as kids, depending on their developmental stages, can become more withdrawn.

Instead, encourage casual contact — like a fist bump — until kids become more comfortable with their surroundings and the situation. And never negate kids’ sense of personal space by mandating hugs with adults, or even within a group of children.

Parents can help ease the stress of being in unfamiliar environments with unfamiliar people by doing something “normal” each day with their child. Incorporate aspects of a child’s routine that are important at home even when your family is away.

For many families, the time to reconnect and reset is bedtime. Even if children’s sleeping arrangements are new, the regular routine of taking a bath, reading a story and getting tucked into bed can reinforce feelings of normalcy.

Take time during Winter Break for simple activities that promote togetherness — without the distraction of electronic devices. Play a board game, get creative with arts and crafts, read a holiday-themed book, host a family movie night with popcorn, bake some cookies or make a special dinner, take a drive to look at Christmas lights. All these moments spent engaging with your child count toward the family’s required monthly volunteer hours.

As we’re making plans for celebrations, please remember that germs aren’t taking a holiday. Please continue to model and practice good hand-washing, covering our faces when we sneeze and cough and getting plenty of rest.

School is not the place for sick kids; consult the Student/Parent Handbook (English and Spanish) for guidance. Jackson County Health Department regulations mandate that students stay home when they have fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a rash, eye infection, head lice or have been in the hospital.

Let’s make this a holiday season of wellness, kindness and togetherness!

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!

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.

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?

Salt dough ornaments are a creative and eco-friendly — but also thrifty — way to decorate your home for the holidays. A project that combines the function of cooking and fun of Play-Doh, this is one that all ages can enjoy together.

Kids can practice measuring, mixing, rolling dough and cutting out shapes. Personalize your ornaments with patterns made from natural materials, or break out the paint to add that finishing touch.

Salt dough ornaments are for decorative use only and are not edible!

Here’s how to make salt dough ornaments:

With a large mixing spoon, stir 4 cups flour and 1 cup salt together in a mixing bowl.

Slowly add 1 1/2 cups water and continue to mix. Once dough is too thick to mix with a spoon, knead for about 10 minutes until it feels smooth.

Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough, then punch a hole into the top of each shape with a toothpick or drinking straw. (If you use a straw, remember to blow dough out of the end after you punch each hole, or dough will dry inside the straw.)

If you want to use all-natural decor, press dried beans, lentils, or pasta shapes, sunflower or pumpkin seeds or whole spices, such as star anise and cloves, into the dough. Put the shapes on a cookie sheet and bake them for about two hours at 200F; they should feel hard and completely dry.

If desired, decorate with nontoxic acrylic paint. Thread a piece of twine or ribbon through each hole and secure with a knot at the top of the loop. These ornaments should last for years.

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.

“What holidays do you celebrate and why are they important to your family? “

“Which family traditions are your favorite and why?”

“If you could give someone special any gift on Earth what would it be?”