KUA News

December 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

Winter Camp is a time of inclusivity at Kids Unlimited Academy. Afterschool students attending Medford elementary schools will join our charter school students for camp’s enrichment activities and fun field trips.

Winter Camp is scheduled for Dec. 22, 23, 26, 29 and 30, concluding Jan. 2. The cost is $10 per day for students currently enrolled in Afterschool or $40 for students who are not already enrolled. KUA’s Winter Break begins Dec. 19, and school resumes Jan. 5.

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.

Sign up for Winter Camp today at the KUA front office to ensure your spot! Download a registration packet (English and Spanish) online. Or email jpatterson@kuaoregon.org

A cherished KUA holiday tradition, our annual Whoville Family Night is planned for Dec. 18. Come for food, games, gifts and fun from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wear your favorite festive attire for photos with the Grinch!

Another gift to the community, Charlie’s Angels scholarships are open to KU alumni pursuing technical training, a professional certification or specialized job skills or who are attending a trade school. For information and to submit an application, email Sarah Lemon at sarah.lemon@kuaoregon.org

As we celebrate in Southern Oregon — and with family in far-off locations — please advise school staff of any planned absences before or after KUA’s Winter Break, beginning Dec. 19 and ending Jan. 2. School resumes Jan. 5.

Students who miss additional school days in December or January should request assignments from their teachers. And any student who is absent for more than 10 consecutive schooldays will be dropped from KUA enrollment.

Reminder: There is no school Friday, Dec. 5

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

Heightened energy is uplifting Kids Unlimited Academy students, staff and families as Winter Break approaches.

Parents can help us keep the focus on learning as KUA counts down the days left in 2025. Maintaining routines at home that keep kids grounded and mindful serves us well throughout the holiday season and into the new year.

Family fun and togetherness, for many of us, reaches a fever pitch this time of year. And the festivities in store can become overwhelming for some kids. Parents who recognize kids’ stress and how to minimize it can reduce their own stress levels.

Winter Break encourages some families to 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.

Kids’ willingness to express affection with extended family they don’t know well may not match adults’ expectations. Coaxing a child to hug or kiss often can have a discouraging effect and, depending on their developmental stages, the child can become more withdrawn.

While kids settle into new surroundings and situations, encourage casual contact — like a fist bump — with adults. And never violate kids’ sense of personal space by mandating hugs with adults, or even within a group of children.

Alleviate stress for kids and adults alike by doing something “normal” each day. Bedtime often presents the ideal opportunity to reconnect and reset. Despite unfamiliar sleeping arrangements, the reliable routine of taking a bath, reading a story and getting tucked into bed can reinforce feelings of normalcy.

Simple activities that promote togetherness — without the distraction of electronic devices — enhance the holiday spirit. Hot cocoa in hand, stroll the neighborhood and look at Christmas lights. Read a holiday-themed book together. Use art and craft supplies to design decorations and gifts. Bake some cookies and take them to your neighbors. Watch a holiday movie, munching popcorn, on Christmas Eve. Get creative and build a gingerbread house!

All these moments spent engaging as a family count toward KUA’s required monthly volunteer hours. But no matter the season or the reason, your time is the most precious thing you can give your child.

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 KUA 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.

Mixing up a batch of gingerbread is a sweet family activity that sparks kids’ creativity and helps them build practical skills. Measuring ingredients encourages kids’ math development. Ask older kids to use a ruler and other tools to draw a blueprint for a simple gingerbread house. And remember it’s the process, rather than the outcome, that counts!

Industrial-Strength Gingerbread Dough

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup molasses
5 cups (21.25 ounces) flour

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 F. Cut several sheets of parchment paper large enough to fit your baking sheets.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Beat to fully combine.
Add the molasses and 2 tablespoons water; beat over low speed until combined. With mixer running at low speed, slowly add the flour, a spoonful at a time. Dough will become very thick as flour is added. If desired, turn dough out into a large bowl and add last quantity of flour by hand, mixing until fully combined. If dough feels too thick to work with, add water, a tablespoon or so at a time, until it becomes more pliable.
Roll a piece of dough between 2 sheets of parchment until it is 1/4 inch thick (if you roll dough between parchment, you will not need to flour dough). Cut dough to size using cardboard cutouts but being sure to leave at least 1 inch between each piece. Remove and save excess dough to roll again.
Carefully grab parchment and transfer it to a baking sheet. Bake until pieces are fully set and there are no dark patches of underdone dough anywhere on pieces. Remove sheet to a cooling rack and set aside until completely cooled before removing from sheets. Makes about 2 1/2 pounds dough.

Royal Icing: In bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat 3 room-temperature egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar until whites are fluffy and have formed soft peaks. With mixer running, begin beating in 1 pound powdered sugar. Continue beating until all sugar has been added and icing holds stiff peaks when beater is raised. If not using immediately, cover surface of icing with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying and hardening. Makes a generous 3 cups icing.

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.

“Which 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?”