KUA News

September 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

Dance, arts and crafts, games, trivia, screen-printing — these are just a few of the afterschool enrichment options open to Kids Unlimited Academy students.

Families voiced their support for an afterschool program, and Kids Unlimited responded with a schedule that best serves the needs of working households, including dinner served on site to all afterschool participants. KU’s Food Program prepares all meals from scratch using wholesome ingredients that align with the Oregon’s Child and Adult Care Food Program.

While afterschool enrichment is not tied to academic standards, all students who ride the bus must be enrolled in enrichment because Medford School District buses do not arrive at KUA until 4:30 p.m. Parent pickup in the alley for enrichment students also starts at 4:30 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m. Students not enrolled in enrichment must be picked up by 3:30 p.m.

Make sure you don’t miss an update or announcement about busing or enrichment by downloading the ParentSquare app. This interactive platform also is utilized for KUA communication.

Students had the chance to rank enrichment options at registration and will rotate through their top choices each trimester. KU is proud to reinstate one of the organization’s original programs under the direction of new Site Manager Yaremi Mejia. KUA administration does not lead this extension of our school day. Please reach out to yaremi.mejia@kuaoregon.org with questions.

KU also operates Fall Camp during KUA’s fall break, Sept. 29 through Oct. 3. Sign up in the KUA front office to reserve your student’s spot. Camp will run Monday, Sept. 29 through Thursday, Oct. 2.

Don’t miss this month’s family engagement events, which all count toward fulfilling KUA’s required volunteer hours. KUA Open House is 5-6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8. This is a chance to meet staff, tour the school and obtain important student and family resources.

Bring a friend to Open House for the chance to win a prize! Families who invite a new student to enroll in kindergarten, first or fifth grades will be entered into our raffle for a dinner and movie. Share what makes KUA so special with someone special!

KUA’s first Site Council of the school year will meet on Zoom at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11. See upcoming meeting dates and the Zoom link at https://kuaoregon.org/site-council/

Math night is Thursday, Sept. 25. Students attending this and all family nights must be accompanied by an adult.

KUA family participation increased significantly last year. And we anticipate another year of sharing our charter school’s vision and, together, achieving KUA’s mission of empowering students through educational opportunities!

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

Happiness and excitement over the new school year filled our first two weeks at Kids Unlimited Academy.

Visiting KUA classrooms in August, I saw connections being made, routines being established and procedures being learned — by students and staff alike. Let’s keep this momentum and positive outlook going by modeling and practicing healthy habits at school and at home!

Set and stick to regular bedtimes and soothing evening activities that promote a restful night’s sleep. Turn off electronic devices at least an hour before bed and spend time reading together as a family.

Plan and provide a wholesome breakfast to fuel your student for the day. Please take advantage of breakfast service at KUA, beginning every morning at 7:30 a.m., which eases students’ transition to the classroom. Whether you eat at home or at school, get up and get ready early enough to arrive at KUA on time, ready to learn.

Students are welcome to bring wholesome items for their own lunches. But sharing any food among students is not allowed in the KUA cafeteria. Students’ potential exposure to allergens, coupled with parents’ individual dietary concerns for their own children, require KUA administration to strictly enforce this policy.

Parents and students can express their generosity by donating healthy snacks to KUA classrooms. KUA counts these donations toward fulfillment of families’ required monthly engagement hours! Please ensure these — and any snacks accompanying kids to school — contain no added sugar. Foods with fiber, such as whole-grain crackers or fruit, and protein, such as nuts and cheese, keep kids feeling fuller longer.

Toys should not accompany students to KUA. They not only distract from the learning environment but can be lost or damaged during the school day.

And NO GUM is allowed at school. Students chewing gum already have created extra work this school year for our shorthanded custodial staff.

Please keep kids at home when they are sick, consulting the Student/Parent Handbook (English and Spanish) for guidance on illnesses and when it is appropriate to return to school once symptoms have subsided. We can all stay healthy as cold and flu season approaches by modeling and practicing good hand-washing, covering our faces when we sneeze and cough and getting plenty of rest.

Each small action over the months ahead adds up to a big, collective impact. Together, we can make this the best KUA school year yet!

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.

Fall’s apples elevate this one-pot chicken dish sweetened with raisins and cinnamon. Carrots and fresh herbs add bright color and a nutritional boost!

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

Chicken With Apples and Raisins

Ingredients:

1 large onion
2 large carrots
2 medium apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts, almonds or pecans (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley and/or cilantro (for optional garnish)
1 teaspoon each: ground cinnamon, coriander and cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup raisins

Instructions:

Peel and dice the onion. Rinse, peel and dice the carrots. Rinse and dice the apples.
If using, chop the nuts. Rinse and mince the parsley or cilantro.
In a small bowl, mix the spices with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Remove skin, if desired. If using whole chicken legs, separate thighs and drumsticks. If using bone-in chicken breasts, cut in half diagonally so pieces are almost even. Rub chicken pieces with spice mixture.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add onion, carrots and apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Brown chicken in 2 batches, for 2 to 4 minutes per side. Return all chicken pieces to skillet and add the broth. Bring to a simmer. Cook, turning occasionally, until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F, for about 15 to 25 minutes depending on size of pieces. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean plate.
Add the raisins, vegetable mixture and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is almost gone, for 5 to 10 minutes more. Serve mixture over cooked chicken alongside steamed brown rice or quinoa. If using, top with nuts and herbs.

Makes 6 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.

“What was the best part of your summer?”

“What are you most excited about in the year ahead?”

“What are you most excited to learn this year?”