It is hard to believe it is almost May! This month brings a special opportunity to pause and recognize our teachers. During Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9), we celebrate the dedication, creativity, and care that our educators bring to their classrooms every single day. Their impact reaches far beyond academics—they help shape the future of our students and our community.
May also reminds us that we are just around the corner from celebrating one of the most significant milestones in a student’s journey—graduation. The Ashland High School Class of 2025 is preparing to step into the next chapter of their lives, and we couldn’t be more proud of all they’ve accomplished. Stay tuned as we look forward to honoring their achievements in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for taking a few moments to stay connected through this newsletter. I know there is a lot going on and while there are many questions and concerns around the budget, there’s still much to be proud of and even more to look forward to as we close out the school year strong—together.
Warmly,
Dr. Joseph Hattrick
Superintendent, Ashland School District
Budget Reduction Strategy for 2025-26 School Year
Dear Ashland School District Families,
As we look ahead to the next school year, I want to share an important update about our district’s financial outlook and the thoughtful steps we are taking to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our schools.
Over the past few years, Ashland School District—like many others across the state—has been navigating a combination of challenges. These include declining student enrollment, rising operational costs, and the end of one-time federal pandemic relief funds (ESSER) that temporarily supported increased staffing. While those funds helped us weather the immediate impacts of COVID-19, they were never intended for long-term use. Unfortunately, our district did not make proportional reductions when the funding ended, resulting in a structural budget deficit.
In response, we have launched a multi-phase restructuring plan designed to bring our budget back into balance while maintaining our commitment to providing excellent educational experiences for every student. We are now entering Phase II of this plan, which aims to right-size the district’s finances to ensure smarter staffing, better alignment of programs, and reorganization of operations.
What This Means for Our Schools
While we are making some difficult decisions, our priority remains clear: to protect the quality of teaching and learning while living within our financial means. Here’s what families can expect:
- Approximately 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions will be reduced across the district. This includes administrative, licensed, and classified positions across the Ashland School District. These decisions have been guided by careful analysis of enrollment and historical staffing data and may continue to evolve as we review enrollment trends.
- At the elementary level, some schools will see blended classrooms and slightly larger class sizes than we currently have. Currently, all Ashland School District schools have class sizes below the state average, and while we would love that to continue, we will adjust our class size model as we restructure and then reevaluate once we are through this stabilization process.
- At Ashland Middle School and Ashland High School, in addition to class size modifications, we are adjusting team structures and course offerings to better reflect current student enrollment and interests. Additionally, we are working with our higher education partners to enhance our dual credit and post-secondary offerings.
- Programs like Willow Wind and TRAILS will continue their unique educational missions, with modest staffing changes and increased community/parent partnerships and efficiencies such as class size modifications.
- Student Services - who serve our students with individualized plans will be reorganized to better serve students through reallocation of support staff and streamlined administrative roles.
- Additionally, we have made reductions at the district office, and will see a decrease in 13% of administrative and administrative-support positions district-wide.
Looking Ahead
We are also beginning conversations about future opportunities, including:
- Evaluating our facilities for potential consolidation IF we do not see increased enrollment,
- Expanding virtual education and flexible options,
- And seeking new revenue through grants, partnerships, and increased enrollment.
Supporting Our Staff and Students
Change is never easy, and we recognize the impact these decisions have on our staff and school community. We are working closely with our labor partners to support affected employees and to ensure transitions are as smooth and respectful as possible.
Even in this time of transition, our core values remain unchanged. We are a district that leads with care, creativity, and collaboration. I am deeply proud of our educators, staff, and community members who continue to center students in everything we do.
Thank you for your trust, partnership, and ongoing support. If you have questions or want to learn more about our plans, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you would like to review more about what has previously been presented, those budget presentations can be found below:
- Ashland Financial presentation final.pdf
- Budget Listening Session - Community.pdf
- Budget Reduction Proposal 12.12.24.pdf
- Budget Restructuring Plan (Phase II) for 2025.26.pdf
This plan will continue to adjust over time and we will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Walker Elementary School Principal!
As many of you may remember, Principal Tiffany Burns took a year-long sabbatical during the last school year. Recently, Tiffany made the difficult and thoughtful decision to resign from her position and not return to Walker Elementary. We are incredibly grateful for her years of service and lasting contributions to the Walker community.
During her sabbatical, J’me Strowbridge stepped into the role of Interim Principal, bringing with her both experience and heart. J’me has been part of the Ashland School District since 2021, and in that time, she has worn many hats—Physical Education Teacher, Ashland Education Association Representative, Recess and Campus Coordinator, and Interim Administrator at Walker Elementary School. Her educational journey began in 2009, and she has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to students, families, and staff alike.
Last month, we asked Walker staff for input regarding the next steps for school leadership. Options included launching a formal search process for a new principal or offering J’me the permanent role. The response was overwhelmingly clear—Walker staff believe they already have found Walker's leader. Over the past year, J’me has essentially completed a yearlong interview, and she has done so with grace, passion, and professionalism.
It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I announce J’me Strowbridge as the new permanent Principal of Walker Elementary School. We are confident that she will continue to make our community proud and build upon the strong traditions of excellence that define Walker.
Please join me in congratulating Principal J’me Strowbridge as she continues to lead our Walker Wolves with care, strength, and vision.
Event: Ashland Reads
When: 9:25am to 11:30am on Wednesday May 7, 2025
Location: Ashland High School
The Rotary Club of Ashland and Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs are proud to announce the 10th annual Ashland Reads “celebration of literacy” for all first grade students in the Ashland School District. Earlier this school year, five high quality picture books were selected for Ashland Reads. Over the winter, teachers read the books to their students, and each student was asked to pick his or her favorite book. What the children did not know was that they would be receiving that favorite book at the event in a specially designed book bag, along with other surprises.
Students will arrive by foot travel (Walker, TRAILS, Willow Wind) or by bus (Bellview, Helman) at AHS and be greeted by Rotarians in story book costumes and Ashland High School students. They will proceed to the Mountain Ave. Theater where they will enjoy a celebration of books, hosted by Rotarians, with support from Rotoract and Interact students. The program will include music by Tish McFadden of the Rum Tum School of Music, who has written a special song, “Inside a Book,” for the event. In addition, Bobbie Peyton will do a reading of her book Dancing the Tinikling that won the 2023 Oregon Spirit Award. You can pick up a copy of the book at our local Ashland library or at Treehouse Books. Following the program, book bags will be distributed to the first grade students with their favorite book inside, personalized just for them, as well as special gifts donated by community partners. The event culminates in a BBQ provided by the school district and prepared by Ashland Fire and Rescue and the Ashland Police Department. In the event of rain, lunch will be served in the AHS cafeteria.
Ashland Reads is funded through a partnership between two local Rotary clubs– the Rotary Club of Ashland and the Rotary Club of Ashland Lithia Springs, with additional support from a Rotary District 5110 grant. Book bags were provided by Ashland Friends of the Library, and Tree House Books gave a generous discount to purchase the books.
All of the second and third grade students in the district will also receive summer reading books as a part of this project. Over 1300 books will be distributed to students before the school year ends.
Please contact Rotary Chair for the event, Kristin McKean, at kristinmckeanrealtor@gmail.com or (925) 895-3321 for further information.
Ashland High School Accreditation CONGRATULATIONS!
We are proud to share that Ashland High School was recently reviewed by Cognia as part of their accreditation process—a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation that ensures schools meet high standards of educational quality and continuous improvement.
Accreditation is more than just a seal of approval; it’s a detailed assessment conducted by professional accrediting agencies to determine how well a school supports student learning, maintains effective leadership, and fosters a culture of improvement. When a school is accredited, it means families can feel confident that their child’s education is in capable and reliable hands. It also ensures that students receive an accredited high school diploma, which supports their future success—whether that includes college, career, or both.
As part of the accreditation process, Cognia provides an Index of Education Quality (IEQ) score. The Cognia Network Average IEQ is 296.
We are thrilled to announce that Ashland High School received a score of 325—placing us within Cognia’s highest performance tier!
This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, and community and affirms that Ashland High is a place where high expectations and meaningful learning thrive. We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue striving for excellence and improvement.
Notice of Violation - We need your help!
In accordance with AMC 18.4.7.030 D. 2. General Sign Regulations, the Staff Advisor may cause any sign that is erected without a permit to be removed immediately. Failure to remove said signs as directed shall subject the Ashland School District to the penalties prescribed in this title.
Ashland School District is not in a position to afford fines and would request community members respect the rule that signs not be placed on the fence. We have removed all signs from the fence in accordance with the notice we received.
We understand the importance for students to voice their opinions and will therefore, look into another venue for students to voice opinions in a manner that is also in compliance with city ordinance.
