The Wednesday Notice
November 12, 2025
We eagerly await the 6th grade Butterfly Class play! Join us in Pine Hall tomorrow night at 6:30 pm for their community performance. Their play, Roma Amor, promises laughter and hearty cheers! Bring your friends and enjoy the show!
This Week
Mon, Nov 10: Food Drive Begins (Classes 1 through 8)
Tues, Nov 11: NO SCHOOL - Veteran's Day
Wed, Nov 12: Class 1 Lantern Walk, on campus, 5:30 pm
Wed, Nov 12: The Anxious Generation Parent Led Book Group, 6:00 pm
Thurs, Nov 13: Class 2 Lantern Walk, North Mountain Park, 6:00 pm
Thurs, Nov 13: Class 6 Play, Roma Amor, performance for our community, 6:30 pm
Fri, Nov 14: Class 6 Play, Roma Amor, performance for our school, 8:45 am
Fri, Nov 14: Class 3 Overnight, 6:30 pm
Next Week
Wed, Nov 19: Class Meetings for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 4th through 8th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Fri, Nov 21: Winter Faire Holiday Market (no children, please), 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Sat, Nov 22: Winter Faire! 10:00 - 4:00 pm
Looking Ahead!
Tues, Nov 25: Food Drive Ends
Wed, Nov 26 through Fri, Nov 28: NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
Fri, Nov 28: All School Lantern Walk at the Ashland Santa Parade, gathering time 4:30 pm
Thurs, Dec 11: Winter Assembly at Oregon Shakespeare's Angus Bowmer Theatre, 6:00 pm
Thank you to those of you who have already contributed to Annual Giving. We are about 15% to this year's goal of $140,000. We need your help and are hoping for an outpouring of donations in the next 4 weeks. Make your contribution before the end of the year for tax benefits. The time to donate is now!
Food Drive! Support our Community!
The Siskiyou School has a tradition during this time of year, donating to the Ashland Food Bank. The food drive started Monday, November 10 and will end on Tuesday morning, November 25. Students are asked to bring non-perishable food items: canned food, packaged food, and even personal hygiene and cleaning products. While our 5th grade, the Butterfly Class, spearheads the food collection and is responsible for delivering our gifts to the food bank, each classroom has a collection box.
What if every student brought us several items over the next weeks of the food drive? Let's make the season bright for those hungry in our community!
In alignment with our Kindergarten program’s emphasis on preserving a sense of security and wonder in young children, the kindergarten class's participation is done differently. The Kindergarten children will not take part directly in the food drive yet Kindergarten parents who would like to contribute may bring donations to the front office. In class this month, the children will see as a puppet show and act out stories of sharing in this season of giving.
Anxious Generation Parent Book Group
It’s time for our next meeting! TONIGHT, Wednesday, November 12 at 6:00 pm in Pine Hall.
More and more, people are making conscious choices about how much space they want technology to occupy in their lives.
At our next meeting, we’ll explore values, class contracts, and family agreements, and leave plenty of time for your questions and discussion.
GO this link to find a video and lots of resources and information.
Parent Tour of OHRA December 5th 8:45 AM
Siskiyou School parent and OHRA Development Director, Brandy MacDonald, invites interested parents to learn more about how Opportunities for Housing and Resource Assistance (OHRA) supports community members experiencing homelessness or living on very low incomes. Parents are welcome to join her for a tour of OHRA at 2350 Ashland Street, followed by a brief presentation and Q&A with OHRA’s Executive Director and senior staff. The discussion will include an overview of OHRA’s work in the community and information about the city-owned property at 2200 Ashland Street currently used as a severe weather shelter.
If you are interested in joining please email brandym@ohrahelps.org
Brandy MacDonald | Development Director
Opportunities for Housing, Resources, & Assistance (OHRA)
Let your light shine! Bring your homemade lanterns and all kinds of other lights and join us in the Ashland Santa Parade on Friday, November 28.
The parade is at 5:00 pm and we'll gather around 4:30 pm for our all school lantern walk! More details to come, everyone is invited.
This year we'd love to be musical and will be singing some of our lantern walk songs. Click on the link to hear them.
Sign Up for Winter Faire Help!
Winter Faire is almost here and we still have volunteer spots open! We need your help to make this magical event happen! Please consider taking a shift. Middle School students and alumni are encouraged to sign up as well.
Office Manager - Amy Bull
The front desk at The Siskiyou School feels like the heart of something truly magical—alive with warmth, laughter, and connection. Each morning begins with a sparkle of excitement as children gather at the front doors, their enthusiastic faces ready to start a day of learning. Throughout the day, the hallways hum with energy, filled with bursts of laughter, snippets of song, and the occasional request for an icepack after an enthusiastic recess. Lately, the deep, rhythmic beat of the 7th grade’s African drumming practice ripples through the air, a joyful heartbeat preparing for the Winter Assembly. From the front door to the playground, every moment is woven with wonder, play, and the vibrant spirit of this extraordinary community. And just as heartwarming is the devoted parent community that cross the threshold daily—always eager to lend a hand, bring in delicious food for the faculty, celebrate birthdays with the children, or volunteer wherever help is needed—reminding me daily that The Siskiyou School’s magic truly lives in its people.
~ Amy
Siskiyou School Alumni Corner
Quillian Tourzan, alumni of the Dolphin Class of 2022, has broken the Ashland High School record for most goals scored in a single season! Congratulations, Quillian!
The AHS team that went to the state playoffs included Qullian and his fellow Dolphin Class alumni Ben Bass, Escher Paz, Hudson Horvath, and Forest Class of 2024 alumni Nolan Horvath.
Alumni, we'd love to hear from you! If you would like to share with us, please email Kristin.Beers@siskiyouschool.org. Thank you!
Our community classifieds are posted as a service to our Siskiyou School families and our broader community. If you would like to include something in the classifieds, email your text (a few lines in length) or an image file (png or jpg only), to kristin.beers@siskiyouschool.org no later than Monday by 3:00 pm. We may edit it for space purposes. Classifieds are included for two weeks, require a break for a week, and then can be renewed upon request.
The Robin Hood Project and The Clever Maiden
Ashland Children's Theatre presents - The Robin Hood Project and The Clever Maiden for one weekend only - Nov. 21, 22, 23. Where the classic legend of Robin Hood meets “theatrical license” in this playful romp through Sherwood Forest. This new take on an old story is filled with comedy, adventure, and some brief lessons in social justice. Featuring Siskiyou School's own Adrian (8th), Leo and Kai (7th) Tickets available at www.ashlandchildrenstheatre.com or click HERE
Siskiyou School Chess Club: November
Good evening everyone. As I mentioned in the Tuesday Notice on 10/21, even though Chess Club doesn't officially begin until after Winter Break, I was hoping to offer a session in November. That date will be Friday, November 14th.
This will give returning students a chance to reconnect and give prospective students a chance to see if they would like to give Chess Club a try this year. As always, we will begin with a structured lesson and some chess puzzles, before moving to practicing skills/playing.
We will meet in the Math Room from 12:30 -1:45, so please also remember to pack an extra snack/lunch for your child that day.
Chess Club is for grades 2-8 and will be $12 for this session. If your student plans on attending next Friday please email me at dustin.monda@siskiyouschool.org so I can have a better sense of how to organize both the classroom and the lesson.
Thank you, Mr. Monda
Middle School Parents -- Hola, I'm Profe Cohen, a parent (2nd, 5th,6th, & 8th) and I'm the Spanish teacher at Madrone Trail Charter. I am leading a Middle School Spanish Immersion Trip this summer to Peru (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu) with EF Tours to experience ancient Incan history and give the students a chance to be in an all Spanish & Latin American culture reality. This is an amazing opportunity to open their eyes up to other cultures. This trip is open to 6th-8th graders (and their parents who would like to join--parental accompaniment NOT mandatory). My goal is to create an interconnectedness to the world and its peoples and fuel their passion to learn other languages! If you are interested in registering, please click on the link for more trip info, fees, etc. http://www.eftours.com/2968879NZ
If I get enough parent interest, I will host an info meeting next week. Please confirm interest at ruth.cohen@madronetrail.org. I can't think of a more epic mother-son/daughter, father-daughter/son trip than Peru & Machu Picchu!
Would you like to join us for Winter Wassailing?
All voices and all ages are welcome. No experience needed. No one turned away for lack of funds.
4 Saturday afternoon rehearsals Nov 15th and Nov 22, Dec 6 and 13th
3:30pm-5:30pm in Ashland. First practice at Siskiyou School in Pine Hall.
What is Winter Wassailing?
A community singing project to bless the people and land with the beauty of our collective voices. We sing songs ancient and new of Winter, New Year's, Christmas, and traditional Wassailing songs from across Europe and beyond. We sing music in many languages from diverse traditions. Led by Ruth Hoffecker of Ashland School of Uncovering the Voice.
After learning the music by ear (plus sheet music for those who wish), we bring our song to people's doors and to local farms -blessing our community and the beautiful valley we call home.
Siskiyou parent Annie Macleod (Georgia 6th, Wilder 1st) is a writer, musician, and performer. She and her childhood best friend, Julie Lake, fellow mom and actor in Orange is the New Black on Netflix, wrote a two-woman show that they took to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this summer, where it was met with critical acclaim.
They've chosen Ashland for the show's US premiere. Annie and Julie would be honored for parents of the Siskiyou School community to attend the show Forget-Me-Not, November 14 (Fri) & 15 (Sat) 7pm at White Rabbit in the plaza downtown. (Due to grown-up stuff, this is an adult-only event).
The show was written by moms, for moms, about motherhood, creativity, and the transformative power of female friendship.
On Sunday 11-1p (White Rabbit), Annie & Julie will host a workshop for moms who are creatives, or as they call them, Artist-Mothers. Whether you paint, write, sing, dance, or simply want to reconnect with your creative spark, come join a circle of warm and inspiring fellow mamas who want to bring their artistic dreams to life.
CLAYFOLK CELEBRATES 50 YEARS!
Our 2025 fall show is coming…
November 21 (Friday) 11:00 am to 7:00 pm November 22 (Saturday) 10:00 to 7:00 pm November 23 (Sunday) 10:00 to 3:00 pm at the Medford Armory
1701 S Pacific Hwy, Medford, OR 97501
admission is free!
Clayfolk will feature over 70 ceramic artists - Southern Oregon’s largest handmade pottery display! There will be pottery‑making demonstrations and hands‑on clay experience for children (ages 0‑100 and up) - only available on Saturday (Nov 22) 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday (Nov 23) 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Come one, come all! We can't wait to see you there!
Get event reminders via facebook here: http://bit.ly/4pGXJd9 Look for our presentation schedule and more at: www.clayfolk.org
11/23 - Holiday Wreath Making - Evergreen wreaths with special adornments at Trium Wines, $65
Waterleaf Farm is putting on these festive classes, come join! Advanced tickets required at: waterleaf.com/tickets
11/16 - Goddess Crowns and Tea - Floral dried crowns and high tea at Lovejoy's Tea Room, $80
11/15 - Holiday Wreath Making - Evergreen wreaths with special adornments at Naumes Suncrest Winery, $65
11/23 - Holiday Wreath Making - Evergreen wreaths with special adornments at Trium Wines, $65
For more information contact:
Melanie Plies
@waterleaf.farm
503.916.9576
The Siskiyou School
Email: office@siskiyouschool.org
Website: www.siskiyouschool.org
Location: 631 Clay Street, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: 541-482-8223