22 Summer 2017 Applegater
“Science+” a success
NEXT GENERATION
Next Generation features the talents of our local students and school news and updates. All
schools in the Applegate Valley are encouraged to submit news, art, writing, photography,
and any other creative pieces to gater@applegater.org.
Ruch student wins park season pass
Ruch Community School is very
excited to announce that first-grade
student Savanah Barclay won a Cantrall
Buckley Park Season Pass for 2017!
Savanah created a scene that she often
enjoys—the playground at our favorite
local family park and campground,
Cantrall Buckley. She then submitted her
design and was declared the winner.
The annual contest encourages local
children to draw favorite activities at the
park and campground. A panel of judges
reviews all the drawings submitted, and
their votes determine the winner.
Savanah received a season pass for her
family and her classroom teacher, Mrs.
Brown. “I love playing on the monkey
bars,” shared Savanah with a smile. She also
enjoys helping stack wood and working
on structures in the park. Savanah plans
to spend a lot of time this summer in our
very own Cantrall Buckley Park, making
memories to last a child a lifetime!
Cantrall Buckley Park and Campground
supports community youth and their
families. With 1.75 miles of Applegate
River frontage, it is one of only two public
access points to the river. It provides a
swimming hole, fishing opportunities,
beautiful picnic spots, and a newly
renovated playground where children like
Savanah can spend lots of time playing on
monkey bars and other equipment.
Top photo: Savanah Barclay and
her teacher, Mrs. Brown.
Bottom photo: Savanah’s winning design.
If you would like to join the efforts to
modernize the campground and provide
utility hookups to the campsites, please
visit gacdc.org for more information.
The best classroom is outside!
It seems that the world of education is
always looking for a new math curriculum,
strategies for assessment, or a new and
better way to manage student behavior. We
should look no further than right outside
the front door.
Students from Ruch Community
School recently spent a morning in the
Jackson Creek Wetlands with their teacher,
Ryan King, and forest park volunteer and
retired teacher, Clayton Gillette. Joined by
other volunteers, students pulled blackberry
bushes, hauled gravel, and restored parts
of the trail that meanders through the
Wetlands. Engaged in a classroom activity
and lesson that was the furthest thing from
textbooks, notebooks, or computers, the
students instead were armed with gloves,
shovels, and wheelbarrows. Nature was
their classroom!
Students at Ruch Community School
know better than anyone that they learn
most outside while providing a service
to their community. Service learning
combines the principles of experiential
learning with service to the community. In
the process, it supports students’ personal,
academic, and social development.
“We look forward to regular work and
fun visits with your students in the future
Authors are students
of Ruch School teacher
Jennifer Drane.
Valley
by Katie Costello
Applegate Valley
So much to do lots to see
Run outside and play
Swimming in the lake
Have fun hiking,
and biking
See the scenery
as they can lay claim to adopting the
Jackson Creek Wetlands as their very own
creation,” stated Tony Hess, Jacksonville
Forest Park volunteer. “They showed up
with great enthusiasm and demonstrated
hard work.”
So, while other institutions are
desperately searching for curriculums to
boost test scores, I suggest getting outside
with your students and staff. Discover
services that can be performed by your
students, and offer them something
greater than a grade: a sense of ownership
and passion for the environment around
them. Give them a sense of belonging and
connection to their community—then
watch your test scores take off.
Have you ever been to
Applegate? Where salmon
jump lake to lake. The
geese fly and say GOOD-
BYE! Oh you must come
to Applegate. The lake
dances beautiful with
majestic colors. Come join
us with the fun in the sun.
Applegate, awaits you...
Seventh grader Aiden Fimbres fills up a
balloon with gas during the “Science+”
ScienceWorks Museum presentation.
grade five, received a Gold award for his
experiment, “Comparing Hackamores”;
Chris Hartley, grade five, received a
Gold award for his “Battery Life versus
Temperature” experiment; and Max
Vidlak, grade four, received a Silver award
for his experiment, “How Many Seeds.”
Applegate
School National
Junior Honor
Society members
recognized
Capping the Science+
celebration was the induction
into the National Junior Honor
Society, where hard-working
students joined a time-honored
and elite society of young
scholars whose commitment
Applegate School’s new inductees display their certificates
to academia, citizenship, and
from the National Junior Honor Society.
leadership are recognized.
Pictured are 2017 inductees (front row) Maria Cross, Seth Davis, Lily Emmons,
Soren Emmons, Lexi Hill, and Ronan Hodge; (back row) Macy Kliewer, Hunter Krouse,
Coral Lowry, Carlen Nielsen, Emma Singleton, and Nate Vidlak. Teachers Star McAdam
(left) and Michelle Stone (right) presented certificates. Existing members Sam Vidlak,
Bree Saunders, Marly Marcoulier, and Lucas Cross officiated.
Great things are happening at Williams Elementary!
Great crew, and great job done!
Applegate
by Lori Yates
Applegate School staff and students
welcomed a big crowd of parents and
community members on Monday, April
24, for “Science+,” a celebration of science
and learning. There was plenty to do for
those who attended!
In addition to science projects and
classroom exhibits, Pacifica’s Caterpillar,
the touring science museum, was on hand
to provide information on pollinators.
And Liese Murphree with ScienceWorks
Museum in Ashland led an exciting show
using liquid nitrogen.
Students’ science projects were on
display, and families received passport
stamps for each of the areas they attended,
to qualify for a drawing held at the end of
the evening.
Three students were honored at the
district level for their projects. Cody Locke,
Rogue River
by William della Santina
I feel the spray of the
raging river,
I hear the sound of the
splashing rapids,
I see the glistening of the
calm water,
I taste the sweet summer in
the air,
I love the glorious Rogue
River,
Flowing through my heart
forever.
Ruch School information provided by
Julie Barry, Principal
541-842-3850 • julie.barry@medford.k12.or.us
Literacy Night was fun for all
Students and families who attended
the recent Literacy Night at Williams
Elementary were pleased to see a special
guest that night: The Cat in the Hat! This
coincided with our library’s book fair, and
those present were able to purchase books
and other items that promote literacy.
Folks came early and enjoyed a hot-dog
dinner, then went to the gym to participate
in loads of games that emphasized learning.
There was also an academic corner
where parents could pick up information
on how to help support their students’
learning by grade level. The night ended
with ice-cream sandwiches and a classic Dr.
Seuss story read by Principal Erb. It was a
fun night. Hope you can join us next year!
Williams students back
in the garden again
Sarah and Shayne Ayrsman are
two wonderful volunteers who have agreed
to be garden coordinators for our school.
Students are getting their hands dirty
preparing beds for spring planting. All
grades are involved—we believe students
should learn by doing, and our garden
provides a great opportunity for them to
learn where their food comes from and the
work it requires in order to realize a harvest.
Southern Oregon Sanitation
taught us the three Rs
No, not “reading, ’riting and ’rithmatic,”
but “Recycle, Reduce, Reuse.” Our students
are learning not only how to grow their
own food, but also how to keep our land
beautiful and clean. Second and third
graders have even taken a further step and
made reusable fabric grocery bags to help
reduce the use of plastic bags. Students
have also written letters to encourage
businesses that still provide styrofoam cups
and takeout boxes to find biodegradable
solutions.
Re-invention Show uses recycling
Inspired by the three Rs, Williams
Elementary held a Re-invention Show
on April 10 to honor Earth Day and to
culminate a school-wide unit on reducing,
re-using, and recycling.
Local star cast in Music Man
A talented student in our fourth-fifth
classroom, Samantha Solano, was cast in
Music Man, a play produced in Grants
Pass. The entire school was able to watch
the performance along with neighboring
schools and districts. We were proud to
see one of our own on stage.
Thanks to two generous folks!
A special thank-you needs to be
expressed to James Kalfas and Greg Cox
for their generous contribution of the
new banner that has been placed on
our gymnasium wall. The banner reads
“Williams Elementary, Our School, Our
Family, Our Community.”
Reader board facelift under way
Our reader board is getting a facelift
and will be moved closer to the road for
your viewing pleasure! Look for the board
in the near future. It will be placed close to
the stop sign in front of the school and will
list important events and exciting news.
Smokey Bear was in the house
The kindergarten and first-grade class
received a surprise visit from Smokey
Bear. Remember, only you can prevent
forest fires!
Upcoming events
Coming soon Williams School will
have a visitor from the National History
Museum. There will also be an all-school
field trip to Pacifica, a trip to the Oregon
Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
in Portland, and a jet-boat excursion on
the mighty Rogue River to ride out the
school year!
Lots going on in our growing school!
Applegate and Williams school information provided by
Darrell Erb Jr., Principal
541-846-7224 • darrell.erb@threerivers.k12.or.us
