22 Winter 2017 Applegater
NEXT GENERATION
Next Generation features school news and updates and the talents of our local students.
All schools in the Applegate Valley are encouraged to submit news, art, writing, photography,
and any other creative pieces to gater@applegater.org.
Holiday season at Ruch School
While the holiday season conjures up
images of making time for a cup of hot
chocolate, snuggling on the sofa with a
favorite blanket and book, making gift lists
so no one is left out on Christmas morning,
and picking out that perfect outfit for New
Year’s Eve, students at Ruch Community
School are on another mission!
Knowing that there are families out
there who are hungry, uncared for, and
unsheltered, students are embarking on
one of their most important tasks of the
year. Beaming with pride and contentment,
knowing deep in their hearts they will be
making a difference, students are creating,
organizing, and orchestrating activities and
opportunities to serve their community.
Check out what our students are doing!
• Filling backpacks with school supplies
and stuffed animals to be sent to children
affected by the storms
• Identifying families who are in need
of the basic ingredients to provide a
Thanksgiving meal and collecting food
to distribute
• Visiting elderly residents and sharing
holiday stories, while sipping hot
chocolate
• Collecting gifts for children to deliver
over the Christmas break
• Engaging in lessons about empathy to
help them understand the plight of some
of our families and residents
• Visiting shelters to help serve meals to
those who are hungry and homeless
It seems like the holiday season brings
out the best in people, but students at
Ruch engage in service-learning projects
year-round. It is an ongoing process to
determine the needs of our community
members and groups and identify what it
is that we, as a school, can provide.
Ruch first grader Bowin Pitari visits
Pioneer Village residents.
By focusing on making these kids
stewards of their environment and
contributing citizens, we are increasing the
sustainability, health, and wellness of our
area. We are talking real, person-to-person
giving, about really reaching out and
helping our fellow human beings, about
enriching others’ lives without worrying
about enriching our own.
From Ruch Community School to all
of you, happy holidays!
Julie Barry
Principal, Ruch School
541-842-3850
julie.barry@medford.k12.or.us
Ruch School and the arts
Two years ago, a team of educators
gathered in Chile to address the world’s
education crisis. They determined, among
other things, that “by the year 2030, less
than half of the world’s children will be
considered educated.” Which brings me
to my story.
My husband, William, and I recently
moved from the central coast of California
and bought a home on the Applegate
River. We came here with the intention
of retiring. We were going to “slow down”
and enter into the kinds of things retired
folks do.
William had worked 28 years as a
creative director with a large advertising
firm on Madison Avenue in New York
City, and I had spent the last 18 years of
my career traveling around the country
addressing educators and legislators about
the importance of including performing
and visual arts in their budgets and weekly
curriculum.
In the Applegate, I heard some
neighbors brag about a little school, called
Ruch Community School, just 10 miles
down the road. My curiosity was piqued, so
I met with the school’s administrator, Julie
Barry. I had no idea if they had a current
visual arts teacher, but I felt the nudge to
find out. This is key: ask!
Julie informed me that the school’s art
teacher was stepping down and they were
in need of another. My degree is in K-12
arts education, and when our daughters
were young I was the art teacher at their
school. This sounded like a good fit.
Julie walked me around the
Ruch campus and introduced
me to several students. It became
immediately apparent to me that
this little gem of a school had not
only a welcoming feel but also
an atmosphere of excitement for
learning.
In my previous career, I
saw many statistics and graphs
concerning which states in our
nation spent money on arts
programs and which ones did
not. Oregon, like California, has a poor
track record for supporting the arts on a
weekly basis at the elementary level. In
middle school, Oregon students have more
electives to select from, and some schools
actually do have full-time arts educators.
Most high schools are likely to provide
a broader arts program. The catch here,
of course, is that if students are not given
the basic fundamentals of art at an earlier
age, their comfort level might be lacking
and they may be more likely to select an
elective other than art. We all lean toward
the subjects in which we feel strongest
and tend to avoid the areas in which we
may feel deficient. Therein lies our nation’s
general lack of comfort when it comes to
art, art history, and individual creativity.
Many Applegaters are familiar with the
story of how Ruch Community School
nearly closed. This community rallied to
save it and continues to lend its support.
Today, this rural school continues to
provide a level of excellence to all children
Applegate Valley welcomes
two new school leaders
Phil Centers
Administrator, Woodland
Charter School
Background: A former marine, Phil
has spent the majority of his adult life
teaching in the Waldorf system, except
for a stint in the business world. He has
taught many years internationally. He
comes to the Applegate from Monterey,
where he was a principal at another
Waldorf Charter School.
Family: Phil’s wife, Juliane, is
currently teaching in a Waldorf school
in Sudan. They have two adult children,
both college graduates.
Immediate Challenge: Finding
additional funding for improving
Phil Centers. (Photo: Tom Carstens.)
systems and structures.
Outlook: With family in Oregon, Phil says he’s glad to be back. He finds the beauty
of the Rogue Valley “nourishing for the soul,” and finds the Applegate to be a great
social community, especially the parents and kids.
Guiding philosophy: Maintaining a high standard for teachers.
Steven Fuller
Principal, Applegate and
Williams Schools
Background: Steven came to
teaching from the financial industry,
making the switch at age 40. He’s been
teaching at Redwood Elementary in
Grants Pass for the past 10 years. This
is his first administrative position. He
enjoys working in the Three Rivers
School District, which he says has been
very supportive of him in his new job.
Family: Steven and his wife, Robin,
live in Grants Pass. They have three adult
sons, all of whom are college graduates
and gainfully employed.
Steven Fuller. (Photo: Tom Carstens.)
Immediate Challenge: Getting to
know the community.
Outlook: Steven is delighted to be a part of the Applegate. He says he’s never seen
such robust citizen involvement in community affairs, particularly among the parents
and kids. “Working with families is exciting,” says Steven.
Guiding philosophy: “All kids can learn!”
Note: Darrell Erb Jr., the former principal of Applegate and Williams schools, is now at Lorna
Byrne Middle School in Cave Junction. We appreciated his support of the Applegater over the
years and wish him the best in his new position.
Every Wednesday, the art
curriculum at Ruch School
focuses on the basic elements
and principals of art, introducing
students to a variety of mediums
and to famous artists. Each class
opens with a song that lists the
elements: line, shape, color,
value, form, texture, and space.
Students must evaluate their
artwork and to be fluent in art
vocabulary. Individual expression
is encouraged and welcomed. At
Second-grade art class with instructor Cheryl Whitney. the close of the year, the school
invites the community to view the
culmination of students’ efforts at
the Annual Art Fair.
My opening statement about the
condition of the world’s education might
seem like another tough statistic about
what bad shape our planet is in. That was
not my intention. Rather, it was a cry.
We have an amazing group of parents
and volunteers who show up weekly
at Ruch Community School. These
volunteers come from many walks of life
and represent many ages. We also have an
amazing group of kids. When we teach to
their hearts, their minds will follow. For
our students to see the support of this
community and feel loved and cared for,
is an enormous thing. We need to invite
students to use their hearts and souls to
Ceramic art piece created
continually define and refine themselves.
by first-grade student.
That’s how they’ll learn to believe in
who live in the greater Applegate area. themselves, and in others.
The school’s PTO manages funds from an
Cheryl Whitney
annual auction that supports unique and
Art Instructor
needed programs, including the visual and
Ruch Community School
performing arts at Ruch School.
artsmartz22@gmail.com