Walker Elementary School

We held our school OBOB tournament last Wednesday! We had 46 participants who competed in a total of 19 battles to determine our School Champion! Congratulations to the Wings of Fire for coming out on top of a competitive field! 5th graders Marley Winzig, Lilly Choi, Nenji Barrey, Zoe Washburn, and Jocelyn Bucy will go on to represent Walker at the OBOB Regional Tournament on March 9th. We are incredibly proud of all of our students who worked so hard throughout OBOB season this year. OBOB is a voluntary reading comprehension and enrichment program for 3rd-5th graders where the students read from a curated list of sixteen titles. They form teams and compete in a gameshow like format answering questions about all of the books. OBOB’s mission is to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, to broaden reading interests, to increase comprehension and academic excellence, and to promote cooperative learning and teamwork among students. Congratulations and Good Luck to the Wings of Fire at Regionals! We are looking for family volunteers to coach teams next year. If you are interested in participating or just have questions about the program, please contact Ms. Julie at julie.odagrantham@ashland.k12.or.us.

We had such a great time playing, learning, and connecting as a Walker School Community at our Title I Family Science Night at ScienceWorks last week. Big thanks to ScienceWorks for the use of their awesome museum & to Northwest Pizza for delivering the best pizza and jojos in town! 💙🐺💙

Our Walker School Wolf Pack Leaders, counselor, & principal presented to the Ashland School Board this month. Our students did a fantastic job sharing how they help younger students, resolve conflicts, build belonging, and act as leaders in our school community. We know that when we provide leadership opportunities in the younger grades, we help create leaders for life! 💙🐺💙

Walker School's BSU organized & presented a beautiful and powerful assembly in honor of Black History Month. We were honored to hear a moving story from Dr. Geneva Craig, a local Civil Rights legend & activist. We learned about impactful Black Americans, listened to a touching song, & shared the stage with the BSU from Ashland Middle School. Happy Black History Month! Black History is our history. 💙🐺💙

Please join us today, Thursday, February 15th from 5:30 - 7:00 at ScienceWorks! Admission to the museum is free for the entire family of Walker students. We'll have Northwest Pizza, a Title 1 presentation, and so much fun exploring the museum! It will also be a great opportunity to connect with other families and make new friends in our Walker Community. 💙🐺💙

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Walker in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Kate Sullivan: Student Advocate (full week) This is Kate’s 11thth year at Walker. Given her experience, Kate has an invaluable knowledge of all things Walker. Kate helps “kiddos solve problems together”, runs Lunch Bunch groups, meets with Peer Mediators, supports students on CICO and HUG cards, oversees the backpack program, and supervises recess play. Kate also helps student leaders prepare for assemblies to promote the “Walker Way” and build belonging throughout the school. Finally, Kate serves as a mentor and guide for the newer Educational Assistants. Outside of school, Kate has an amazing family and group of friends-both with whom she “has a blast with”. She has been an actor for over 40 years and loves theatre (she has been co-director of the Ashland Children’s Theatre for almost 20 years). Finally, Kate loves hiking, backpacking, playing in nature, and swimming in the ocean and high mountain lakes. And anyone who has ever spent more than a few minutes around Kate, knows she loves to laugh!!!

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Walker in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Brooke Johnson-Thygeson: Child Development Specialist (full week) Brooke grew up in Ashland and attended Briscoe, AMS, and AHS. She has worked as a school counselor for 15 years now and brings an invaluable breadth of knowledge about child development, support approaches and system coordination. During her years as a school counselor, she has worked across Oregon and internationally in Qatar as a K-8 counselor. At Walker, Brooke spends the majority of her days teaching SEL (Social Emotional Learning) lessons, running groups and supporting individual students with academic, social, and problem-solving needs. Brook also organizes the Wolf Pack leaders at recess, helps students get the food and supplies they may need in the Family Room, and participates in CST meetings with families. Brooke often combines her love of art and play into her individual and group counseling work. Outside of school, Brook loves being with her family, including her dog Sunny and cat Boo. When she has the time, she also loves to travel, spend time in nature, make jewelry and play basketball.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Walker in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist this week (and all weeks!). Our counseling team works hard to support all our students with the development of social-emotional, problem-solving, and sound decision-making skills. They provide critical guidance and support of the structures and practices that support our children’s mental and emotional well-being and by extension, that of our staff and parents. Thank you, team!!! Lance Matthewson: Behavior Health Specialist (1 day/week) This is Lance’s second year as a Behavior Health Specialist at Walker. He has worked with children and adolescents as a classroom teacher, play therapist and social worker for the past 15 years. His work focuses on helping students “safely” learn to recognize, regulate, and respond to overwhelming feelings. Lance uses interactive techniques including social-emotional learning, mindfulness, movement-based learning, group work and cognitive behavioral therapy. Outside of school, Lance loves to move in nature, travel and explore different cultures, dance and spend quality time in the company of friends and family.

It's National Counselors Week & Walker is so excited to celebrate our counseling staff. Kate Sullivan is our student advocate. The Great Ms. Kate is a super hero. She spends her days connecting with kids, problem-solving concerns, & making our school a wonderful place to teach & learn. Ms. Kate brings such love, compassion, & kindness to our school community! We are so grateful for her support. 💙🐺💙

It's National Counselors Week & Walker is so excited to celebrate our counseling staff. Brooke Johnson Thyegeson is our school counselor. Mrs. T is an incredible support to our students, staff, & families. We are thrilled to have her expertise, care, & guidance in our school community! 💙🐺💙

Walker School had an incredible Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March & Assembly last Friday. We marched & sang freedom songs through the streets. At SOU, we heard from powerful speakers- D.L. Richardson, Marvin Woodard, Becca Laroi, & Matthew Reynolds. Students in our Black Student Union emceed the assembly, and student reps shared statements about what we can do to build belonging in our world. We learned about the important role children played during the Children’s March of 1963. We learned how much stronger we are together & why our commitment to standing up for others is inspiring. We learned that we have power when we are curious, creative, collaborative, & committed. We left feeling grateful, inspired, & connected to one another & the teachings of Reverend Dr. King. 💙🐺💙

Greetings, Ashland School District Community! The Board of Directors would like to share a quick progress update in the search for the district’s next Superintendent. The recruitment window for applications ended on December 28th, 2023. In the coming weeks, the Board will review applications and conduct preliminary interviews to determine semi-finalists. These semi-finalists will be invited to interview in-person with the board and the Community Interview Panel later this month. If you haven’t applied for the Community Interview Panel, it’s not too late! This volunteer group of students, staff members, parents, and community members will have the opportunity to interview Superintendent finalists on January 23rd. If you’re interested in learning more or would like to apply, please visit ashland.k12.or.us/supsearch. The deadline to apply is noon on Monday, January 8th. If you have questions, concerns, or input about the Superintendent Search process, the Board wants to know! You can connect with the entire School Board by emailing school.board@ashland.k12.or.us. We hope that you’ll consider playing a role in this critical process for Ashland Public Schools. Thank you!

Walker School’s Winter Show was a sight to be seen & heard! Our students wowed us with their talented singing, dancing, playing instruments, & acting! It was our first live Winter Show since 2019, & it was so wonderful to gather with our fantastic, invested, & engaged community last evening! Howl, Walker Wolves! 💙🐺💙 #WonderfulWalkerWolves

Hello Walker Wolves! On Wednesday, 11/29, from 4-5:30 PM, we will host an Open House for community stakeholders, neighbors, and friends to tour our beautiful building! Please join us for light refreshments and a guided walking tour.

"Let's innovate together! 🌟 Ashland School District seeks your feedback on our school calendar and schedule. We value the diverse needs of our families and invite students, staff, parents, and community members to take a brief 12-question survey. Your insights are crucial for our collaborative and comprehensive review process. Have your say and make a difference! ✏️ Survey closes 11/24/23 - click to participate: https://www.smore.com/jhnx8

We love buddy time! Our first grade Little Buddies had an excellent time with our 4th grade Big Buddies. These activities strengthen connections, build community, & encourage positive role models. Ask your Walker Wolf about their favorite part of buddies. Post their responses in the comments below! 💙🐺💙 #WonderfulWalkerWolves #HowlWalkerWolves

Walker School loves celebrating Halloween! If you have pics from Halloween of your Walker Wolf, post 'em below in the comments! 💙🐺💙 #WonderfulWalkerWolves #HowlWalkerWolves

Walker School loves celebrating Halloween! If you have pics from Halloween of your Walker Wolf, post 'em below in the comments! 💙🐺💙 #WonderfulWalkerWolves #HowlWalkerWolves

Walker School loves celebrating Halloween! If you have pics from Halloween of your Walker Wolf, post 'em below in the comments! 💙🐺💙 #WonderfulWalkerWolves #HowlWalkerWolves

Ashland School District Board of Directors has launched a search for Ashland School District’s new Superintendent, who will join our district in July 2024. They are committed to finding the right leader for our unique and dynamic community. To lay the foundation for a meaningful search that reflects the needs and priorities of the Ashland community, the Board is seeking input through a Superintendent Search Survey for students, families, staff members, and community members. To participate in the Superintendent Search Survey click the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SuptAshland For additional information about the Superintendent search process, click the following link: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/o/school-board/page/superintendent-search