Helman Elementary School

Southern Oregon Pride! We are committed to serving ALL in our community. Excited to start the SOPride Parade! Come out and show your support Ashland! Parade starts at 10:00. #ASDProud #allmeansall #lovewins

ALERT: All Ashland School District afterschool clubs and activities are cancelled today, 9/4/24. This includes the boys JV and Varsity away soccer game. Please arrange for student pick up as soon as possible.

🎉 Welcome to our new principal, Corrine McGinnis! 🐉 Helman Elementary families, we're thrilled to announce Ms. McGinnis will be joining us on August 1, 2024. With 13 years of teaching experience and 3 years as a principal, she's ready to lead our Dragons! Ms. McGinnis says: "I'm excited to join this vibrant school community and can't wait to meet you all. Together, we'll nurture the whole child and help our students find their place of value in the world." Stay tuned for meet-and-greet opportunities with our new principal. Let's give her a warm Helman welcome! 🏫👏 Learn more about Ms. McGinnis here: ashland.k12.or.us/o/hes/page/meet-the-principal #HelmanDragons #NewPrincipal #AshlandSchools

Check out the article by Ashland.news highlighting our new summer lunch program. Free meals are now available for all children ages 1-18 at Walker and Bellview elementary schools, Monday through Thursday until August 8th. The piece explores how recent eligibility changes made this possible after years of ineligibility. Please click to read more about this exciting initiative and its impact on our community. https://ashland.news/no-free-lunch-actually-if-youre-up-to-18-years-old-you-can-get-one-this-summer-in-ashland/

Free summer meals will be served at Walker Elementary School and Bellview Elementary School June 17th - August 8th , Monday through Thursday 11am to 12:30 pm . All children age 1-18 will eat free regardless of enrollment.

Thank you Rotary! We love being a part of Ashland Reads! https://ashland.news/ninth-annual-ashland-reads-event-celebrates-literacy-in-the-key-of-a-b-c/

🐉 Celebrating Principal Appreciation Day with our very own Helman Dragon, Michelle Cuddeback! 🐉 Thank you, Principal Cuddeback, for your enduring dedication to Helman Elementary. Having served as a beloved teacher here for many years, you took up the mantle of principal in 2015 with a vision to impact even more students. Your leadership continues to inspire and motivate our community, fostering a nurturing environment where every Dragon can thrive. We are truly fortunate to have you at the helm!

Congratulations to Helman OBOB team, The Return of the Readers! This amazing group placed 3rd in the State competition earlier this month. We are extremely proud of these hard-working students! Go Dragons!

Kids visiting with kids. 💗🐐💗 A huge thank you to the Moss family for sharing your new babies each year! It is always a highlight of the year!

PREVIEW NEW ONLINE CURRICULUM FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) HERE: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/page/sel-curriculum-adoption The State of Oregon has launched its Transformative SEL Framework and Standards, a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering holistic development in students and educators alike. This comprehensive approach centers around the belief that learning is inherently a social and emotional process, deeply intertwined with the development of healthy identities, empathy, supportive relationships, and responsible decision-making. To align with the state framework, Ashland is preparing to adopt new K-12 curriculum tools. These will be online tools designed to be used in age-appropriate ways at each grade level from Kindergarten through high school graduation. Visit the site in the next 30 days to preview the online tools, read more about top choice WAYFINDER, and register your comments.

🎒 Embark on the Educational Journey: Ashland Schools Kindergarten Registration Now Open for Fall 2024! 🌈 Ashland Public Schools is excited to announce the opening of kindergarten registration for the upcoming school year! We're dedicated to providing an engaging, comprehensive, and inclusive educational foundation for every child. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Join Our Kindergarten Orientation Webinar Save the Date! 📅 Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:00 PM Dive into what makes our kindergarten program a nurturing and formative experience. This webinar is your opportunity to ask questions, and prepare for this significant milestone in your child's life. See link below or scan QR code in image for zoom link. 📌 Click the link to register your kindergartner today and for more information about our orientation session: ashland.k12.or.us/kinder We're eager to welcome you and your kindergartner to the Ashland Schools family, where every student's potential is cherished and nurtured. 🌟

REGIONAL CHAMPS! Helman 5th graders Vyla Jovick, Ellery Scott, Sylvie Bayouth Choy, and Everly Fondell (Return of the Readers) competed against 18 other teams today at the Southern Oregon Regional Battle of the Books and took 1st place! The Return of the Readers will now compete in the State competition on April 13 in Salem. Way to go girls!!!! 📚👏🏼🥇

Kindergarteners serenaded our Educational Assistants during their monthly meeting. We are so appreciative of our amazing Classified Staff. Thank you for all you do and all the love you give! We love you! #ClassifiedStaffAppreciationWeek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkil3gPjUog

It's Classified Staff Appreciation Week and we are so thankful for the dedicated, compassionate, talented group of professionals who support our Dragons in innumerable ways! To our Educational Assistants, Office Managers, Secretaries, Nutrition Services, Custodial, Maintenance, Clerical, Administrative Assistants, Bus Drivers and Mechanics, HVAC and Electrical, Technology and Web Services, Finance Department and District Office staff, we THANK YOU for all you do to keep schools up and running! We appreciate you!

BINGO Night was so much fun! Thanks to all who came to support our 4th graders as they raise funds to visit the Lava Beds National Monument, Crater Lake National Park, and other class projects. A HUGE thanks to 4th grade teachers, Trish Dorr and Joe Dunbrasky, the 4th grade parents and students for all of their work to bring back this fun event!

🚴‍♀️🌞 Attention Helman Elementary Families! Join the #BikeBusNorth for a Fun, Safe, and Eco-Friendly Commute! 🚌🚲 Our Northward Route runs every 3rd Wednesday of the month, rain or shine, with adjustments for the school calendar. For the 2023-24 school year, mark these dates: Feb 21, Mar 20, Apr 17, and May 15. We may shift to 1st and 3rd Wednesdays to sync with Walk & Roll days based on demand! Joining the Bike Bus: Start: SW corner of Rock & Nursery St at 7:50am for a safety briefing. Route: Nursery St, Main St, Glenn St, Orange St, and Drager St. Timed Stop: NE corner of Otis and Drager Streets at 8:00am. Finish: Helman Elementary parking lot at 8:10am. About the Bike Bus: Led by two trained conductors, with one at the front and one at the rear. Additional volunteers help "cork" intersections. Join at any point along the route or at timed stops. Safety Note: Parents, please assess if your child is ready to ride near traffic. Ride with your child if needed, or let them join the group if they can stay focused and respond to coaching. Get Involved: For more details, visit ashlandclimate.org/bike-bus. Questions or to volunteer, contact lead parent volunteer, Sharon Dohrmann, at 541-205-8488. Special Thanks: This effort is spearheaded by Mike Vergeer, a certified bike safety instructor and volunteer for ACC’s Streets4Everyone Action Team. Contact Mike at mvergeer@yahoo.com for assistance or to coordinate new routes. Let's pedal together for a greener future! #BikeToSchool #HelmanElementary #CommunityRide

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Helman in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern 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!!! Michaela Skye: Behavior Health Specialist Intern (two days/week) Michaela just joined ASD as a BHS intern at both Helman and AMS at the beginning of January. She meets with students to provide mental health support, characterized by active listening, maintaining unconditional positive regard, and collaborating with them to develop essential skills and emotional processes. She shares that “working with students and offering support while witnessing their growth in their mental health journey is a rewarding aspect of my position. I am also grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the exceptional staff at the Ashland School District”. You can find Michaela in her office, conveniently situated just behind the main office at Helman Elementary School, or in the main office at AMS. Beyond the school setting, you'll often find Michaela teaching or performing music on most days of the week, or spending quality time with my family and pets.

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Helman in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern 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!!! Christie Lawson: Student Advocate (full-time) This is Lawson’s first year at Helman. Previously, she was a Student Advocate at the high school for 6 years. And many, many moons ago she was one of the three original student advocates at Ashland Middle School. She has also coached cross country and track at AMS for the last 25 years. Lawson spends time with students who need extra support, usually by way of contributing to the Helman community by taking care of equipment or campus projects. At times Lawson works with kids in the sensory room, her office or on the playground, and offers incentives for students working on goals with their Hug and Star Cards. She also runs the Jr. Coach Program, training and supervising 5th graders to organize and run games for all students during recess. She especially enjoys seeing the Jr. Coaches taking on leadership roles and making recess a more positive experience for so many others. Lawson is in the process of developing a garden and running club as well. She shares that she “loves being at running club with dedicated students who show up in the snow, rain and wind every day!” Finally, Lawson “likes all the students and staff at Helman! It’s a great place to work!” Outside of school, Lawson loves to be outside doing almost anything. She spends lots of time with friends playing, laughing, and enjoying life!

National School Counseling Week, Feb 5-9. Please join Helman in celebrating and appreciating our Child Development Specialist, Student Advocate and Behavior Health Specialist Intern 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!!! Kat Smith: Child Development Specialist (full-time) This is Kat’s third year as a CDS at Helman. Kat supports students by providing a safe space where they can be themselves, get the help they deserve, and engage their critical thinking skills. Kat loves laughing and playing with students while learning new skills. Supporting children while being her most authentic self, Kat reminds students of their inherent goodness and the strengths they bring to their community. You might see Kat welcoming students to school with high-fives and snacks, practicing yoga and mindfulness with students underneath the tree in the field, behind the gym on Walk and Roll to School Wednesdays, or dancing at assemblies, in the hallway, and in classrooms. Outside of school, Kat finds joy in practicing hot yoga, hiking/backpacking, biking, and dancing! She also loves to travel with her family.

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!