Visit the complete newsletter here or read below for a sneak preview…

A Piece of the Proposal
Bell Schedule

The Bell Schedule, at a glance, shows what time the bell will ring and spur students and staff to bustle onto new activities each day, but it also gives a look at how “a day in the life” will feel for students. As shown in the 2022-23 Calendar, the school year is divided into two semesters and three intensive sessions. Throughout all of those changes in classes and content, the daily rhythm will stay the same.

While checking out our proposed Bell Schedule, here are some things to notice:

• Late Arrival, Early Dismissal: School days will begin later in the morning than a typical high school, with first period beginning at 9am, and school days will end early as well, with a 2:30pm dismissal.
• Two Meals A Day: Nutritious, organic and local, when possible. Meals will be served for breakfast and lunch.
• Block Scheduling: Eight 90-minute class periods each week will take place over the course of Monday-Friday, with Monday/Wednesday “A days” holding class periods 1, 2 and 3, Tuesday/Thursday “B days” holding class periods 4, 5 and 6, and Friday “C days” holding class periods 7a, 7b and 8. 
• Movement, Rest and Social Times: There will be ample time each day for nutrition, exercise, socializing and rest with a 40-minute morning breakfast window, a 20-minute morning tea break, and a 40-minute lunch break all holding space between each class period. It is also our hope that, eventually, school can be open to students before and after normal school hours.  
• Things May Change: This Bell Schedule is our dream. The reality may look differently dependent on other related factors such as transportation, KCA’s location and other local schools’ schedules. We’ll loop back around to share an updated Bell Schedule and 2022-23 Calendar closer to opening day as everything continues to unfold and reveal itself! 

To view and download the complete files, which includes a sample student schedule, click the Bell Schedule above or click for the Bell Schedule and Sample Student Schedule. “

Read the rest of the newsletter here!

Visit the complete newsletter here or read below for a sneak preview…

Newsletters will include a mix and match from the following:

• Three Rivers School District Updates – The TRSD school board has our fate in their hands! Learn the latest news regarding our charter proposal.
• Action Steps – What can you do to help KCA reach opening day?
• KCA Student News – Hey young people! We’re not waiting until opening day before reaching out to you, too!
• A Piece of the Proposal – Our proposal is long (171 pages!), so we’ll pick a piece of the proposal to unpack, focusing on things that make KCA unique.
• Humanizing the Standards – Let’s be real, “the standards” causes quite the reaction from many people. We’ll pick an Oregon educational standard and show ways our classes will integrate the standard with creativity, youth autonomy, and a community arts focus.
• Charter School Conversations – What is a charter school? We’ll address a question or two about the definition, composition, history and controversies of the charter school movement in the United States.
• Fun and Miscellany – Who doesn’t need a little fun and/or miscellany in their day?

Three Rivers School District Updates

KCA Proposal Submitted! On December 10, 2021 a 171-page proposal was submitted to Superintendent Dave Valenzuela and members of the Three Rivers School District board.

Proposal Timeline:

• January board meeting 1/19 – public comments are welcome!
• February board meeting 2/16 – the board decides whether the proposal is complete
• Public hearing 4/6 – the BIG day to come out and show your support
• May board meeting 5/18 – the board decides whether to approve or deny our charter

For a neat-o flow chart of the charter approval process, click here.

Read the rest of the newsletter here!

We submitted our proposal to the school district today! It’s a BIG day! 49 pages of narrative + 122 pages of attachments = 171 total pages (wowza). It’s been reviewed by 22 community parents, educators, and community leaders. This effort began in 2014 and culminated today!The school district has 30 business days to review the proposal and determine whether it’s complete, which brings us to the middle/end of January. We might be invited to speak at the January school district meeting (Wednesday, January 19 @ the District Offices) and/or the February meeting (Wednesday, February 16 at Illinois Valley High School). We will need supporters to submit public comments! More details to come.

In our forest of Oregon green lies a red-dusted land like a desert, a wilderness so rich in magnesium-laded serpentine rock that it’s shooed away all but the hardiest of species. Those that survive, however, thrive. This is their place. And while walking these wild lands back in the 1930s, botanist Lilla Leach dropped to her knees in front of a small shrub with purple flowers and exclaimed, “I have never seen anything like it before! Isn’t it beautiful? I believe it is new.”

Thus began the modern scientific life of Kalmiopsis leachiana.

[photo credit: Kalmiopsis Wild]

Kalmiopsis is the flower, and Kalmiopsis became the name of this wilderness edging the Illinois River as its two forks converge in Cave Junction and then, together at last, flow northward towards the Rogue River and, finally, the sea.

We believe the people of the Illinois Valley are like the Kalmiopsis Wilderness: resilient, intrepid, and unique. We thrive in difficult environments, creatively confronting our challenges.

We want the Illinois Valley spirit distilled in our school, and for that reason we have chosen to call our school Kalmiopsis Community Arts High School. (Or KCA for short).

But, then why “Community Arts”?

That is a question … for next time!