Quarterly Newsletter- Winter 2026 Edition
Togetherness, reflection, and gratitude.
Reflection & Looking ahead
As a new year begins, it often brings renewed motivation to reflect, set intentions, and take meaningful steps toward becoming stronger and more resilient than we were before. Ashbrook is no different. Each winter, we intentionally pause to evaluate what is working well and where more focused growth will best serve our students and community.
To understand how we want to grow forward, we must first take time to reflect on what we have already accomplished.
At the start of this academic year, Ashbrook’s Board of Trustees grew to 11 members, building on the leadership of six long-serving trustees and welcoming five new members. Together, they bring a wide range of professional experience, including backgrounds in medicine, finance, nonprofit leadership, data analysis, the timber industry, and more. This diversity of perspective strengthens the Board’s ability to guide the school with both care and foresight.
Under the Board’s guidance, several committees have formed to support focused progress in key areas of growth:
- Facilities Committee – guiding long-term planning and stewardship of our campus and school grounds
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Advancement Committee – supporting fundraising initiatives and strategies that advance Ashbrook’s mission
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Finance Committee – providing responsible financial oversight and long-term sustainability
Each committee plays a vital role in advancing Ashbrook’s five-year strategic plan. Just as importantly, the work of the Board and its committees is made possible by the generosity of our community. Donor support transforms thoughtful planning into meaningful action, supporting the classrooms, programs, and experiences that shape students today and prepare them to become confident, capable leaders tomorrow.
As we continue into the new year, this season of reflection helps clarify where our intentions should be focused and how we can take thoughtful steps forward. Strengthening student experiences, sustaining enriching programs, and ensuring stability across the school all require shared commitment and care. One of the ways Ashbrook turns reflection into action is through community-supported efforts that directly invest in the daily learning environment, an approach that allows us to move forward with purpose while remaining grounded in our mission.
Open Enrollment
Teacher Feature
Mr. Hoge
What inspired you to become an educator, and what continues to motivate you in the classroom today?
I have always loved music since I was very young. My grandmother was an elementary music teacher and we used to sing together while she played the piano. When I was in high school, I got a job working for the City of Eugene Recreation as a camp counselor at the same camp I went to as a kid. I quickly realized how much I loved working with growing minds. Combine my two strongest passions and I get to come to work every day doing my favorite job!
What do you enjoy most about teaching at our school specifically?
I love watching students grow through the years; seeing how they change, adapt, and flourish both personally and musically. This is my fifth year teaching at Ashbrook. A highlight for me has been watching the 5th grade beginning band grow, as I met many of those students when they were 1st graders! They have all grown so much already!
How do you hope students feel when they are in your classroom?
I strive to create an environment that is welcoming and shame-free. Making music in a community requires vulnerability and that can be challenging if you feel like you would be judged for displaying skills that are still developing. I hope my students come to my class every day and are excited to make music together while feeling safe to be themselves.
School Spotlight: A Proud Ashbrook Moment
This winter, we are proud to celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of six Ashbrook middle school students, three eighth graders and three seventh graders, who auditioned for one of Oregon’s most competitive student music events. We are thrilled to share that all six students were accepted to perform this year, a remarkable achievement and a moment of great pride for our Ashbrook community.
These students traveled to Eugene to participate in the Oregon Music Educators Conference, where they joined top student musicians from across the state for a two-day intensive musical experience. The program included focused rehearsals, collaboration with peers, and the opportunity to learn from accomplished music educators in a fast-paced, high-level setting.
Their dedication and preparation culminated in a public concert on the evening of Friday, January 16, in Eugene. This exciting opportunity showcased their hard work and musical growth.
We are incredibly grateful for the talent, dedication, and leadership of Mr. Hoge, whose commitment to music education continues to inspire students year after year. Through his guidance, students are challenged to grow not only as musicians, but as confident, disciplined learners who take pride in their craft.
Generosity expands
what’s possible
While tuition covers basic classroom needs, grants and donations are vital to supporting unique students needs, special programs, and hands on learning opportunities that make an Ashbrook education so extraordinary.
Below are three ways your support makes a difference!
Donor Support Translates to Meaningful Action
Each year, our community comes together to support the Ashbrook Explorer’s Fund, an annual campaign supporting essential, student-facing needs. Our goal is to raise $100,000 this year, and thanks to our community’s early support, we’re already 34% of the way there.
Every gift moves us closer to sustaining the learning environments, enrichment opportunities, and hands-on experiences that empower our students to grow with confidence and purpose.
Help students thrive by supporting student learning with your gift today.
0+
Annual Explorer Fund Goal
0
Raised as of January 2026
500
Will Fully Support Student Programs
Winter Highlights
Every gift and grant directly supports the student experience. From maintaining small class sizes to strengthening meaningful learning, your generosity makes a lasting difference. Below are a few of the ways your support has impacted students this year.
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Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten
Since September, preschool and pre-kindergarten students have been actively learning through hands-on exploration, creative play, art, music, and early academic experiences that strengthen language, early literacy, math foundations, fine motor skills, and social-emotional development.
Here’s some of what your support has helped provide:
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Tactile learning materials, such as cloud dough
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Age-appropriate art and science tools that promote hands-on learning through engaging activities, including creating shadow puppets, snowflakes, and marble tracks to explore kinetic energy
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A fall field trip to the Pumpkin Patch
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Outdoor mud tables that encourage sensory exploration, creativity, and collaborative play
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Kindergarten – 5th Grade
Lower School classrooms thrive on curiosity, creativity, and meaningful learning. The opportunity to persevere through challenges, refine skills, and learn leadership is are just a few of the wonderful things Ashbrook Lower School students learn each day.
Here’s some of what your support has helped provide:
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Dyslexia reading tools and targeted literacy resources
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Physical education equipment that supports healthy movement and teamwork
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Art supplies that encourage creativity and self-expression
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Outdoor education and experiential learning opportunities
- Parent initiated and school supported Kindergarten-first grade basketball club
- Parent initiated Taekwondo Enrichment Program for Pre-K to 1st Grade
Grades 6th–8th
Middle School students build confidence, independence, and leadership as they deepen academic skills and engage in meaningful learning beyond the classroom. Through experiential opportunities, collaboration, and real-world exploration, students are challenged to grow as thinkers, problem-solvers, and engaged community members.
Here’s some of what your support has helped provide:
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Outdoor School at OMSI’s Camp Gray (6th grade), offering immersive science learning, outdoor exploration, and teamwork-building experiences.
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The 8th Grade Seattle Trip, connecting classroom learning to history, culture, and civic engagement through hands-on experiences.
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The Middle School San Francisco Band Trip, giving student musicians the opportunity to perform, collaborate, and grow through shared artistic experiences.
- A Science Wall Mural, providing students with a meaningful opportunity to expand their creativity and take ownership of their learning environment. Local graphic design artist and active Ashbrook parent Rachel Urista generously dedicated her time to help students design and implement a full wall mural in the science classroom.
Key Dates You Don’t Want to Miss
Feb 20th-22nd Middle School Play- TICKETS HERE
Feb 27, 6:00pm-8:00pm Ashbrook’s Master Planning Townhall Meeting. Light refreshments provided for adults, fun kid activities provided for kids. RSVP HERE
The Master Planning Townhall Meeting the beginning of our long-term facilities master planning process.
This town hall is an opportunity to share ideas, perspectives, and community needs, both inside and outside the school. We’re not reviewing plans or proposals. We’re listening.
Bring ideas about:
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How our campus can better support students
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What our community needs now — and in the future
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Creative, outside-the-box possibilities
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Opportunities we may not be seeing yet
No experience required. Big ideas encouraged.
March 7th– Butterfly Breakfast (Free community event)
April 18th– Planet Palooza
May 16- Celebrate Ashbrook Gala
Curious about what else Ashbrook has been able to do?
