Join local experts for a discussion of the future of public schools in Ashland. What does it mean for our community that we have fewer kindergarteners than high school seniors? Where do charter and alternative schools fit in?

Erika Bare, Assistant Superintendent for the Ashland School District, has been a proud educator for more than 20 years, serving in a variety of roles. She grew up in Portland and graduated from the University of Oregon with a Master’s in Education in 2001. Bare dove head first into her career as a special education teacher at the middle school level when her family relocated to Southern Oregon, and she became a special education teacher on special assignment serving K-12 students. Bare earned her administrative credential in 2012 at Southern Oregon University and transitioned to an administrative role at Ashland High School as assistant principal and then principal. She recently published “Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking With Students” with co-author and colleague, Tiffany Burns.

Eva Skuratowicz, Ashland School Board Director, moved to Ashland in 2004 and has two children who attend Ashland schools. She has enjoyed volunteering in their classrooms and assisting with a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Skuratowicz has a doctorate in sociology and is the Director of the Southern Oregon University Research Center. In her research, she works with local non-profit and governmental organizations and has gained a great deal of knowledge of the Rogue Valley. When she actually has spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking and traveling.

The monthly Big Ideas discussion series features prominent local experts speaking on relevant and timely issues affecting our community. Lectures are jointly sponsored by the Ashland Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Jackson County Library Services.