Message from the Superintendent
Responsibility is the theme of April’s social emotional learning lessons. It's about teaching and reinforcing skills and characteristics needed to show responsibility and how decision making impacts ourselves and others.
A strong sense of responsibility has always been one of our learning community’s signatures. It’s how we continue to improve and progress for the betterment of our students and community.
One way we demonstrate responsibility is through service. Volunteers serving on our school and board advisory committees are essential because shared leadership -- another way of saying responsibility -- is a core value of our learning community. I encourage you to apply for one of the district and/or school committees because we want your involvement and we are stronger when more voices are heard.
Another way we demonstrate responsibility is learning about how we can take better care of ourselves and each other. We have many opportunities for this learning. Next week, the LOSD CARES wellness team is providing a workshop to provide resources to support, inform and empower families on issues surrounding mental health. We are also holding our first annual LOSD Safety Symposium for families to learn about time-critical and ongoing issues affecting students and actions that can be taken for a safe community. I hope you will be able to join us for these and other upcoming community events.
Mental Health Resource Event April 5
All parents/guardians are invited to the LOSD CARES workshop: Having Hope During Hard Times: Tools for Families to Buffer Stressors. The session features Mandy Davis, Clinical Director of Trauma Informed Oregon at Portland State, and Sandy Mathewson, Mental Health Specialist at Clackamas Education Service District.
Tuesday, Apr. 5
12-1 p.m.
https://loswego-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/83063878477
The virtual session will be recorded.
LOSD CARES is a Connection and Resilience in Education Series hosted by LOSD school counselors, social workers and psychologists. Working with community mental health partners, LOSD hosts these workshops for parents/guardians to support, inform and empower families on issues surrounding mental health.
LOSD Safety Symposium April 7
All Lake Oswego parents/guardians and community residents are invited to attend the first annual LOSD K-12 Safety Symposium.
Thursday, Apr. 7
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., sessions from 6-8:30 p.m
Lakeridge High School Auditorium
Hear from experts in the fields of pediatric medicine, law enforcement, Homeland Security, and gun violence prevention. There is something for every parent and community member to take away from our featured topics:
- Adolescent Brain Development
- Teen Vaping - Prevalence and Dangers
- Counterfeit Opioids - Surge of Deadly Pills Containing Fentanyl
- Secure Storage of Firearms - Youth Suicide and School Violence Prevention
- Impact of Social and Digital Media on Children and Teens
Advisory Committee Applications Due April 15
Parents/guardians, students, teachers, staff members, and community residents are needed to serve on LOSD school and board advisory committees. Applications and committee charters are available on the district website under School Board.
Please submit your application by Friday, April 15 at 5 p.m. (Deadline extended from April 5.) Thank you in advance for your service!
Seeking Student School Board Representatives
Successful Bond Sale
LOSD's first sale of a portion of the $180 million 2021 bond authorization was very successful. Proceeds from the sale will fund districtwide capital improvements approved by Lake Oswego voters in the November 2021 election.
Building on LOSD’s highest Oregon school district S&P credit rating of AA+, $153 million of the district's bonds sold Tuesday at a strong premium. The sale generated total proceeds of $165 million, a $12.285 million premium over par. The net premium increased by roughly $1 million from presale estimates, all while staying within a maximum overall expected increase in property tax rates of 92 cents per thousand.
When considered with this bond sale's All-In True Interest Cost (TIC) of 3.283%, the results are even more impressive. This All-in TIC of 3.283% is among the lowest for comparable bond sales in this period.
An updated 2022-23 property tax rate estimate will be shared with the Legal Budget Committee as part of the 2022-23 proposed budget at the LOSD Legal Budget Committee Meeting April 27.
Elementary School Conference Schedule
Elementary students had early release today for conference preparation, and will be off school April 7-8.
Curriculum Adoption for Review
Click here to review the recommended Elementary, Middle School, and High School curriculum. The curriculum is available for public review through April 25.
Career Technical Education Pathways
LOSD recently reviewed our high schools' current Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways and identified next steps to increase CTE opportunities that are of interest and in demand for students. Offering CTE pathways includes development of course series with qualified teachers and physical spaces and equipment
CTE pathways near completion include: Computer Science, Engineering, Marketing, and Environmental Science. LOSD is also considering starting a Health Sciences pathway.
One of the major hurdles in developing endorsed CTE pathways is teacher certification; CTE teachers must have their teaching license and industry experience, meaning they have worked in their field prior to becoming a licensed teacher. LOSD and school administration and counselors are working on visioning LOSD's expanded CTE program, and creating spaces that are needed to be successful.
Spelling Bee Finalists
Congratulations to all of the Regional Spelling Bee finalists, including students from each of our elementary and middle schools who represented LOSD at the 18th annual Pamplin Media Group’s Regional Spelling Bee:
- Hanya You, 5th grade, Forest Hills Elementary
- Nathan Bizzano, 5th grade, Hallinan Elementary
- Riya Pai, 5th grade, Lake Grove Elementary
- Ella Reigle, 4th grade, Oak Creek Elementary
- Harris Sturges, 5th grade, Palisades World Language School
- Kahmron Cutlip, 4th grade, River Grove Elementary
- Mateo Davis, 5th grade, Westridge Elementary
- Alexis Zou, 8th grade, Lake Oswego Junior High
- Rowan Rocha, 8th grade, Lakeridge Middle School
Each year, the Pamplin Media Group Regional Spelling Bee invites fourth through eighth grade students attending Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill and Clackamas county public, private, alternative and home school groups to compete in the regional spelling bee.
Robotics Team Wins Several Prestigious Awards
The Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High School students on the LO robotics Lake Monsters team recently won several prestigious awards including: FIRST Dean's List Finalist and Semi-finalist Award and District Engineering Inspiration Award and District Chairman’s Award. The Chairman’s Award is the most prestigious award, honoring the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission to inspire greater levels of respect for science and technology, and encouraging youth leadership in those fields.
The Lake Monsters team and the robot they built this season will next compete at the Pacific Northwest FIRST District Championship in eastern Washington on April 6. Congratulations to our Lake Monsters!
The Lake Monsters robotics team includes students from both Lake Oswego High School and Lakeridge High School, community mentors and Lakeridge teacher John Sperry. They have been competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition for 15 seasons.
LO Student Art Awarded Best in Show
Congratulations to Lake Oswego High student Reese Stame for her "Best in Show" award winning piece Lacking. Reese's art, along with many other pieces created by our Lake Oswego and Lakeridge Middle and High School students, is part of the annual Clackamas ESD art show that celebrates the extraordinary artistic talent of students in our region. The juried art show awards thousands of dollars in scholarships. All are welcome to visit the art show.
Mondays-Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CESD headquarters,13455 SE 97th Ave., Clackamas
LMS Student Essay Earns Ice Cream Flavor
Get Tickets for Asian Cultural Festival April 16
All are invited to the Asian Cultural Festival being hosted by the Lake Oswego High School Asian American Student Union (AASU) at Lake Oswego High School, Saturday, Apr. 16, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. The festival will feature Asian culture through performances, free food samples, and more than 15 different activities/exhibits, including fashion exhibits, arts and crafts, and bollywood dancing with DJ Prashant.
Admission is free for the general event; due to limited space in the auditorium, tickets are required to watch the performances. The show is from 2- 3:30 p.m. and includes ten acts including lion dancers, martial arts, traditional Asian instruments, cultural dance, and much more. To buy tickets or learn more about the event, please visit AsianFestivalLO.com.
LOSD families can get discounted tickets (only $3 each) with the promo code: LOSDSTUDENT
LO Sustainability Resource Fair April 24
In celebration of Earth Day, LOSD is partnering with the City of Lake Oswego’s Sustainability Advisory Board, Lake Oswego Sustainability Network, and Oswego Lake Watershed Council to host the first annual Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair.
Sunday, Apr. 24
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Lakeridge Middle School
At this free event, participants of all ages can learn about the work organizations across our community are doing to advance sustainability, connect with community members who are interested in sustainability, and learn how to help protect the environment, save money, and give back to our community.
The event will feature more than 20 exhibitors offering:
- Information on opportunities to volunteer and participate in educational programs
- Arts and crafts for kids
- Exhibits from Lake Oswego and Lakeridge Green Teams
- Self-guided tour of the new Lakeridge Middle School and its sustainable design features
- A tree seedling giveaway
- PGE electric tool exchange (advanced registration required)
- And more!
Click here for for more information.
Community Transmission Level: Green
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looks at the combination of three metrics — new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days — to determine the COVID-19 community transmission level. Using this data, the COVID-19 community level is classified as low, medium, or high. Clackamas County is currently in low (green). Click here to follow the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker Weekly Review.
LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard
The LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard is up to date, corresponding with new reporting protocols for Clackamas County Public Health. The new dashboard shows the number of staff and students who have reported to LOSD testing positive for COVID-19, regardless of school exposure.
Shifting Gears/Gifting Gears Event
Shifting Gears/Gifting Gear was created with the goal of passing on sporting equipment to families that would enjoy it when your family has outgrown it. If you have sporting gear -- in good/safe/working condition -- that your family/children have outgrown, please drop it off. This event is totally FREE! Donating gear does not guarantee that you will find replacement gear for your family. It does however get it out of your garage and into the hands of an excited child who will love it.
Drop-off Gear
See "Types of Gear" HERE for a listing of gear that can be dropped off for other families to enjoy.
Monday, Apr. 4- Wednesday, Apr. 6
3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
River Grove Elementary Gym
Pick-up Gear
Come "shop" (FREE) for gear that your family might enjoy!
Friday, Apr. 8
9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
River Grove Elementary Gym
Volunteers Needed
If you are interested in volunteering please sign-up HERE. Any bike mechanic hobbyists? They are looking for a couple people to do basic tune-ups and sizing (see sign-up).
See the Shifting Gears/Gifting Gear website HERE for additional details and community participation.
LO Arbor Month Art Contest for Students
In celebration of Lake Oswego Arbor Month and the 150th Anniversary of National Arbor Day, and in honor of 33 years of Tree City USA status, the City of Lake Oswego is hosting a tree and wildlife themed art contest for students in grades K-5 residing in Lake Oswego.
Students are invited to create a work of art featuring insects, amphibians, birds, mammals or any other type of animal in the urban forest. The contest begins on Friday, Apr. 1, 2022 and entries must be received on Sunday, April 24, 2022, by 11:59 p.m. Winners will be notified on National Arbor Day, April 29, 2022 and prizes will be awarded by the Mayor at the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market on Saturday, May 21, 2022.
Additional information, complete contest rules, and the on-line submission form is available at www.lakeoswego.city/formslf/ArborMonthArt.
Soil Your Undies With OLWC
Back by popular demand, Oswego Lake Watershed Council (OSWC) is hosting its second annual Soil Your Undies challenge. All returning and new participants are welcome to join in the learning fun.
Participants get their hands dirty and put their soil to the test by taking the OLWC Soil Your Undies challenge. The challenge is simple -- bury a brand-new pair of 100% cotton underwear under at least 6 inches of soil, wait 60 days, and then dig them back up. The more the undies break down while buried in the soil, the more active the biological community is in the soil.
To receive a free brand new pair of undies and learn more about how you can partake in this fun soil science activity, click here to register.
Lake Oswego Rowing Registration
Hunger Fighters
Back to School Clothes at Clothing Closet
Open Saturdays
9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.
SafeOregon
Parents-guardians who have concerns about a student’s well-being are encouraged to reach out to their principal, and to maintain strong lines of communication and partnership between students, families, staff, and other resources.
SafeOregon is also an effective way to report a tip regarding safety threats or potential acts of violence to our students or schools.
(Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)
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Lake Oswego School District