The Current
LOSD News • October 11, 2019
In this Message:
Message from the Superintendent
Student Success Act: How Should We Spend $5.2M? Survey Closes Oct. 14
Mary Kay Larson Appointed New LOSD Director of Communications
October is National Principals Month
Superintendent Listening Sessions
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee Meeting
Foundation New Family Meet and Greet Events
October Is Dyslexia Awareness Month
School-Related Info:
- Lake Oswego Ski Swap
- Rose City Classic - Student Art Contest
- Save the Date: Multi-City Equity Summit – October 19
Regular Reminders:
- Get Social with LOSD
- SafeOregon
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
- What's New at Community School?
Message from the Superintendent
This fall season in Lake Oswego School District is filled with many exciting endeavors and opportunities. From academics and innovation to community partnerships and engagement, LOSD is in the midst of promising continuous improvement. As such, I am sharing two updates with you regarding our work in exploring options to best serve our community.
Pool development update: LOSD Executive Director of Project Management Tony Vandenberg and Parks and Recreation Director Ivan Anderholm have been working closely with each other and pool design firm Opsis. Additionally, a working group with members from LOSD, City of Lake Oswego, and Parks and Recreation came together this week to discuss early designs and projections. The purpose of this small team is to work through preliminary ideas to support and shape recommendations. Community outreach sessions for public engagement will be scheduled soon to share conceptual plans and gather input. LOSD is hopeful about building a partnership with the City of Lake Oswego and Parks and Recreation to serve our community.
Boundary study: We are embarking on a community engagement process of studying our elementary school boundaries to determine optimal school capacity and use of LOSD facilities. In June 2019, the school board received recommendations from the Elementary Task Force to address capacity issues in the elementary schools. One of the recommendations included realigning school boundaries. We have contracted with FLO Analytics to work with the district in a re-boundary community engagement process. LOSD Policy JC is the LOSD School Attendance Area policy, which provides guiding language: "Attendance area boundaries may be changed as population distribution warrants or as capacities of buildings require adjustment of student numbers." The district last undertook boundary reviews in the school years 2011-2012, 1996-1997, and 1989-1990.
In the spirit of ongoing, transparent communication with our community, we will be sharing information throughout the process. In the coming weeks, please look forward to a survey asking for input that will inform re-boundary decisions, as well as a request for applications to participate in the superintendent's boundary review committee that will begin meeting in January 2020.
Student Success Act: How Should We Spend $5.2M? Survey Closes Oct. 14
MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD!
What would be your priorities for improvements to educational programs?
Adding days to the school year?
Adding hours to the school day?
Hiring more teachers?
Investing in arts, music education, PE, science?
Hiring more student success coaches? More counselors?
The district wants to hear your voice as we plan for future investments in education made possible by the Student Success Act.
Please join in and tell us what you think! Take the Needs Assessment Survey and let us know what's working, what we could do better, and what your priorities are for program improvements.
The survey will be available online until October 14.
Thank you for engaging in this important process.
Mary Kay Larson Appointed New LOSD Director of Communications
The Lake Oswego School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Mary Kay Larson as the new director of communications. Mary Kay has served as executive director for the Lake Oswego Schools Foundation since 2016.
As director of communications, Mary Kay is responsible for districtwide communications and community engagement initiatives. Whitney Woolf, who has served on the Foundation staff and board of directors for the past several years, is taking over management of the Foundation as interim executive director.
“Mary Kay’s leadership, communication and community-building talents are evident in her work with the Foundation,” said Lora de la Cruz, superintendent, Lake Oswego School District. “She understands and cares greatly about our entire community. I am thrilled to expand her trusted insights and expertise on our administrative team.”
Mary Kay brings with her more than a decade of professional public relations experience, leading clients such as Hewlett-Packard, Network Associates, Chevron and Children’s World Learning Centers through corporate and crisis communications, as well as brand-building efforts. She also brings a decade of volunteer leadership including serving on bond development, levy campaign and boundary committees for Lake Oswego schools, and parent club, school advisory and art literacy for Hallinan Elementary. Over the years and in all positions, Mary Kay has been recognized as an effective leader with strong communication skills who is a natural community builder.
Mary Kay grew up in the California Bay Area and received her Bachelor of Science in journalism from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Mary Kay was selected for her new position following a competitive interview process from a strong pool of applicants. She succeeds Christine Moses, who resigned from the position in September 2019.
We congratulate Mary Kay on her appointment, and look forward to working with her in her new leadership role with the Lake Oswego School District.
October Is National Principals Month
October is National Principals Month, a time to recognize all of our principals and assistant principals for their educational leadership, their support for students and staff, and their essential role in creating school cultures that foster respect and achievement. A big THANK YOU to all of you!
Superintendent Listening Sessions
The superintendent wants to hear from you! Dr. Lora de la Cruz will be holding parent listening sessions to get to know you and to hear your perspective on any topic you'd like to share. Four sessions will be held across the district with each night dedicated to specific schools. If you are unable to attend your school's listening session, you are welcome to attend a session that is more convenient. Listening sessions will be held as follows:
Monday, Oct. 28, 6-7 p.m.
Location: Lakeridge High School - Library
Target Audience: Lakeridge High School, Lakeridge Middle School, Hallinan Elementary
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 6-7 p.m.
Location: Lake Oswego High School - Library
Target Audience: Lake Oswego High School, Forest Hills Elementary, Lake Grove Elementary
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6-7 p.m.
Location: River Grove Elementary - Library
Target Audience: River Grove Elementary, Westridge Elementary
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 6-7 p.m.
Location: Oak Creek Elementary @ Uplands - Gym
Target Audience: Oak Creek Elementary, Lake Oswego Middle School
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee Meeting
All are welcome to attend the meeting.
6-8 p.m.
Meeting to be held in the boardroom at the district office
2455 Country Club Road, Lake Oswego
Foundation New Family Meet and Greet Events
Welcoming all who are new to the district!
Please join parents and guardians who are new to the district at one of the following Meet & Greet events hosted by the Lake Oswego Schools Foundation. These casual gatherings are an opportunity to meet others who are new while learning more about the district.
New Family Meet & Greet Coffees
Tuesday, October 15, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
3244 Upper Dr., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Tuesday, October 22, 9-11 a.m.
4300 Haven St., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Wednesday, October 23, 9-11 a.m.
606 6th St., Lake Oswego OR 97034
Coffee & refreshments provided by Chucks Place
New Family Meet & Greet Happy Hour
Oregon Wine Reserve
Saturday, Nov. 2, 4-7 p.m.
600 N State St, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Event is for adults 21 years and older
Complimentary child care provided at PLAY Boutique, 4-7 p.m.
464 1st St., Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Service is for children 1 year and older
October Is Dyslexia Awareness Month
What are the symptoms/signs of Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a common condition that affects the way the brain processes written and spoken language. It is primarily associated with trouble reading, but it also can affect writing, spelling and even speaking. Many children have one or two of these issues on occasion. But kids with dyslexia have several of these issues, and they don’t go away.
Here are some signs to look for:
Preschool, Kindergarten, & First Grade:
Difficulties:
Difficulty learning (and remembering) the names of letters in the alphabet
Seems unable to recognize letters in his/her own name
Mispronounces familiar words; persistent “baby talk”
Trouble learning common nursery rhymes
Doesn’t recognize rhyming patterns like cat, bat, rat
A family history of reading and/or spelling difficulties (dyslexia often runs in families)
Reading errors that show no connection to the sounds of the letters on the page—will say “puppy” instead of the written word “dog” on a page with a picture of a dog
Does not understand that words come apart
Cannot sound out even simple words like cat, map, nap
Does not associate letters with sounds, such as the letter b with the “b” sound
Complains about how hard reading is; “disappears” when it is time to read
A history of reading problems in parents or siblings
Strengths
Curiosity
Great imagination
Ability to figure things out; gets the gist of things
Eager embrace of new ideas
A good understanding of new concepts
Surprising maturity
A larger vocabulary than typical for age group
Enjoys solving puzzles
Talent for building models
Excellent comprehension of stories read or told to him
Second Grade through High School:
Reading
Very slow in acquiring reading skills. Reading is slow and awkward
Trouble reading unfamiliar words, often making wild guesses because he cannot sound out the word
Has a tough time sounding out unfamiliar words
Avoids reading out loud
Gets tripped up by word problems in math
School and Life
Trouble remembering dates, names, telephone numbers, random lists
Struggles to finish tests on time
Extreme difficulty learning a foreign language
Poor spelling
Messy handwriting
Low self-esteem that may not be immediately visible
Speaking
Searches for a specific word and ends up using vague language, such as “stuff” or “thing,” without naming the object
Pauses, hesitates, and/or uses lots of “um’s” when speaking
Confuses words that sound alike, such as saying “tornado” for “volcano,” substituting “lotion” for “ocean”
Mispronunciation of long, unfamiliar or complicated words
Seems to need extra time to respond to questions
Strengths
Excellent thinking skills: conceptualization, reasoning, imagination, abstraction
Learning that is accomplished best through meaning rather than rote memorization
Ability to get the “big picture”
A high level of understanding of what is read to him
The ability to read and to understand at a high level overlearned (or highly practiced) words in a special area of interest
Improvement as an area of interest becomes more specialized and focused—and a miniature vocabulary is developed that allows for reading in that subject area
A surprisingly sophisticated listening vocabulary
Excels in areas not dependent on reading, such as math, computers and visual arts, or in more conceptual (versus fact-driven) subjects, including philosophy, biology, social studies, neuroscience and creative writing
If you have questions or concerns regarding your child’s learning, please contact the school principal and/or literacy specialist. Another great parent resource would be to contact your school’s Student Services Parent Advisory Committee (SSPAC) representative.
LOSD Dyslexia Information and Resources: https://www.losdschools.org/Page/4772
(Source: http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/signs-of-dyslexia/ and www.understood.org)
Lake Oswego Ski Swap
The 47th Annual Lake Oswego Ski Swap
Saturday, Oct. 12
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lakeridge High School Cafeteria.
Consignment drop-off is 4-7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11.
Proceeds benefit the Lake Oswego and Lakeridge High School ski teams.
For more information, checkout our website: www.lakeoskiswap.com
Rose City Classic - Student Art Contest
Love dogs? Enjoy drawing, painting, or illustrating? Enter the Rose City Classic student art contest! Win prize money for you and your school. This year’s theme:
“Celebrating Dogs with Jobs!”
Dogs herd sheep, do police work, pull sleds, hunt, guard, and do so much more to help humans! For centuries, dogs have been used to do specialized jobs depending on where they first lived, the climate, and what humans needed help doing.
Submit art “celebrating dogs with jobs” today!
Open to all 1st-12th graders
Prize money for winners in each age group
A winning design printed t-shirts
Win $250 for your school’s art department!
Visit Facebook.com/RCCArtContest for information, prize list, & educational materials.
Contest is free to enter. One entry per student.
Make it a classroom project!
Mail art to: RCC Art Contest, 1445 NW 185th Ave., Aloha, OR 97006.
Deadline is December 15, 2019.
Multi-City Equity Summit – Saturday, Oct. 19
After months of planning, Lake Oswego School District, along with 12 partner organizations, is pleased to announce the inaugural Multi-City Equity Summit, to be held Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, from 8 a.m .- 4 p.m. The event is free, open to the public, and food and beverages will be provided throughout the day. Due to the limited space and for planning purposes, registration is required. Please register here.
Multi-City Equity Summit
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Lake Oswego High School
Get Social: Follow, Share, Engage
SafeOregon
Parents 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.)
Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
What's New at Community School?
The LOSD Community School offers enrichment and athletic programs, and activities for students of all ages including robotics, STEM, arts, language, and theater.
Lake Oswego School District
Email: info@loswego.k12.or.us
Website: https://www.losdschools.org
Location: 2455 Country Club Road, Lake Oswego, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 534-2000
Facebook: facebook.com/LOSDProud
Twitter: @LOSD_Proud
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