The Current
LOSD News • Aug. 27, 2021
In this Message:
Message from the Superintendent
First Day of School Next Week
Health & Safety Protocols
Updated Bus Routes Coming Sunday
LOJ Wins Top Award in Architecture Competition
Beginning Strings Information Night Sept. 1
Meals Are Free, Updated Breakfast Routine
School Board Meeting
Regular Reminders:
- Verify Student Info
- Vaccination Sites Near Us
- What's New at Community School
- Hunger Fighters
- Clothing Closet
- Safe Oregon
- Get Social with LOSD
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Message from the Superintendent
Is it Monday yet? Not something we hear very often but this coming Monday is exceptionally special for so many of us. Next Monday, and Tuesday, we welcome students back to our schools full time, in person. It’s been a long time coming and we in LOSD can’t wait!
We are ready. This past week we welcomed back all of our teachers and staff in preparing for full time, in person instruction. Educators choose to be in the school system to care for kids and collaborate with fellow educators. As we come back together, more than ever, our focus is on creating connections as we rekindle joy and learning in our classrooms, auditoriums, gymnasiums, stadiums and playgrounds. A preview of that joy was felt this week at Smart Start, meet and greets, supply drop offs and registrations at our schools.
Of course, we are looking forward to getting back and staying back in school. We have honed our mitigation strategies to help minimize the spread and exposure to COVID-19. Since last fall, when LOSD started with limited in person instruction, we have had a lot of practice with many of the strategies -- masks, distancing, cohorts, ventilation, disinfecting, communicable disease and outbreak protocols, and we have developed plans for new dynamics including meal times, recess and activities. We are asking our families and community to take the necessary precautions outside of school to help ensure the health and safety of all in our community, because we want each and every student to be able to attend five full days of school each and every week.
I look forward to seeing our students in the days and weeks to come, starting with this Monday!
First Day of School
Tuesday, Aug. 31 is the first day of school for all LOSD students in grades 7-8 and 10-12, and the second day of school for all other grades.
For school schedules, please visit the district website or click here.
Health & Safety Protocols
LOSD is working with OHSU to facilitate an COVID-19 screening test program. The program will be voluntary and administered at home. We anticipate having more information on this program in the coming week.
Updated Bus Routes Coming Sunday
Bus routes and shuttle stops are in review and some routes and stops will be updated. Updates will be made available on Sunday, Aug. 29, by 12 noon. Families will be notified via text and email when the updates are posted.
Due to shortages of bus operators locally and nationally, bus routes have been consolidated and stops are different than in years past.
All students who need transportation to school should plan to access the bus at a stop most convenient. There is no need to register for the bus at this time. Please note, parents-guardians should prepare their students for the bus:
Write down and give your student the bus route number and street names of the specific stop
Visit the stop ahead of time, or walk with them to and from the stop on the first few days, and point out visual queues so riders know which stop to depart
Thank you for your help in getting students ready to ride the bus.
LOJ Students Win Top Award in Architecture Competition
Lake Oswego Middle School's team of young innovative architects “wowed” the Association for Learning Environments (a4le) international jury of this month and took home the top award, “The Award of Excellence” for their Highlands Middle School project.
The team -- Elliott Choi, Adam Abdelrahman, Mario Welliver, and Max Wu -- worked relentlessly on their school of the future for the past 12 months. From imagining the future student through a short story, “A Day In the Life of…,” to researching existing and conceptualizing new green energies for sustainability, understanding best practices for students, to using UX design processes, this team created an exciting vision of the future.
They are most proud of their “Riverwalk Atrium” and “Commerce Lounge.” The atrium was designed for students to collaborate, relax, and socialize while being surrounded by the sounds of running water and green gardens. The “Commerce Lounge,” inspired by the Seattle Farmers Market, was designed to bring community experts in to share their knowledge of professions with students while giving students a place to run businesses that use student-created products/services and school currency in a market-style environment.
Their winning project will be featured at the a4le national convention in October. A4le brings together all professionals responsible for imagining, designing and building educational facilities. The SchoolsNEXT competition sponsored by a4le challenges middle and high school students to design and model a school of the future with "sustainable and resilient learning spaces that encourage innovation, critical thinking and collaboration."
Beginning Strings Information Night Sept. 1
Wednesday, Sept. 1
7 p.m.
Uplands Site, 2055 Wembley Park Road
The LOSD Beginning Strings Program is an after school program for students in grades 4 and 5 during the 2021-2022 school year who have no previous playing experience on an orchestral string instrument. Students will select and learn to play either the violin, viola, cello or upright bass after school in a group format three days per week. When students move up to orchestra in middle and high school, the orchestra class will occur during the school day.
For more information and to register, please visit Extended Programs on the district site or click here.
Meals Are Free, Updated Breakfast Routine
This school year LOSD is offering breakfast and lunch meals (one breakfast and one lunch per student per day) at no charge to all students who wish to participate in our meal program.
New: At our elementary schools, breakfast to-go meals will be provided at the end of the day for students to take home. The teacher will take lunch counts at the beginning of the school day and lunches will be delivered to the classrooms.
At middle and high schools students can eat their breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon in their school cafeterias. Breakfast and lunch meals will offer healthy, tasty entrees and fresh fruits and vegetables with a seasonal rotation of local farm produce and organic products when available. “A la carte” sales will be paused at the beginning of the school year with the plan to start within a few weeks.
School Board Meeting
Tuesday, Aug. 31
Regular Session -- 6 p.m.
Click here for the agenda posted on district website
Lake Oswego School Board meetings are being held in person. Board members, staff, invited guests, and members of the community signed up and confirmed to give in-person testimony are able to attend the meeting in person. All are welcome to observe the public session remotely by clicking here.
Board members take both written and in-person testimony. Click here for instructions for members of the public who wish to provide in-person testimony. Submit an email to the Board secretary kelli.cranston@loswego.k12.or.us by 12:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. IMPORTANT: Type “In-Person Testimony” in the subject line.
Verify Student Info Before Returning to School
LOSD needs parents-guardians of all students enrolled for the 2021-22 school year to log into ParentVUE and review/update your students' information through the Register/Verify tab.
If you have forgotten your ParentVUE password, go to the login page, click "I am a Parent," then click "Forgot Password." If you are unsure whether you have a ParentVUE account, contact your student's school. For assistance with the verification process, refer to the user guide on the LOSD website or contact your student's school.
Vaccination Sites Near Us
All three COVID-19 vaccines are available at the following locations in Lake Oswego:
Lake Oswego Fire Department Station 214 (300 B Ave.) - email lgordon@ci.oswego.or.us for an appointment. First/second shots only.
Northwest Medical Clinic (9 Centerpointe Dr. A) - call (503) 352-5410
Check with our local pharmacies; walk-in and appointments available
Please click here to find additional vaccination sites near you.
What's New at Community School?
The LOSD Community School is offering virtual enrichment programs and activities for students of all ages including culinary, STEM, arts, language, and athletics.
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.)
Get Social: Follow, Share, Engage
Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.
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/weareLOSD
Twitter: @weareLOSD
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