The Current
LOSD News • November 19, 2021
In this Message:
Message from the Superintendent
Thanksgiving Break
School Closure Procedures
LOSD COVID-19 Information
- LOSD-LOFD COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for Children Ages 5-11
- Quarantine Protocols: Who is Contacted
- What to Know About LOSD Dashboard
- Practice Compassion and Understanding
School Board Meeting Tuesday, Nov. 30
Rotary's SASEE Award Nominations Open
Black Student Mentorship Program
Last Call! School Musicals Last Performances This Saturday
Community News
- Lake Oswego's Annual Tree Lighting Festival
- What's New at Community School
- Hunger Fighters Open
- Clothing Closet
- Safe Oregon
- Get Social with LOSD
Message from the Superintendent
I hope that you find many things to be grateful for during this season, and always. Have a very wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Break
Students have off all next week, November 22-26, for Thanksgiving break. Teachers and staff will be participating in professional development sessions on Monday and Tuesday as part of LOSD's annual PD November event. These two days of training help continuously improve our practices.
School Closure Procedures
Power outages, severe weather, or other conditions may require schools to cancel classes, start late, or close early.
Last Friday, LOSD had to close four of our sites due to a transformer issue that caused a power outage in part of the city. PGE informed LOSD that it did not expect power to be restored until after 12 noon. Gloomy skies made inside schools very dark and unsafe for an extended period of time, so the decision was made to close affected sites for the day.
The process for deciding whether to close schools, extended care, and activities is based upon our first priority—student safety. We want students in schools for instruction and are mindful of the inconvenience that working parents must manage when we are closed.
When schools must close early during the school day, every effort is made to provide parents with as much warning as possible. You will be notified immediately via phone, text, email, and LOSD Mobile App, as well as possibly website, social media and news media.
What to Expect with Snow and Ice
If severe weather is forecasted, in most circumstances, the decision to cancel classes or start late will not be made the night before, but will be made before 6:20 a.m. on the day of the weather event.
In the event of inclement weather, school remains in session if the majority of our students can travel safely. Because of the varied topography in Lake Oswego, hazardous conditions occasionally may exist in a limited area while roads in the remainder of the district are safe for travel. If parents believe conditions in their area make it unsafe for students to travel to school, LOSD will support their decision to keep their children at home.
Save the Dates: LOSD-LOFD COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for Children Ages 5-11
LOSD and the Lake Oswego Fire Department are planning vaccine clinics for children ages 5-11 on Saturday, Dec. 11 and (second shots) Saturday, Jan. 8, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. When the amount of vaccine supplies is confirmed, families will be notified to sign up for an appointment.
In the meantime, we highly recommend seeking an appointment with your pediatrician or other providers in the area. Appointments are filling up fast -- keep checking as openings are updated as providers get more vaccine supply.
Click here for the Oregon Health Authority Vaccine Finder
Quarantine Protocols: Who is Contacted
Quarantine is what a person who is considered a close contact of someone with COVID-19 must do. When a person diagnosed with COVID-19 notifies LOSD, district nurses work with staff and public health to conduct contact tracing to identify close contacts and to confirm quarantine requirements. Only individuals who need to quarantine are contacted directly; those considered exempt are not contacted.
Following is an overview of quarantine requirements and exemptions:
- A close contact is a person who has been within 6 feet of someone who has covid for 15 or more cumulative minutes within 24 hours.
- Unvaccinated students and adults do need to quarantine if they have been a close contact to someone with COVID-19. (See new ODE/OHA quarantine guidance update)
- Exempt from quarantine: Vaccinated students and adults do not have to quarantine if they have been a close contact to someone with COVID-19.
- Exempt from quarantine: Unvaccinated students who are confirmed to be at least 3 feet away from an infected student in the classroom with both students consistently wearing masks.
- Exempt from quarantine: K-12 outdoor setting (e.g. recess, outdoor class), students who were within 6 feet of an infected student where both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of well-fitting masks. This exemption does not apply to exposure during school athletics. This exemption does not apply to adults.
- Exempt from quarantine: Students and adults who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days do not have to quarantine.
What to Know About LOSD Dashboard
New cases of COVID-19 are communicated through the LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard. What to know about the LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard:
As soon as LOSD nurses are notified by the person diagnosed with COVID-19, or their guardian, our response protocol is initiated and the dashboard is updated.
When a case’s 10-day infectious period begins depends on several variables, including the first day of symptoms and/or the day tested.
An active case is in the active column of the dashboard for the case's 10-day active period; that may end 4-5 days from when posted on the dashboard, depending on when LOSD is notified.
The dashboard counts cases with school exposures. If a person tests positive but they were not at school or engaged in school-related activities during their infectious period, they are not counted on the dashboard.
All cases, regardless of school exposure, are required to be isolated and their close contacts quarantined (unless they are exempt).
Practice Compassion and Understanding
Unfortunately, we receive reports of people diagnosed with COVID-19 who are bullied and harassed, which is unacceptable. Our nurses and staff work diligently to protect the privacy of all involved, our counselors surround those affected with support, and our administrators address all allegations seriously.
It’s understood that learning of cases of COVID-19 in our community may foster feelings of concern, fear, and disappointment, and that people may look for someone to blame for the impacts of COVID-19 on their lives. The pandemic has affected all of us in many apparent and unrecognizable ways, and the stress of the pandemic continues to weigh heavily as we try to resume a sense of normalcy.
Instead of seeking someone to blame, please try to be mindful of your words and actions and be intentional in practicing compassion and understanding.
School Board Meeting Tuesday, Nov. 30
Tuesday, Nov. 30
Regular Session -- 6 p.m.
Click here for the agenda posted on district website
LOSD Administration Building
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.
Rotary's SASEE Award Nominations Open
The Rotary Club of Lake Oswego is seeking nominees for the 2022 SASEE Awards, which honor service above self in educational excellence. View the new SASEE Awards Highlights promotional trailer!
Do you know an educator, support staff member, student or citizen who demonstrates a commitment to education through work, projects and activities that emphasize "service above self?" LO Rotary Club wants to recognize and support the people who make education in Lake Oswego exceptional. Click here to submit your nomination.
The Rotary Club awards thousands of dollars in cash and scholarships in several SASEE categories. In each case, SASEE Award recipients have the opportunity to “pay it forward” by passing their monetary award on to their school or project.
- Teachers, administrators and support staff: $1,000 for their school or project
- Students: $1,000 for their school or project
- Citizens: $2,500 scholarships awarded in their names to students who also demonstrate "service above self"
Black Student Mentorship Program
Lake Oswego's Annual Tree Lighting Festival
Students in our high school acapella choirs -- Lake Oswego's Windjammers and Lakeridge's Company -- will be performing at the festival.
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.
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
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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