The Current
LOSD News • April 8, 2022
In this Message:
Message from the Superintendent
Promoting Autism Acceptance Month
Special Education Video Stars
LOSD CARES Touches Community
LOSD Safety Symposium Recording
School Board Meeting
DEIAC Meeting
Advisory Committee Applications Due April 15
Curriculum Adoption for Review
Get Tickets for Asian Cultural Festival April 16
LO Sustainability Resource Fair April 24
LOSD COVID-19 Information:
- Places to Access Vaccines
- Stay Home When Ill & Test for COVID-19
- OHA COVID-19 Exclusion Guidance
- Community Transition Level: Green
- LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard
Community:
Respond to Racism Event: Poetry in Action
Lakeridge Youth Football Spring Clinic Registration
Student Art on Display at Regional Show
LO Arbor Month Art Contest for Students
Soil Your Undies With OLWC
Childhood Immunization Clinic April 11
- What's New at Community School
- Hunger Fighters
- Clothing Closet
- Safe Oregon
- Get Social with LOSD
Message from the Superintendent
A lot is happening this spring, including preparation for next school year! In this month's video message, Dr. Jennifer Schiele talks about a few key developments. Click here to watch the 60-second message from the superintendent, filmed from one of the favorite photo spots at Uplands.
Promoting Autism Acceptance Month
Autism Acceptance Month, previously named Autism Awareness Month, in April aims to celebrate and promote acceptance for the condition that occurs in one in every 54 children in the United States, including many students in LOSD. We aim to promote acceptance, celebrate the differences, and be more inclusive towards autistic individuals around us. This week, a couple questions are answered to build understanding. Look for more questions and answers in The Current throughout the month.
What is autism? Autism is a neurological and developmental variation that affects how Autistic people think, communicate, and experience the world. A lot of people know about Autism, but the only real experts are autistic people. Jim Sinclair, an autistic self-advocate and leader in the disability justice movement, described Autism in this way: “Autism is a way of being. It is pervasive; it colors every experience, every sensation, perception, thought, emotion, and encounter, every aspect of existence.”
What is neurodiversity and neurodivergence? According to Autistic Self-Advocate Dr. Nick Walker, neurodiversity is the diversity of human minds, and includes both neurotypical and neurodivergent brains. Neurodivergent people are those whose minds think, learn, and experience the world in a different, yet equally valid, way. This includes autism, ADHD, mental illness, epilepsy, and others.
Special Education Video Stars
Please click here to watch the 3-minute video, which is being shown on our Careers page and at job fairs. If you know of anyone interested in making an impact in the lives of others, please be sure to refer them to LOSD!
LOSD CARES Touches Community
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, the LOSD team hosts these workshops to support, inform and empower families on issues surrounding mental health.
This week's LOSD CARES workshop was very well attended and even better received! "Having Hope During Hard Times: Tools for Families to Buffer Stressors" featured Mandy Davis, Clinical Director of Trauma Informed Oregon at Portland State. Click here for a recording of the hour-long workshop; presentation slides are on the district site under LOSD CARES.
Safety Symposium Recording
Lake Oswego parents/guardians, students and residents attended the first annual LOSD K-12 Safety Symposium this past week. Thank you to our expert presenters and to all who made it to the session. If you missed the live event, click here for a recording of the experts presenting safety issues concerning our community, including:
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How the Brain Develops, Dr. James Sanders, Psychologist, Lake Oswego School District
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Drugs & Alcohol Impacts on Adolescents, Dr. Kim Wollmuth, Pediatrician, The Children’s Clinic
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Fentanyl Crisis, Chad Lindsly, Special Agent, Homeland Security
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Firearm Safety and Secure Storage Heather Wick, Megan Busbee, Tom O’Connor, and Paul Kemp, BeSMART and GOFRO
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Digital Media Safety, School Resource Officer Bryan Sheldon, Lake Oswego Police Department
Click here for a copy of the event's program, with presentation summaries, presenters' bios, and QR codes to more information.
School Board Meeting
Monday, Apr. 11
Executive Session: 5 p.m.
Regular Session: immediately following exec. session at approx. 6 p.m.
Click here for the agenda posted on district website
Hallinan Elementary School
The Lake Oswego School Board meetings are being held in person and are open to the public. In-person attendance is limited to those who occupy available seating first and observe meeting guidelines for conduct. Doors will open approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the public session. All may 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.
DEIAC Meeting
Tuesday, April 12
6-7:30 p.m.
See district calendar for meeting access.
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. Thank you in advance for your service!
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.
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!
Lakeridge Middle School Presents Matilda Jr.
May 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21
All dates have shows at 7:30 p.m.; Matinee May 14 at 1 p.m.
Lakeridge Middle School
Stay Home When Ill & Test for COVID-19
If your student experiences any of the following symptoms, please have them stay home, and contact their school office or district nurse about possible exclusion from school and COVID-19 testing.
Primary COVID-19 symptoms: • Cough • Temperature of 100.4 degrees F. or higher or chills • Shortness of breath or Difficulty breathing • New loss of taste or smell
Non-primary COVID-19 symptoms: • Fatigue • Muscle or body aches • Headache • Sore throat • Nasal congestion or runny nose • Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea
Resources:
You may obtain free Covid-19 at-home test kits at Covidtests.gov.
Vaccination remains the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19 and reduces spread of the disease. Find a vaccine appointment for ages 5 and older at Get Vaccinated Oregon.
Please Keep Ill Students Out of School guide for communicable disease symptoms.
Covid-19 Exclusion Summary Guidance for K-12 chart (see image below)
Click here for LOSD nurse contact 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.
Respond to Racism Event: Poetry in Action
Please join Respond to Racism for an evening of poetry, storytelling, and community dialogue. The guest speaker is Serena Yang, poet, writer, and activist. Serena Yang is the 2021 New York City (NYC) Youth Poet Laureate, and a National Youth Poet Laureate finalist.
Mon, Apr. 11
6:30– 8:30 p.m.
Click here to register; Zoom info will be emailed to those who sign up
Respond to Racism is pleased to host this event in concert with LO Reads 2022, the community-wide reading and discussion of How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang.
Lakeridge Youth Football Spring Clinic Registration
Lakeridge Youth Football is thrilled to again work with Head Varsity Football Coach Spencer Phillips to offer a fun and worthwhile football training experience this spring. Please click here to register; be sure to sign up your athlete for the grade they will enter in fall 2022.
Student Art on Display at Regional Show
Many art pieces created by our Lake Oswego and Lakeridge Middle and High School students are 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
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.
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
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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