The Current
LOSD News • December 3, 2021
In this Message:
Message from the Superintendent
LOJ Lions Club Peace Poster Contest Winners
Welcoming Back Volunteers into Classrooms
Curriculum Adoption
Safety Reminders for Emergency Situations
Suicide Prevention: Someone To Talk With
LOSD COVID-19 Information
- Appointments Opening Tuesday, Dec. 7 for Vaccine Clinics for Children Ages 5-11
- How to Hold Your Child During Vaccination
- Updated Face Covering Protocols
Oregon State Assessment Opt-Out Form
Recognition Opportunity for Oregon Educators
Rotary's SASEE Award Nominations Open
You're Invited to Lakeridge Movie Night
Regular Reminders:
- What's New at Community School
- Hunger Fighters Open
- Clothing Closet
- Safe Oregon
- Get Social with LOSD
Message from the Superintendent
We in LOSD are deeply saddened to hear of the school shooting that took place in Oakland County, Michigan. We share our sincerest sympathies with those impacted.
Unfortunately, these events are all too commonplace and are a significant reason why LOSD is committed to promoting health and resiliency and creating a culture of belonging in our learning community. During this past Monday’s school board meeting, we discussed adopting a new policy to keep guns off school property, introducing new literature that helps us understand and appreciate each other more, and sharing new information about our district-wide wellness initiatives.
Data from our YouthTruth and Healthy Teens surveys, as well as feedback about stress reported by our middle and high school students, demonstrates a need to focus keenly on stress and anxiety management and suicide prevention. Essential wellness work to support the whole child academically, physically, and emotionally is prioritized by our staff and student leaders. We are fortunate to have the dedicated expertise of our school counselors, social workers, behavioral specialists, and psychologists, and we are grateful for our families’ partnership and support.
This time of year can be very difficult for so many, which makes all of our awareness of such concerns even more critical. We share responsibility in looking after our students, and each other. LOSD is committed to making our new social-emotional learning curriculum integral to our learning community, as well as offering more QPR Suicide Prevention Training, LOSD CARES Wellness Workshops, and many other resources for our families.
Always, if you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a caring adult in our schools or access any one of the resources listed in this edition of the newsletter and on our website. We are here to help, and will continue putting our community’s safety and wellbeing at the forefront of our work.
LOJ Lions Club Peace Poster Contest Winners
Lake Oswego Junior High eighth graders Collin Hanada and Kanon Fuller, art students of Debra Owen, created the winning entries for the 2021 Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest. Both students are recognized at the Lake Oswego Club Level, with Collin's poster moving on to represent the club at the national level.
For more than three decades, Lions Clubs around the globe have been sponsoring the art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity.
Eighth grader Cheng Qiao was also acknowledged. His poster was a favorite with the LO Lions Club, but unfortunately he was too old to enter the contest. Instead, he helped Collin by allowing him to borrow his fancy copic markers, encouraging and giving tips along the way.
Please join us in congratulating Collin, Kanon, and Cheng , and thanking Debora for fostering a love of art and higher level thinking with our students.
Welcoming Back Volunteers into Classrooms
All of our schools are excited to welcome back volunteers into our classrooms beginning in January! Volunteers and special guests are an integral part of our learning community and we look forward to reconnecting through service and support.
To make sure we are able to continue successful in-person instruction, we plan to introduce volunteers gradually to allow us to monitor possible transmission, adjust practices, and provide time to verify district volunteer requirements.
Elementary schools will start with kindergarten class volunteers beginning the week of January 10, and add more groups and grade levels in the coming weeks. The Art Literacy committee is organizing materials to launch in February. Please contact your school's Parent Club President or Art Lit Coordinator if you are interested in volunteering -- the program can always use more helping hands!
Secondary school principals will work with teachers, staff and parent club leaders to begin introducing more volunteers and guests into our schools.
Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers need to verify the following requirements before volunteering in schools:
Complete background check through school Raptor system
Sign a Statement of Knowledge and Understanding of LOSD Policies
Show Proof of Vaccination. LOSD will not be granting exemptions for volunteers due to requirements of weekly testing and distancing.
Please be on the lookout for the required forms from your schools. Each school office will need to maintain its own records of the volunteer requirement checklist. For privacy, parents-guardians will need to verify each requirement has been met for each school you attend.
Curriculum Adoption
Thank you for your recent feedback on the Language Arts Curriculum/Materials Adoption. It is important that we hear from parents and students on our current curriculum and instruction in order to continue providing rich resources for our teachers and students.
Instructional materials used in LOSD need to reflect the most current information and research and be aligned to academic content standards. To this end, instructional materials are subject, by law, to a review process and must meet established specifications and criteria in order to be approved by the State Board of Education for use in classrooms. LOSD follows the Oregon Department of Education adoption schedule, which looks at each content area every seven years. Parents and students are always involved with the process by providing feedback during the selection process. Here is a calendar of the upcoming adoption cycles:
- 2022: English Language Arts
- 2023: Mathematics
- 2024: Science
- 2025: Health & Physical Education
- 2026: Social Sciences
- 2027: World Languages & The Arts
Safety Reminders for Emergency Situations
It’s time to remind our learning community about the precautions, procedures and notification methods we have in place to deal with emergency situations.
Students are encouraged to share with a trusted adult any information that is concerning to them. Though information may be incomplete or turn out to be just a rumor, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. Students also can make an anonymous report to Safe Oregon, either by calling, texting or emailing. Parents-guardians, please reiterate to your children: if something doesn't feel right, tell someone.
We conduct a number of joint drills with law enforcement and emergency service providers on how we would respond if an emergency incident took place in Lake Oswego. We have plans and procedures in place to halt the incident as quickly as possible and keep students and staff safe, while initiating an off-site parent reunification procedure so families can be reconnected with their children in a safe and orderly manner.
We use a variety of communication channels to inform our students, staff, families and community if a serious safety incident were to occur at one of our schools. We have the ability to send out urgent alerts via phone, text, email and app notification to individual school communities or the entire district. Depending on the nature of the incident, we also post safety alerts in a pop-up window on the district website. Information also may be communicated through our media partners and on social media.
You may find more detailed information on the website under Safety & Security. Thank you all for your partnership in keeping our schools as safe as possible.
Suicide Prevention: Someone To Talk With
You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference. Everyone can play a role in suicide prevention in our community. Staying connected, being a good listener, and having meaningful conversations is something we can all do. If you notice someone who might be struggling - start a conversation. Asking, "Are you okay?" can open a dialogue. And, if all is well, that person will know you’re someone who cares enough to ask. Together we can offer help... and hope.
If you or someone you know is experience suicide ideation or self harm, there are a number of ways to get help. In LOSD, our school counselors, social workers and psychologists are here for our students and families. Please call your school if you need to talk with someone. Additionally, there are many local and national resources available at all hours of the day:
Clackamas County Crisis Line: 503-655-8585
Youth Crisis Line: Call 1-877-968-8491 or text TEEN2TEEN to 839863
Senior Loneliness Line: 503-200-1633
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 press #1
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
The Trevor Project Suicide Prevention Lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people ages 13 to 24 years: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386)
Trans Lifeline’s Peer Support Hotline: 877-565-8860
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Appointments Opening Tuesday, Dec. 7 for Vaccine Clinics for Children Ages 5-11
LOSD and the Lake Oswego Fire Department are hosting pediatric vaccine clinics on Saturday, Dec. 11 and (second doses) Saturday, Jan. 8, at Uplands Elementary from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
The FREE COVID-19 vaccinations are for children ages 5-11 by appointment only. We will have enough vaccine supplies for 230 appointments; the limited number of spots will fill up within minutes. Be on the lookout for a text and email from LOSD with the appointment flyer being distributed Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m.
- The flyer will come with a location code specific to this event. Be sure to “apply” the code.
- After you apply the code, you will be able to select the location.
- You will not receive any sort of indication that anything happened after you hit apply, but the date and location will be visible in the drop down list.
Please note, if you receive an appointment for December 11, you automatically will be reserved for your second dose on January 8 at the same appointment time.
In the meantime, we highly recommend seeking an appointment with your pediatrician or other providers in the area. Appointments fill up fast -- keep checking as openings are updated as providers get more vaccine supply.
Click here for the Oregon Health Authority Vaccine Finder
How to Hold Your Child During Vaccination
Updated Face Covering Protocols
Following recent announcements that the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has updated its guidance for K12 schools, LOSD is implementing a change to our face covering protocol. We are continuously monitoring the status of the virus, and we will make changes when allowed that support the health and wellbeing of our learning community and ensure successful in-person instruction. Thank you, as always, for remaining flexible and willing to pivot.
Outdoor Face Coverings
In LOSD, following are our new face covering protocols:
Students and staff in our secondary-level schools (Grades 6-12) will no longer be required to wear face coverings while outdoors, effective Wednesday, Dec. 1.
Students and staff in our elementary schools (Grades K-5) will be required to continue wearing masks outdoors until Winter Break; wearing face coverings outdoors will no longer be required after Winter Break, effective Monday, Jan.
All people on elementary school grounds during the school day will need to continue wearing face coverings for the next few weeks. Come January 3, when we lift our outdoor face-covering requirement, face-coverings will be optional when outdoors on school grounds during the school day, including for parents-guardians during drop off and pick up.
For individuals who are not fully vaccinated, face coverings are highly recommended outdoors.
Face coverings will be an option outdoors for individuals who choose to wear them.
Per the unchanged state mandate, face coverings will remain required indoors, with exceptions for indoor activities as defined by the Oregon School Activities Association.
OHA reviews data regularly to determine the need for face coverings. As COVID-19 rates increase or decrease in Oregon, decisions to relax or tighten statewide face covering requirements may be made.
Oregon State Assessment Opt-Out Form
State law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the State Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of the math and English Language Arts assessments for the current school year. Should you wish to opt out your child, fill out the form and submit it to the main office at your child’s school. Please note the submission deadlines listed on the form. Meeting the deadline will help the school with planning and preparation. If you wish your child not to participate in the science assessment for grades 5, 8, and 11, submit this request in writing to the principal of your child's school.
If you have questions or want more information about state assessments, please contact your child’s principal or teacher(s).
Click here for opt-out form for Math and English Language Arts.
Recognition Opportunity for Oregon Educators
LifeChanger of the Year is a national recognition program that honors K-12 public school educators and employees annually. Through Sunday, December 31, every K-12 school employee nominated for LifeChanger of the Year will receive:
- A $25 donation in their name to an education nonprofit (learn more)
- A holiday card personalized with a message from their nominator
- A congratulatory poster and certificate mailed to their school
- Automatic eligibility to win one of our 18 awards and cash prizes up to $10,000
Nominations are completely free and can be done anonymously if preferred. Anyone can nominate a K-12 school or district employee online.
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"
You're Invited to Lakeridge Movie Night
Saturday, Dec. 4
Elf at 6:30 p.m. for family and children
Christmas Vacation at 8:45 p.m. for teens
Lakeridge Auditorium
Tickets are $5 at the door. All proceeds support the Lakeridge Senior Class graduation. The event is hosted by Lakeridge students.
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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