Message from the Superintendent
Shared leadership is one of the values of our school district. It means having all of us invested in our vision to inspire students to be critical thinkers who are socially responsible, globally conscious, and empowered to contribute positively in a complex world.
Now is a fitting time to highlight that value as our country celebrates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday. It is the only federal holiday designated by Congress as a national day of service, encouraging us to follow King's words: "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve."
In our learning community, many heed the call to provide meaningful change in our community through service. Some service meets a tangible need, such as organizing supply drives and helping distribute food and essentials at Hunger Fighters Food Pantry. Service also builds a sense of community and collective responsibility, such as participating in the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration hosted by many civic organizations at Lake Oswego High School.
In our schools this school year, more than 2,000 adults are signed up to volunteer. That is an incredible number of people sharing their time and talents. Service is empowering, and we a grateful for our volunteers. You are an integral part of our learning community.
Coretta Scott King said, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”
Keep doing good. Your positive contributions are felt in our community and beyond.
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, No School
Always celebrated on the third Monday in January, this federal holiday honors Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life and commitment to equality and unity.
All schools are closed this Monday, Jan. 16 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday.
LOJ Winners of Lions Peace Poster Contest
Congratulations Hudson Michael and Nivedya Nair, both seventh-graders at Lake Oswego Jr. High, for their creative and thoughtful entries in the 2022-23 Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Hudson won top honors at the club and district levels and Nivedya took first place a the club level.
This year's peace poster theme was, "Lead With Compassion". The annual contest is sponsored by Lake Oswego Lions Club and led by Art Teacher Debora Owen. Hudson, Nivedya, and their classmates in Ms. Owen's 2D Art class created the theme-related peace posters and submitted their entries. Congratulations on a wonderful showing!
New School Calendar Recommended
Make the first day of school for students the Tuesday immediately after Labor Day
Separate and schedule teachers’ professional development (PD) days for when students are typically not in school
First PD day the week prior to the first day of school
Second PD day on the Statewide Professional Inservice Day in October
Hold classes the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving Holiday
Adopt changes for school calendars for the 2023-24 and 2024-2025 school years
Evaluate in the fall of 2024 for possible adjustments for the 2025-2026 school year
Find the complete recommendation made at the school board meeting Tuesday, Jan. 10 on the website under School Board / Archived Meetings. Look for the video, and in the work session, part of the agenda click on item 3.0 to watch the presentation and listen to the discussion for more information.
Our learning community is encouraged to review the recommendation and provide feedback to the board. The final calendar will be decided at the board meeting on Monday, Feb. 6.
2023-24 School Year Registration
Registration for the 2023-24 school year will begin January 18, 2023, for new students who have never enrolled in Lake Oswego before and returning students who are not currently enrolled but will re-enroll for next year. LOSD is pleased to offer online registration through its parent portal, ParentVUE (contact your resident school for help with logging in). See the Registration & Verification page of the LOSD website for guidance. Parents/guardians do not need to register students for 2023-24 who are currently attending during the 2022-23 school year.
Kindergarten Counts Info Night Jan. 18
Mark your calendars for Kindergarten Counts Open Houses.
Wednesday, Jan. 18
6-7 p.m.
Forest Hills, Hallinan, Lake Grove, Oak Creek, River Grove, Westridge
Our neighborhood elementary schools are hosting the information night for parents/guardians of students entering kindergarten in the fall of 2023. Meet the principal, kindergarten teachers, and school leaders and learn more about our kindergarten program.
Kindergarten Counts is an hour-long adult event for parents to listen to presentations and ask questions. Children and families will have future opportunities to meet classmates and families at parent-hosted meet-and-greets during the spring and summer and school-organized orientations during the first week of school. If absolutely necessary, parents/guardians may bring their children to keep in their care.
New student registration opens that same day, January 18. Please visit the Registration page on the district website for more information about the registration process and deadlines.
Elementary Immersion Info Night Jan. 25
All are invited to the Elementary Immersion Program Information Night the week following Kindergarten Counts.
Wednesday, January. 25
Chinese Mandarin Immersion Information 6-6:45 p.m.
Spanish Immersion Information 7-7:45 p.m.
Palisades World Language School
Parents/guardians are welcome to attend both or either session of interest. First, register your student with your neighborhood elementary school before applying for the immersion program.
For the fall of 2023, Spanish Immersion is accepting applications for students entering kindergarten and Chinese Mandarin Immersion is accepting applications for students entering either kindergarten or first grade.
New student online registration opens on January 18. Please visit the Registration page on the district website for more information about the registration process and deadlines.
Budget Committee Seeking New Members
LOSD is currently accepting applications for an open position on the Legal Budget Committee. The Legal Budget Committee consists of members of the LO School Board and five citizen members who are charged with reviewing and approving the budget for the upcoming school year. Citizen members are appointed to three-year terms and typically meet three to four times in the spring.
Click here for an application or visit the district website, Business Services Department. Applications are due Feb. 2, by 4 p.m.
Help Support Lake Oswego Schools Levy
The Renew Lake Oswego Schools Levy campaign team is looking for volunteers to help support the upcoming Lake Oswego Schools Levy, which is up for renewal in the May 2023 election. As a renewal, Lake Oswego voters' approval of the local measure would not increase property tax rates.
The levy brings in 15% of LOSD's annual general operating fund, which equates to about 135 teaching positions. Needless to say, funding from the levy is critical to our way of school, providing the resources for class sizes, school days, program offerings, and instructional services and support.
There are many ways you can contribute to the campaign efforts. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact mary.kay.larson@loswego.k12.or.us!
Equitable Academic Outcomes Advisory Committee Meeting Rescheduled
The Equitable Academic Outcomes Advisory Committee Meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17, 5:30-7 p.m. All are welcome to observe the meeting. Advisory committee meetings are held in the LOSD Central Office Boardroom.
LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard
Community Level: Low
Pacer Dance Team Junior Clinic
Saturday, Feb. 18
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Lakeridge High School
Participants will learn a routine and perform together at the varsity boys' basketball game on Feb 21. Registration and details: www.lakeridgedance.com
LO Little League Baseball Registration
Registration is open for the Lake Oswego Little League Spring 2023 baseball season. Pre-K through 6th graders are welcome to register. Please visit www.lolittleleague.org/registration for more information.
LO Softball Registration Open
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a special community-wide celebration.
Sunday, Jan. 15
2 p.m.
Lake Oswego High School Auditorium
The event will feature D.J. Avelanche as M.C., a keynote address from Portland State University Professor with specializations in race, social movement, and gender Dr. Shirley Jackson, musical performances by premier male vocalist Alonzo Chadwick Sr., and artwork created by community members.
Find more information on the City of Lake Oswego Library website.
Lunar New Year Festival
Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the Lunar New Year Festival, Lake Oswego Public Library, Saturday, Jan. 28, 11:30 a.m,. - 4:00 p.m.
- 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Stop by the Children’s Library (lower level) to make red envelopes and hanging lanterns. Listen to a children’s story read in Chinese or Vietnamese, and learn the traditional way to fold a dumpling.
- 1:15 - 1:30 p.m. – On the main floor, children from Heart Strings Mandarin will offer a special performance of songs, dance, and poetry.
- 2:00 - 2:15 p.m. – Enjoy a spectacular lion dance performance by members of The White Lotus Dragon and Lion Dance.
- 2:25 - 4:00 p.m. – Head to the second floor for a Chinese ink painting demonstration by local artist Yanan Dai.
This festival was organized in collaboration with LO for LOve and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lake Oswego Public Library. Admission is free. The Lake Oswego Public Library is located at 706 Fourth Street, Lake Oswego.
Rotary SASEE Nominations Due Jan. 17
Hunger Fighters Food Pantry
Shop in hours:
- Wednesdays 5-7 p.m.
- Friday 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Sundays 3-5 p.m.
Learn more at hungerfightersoregon.org.
SafeOregon
Reach out to your principal with concerns 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. https://www.safeoregon.com/ Be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.
School Incident Reporting
LOSD Incident Reports are for students and adults to report incidents that occur in school. Incidents may be microaggressions, harassment or discrimination related to race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other aspect of identity. Find incident reports on each school's website under Find It Fast / Report an Incident.
Incidents may also be reported to an administrator, a trusted staff member, or anonymously to SafeOregon.com.
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