Message from the Superintendent
Making connections is what this week was all about, reminding us of one of the most important priorities in our schools: creating a culture of belonging. A sense of belonging is foundational to achieving educational excellence.
After three long years, we were finally able to bring all of our teachers and staff together for our kick-off meeting! There was one agenda item for this gathering -- connect and reconnect with each other and talk about how we will cultivate the same experience with our students. Our open houses this week helped get us started.
All of us are instrumental in creating a culture of belonging and it must be done with intention. As educators, we live with intentions every day. We plan, prepare, and practice to create meaningful and engaging lessons. And, we love, care for, and cherish our students and colleagues to create fantastic lifelong connections.
We are excited for the school year to begin. I look forward to connecting with you next week and all year long.
Tell Us What You Think: Smart Start Survey
Smart Start 2022 was a wonderful opportunity specifically for our students with 504s and IEPs, and their parents/guardians, to make introductions with their teachers and feel prepared for the start of school. The open house event is hosted every year and feedback about your experience is very helpful for our planning. Please share your input in Smart Start 2022 Survey. Feedback is appreciated by Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Be Sure to Review Bus Route and Stop Changes
In order to provide reliable, safe transportation service, we needed to streamline the bus routes and modify neighborhood access points/stops. Please review the routes updated 082522 or 082622 -- posted under Find It Fast / Transportation on school and district websites -- for changed stops and times and select the stop(s) that works best for your family.
Route changes include:
Hallinan -- routes 1, 2, and 3 (no route 4)
Forest Hills -- routes 19 and 20
Lake Grove - routes 21 and 24
Oak Creek - routes 26 and 27 (no route 25)
Palisades -- no changes
River Grove - routes 6, 7, and 8
Westridge -- routes 10 and 11 (no route 9)
Lake Oswego Middle - routes 17, 26, and 27 (no route 25)
Lake Oswego High - route 30
Lakeridge High -- no changes
Lakeridge Middle - routes 1, 2, 3, 10, and 11 (no route 4 or 9)
Walking zones. Bus service is for students who live more than 1 mile away from their resident elementary school and 1.5 miles away from their resident middle or high school. While buses may drive by your home, we cannot create stops closer to school due to the number of riders on the bus.
Neighborhood access points. Students may need to walk several blocks to their nearest stop and adults may be expected to accompany them to and from the stop if your neighborhood does not have pathways. Buses cannot stop at multiple homes.
Bus registration is not necessary. Routes and stops are designed based on historical patterns and current student residences. Elementary students may sit up to three to a seat, and secondary students up to two to a seat on our buses.
Help prepare your child to ride the bus. Select the stop(s) that works best for your family.
Visit your stop before school starts to familiarize your child with it.
Look for visual clues to help them identify when it is time to get off the bus.
On school days, please be at the stop ready, watching, and waiting 5 minutes prior to the stop time.
Primary student tags. During the first weeks of school, students in grades K-2 will be given luggage tags on their backpacks to help school staff, drivers, and students remember their routes and stops.
Kindergarteners need an adult to greet them off the bus. Bus drivers are obligated to return unattended kindergarteners to school for safekeeping. Please be sure to be at your child’s stop ahead of time to help keep the bus moving for all onboard.
Students in the PreK program require parent/guardian transportation. The program starts and ends 30 minutes later than the rest of the school.
Set Up For School Meals
The universal free meals waiver with USDA expired on June 30, 2022. That means starting this school year LOSD will be serving meals under the free, reduced, and paid categories.
We are able to provide free meals to more families using the Oregon Expanded Income Guidelines (EIG) this year. A family of four making $83,250 annually can now qualify for free meals compared to the USDA standard of $36,075. To set up your student's meal account or apply for free/reduced meals look for Meals under Find it Fast on district and school website homepages.
We are speeding up the lunch lines with new pinned/scanners at the point of sale (POS). Students can scan their ID barcode at the POS making it easy and fast to go through the lunch line. They can also use the pin-pad in case they forget or lose their ID badge.
- Secondary students can have the option of using the barcode on their Student ID card. They can also take a picture of it with their phone and use that picture at the POS. This is up to each school if they want to allow students to use their phones for this.
- Elementary students will be given a meal ID badge left in the classroom and used only when getting lunch.
Start School Next Week
Aug. 29: first day for students in grades 1-5, 6, and 9
Sept. 1: first day for all kindergarteners
Aug. 29-31: kindergarten orientation. Kindergartners have been invited to an orientation at their new schools on one of those three days. Parents/guardians should have an invitation from your principal for your student's orientation day.
Join Our Team! We're Hiring
LOSD has many classified job positions open. Classified employees perform essential work as support staff and paraprofessionals who help our schools succeed. In particular, we need educational assistants, special education assistants, medical education assistants, nutrition services specialists, substitutes, and more. Please consider applying today!
Come to the School Board Meeting Tuesday
Tuesday, August 30
Regular Session: 6:00 p.m.
Click here for the agenda posted on the district website
Palisades World Language 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 p.m. day of the meeting. IMPORTANT: Type “In-Person Testimony” in the subject line.
Apply for Your School Advisory Committee
Lake Oswego High
Lake Oswego Middle
Lakeridge Middle
Forest Hills Elementary
Hallinan Elementary
Lake Grove Elementary
Oak Creek Elementary
Palisades Elementary
River Grove Elementary
Please Verify Your Student's Info
Log into ParentVUE and access 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.
Get Your River Grove Keepsake Tile
Before construction began, we hired a professional photographer to capture and create keepsakes of artwork that had adorned the former River Grove Elementary School building. If you are interested in getting your keepsake tile, please go to www.losdschools.org/RG and scroll down to Trending Topics for the link to order your tile. Orders must be placed by August 31, 2022
Sign Up for Elementary Strings & Orchestra
Registration Open for LO Youth Cheer
For more details and registration please visit the Lake Oswego Community School website at Laker Youth Cheer Registration or contact Coach Danica Buttkus at danica.buttkus22@gmail.com
Community Level: Low
City of Lake Oswego Seeking Your Feedback
The City of Lake Oswego is asking for your feedback on a number of topics, including pickleball, pathways, and accessibility. Please weigh in on the City's surveys below:
- Share your preferences regarding pickleball play times, travel and parking, and programming by completing the pickleball survey by Thursday, August 25.
- Share your feedback on the 2022 Pathway Program sites (Boca Ratan, Douglas Way, Hallinan Street, Lanewood Street/Douglas Circle). Questionnaires are open until September 11.
- Comment on the City's draft ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan to Lake Oswego's facilities, programs, services, parks, and public right-of-way accessible to all. Share your feedback and comments through September!
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.)
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