Principal's Message 1.13.23
Dear Lake Grove Families,
We are back into our routines at Lake Grove! I love seeing everyone learning and having fun together as I spend time in classrooms.
This month our staff members are planning and collaborating as they work to bring the newly adopted literacy curriculum alive for your students. They are working hard to select learning tasks and assessments aligned to our standards that will link reading and writing skills in meaningful ways with the science, social studies and health content topics to keep kids engaged all day!
We have another team of teachers on the math adoption committee who have been testing lessons from three new curricula that we're exploring for next year. All three options look promising and we are excited about new ways to focus on problem-solving and skill applications while continuing prior mathematical practices we know to be critical for the classroom and beyond. I've included a list of the state's common core math initiatives below.
If you can't find what you need to know here, please feel free to email or call our office with questions.
Be kind,
Principal Jennie Knapp
Smart Watches Reminder
The use of electronic devices has the potential to compromise student privacy, safety, property, and academic success. These devices include, but are not limited to, smart watches, cell phones, headphones, airpods, and video game players. Students are expected to have their personal electronic devices off and put away during school hours. Devices need to be off and away in classrooms, hallways, and bathrooms. This also includes devices put into “school mode”. I’m sure you would agree that we want our teachers concentrating on teaching and learning and not monitoring the mode of student watches. School issued chromebooks and iPads are the only electronic devices needed at school. Personal computers/laptops are not allowed to be used at school.
We understand that there are times when a student needs to communicate with a parent/caregiver during the school day. They may come to the main office to call home. Parents/caregivers can also call the office at 503-534-2357 and a message can be delivered to your student. If students choose to bring an electronic device to school, they may secure it in their backpack. Lake Grove will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items.
It’s best to keep all non-school issued electronic devices at home. Thank you for understanding and cooperation.
Practice Skills at Home with i-Ready Personalized Instruction (My Path)
LOSD has been utilizing iReady as a benchmark assessment in fall, winter and spring to help us learn more about what we're teaching well and in what areas we need to improve. This year, students have also been spending some time practicing and learning new skills in math and reading on the instructional side of this platform as well. If your family is interested students have the option to engage in My Path from home.
To unlock i-Ready's full potential, students should access 45 minutes of instruction per subject (reading and math) per week. Each student's i-Ready Personalized Instruction (My Path) provides instruction at their individual level, allowing them to practice the skills they need to be successful.
If you have any questions about how to access i-Ready Personalized Instruction (My Path) on your student's device, please feel free to contact your teacher.
Registration for the 2023-2024 school year opens January 18th
Important Dates:
Kindergarten Information Night
January 18th 6-7 pm.
All resident elementary schools
Immersion Program Information Night
January 25th
Mandarin Chinese 6pm, Spanish 7 p.m.
Palisades World Language School
Online registration and more information can be found here
Car Lane Drop Off Update
1) Please use the bus if you are able.
2) If you drive, and are leaving our parking lot after the busses have left, you are encouraged to leave through the bus lane and exit on Boones Ferry. This will reduce the congestion on Douglas where our crossing guards are kept very busy.
3) If you must park in a neighborhood business lot, please only cross the street at designated crosswalks or with our crossing guards.
Thanks for your support.
Social Emotional Learning
Dear Lake Grove Families,
As we start the new year of 2023, we will be spending the month of January practicing the character trait of PERSEVERANCE in our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. The definition we will be using for Perseverance is: pushing yourself to work through challenges and obstacles.
A lot of research today is telling us that the highest indicators of success in our kids isn’t just about their grades or their IQ. The number one skill that helps people of all walks of life be successful is GRIT! Grit is the ability to persevere in the face of adversity or even failure.
Over the course of the month, we will talk about inspiring people who faced many failures before they found success. We will talk about what it means to navigate tough stuff, even when it feels overwhelming or really hard. We will talk about having a Growth Mindset; to see challenges and failure as an opportunity to grow instead of a brick wall. During my SEL time in each classroom we will also talk about anxiety and worries and how to push on through when things get tough.
One way to reinforce our teaching here at school is to let your child know it’s ok to not be perfect. Students are often expected to perform their best on everything from tests to playing on the sports field. Complimenting their effort, determination and good character places the focus on the process instead of the product.
Here are links for extension activities to explore PERSEVERANCE further as a family:
Kindergarten Perseverance Family Newsletter
1st Grade Perseverance Family Newsletter
2nd Grade Perseverance Family Newsletter
3rd Grade Perseverance Family Newsletter
4th Grade Perseverance family Newsletter
5th Grade Perseverance Family Newsletter
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns at postw@loswego.k12.or.us.
Sincerely,
Wendy Post
Lake Grove School Counselor
News from the District Nurses
What services does your school nurse provide?
School Nursing by Definition:
School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential. (Adopted by the NASN Board of Directors February 2017.)
Some of the services provided by your school nurses:
Provide first aid care and health assessment;
Write care plans and coordinate the care of students with chronic or acute health conditions;
Communicate with teachers and staff to ensure the safety and well-being of students;
Administer medications and monitor delegated medication administration;
Assist in the evaluation of students for Special Services (Special Education);
Coordinate and provide vision screenings and vaccination clinics;
Track and monitor immunizations and dental care and;
Educate and train staff on: asthma, life threatening allergies, diabetes, and blood borne pathogens.
If you would like to speak to your school nurse, click the link below for contact information.
First Annual Foundation Gala – Save the date!
This is an evening dedicated to our wonderful community and the amazing schools we support.
February Ski Bus Opportunity
Snoblasters is Mt. Hood Meadow's Consecutive Week lessons are a wonderful way to introduce your child to skiing or snowboarding or enhance their current skill level. The program runs 4 consecutive weeks and is a completely supervised program with 4 hours of ski/snowboard lessons each Sunday in February. This program is great for kids 1st-5th grade (6th grade and older, see the Trailblazers Consecutive Week program).
The bus will leave every Sunday in February from Lakeridge Middle School. Signup online at www.SkiHood.com for the 4 week package which includes chaperoned charter bus transportation, rentals/helmet and 4 hours of lessons with the talented and patient ski instructors at Mt. Hood Meadows.
Sign up here: https://www.skihood.com/lessons-and-rentals/consecutive-week-programs/youth-bus-programs
Sunday’s in February Snoblasters GO Code: 1020851; Trailblazer GO Code 1163297
Any questions reach out to Kristina Weischadle at LOSnoblasters@gmail.com or 503-964-9258
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.
New Application for School Volunteers - Please apply!
For the safety of children, volunteers are required to have an approved background check when volunteering in schools.
Volunteer Application for LOSD
Thank you for your service to our students and schools. We are grateful for our volunteers.
Safe Oregon
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.)
SAVE THE DATE!! APRIL 29, 2023 COUGAR NIGHT FUND RAISING EVENT! STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION.
GET INVOLVED! MANY WAYS TO VOLUNTEER AT LAKE GROVE
A new Google sheet captures all current volunteer opportunities at Lake Grove. Bookmark this tracking document so you can see the latest and greatest volunteer roles. PTA programs don’t happen without the generous support of volunteers. We welcome parents, guardians, aunts, uncles, grandparents and more!
Simply submit your volunteer application https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MjIwOTplbi1VUw== and join us at school once you’ve been approved! If you have any questions or need accommodations for the volunteer application, please contact Jennie Knapp at LGE: knappj@loswego.k12.or.us or John Parke with the district: parkej@loswego.k12.or.us.
Support volunteers needed for Drama Club & School Newspaper
Be a part of creating Lake Grove’s version of Charlie & the Chocolate Factory! This beloved story will come to life in our gymnasium in spring 2023. Together with Northwest Children’s Theater, the Lake Grove PTA will work with students grades 2-5 to produce the elementary school play. We need volunteers to make this successful! Tryouts will be hosted on a single day in late February and every interested student will find a role in the production. Rehearsals occur over the course of a single week in March. Please register your interest in a co-chair position, or general availability for helping out with Drama Club here. If you want more information about how Drama Club works, email lakegrovepta@gmail.com.
Audition date: Monday, February 27 after school
Rehearsal dates: Monday-Friday, March 6-10 after school
Performance dates: Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. & Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m.
Every child is a journalist! They are master investigators with interesting questions and super storytellers sharing tales! If you share a passion for journalism, please consider joining the Newspaper Club as a volunteer. From shooting photo essays to interviewing teachers, from reporting sports news to writing an Op-Ed, your guidance will help our Grovers learn about and enjoy the exciting world of journalism. This club will kick off on January 19 and is in need of a co-chair, as well as support volunteers. To support Newspaper Club, visit the SignUp Genius. Questions? Email lakegrovepta@gmail.com.
1st AND 4th GRADE FAMILIES: SIGN UP TO BRING AN ITEM FOR POTLUCK LUNCH
In January, February and March, our staff appreciation committee asks families to donate items for a monthly staff potluck lunch to thank LG employees for their dedication to our students. The first SignUp Genius is open for the potluck on January 19, which will be hosted by 1st and 4th grade families. Watch this space for sign-ups as the dates draw nearer; details will also be sent out by room parents. Please sign up and help us show our appreciation for the Lake Grove staff!
January 19: Taco Bar hosted by 1st and 4th grade families https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4EA5AB2CAAFA7-4th1st
February date tbd: lunch hosted by 2nd & 3rd Grade Families
March date tbd: lunch hosted by Kinder & 5th Grade Families
NEWSPAPER CLUB KICKOFF IN JANUARY; CHECK OUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
NEW LINK! Calling all creative Cougars, grades 3-5! Great Grover News is recruiting student staff members for the 2023 Spring/Summer edition. Reporters, writers, artists and future journalists are encouraged to apply and take part in creating content and covering events at Lake Grove Elementary School. All interested students must complete an application with support from a parent or guardian by 5 pm on Tuesday, January 17. Check out the application here https://tinyurl.com/b6au8mjv. Newspaper meetings will begin on Thursday, January 19, 2:00-3:00 pm at Lake Grove Elementary (Room TBA). Students will meet with Senior Editors and parent volunteers on some Thursdays throughout the rest of the school year, 2:00-3:00, at school.
A more detailed calendar with specific meeting dates for story gathering, story completion, editing, layout, digitizing, and printing will be made available after the first meeting. Parent volunteering is strongly encouraged. Thank you for making the Club possible! If you have any questions, please contact: lakegrovepta@gmail.com (subject line: Newspaper)
JOIN THE NUMBER NINJAS
NEW LINK! In Number Ninja, students will practice fundamental math facts through games and fun activities after school. The emphasis will be on building tenacity through reasoning and problem solving. Students will work at their math level individually and in small groups using specifically curated activity kits. Students who demonstrate engagement and progress will receive Number Ninja prizes. This is also a preparation opportunity for the students interested in various local and national math competitions.
If your student is interested, please sign up here https://tinyurl.com/mr2hahu2 by 5 pm on Friday, January 13. The first Club meeting is scheduled for Friday, January 20 from 2:45-3:45 pm at the Lake Grove Library. We will meet every Friday afternoon, 2:45-3:45 pm (except for no school days). The last meeting will be on Friday, June 9. Signup through the Google Form is REQUIRED for participating in the Club, and regular participation is expected once signing up. Parent volunteering is strongly encouraged. Thank you for making the Club possible! Any questions, please email lakegrovepta@gmail.com (subject line: Number Ninja).
VOLUNTEER WITH ART LIT
The Art Literacy training session for Beatrix Potter, artist #3 was recently recorded and can be viewed here. Additional information about Potter is available here with the password volunteer4loartlit.
Our 4th training session on the artist Mondrian will be held in the Lake Grove Elementary library on January 17 from 7-8:30pm. Please sign up for this and our final training session here.
To sign up to volunteer with Art Literacy, just visit this SignUp Genius and look for your student’s classroom, organized by teacher name and add your name to the list.
If you are new to Art Lit and want to better understand the program before you volunteer, contact Kim MacKay (kimtamura@gmail.com) to hear about the benefits of this program for our students and learn how you can help support art education.
Questions? Contact Kim MacKay (kimtamura@gmail.com).
Lake Grove Elementary
At Lake Grove, we are an inclusive school community fostering social, emotional, and academic growth for all students.
Principal: Jennie Knapp
Website: https://www.losdschools.org/lg
Location: 15777 Boones Ferry Road, Lake Oswego, OR, United States
Phone: 503-534-2357
