The Current

Message from the Superintendent

You're Invited: Open House for New LOJ Plans

Award-Winning Documentary Viewing Today

Encourage Students to Read for a Good Cause this Winter Break

Consider Serving on LO School Board

Chinese Immersion Registration Opens Soon

Receiving Emergency Voice and Text Messages

Contact Special Education Representatives

Health Information:

• Sign Up for HERO Kids Registry
• Medical Guidance from Health Authorities
• LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard
  
• Community Level: Low

After-School Programs

• LO Softball Registration Open
• Register for Winter Little Hoopers Basketball Now

Community Reminders:

• Annual SASEE Awards: Call for Nominations
  

Regular Reminders:

• What's New at Community School
  
• Hunger Fighters Oregon
• Safe Oregon
  
• School Incident Reporting
  
• Get Social with LOSD

Celebration, reflection, and resolution are the themes of Dr. Jennifer Schiele's end-of-the-year video message below. As part of this year's series of filming from different departments that support our school district, this month's video was filmed from the not-so-glamorous but so hard-working Computer Networking Service (CNS) office. We are very grateful for all that our CNS team does to keep us connected!

All are invited to the open house to review the new Lake Oswego Middle School plans.

Saturday, Dec. 10

10-11 a.m.

Lake Oswego Junior High

We look forward to sharing the plans developed in collaboration with our design advisory team and feedback from students, staff, families, and neighbors. The new school will be open in the 2025-2026 school year. Construction of the new school building is funded by the bond measure approved by Lake Oswego voters. Thank you!

LOSD’s first-annual Winter Break Read-A-Thon is a fun new program developed by our high school students. Elementary students will learn about it during their school library time this coming week. Watch this darling video to learn more.

All in our community are invited to get involved. Encourage reading and support students all for a good cause! Financial donations will go to our Lake Oswego Public Library and SMART Reading, an Oregon-based organization that provides access to books and reading sessions to students in need.

The Lake Oswego High School Sustainability Class and Green Team are hosting a FREE screening of the National Geographic 2022 documentary "The Territory."

Friday, Dec. 9

3:45 p.m. Screening of the film

5:30 p.m. Discussion led by Oswego Lake Watershed Council

Lake Oswego High School auditorium

Please RSVP here by Wednesday, Dec. 7.

"The Territory" provides an immersive on-the-ground look at the tireless fight of the Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people against the encroaching deforestation brought by farmers and illegal settlers in the Brazilian Amazon. Before the film, World History and Geography and Native/First Nations Heritage Club students will share a brief history of Brazil and the connections between indigenous peoples in the United States and globally. Following the screening, participants are invited to the cafeteria for an interactive discussion and a short talk from Oswego Lake Watershed Council about our own urban forest.

Pizza and drinks will be sold.

Parental guidance: film preview. The film has some references to violence that may be disturbing to younger audiences. The emphasis is on the conflict over scarce resources and the social movement that has arisen to protect indigenous land rights and the Amazon. While not rated, the film will stream on Disney+ and is probably appropriate for secondary students and older based on your own discretion.

Lake Oswego School Board elections are coming up in May of 2023. Our current directors are hosting an informational session for people interested in serving on the board. Both sessions will be held in person the hour before the next two board meetings:

• Monday, Dec. 12, Lake Oswego Junior High Library, 5-6 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 10, LOSD Central Office Boardroom, 5-6 p.m.

Directors serve four-year terms. Following are the board positions up for election this year:

• Position 1: Currently held by Director John Wallin
  
• Position 5: Currently held by Director Kirsten Aird

For more information about the LO School Board, please visit the district website School Board page or the Oregon School Boards Association at www.osba.org.

Palisades World Language School hosted a Parent/Guardian Information Night to share more about the new Mandarin Chinese Immersion program in LOSD starting for the 2023-2024 school year. All new students, including kindergarteners, need to be registered with their resident elementary school first.

Registration opens on January 18, which coincides with the Kindergarten Counts open houses hosted at each resident elementary school. Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend the Kindergarten Counts event, then attend the Spanish Immersion and Chinese Immersion Open Houses at Palisades in the following weeks. Dates for registration events will be confirmed soon.

Did you not receive a call or text regarding the two-hour delay on Monday? Help us determine why by submitting your information in this form.

Please note: if your student is enrolled with the district you do not need to sign up for mass communications. Our system pulls your information automatically to notify you of emergencies, incidents, or school closures.

Work of the new Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) is underway and the committee members encourage you to reach out to them if you wish to consult with another parent/guardian about questions, concerns, and advice regarding your child's special education. The SEAC is a collaboration between Student Services staff and parents/guardians of students receiving special education services or 504 plan accommodations.

More information about the committee, and contact information, can be found on the district website under Student Services / Special Education Advisory Committee.

HERO (Health Emergency Ready Oregon) Kids is a voluntary, no-cost, secure registry launched by Oregon Health Authority that lets families record critical details about their child's health. First responders and hospital emergency departments can quickly and easily access that information in an emergency. For emergency health care providers faced with split-second decisions, HERO Kids Registry can fill the pre-hospital information gap. HERO Kids is not just for kids. It is open to any Oregon child or young adult through age 26.

Read more and click to register.

Please take a few minutes to review the information and resources below regarding Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) updates and resources for respiratory viruses, including Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Monkeypox (mpox), plus Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease (HFMD). Information can also be found on our District Nurse website page.

Oregon health officials recently issued a call to action in response to the rapid spread of RSV and Influenza virus. State health officials recommend that people:

• Stay home when sick.

• Cover coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow, or with a tissue that you immediately throw away after use.

• Clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces, including doorknobs, faucets, chairs, countertops, and tables.

• Regularly wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, especially after coughing or sneezing into a tissue.

• Avoid sharing cups, water bottles, and other drink containers, or eating utensils.

• Get a flu shot and stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including new bivalent boosters. There is no vaccine for RSV.

• Consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces.

The LOSD COVID-19 Dashboard is updated. The dashboard shows the number of staff and students who have reported testing positive for COVID-19, regardless of school exposure.

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 levels. Using this data, the COVID-19 community level is classified as low, medium, or high. Clackamas County is currently in low (green).

Lake Oswego Girls Softball registration is open for the Spring 2023 Little League season (ages 4-14). Visit www.lakeoswegosoftball.org for more information. Register by January 3rd to take advantage of the league's Winter Special and save $25 per player (final registration deadline is February 12).

Registration is now open for skill-development/recreational Little Hooper Winter basketball programs Grades K-2. Find program information and registration on the website under Community School Fall Programs / Sports.

Registration closes December 23, or when program capacity is reached. Don't miss out --register now!

Each year, the Rotary Club of Lake Oswego presents SASEE Awards to individuals in our community who exemplify Rotary's Service Above Self by an exceptional contribution in support of education. As in the past, SASEE Awards are presented in three categories: Students, Educators, and Community Citizens. To nominate a worthy individual, please visit rotarySASEE.org.

The LOSD Community School is offering virtual enrichment programs and activities for students of all ages including culinary, STEM, arts, language, and athletics. Check out this week's edition.

Visit the food pantry at 4 Monroe Parkway, Suite A. Deliveries are available on Mondays.

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.

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.

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.

LOSD has ramped up its social media presence. Please join us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @weareLOSD

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

You are receiving this message because you are the parent or guardian of a student in the Lake Oswego School District. We hope you will assist us in our efforts to communicate efficiently and economically by continuing to receive these messages. If you need to change your parent email address, please contact your school.