Message from the Superintendent
The LOSD leadership team and I are reflecting on a variety of community engagement events this past week and our opportunities to continue learning and growing as an organization and a community.
Listening Sessions: I appreciate parents and guardians who attended listening sessions to share what we, in LOSD, should celebrate, what we need to improve and who we want to become. Your feedback was impactful, and will inform our strategic planning.
Pool: Part of our bond work is the pool project, with which LOSD has engaged in partnership with the City of Lake Oswego. We held our first community engagement meeting to gather input on preliminary layers of decision-making for the pool design and development. Feedback surfaced some core questions that we're considering with our partners.
Safety and Security: We appreciate the vigilance and quick action of our staff, community and law enforcement during the lockdown at Lake Oswego High School, and lockouts at nearby schools and entities. We are grateful there was no real threat, and are working with our partners in the Lake Oswego Police Department to learn what can be done better to try to avoid such alarms. In this newsletter is more information about the universal approach LOSD has adopted in responding to any incident.
In the spirit of learning and growing, we have ongoing opportunities for continuous improvement and we look forward to engaging with you further.
Standard Response Protocol: Language Used
Critical to school safety is a uniformed response to any incident, including weather events, fires, accidents and other threats to student and staff. LOSD has adopted Standard Response Protocol (SRP).
The premise of SRP is centered on four possible actions and the language used during specific incidents. Here is what that language means:
- Lockout is used to safeguard students and staff within the building.
- Lockdown is used to secure individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place.
- Evacate is used to move students and staff from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
- Shelter is used for group and self to seek protection.
By clicking here, you can learn more about SRP, and why LOSD along with thousands of schools around the country are using this best practice.
Investing in Reading, Learning and Literacy
School Psychology Awareness Week
LOSD is celebrating School Psychology Awareness Week Nov. 11-15. The week’s theme, "Find Your Focus,” highlights how school psychologists and other educators can help students identify strengths and areas of interest, develop persistence, see ideas and situations more clearly, and attend to important information in academic and social settings.
Focusing can help us set goals, identify action steps, communicate need, and engage in discussions to help create the connections necessary for students to develop critical academic and social emotional skills.
As you know, LOSD school psychologists provide a range of services to support students’ academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. They are fully committed to working with you and the rest of LOSD’s staff to continue to energize and empower your students on a daily basis. School psychologists also find their own focus by helping to improve school climate, advocating for best practices, or enhancing specific areas of their work.
School Psychology Awareness Week aims to inspire all members of the school community to find their own strengths and positive attributes.
Health Education About Vaping
LOSD students are learning about the risks of vaping and smoking as part of the health curriculum in middle and high school. We encourage parents and guardians to help reinforce these lessons at home.
Middle school students spend an entire unit covering the dangers and addictions of vaping. Teachers talk about how companies market to teens and how to avoid harmful substances. Lessons at each grade level include:
Vaping and smoking are extremely dangerous practices; they are riddled with health consequences and are illegal for minors. The misconception is that vaping is safer, but it is not.
Practice and use of effective refusal skills if students are in a situation where they are being pressured to try vaping and/or smoking.
Tell a trusted adult about anyone who is trying to pressure students into using any substance that is unhealthy.
As students move through middle school, these messages are retaught and reinforced, using language such as:
Vaping, JUULing, and E-cigarettes are forms of smokeless tobacco and marijuana.
Many teens think these are safe alternatives to regular smoking, but vape pens and E-cigarettes actually contain toxic chemicals, in addition to the addictive substances such as Nicotine and THC also found in regular cigarettes and marijuana.
JUULing, in particular, is especially dangerous because it contains more than twice the amount of Nicotine as a traditional E-cigarette (nearly equal to a pack of cigarettes), and is often targeted to teens because of flavors like mango, mint, and fruit-medley.
High school students learn about all types of drugs. Teachers recently started showing a video "What's Up with E-cigarettes?" that can be found on YouTube. It talks about the lack of information and regulations and dangers of E-cigarettes. Also, each school’s Safety Resource Officer discusses current topics and trends related to drugs.
Another video used to introduce vaping is “JUULing and vaping: What the latest research reveals.” That video covers a lot of new information from the Center for Disease Control. Class discussions include why teens start to use and myths associated with vaping.
Oregon State Assessments Opt-Out Form
Every year, Oregon students take assessments prescribed by the State Department of Education. The purpose of these assessments is to provide data that schools can use to ensure each and every child is on track and achieving learning goals. Results are also used to inform course placement and provide focused feedback to students and parents.
State law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the Oregon Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of the math and English Language Arts assessments for the 2019-20 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 deadline is Jan. 1, 2020. Meeting this deadline will help your child's school with planning and preparation, and is particularly critical for 11th graders who test earlier than other students.
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
LO Rotary Accepting SASEE Award Nominations
To nominate someone, go to https://www.rotarysasee.org. Nominations close on Jan. 10, 2020.
LO 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"
Lakeridge High School Musical
Lakeridge High School Auditorium
Nov. 7, 9, 14 and 16 at 7 p.m.
Nov. 9 and 16 at 2 p.m.
Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance.
Click here to purchase your tickets.
$12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, $8 for students with ASB cards
Lake Oswego High School Musical
Come and enjoy the talented Lake Oswego High School drama cast and crew presenting the highly entertaining, Tony Award winning musical Chicago. LOHS will be performing the High School Edition of Chicago to ensure the production is more family friendly for all audiences.
Lake Oswego High School Auditorium
November 7, 9, 14 and 16 at 7 p.m.
November 9 and 16 at 2 p.m.
Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance.
Click here to reserve your tickets today!
$15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.
New Information for Quitting Vaping
LOSD prohibits the use, distribution or sale of tobacco products and inhalant delivery systems. For the complete policy, visit: http://policy.osba.org/loswego/G/GBK_KGC%20D1.PDF
SafeOregon
Parents 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/LOSDProud
Twitter: @LOSD_Proud