Oak Creek Families,
Our students and our team here at school had a great week celebrating friendship and practicing kindness! I hope all of you enjoy the long weekend, and that the extra day provides opportunities to connect with others and to celebrate those that are important in your lives.
Please make sure to read below for important information, including details about Family Code Night, our School Advisory Committee, and more! If you have any questions, please see the FAQ section below, or feel free to reach out to myself or Tess Kristoffersson at kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us.
Thank you again for your support from home!
Barb Keeton
In This Message:
Updated in Every Edition:
- Principal's Message
- Dates to Remember
- PTO Corner
NEW In This Edition:
- Youth Truth Survey Info
- School Advisory Committees (SAC)
- Flopsies
- LOSD Cares
Repeated Information:
- Arrival/Dismissal Reminders
- SMSP Family Code Night
- Updated OBOB Information
- Updated Nurses' Newsletter
- Standards-Based Report Card Info
- Foundation Gala Details
- Recognitions and Observations in February
- Tualatin Food Pantry
- Purposeful People: Perseverance
LOSD District News:
- "I Love Lake Oswego" Clothing Closet
- SafeOregon
- Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Dates to Remember!
February 20: Presidents' Day - No School
February 28: SMSP Family Code Night
March 11: The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation Gala
March 24: Teacher Work Day - No School
March 27-31: Spring Break!
April 13-14: Conferences - No School
May 26: Grade Prep Day - No School
May 29: Memorial Day - No School
June 12: Last Day for Students! 11:00 Dismissal
Seeking Volunteers for Our Advisory Committees (SAC)
We need you! Please consider applying for our school or district advisory committee for terms starting next school year. There is one application for all committees -- please mark the committee that is of interest to you. Only committees with vacancies -- School Advisory Committees and Long Range Facility Planning -- are listed in the application for this period. See the charters posted on the School Board Advisory Committees web page for more information about each committee.
Applications are due Monday, March 13 at 5 p.m. Recommendations and selections will be made in April. All applicants will be notified by May 1. Thank you!
Youth Truth Survey
It’s that time of year…Lake Oswego schools administer the YouthTruth every spring to help improve students’ experiences in our learning community. Responses from students, staff, and parents/guardians are incredibly valuable. We will be sending the survey link at the end of February, and we ask that you please take 15 minutes to complete it before March 24.
Importance of YouthTruth
YouthTruth (YT) is a national nonprofit that harnesses perceptions to help educators accelerate improvements. Student perceptions are empirically linked to academic outcomes, and student perceptions are leading indicators.
YT survey questions are grounded in research about what matters for student outcomes. The findings are used to inform our long-term strategic plan progress, curriculum and instruction, and professional development to improve practices.
The survey design has been rigorously tested for validity and reliability. Through developmentally appropriate questions, students in all grade levels provide feedback on engagement, academic challenges, relationships, belonging, culture, emotional and mental health, diversity, and inclusion. Elementary students will also provide feedback on instructional methods and middle and high school students will provide feedback on obstacles to learning and career and college readiness. Staff and parents/guardians will be asked to provide feedback on similar topics. All responses are anonymous.
Timing of YouthTruth
Lake Oswego YT surveys will open on February 27 and close at midnight on March 24. Students will complete their survey in school, and staff and parents/guardians will be emailed the survey to complete in their own time. Principals will provide school-specific survey links and parents/guardians are asked to take a survey for each school their student(s) attends.
Please contact Barb Keeton with any questions about the survey. Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide your feedback.
Arrival/Dismissal Reminders
- Please avoid idling at arrival and dismissal to help keep the air where children are standing and walking as clean as possible.
- Students who are walking should go home after school. Parents can allow them to come back later, but staying on the playground/field is not an option.
- We have a lot of families who walk to and from school. Practicing safe driving is essential. Please slow down, and stop at stop signs and crosswalks.
- Arriving before 2:30 only causes extra congestion. Please wait until then to to arrive for dismissal.
Thank you in advance for your help with keeping our students and families safe!
Hello Oak Creek!
SAVE THE DATE! Coyote Spirit Week, the school wide Move-A-Thon, and the adult only action are back! We cannot wait to bring the community together! Specific times and details TBA. Stay tuned!
Coyote Spirit Week: April 17-21, 2023
School Wide Move-A-Thon: April 21, 20223
Adult Only Auction: April 22, 2023
Seeking auction items (game tickets, house rental, etc.), party boards (hosted party for a group), and sponsors! If you are able to support this OCE event, please email ptofundriasingoakcreek@gmail.com.
Volunteer Opportunities!
Do you wanna get involved in revamping the butterfly / pollinator garden in front of the school on Kingsgate? The green team is putting together a planning meeting on February 18th at 1 pm in the garden. This meeting is for assessing and planning what needs to be done to revamp the garden in the spring. We will schedule actual work days later in the season. If you are interested in helping plan the garden, please sign up or show up. Butterfly Garden Planning Committee
Other opportunities to get involved include:
Dine out and raise money for the OCE PTO! A night without cooking, yes please!
On February 27th, visit Laughing Planet LO and 10% of your purchase will be donated to the OCE PTO. No flyer / code necessary.
Shop and earn money! Get your spring flowers / plants!
On March 4th, shop at Dennis’ 7 Dees with special code: Fundraise-OCE! Seven percent of your purchase will be donated to the OCE PTO.
Order your yearbook! Pre-order for $25. If you make a “Direct Ask” donation, or a donation over $175, a yearbook is included.
Get your OCE spirit wear! Use this link to shop for all of your coyote gear.
Follow us on social media!
Facebook @ Oak Creek Elementary
Instagram @ Oak Creek Elementary PTO
Questions? OakCreekElementaryPTO@gmail.com
Oak Creek Elementary PTO Executive Committee
Kirstin Martin / President
Amanda Schade / Treasurer VP
Samantha McCaskey / Assistant Treasurer VP
Page Donnelly/ Membership VP
Brooke Mattern / Communications VP
Holli Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP
Barry Hansford / Co-Events and Enrichment VP
Steve Farnham / Co-Fundraising VP
Heather Shoyer / Co-Fundraising VP
Lauren Terpstra / Parental Involvement VP
Rachel Wilde / Secretary VP
Teressa Raine / Sustainability VP
Standards-Based District Report Card
The Lake Oswego School District uses a standards-based report card for students in elementary schools. This report card measures a child’s progress toward proficiency or mastery of the priority standards in Reading, Writing, Language, Speaking, and Math. This approach provides the means for communicating a child’s learning in more specific terms. Standards-based reporting articulates clear end-of-year grade-level standards for each subject.
For more information, click here.
Purposeful People
Dear OCE Families:
This month’s focus is Honesty. One way to think about honesty is “being truthful in what we say and do.” Practicing Honesty helps strengthen our relationships and reduce stress.
Honesty is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Well. As a school community, we will be examining how HONESTY looks, sounds, and feels.
It’s not always easy to be Honest in our words, actions or thoughts with others or with ourselves. Practicing Honesty with ourselves allows for us to identify emotions, be aware of our emotions, regulate emotions, and advocate for our emotions.
As always, we appreciate you partnering with us,
Roxanne Davidson
Ms. D 💙 Oak Creek Elementary School Counselor 💙 davidsor@loswego.k12.or.us
Recognitions, Observations in February
We have a lot to celebrate and acknowledge this month. All teachers and staff are encouraged to find ways to recognize these and other awareness opportunities to help create a culture of belonging in our schools.
February
Black History Month, is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
American Heart Month is a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health.
National Freedom Day, February 1, celebrates freedom from slavery. It also recognizes that America is a symbol of liberty. The day honors the signing by Abraham Lincoln of a joint House and Senate resolution that later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
National School Counseling Week, February 6-10, focuses public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems.
National School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, February 15, recognizes the partnership with our SROs and the relationships they build with the students and staff in helping keep schools and communities safe.
Presidents' Day National Holiday, February 10, is a federal holiday to remember the achievements of two of the nation's greatest presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthdays both were in February.
Black Lives Matter at School Week, January 30 - February 3, is intended to spark an ongoing movement of critical reflection and honest conversation and impactful actions in school communities for people of all ages to engage with issues of racial justice.
"I Love Lake Oswego" Clothing Closet Open to Entire Community!
I Love Lake Oswego Clothing Closet has received an overwhelming amount of support and donation during the pandemic. We want to give back to our community and encourage our community to lean on us not for just hard times, but for up cycling, sustainability, and for our environment. In the past the closet was just for students, and since the pandemic we have opened our doors to anyone within our community.
Visit https://www.ilovelakeoswego.com for more information.
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.)
Subscribe to Lake Oswego Schools App
Stay connected to the district and your school(s) and receive urgent notifications by subscribing to the Lake Oswego Schools App.
About Oak Creek
Reach out to us if you have any questions or need anything!
- Principal; Barb Keeton: keetonb@loswego.k12.or.us
- Administrative Assistant; Terese Kristoffersson: kristoft@loswego.k12.or.us
- Administrative Assistant; Tanya Goodwin: goodwint@loswego.k12.or.us
Address: 55 Kingsgate Rd., Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakCreekPTA/
Interested in OCE Spirit Wear? Check out this website sponsored by our PTO! OCE Spirit Wear
