Lake Grove Elementary

Dear Lake Grove Families,

This week we had the honor of hosting the Lake Oswego School Board meeting at Lake Grove. As part of the meeting I was able to share what's going well at Lake Grove. This year we are focused on creating a culture of belonging and ensuring that each person in our community is continuing to learn and grow and showed the video below with a few of our third grade students sharing what they love about Lake Grove.

Thank you for your partnership and for showering our staff and office with love and tokens of appreciation this December. We appreciate your generosity.

Enjoy your next two weeks spending time with your children. They bring us endless joy and I look forward to learning with each of them again in the New Year!

Be well,

Principal Jennie Knapp

I want to acknowledge with you directly that the events yesterday at LOHS caused many in our community to feel uneasy and afraid. Threats to the safety at school are always a cause for concern, and being afraid is an appropriate feeling in these situations. It is also okay if you had other feelings. You get to decide how you react to information.

We work hard every day to keep your children safe here and have protocols that we teach and practice to prepare for emergencies that we will hopefully never need. 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. https://www.safeoregon.com/ (Students should also be aware that intentionally providing a false report is a serious offense.)

During the month of December, we look forward to investing our time, head, heart and hands on the character trait of C R E A T I V I T Y in our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons, classrooms, and school.

One of the best things about being a human being is our ability to imagine! We get this cool part of our brain that allows us to not just think about survival, but also about sparkly space pigeons or colorful caterpillars or a cardboard box that is secretly a rocket ship. It is that same imagination that makes a sandbox into the moon that is capable of imagining the world’s problems as opportunities for new, bold, innovative solutions. This month, we will be talking about and practicing solving problems, working in teams, and dreaming up new perspectives! The only way we change the negative normals in our world is to have the Courage and Creativity to think differently and exercise our imagination to help make the world better!

The definition students will be learning this month is:

Creativity: Using your imagination to create something or solve a problem.

We believe involving families in our Social Emotional Learning is important. The letters linked below include activities, conversation starters, reading lists, and more for you to explore CREATIVITY further as a family:

K-2 Creativity Family Letter (English) 3-5 Creativity Family Letter (English)

K-2 Creatividad para Familias (En Español) 3-5 Creatividad para Familias (En Español)

Wishing you and your family a season of peace, love and joy.

Have you ever thought about working here at Lake Grove Elementary School? We have positions posted and are looking for wonderful people to join our team!

See the postings for more details, and feel free to contact the office with any questions 503-534-2357.

Volunteers need to verify the following requirements before volunteering in schools:

• Complete Background Check through school Raptor system - if you have not already completed this, bring your driver's license or passport with you on your first day back to register.

• Fill out this form: Sign Statement of Knowledge and Understanding of LOSD Policies - detailed information below.

• Show/Send Proof of Vaccination to Annika Nicholas (nicholaa@loswego.k12.or.us). LOSD will not be granting exemptions for volunteers due to requirements of weekly testing and distancing.

• You will be contacted by the school office with next steps. There are additional trainings required for volunteers working directly with students.

Statement of Knowledge and Understanding - LOSD District Policies
All contractors, volunteers, and visitors must agree to follow District policies, the most important of which are summarized or referenced below:

• No firearms, fire pits, indoor barbecues, candles, fog machines, balloons or fireworks may be used on School District property.

• Park in designated parking areas only. Violators will be towed at the owner's expense.

• Reporting of Suspected Abuse of a Child JHFE

• Reporting Requirements Regarding Sexual Conduct with Students JHFF

• HPV/Bloodborne Pathogens GBEBAA/JHCCBA/EBBAB

• Educational Equity JBB

• Nondiscrimination Policy AC

• Sexual Harassment GBN/JBA

• Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students JBBA

• Volunteers IICC

Please click on this link to sign the form that states you know and understand the information and the policies listed above.

Every year, Oregon students take assessments to meet federal requirements. 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.

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.

If your child has received their COVID-19 vaccinations and you would like to update their immunization record at school, please do so using this form. While not required at this time, this will be helpful information to have in the event of an exposure in a classroom or bus and could help prevent the need to quarantine. Thank you!

As the weather gets colder, we may be transitioning to more frequent indoor lunches. Students will be spaced at least 6 feet apart and will have masks on when they aren't eating. Please let your child's teacher know if you have objections to your child eating indoors.

See the messaging in the Current. Masks will be optional for elementary school students outdoors after January 14th. Thank you for your support.

If you have lost something at school, please take a look through the slides and submit a request for pickup. Please help by labeling all items. We will do our best to return labeled items directly to the student. See all items collected here.

If your child will be absent, please email your student's teacher and copy the office at lgattendance@loswego.k12.or.us. Please list the date your child will be absent and any illness symptoms. You may also call us at 503-534-2357, or leave a voicemail on the 24-hour attendance line at 503-534-2299.

If you need to pick your child up early for an appointment, please be sure to bring your ID in to the office to sign them out.

12/20-1/2 No School - Winter Break

1/3 Welcome back!

1/17 No school - MLK Day

1/18 PTA General Meeting (Zoom, 7pm)

1/19 Kindergarten Counts (In person, 6pm)

THE TEACHER APPRECIATION TEAM THANKS YOU!

More than 65 families came together to show our appreciation for the Lake Grove staff this holiday season. Thank you for bringing treats to school yesterday and making the day so special!

Also a HUGE thank you to volunteer Erin Quandt who solicited donations from local businesses to support our teachers. Thank you Kyra’s Bake Shop, Nothing Bundt Cakes in Tualatin, La Provence, Zupan’s, NOLA Doughnuts, Ava Roasteria, and Hungry Hero in Sherwood.

FIFTH GRADE FAMILIES: PROVIDE PHOTOS TO THE YEARBOOK BY JANUARY 15

The yearbook committee is currently collecting photos for 5th grade section of the 2021-22 yearbook (due 1/15). Fifth grade families will receive an email with instructions. EVERY Lake Grove student gets a FREE yearbook sponsored by the PTA. Fifth graders get a memory page, dedication page, and will be included in a recap of photos “through the years” since Kindergarten. Please submit 4-8 photos and a dedication statement through google docs. INCLUDE STUDENT’S NAME on the photos you submit by changing the filename to include your student’s name.

1. 3 Photos for Memory Pages featuring every 5th grader’s personality and interests Submit Memory Photos here
2. 1-5 Photos, plus a statement for the Dedication Page: Please submit 1 - 5 photos and a statement on this form
3. 5th Grade through the Years - Optional - to be shared with the Graduation Party committee. Please submit photos of LGE 5th graders through the years since Kindergarten. Think class parties, field trips, sports teams, field day, first day of school, etc. This is optional. These photos will be included in the end-of-year ceremony slideshow. Submit ‘5th thru the years” here. Please name as many kids as possible.

Questions? Email 2122lgeyearbook@gmail.com

JOIN THE FIFTH GRADE CELEBRATION COMMITTEE

The Lake Grove PTA welcomes volunteers to coordinate an end-of-year celebration for fifth graders and their families. Committee meetings will begin in January and continue through June. If you’d like to volunteer in some capacity with the fifth grade graduation and celebration committee or serve in the role of chairperson, email Cheryl Sharkey at sharkey_cheryl@hotmail.com.

ART LITERACY RETURNS TO LAKE GROVE CLASSROOMS IN FEBRUARY: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Art Literacy is a district-wide volunteer program that introduces students to different art principles, elements, and artistic techniques. All training, presentation materials, project information and supplies are provided by our PTA. This is a great opportunity to work with students in the classroom!

Key roles and responsibilities:

-Delivery of the Artist Overview presentation to the classroom

-Presentation and completion of the Hands-On Project in the classroom

-Mounting of artwork, creation of portfolios, and filing previous months’ artwork

Length of time required in the classroom:

-Presentation: 15 minutes

-Hands-on project: 30 minutes

You will be paired with at least one other volunteer for your classroom and will work together to ensure that all key roles and responsibilities for your classroom are covered. A monthly training will be held to ensure all volunteers are prepared.

Please contact Kim MacKay at kimtamura@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering! The program will start in February and more details will be available when we return from Winter Break.

DINE AT MOD PIZZA AND RAISE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 6

Join other Grovers at MOD Pizza on January 6 and raise funds for Lake Grove Elementary at the Lake O location in Kruse Village! Our school earns money for PTA programs all day. You must mention you are there for the Lake Grove fundraiser or use promo code: GR202534L and 20% of the sales will be donated to our school. Questions? Email lakegrovefundraising@gmail.com.

SEE ME FLAGS FOR SAFETY NEAR SCHOOL

Thanks to a grant our PTA secured from Metro, we have purchased and installed orange flags to help increase visibility for pedestrians as they cross the intersection at Douglas Way and Quarry Road. If your student is walking to or from school on a rainy day, these flags will alert drivers to their presence. Thank you to Garret Wagner for his help to install these flags and Alexis Baghdadi for her help in working with the City of Lake Oswego!

RETURN PAW PATROL SIGNS TO SCHOOL

Thank you to everyone who helped spread the school spirit through Paw Patrol! If you have any paw signs, please drop them in the school foyer. Questions? Contact Marnie Lyon-Brown or Ginny Hoadley at lakegrovefundraising@gmail.com.

UPCOMING VOTE IN PTA GENERAL MEETING

Join our next PTA general meeting on Tuesday, January 18 where members will be invited to vote on the possibility of a new member joining our PTA board. The current PTA board proposes the addition of a co-VP of fundraising, Ginny Hoadley. Watch future newsletters for a link to join our Zoom meeting on January 18.

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