In this episode, we're spotlighting LOSD CARES (Connection and Resilience in Education Series). This powerful initiative began during the early days of the pandemic and continues to support students and families across our district. Our guest, Brittany Erspamer, an elementary school counselor and one of the founders of LOSD CARES, joins us to share the origins and evolution of the program; how it’s helping families navigate social-emotional challenges; and what’s ahead including an upcoming parenting workshop on building resilience in a digital age
We’re also thrilled to welcome Kaylee Meier, a Hallinan Elementary student, who shares what she’s learned through social-emotional learning and the positive impact her school counselor has had on her. As Dr. Schiele reminds us, this is a timely and vital conversation, especially as we approach Mental Health Awareness Month. LOSD CARES is a model that demonstrates how schools, families, and communities can collaborate to support the whole child every day.
Dr. Jennifer Schiele, Superintendent, LOSD
Mary Kay Larson, Executive Director of Communications, LOSD
Brittany Erspamer, School Counselor, Hallinan Elementary
Kaylee Meier, Student, Hallinan Elementary
MICHELLE ODELL:: [00:00:00] Welcome to Learning in Lake Oswego, a podcast providing educational insights for an engaged community. Lake Oswego School district superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Schiele, will discuss what's important to our learning community. She'll be joined by experts examining various topics, answering important questions, and sharing upcoming events and activities you won't wanna miss.
And now it's your host. Lake Oswego School District Executive Director of Communications, Mary Kay Larson.
MARY KAY LARSON:: Welcome to Learning in Lake Oswego, where we dive into the stories, the programs, and the people that shape our schools and community. I'm your host, Mary Kay Larson, here with our superintendent, Dr.
Jennifer Schiele. In today's episode, we are highlighting a program that continues to make a powerful difference in the lives of our students and our families. It's called LOSD Cares, and that stands for Connection and Resilience in Education [00:01:00] series. LOSD Cares began during the pandemic when all of us were stuck at home on computers and we didn't have any way to connect with each other.
And our amazing school counselors and social workers got together and they came up with this idea to help create connections. And provide our families and our residents and our staff with resources to help us get through that unprecedented time. I know we use that word a lot, but it was justified. The wonderful thing about LOSD Cares is that even though it started in 2020.
Today in 2025, it's still going and it's still serving an amazing purpose in our community today, L LOSD Cares hosts at least three suicide prevention training sessions a year, along with three to four parenting workshops a year on various topics, and I'll let our guests talk about that in a second with us [00:02:00] today.
Our two very special people. One is Brittany Almer. She is a school counselor at Hall and Anne, and she is the lead of LSD Care. She's the one who keeps it going and we're so appreciative for her. And she's gonna tell us all about it. Also with Miss E, as she's known to the students, is one of her students from Hall Anne Kaylee Meyer, who will share her perspective, the student perspective on what it's like learning about social emotional learning in school, which is kind of the in-school version of LOSD Cares and what that means to our students and her personally.
So with that Jen, I'll let you take it away.
DR JENNIFER SCHIELE:: Thank you Mary Kay. This is such a timely conversation, especially as we prepare for mental health awareness month supporting student mental health and building resilience is essential, not just during times of crises like the pandemic, but really every day.
And so LSD Cares is a wonderful example of how our [00:03:00] schools work in partnership with families and community members. To meet the needs of the whole child. So Brittany and Kaylee, thank you so much for being here today and for helping us amplify this very important conversation. So let's get started.
Brittany, can you first tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you get started in education and what inspired you to become a school counselor? Here in
BRITTANY ERSPAMER:: Lake Oswego. Oh, well thank you so much for having Kaylee and I and for highlighting the importance of social emotional learning and wellbeing since I was a little, little girl, always wanted to be a teacher.
And so right after, in school and in college, I pursued that dream and then actually through my own challenging experience, realized that counseling was really where my heart was lying, and I had an opportunity to pursue. With the district really empowered and encouraged me to keep pursuing my continued education and got my counseling degree and fell in love with being the school counselor at Hall and Anne [00:04:00] and working with our just incredible team of professionals and therapists and counselors and social workers here in Lake Oswego.
And now I've been in the role for eight years. And I'm about to start a new role of being a mom, which I'm really excited about this summer as well.
Speaker 3: I love that. And if those of you who do not know Brittany, she looks like she would as a little child play teacher with all the other kids in the neighborhood.
So I can see that about you and she is gonna be a fantastic mom, so we're very excited for her there. Can you take us back to the beginning of LOSD Cares and what inspired you and the team to start this program? During that early days of the pandemic when there was so much uncertainty,
Speaker 4: it's odd that it feels so long ago, but yet also recently,
Speaker 3: I, I hear you there.
Speaker 4: And so back in week, I called it Zoom School. My team and I had a lot of collaboration time because we were all at home and it was also a time where we had this. Honestly powerful opportunity to [00:05:00] get to be in our students' homes and meet their pets and their families and their little siblings.
And from that, some families we kind of bonded even more closely because we had more quality time together in our struggles and families who I had known. You know we're really sharing about some of the struggles they were having and myself and our counseling team really wanted to help. But yet, like, wow, this is happening to a wide variety of families.
Different struggles or even similar struggles with getting their children to feel connected. Getting them to do their homework or feel purpose in school, building that resilience. And so our counseling team got together. Realized that we could try to tap into the wealth of knowledge in our own community, and that is from some partnerships that we've created through local therapy clinics, through hospitals, and then even within our own team, just using some of our knowledge and resources too.
And kind of put all our hearts and brains together. To develop LOSD cares as the truly heart [00:06:00] of the program is to build connection and then resilience. And it's shifting now post COVI to really empower that mental wellbeing and help inspire the foundation of social emotional success and care so that our students can thrive and our community can be more connected.
Speaker 3: And so that name, LOSD Cares. I know that Mary Kay talked about what that means, but where did that come from or what brilliant person came up with that acronym?
Speaker 4: There was a few of us on a Zoom and just chatting about the buzzwords that were truly reflecting what our program was. And you know, and you list a few words and you start to play kind of like wordle, what are the letters that would work together and cares.
Popped right out. That's great. And
Speaker 3: very fun.
KAYLEE MEIER:: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3: So those who don't know the full scope of what our school counselors do every day, can you kind of give us a window into that day to day work? And I, I recognize that every day for school counselors is not the same, but kind of give that day to day what are counselors do in school.
Speaker 4: And it's funny, Dr. Schiele, you've been [00:07:00] a counselor as well, so that's extra special, but it is even different at different grade levels. Right. And in different seasons of student need. Currently at the elementary level, which is more of my expertise. We really focus on that tier one all student connection and belonging, and we do that through my favorite part, which is how I got to know Kaylee even better through our class lessons and really getting to know each and every child and getting to know their teachers too.
Another part of our role is small groups, so we might have a skill-based small group on executive functioning or pushing through challenges, but we also might have more of a lunch bunch social group that kind of builds connection and friendship. And then a third tier that we work in service is that individual counseling, and those are short term school-based needs that might empower a child to better access their learning or to work through a problem they're having at school so that they can be more confident and present in the classroom.
And then another outer lens [00:08:00] of our role is teaming with families. And that's so pivotal in supporting their child because it's, we believe in the whole child of who they are as a learner and a human, but we also believe in the whole team. And so working with their families and the child themselves.
Really helps us find more success and really encourage the student. And then another part of our role is working within our district with all these other awesome professionals who have different skill sets so that we kind of work smarter, not harder, so that all different professionals can work better together.
And through that. Has been a really wonderful area of growth for me because I'm learning alongside of my peers and really learning from each other, which I appreciate too.
Speaker 3: That's great. There are so many things that a school counselor does, and I appreciate you highlighting a few of those. One of the more recent initiatives in our district, and actually at the state level, is our social emotional learning curriculum and the requirement for it in schools.
How are you and your colleagues using that state [00:09:00] required curriculum in schools to support our students?
Speaker 4: A few of us had the opportunity to really be a part of choosing which curriculum we felt best showcased the quality of education that we believe here in Lake Oswego, as well as the depth of character and we adopted.
Did character strong K 12, pre-K 12. Although every level looks different for a reason because kids need learning differently. At the elementary level, it looks like partnering a lot with our teachers. And so our teachers have really been robust in embracing our monthly character traits and they teach lessons with their students.
Our librarians read books that match the monthly theme, and then us counselors take the monthly theme and we combine it with a deeper castle skill, which is a. A deeper connection for self decision making, self-awareness skills like that. And we create a lesson that emphasizes specific skills with specific grades.
So it really is intentional content for every student in the district [00:10:00] through both the character, strong, social, emotional curriculum, as well as the national standards for counseling.
Speaker 3: You know, you mentioned like the school teacher or the class teacher as well as the counselor. And the librarian.
Everyone in the school is kind of working on social emotional learning and what we really like to see is when parents are also working on these skills at home. I see a lot of the counselor corners and, and the weekly newsletters. I always give parents some kind of challenge or something to do at home that kind of fits within that same lesson, which is so important that, you know, at school we're partnering with parents to.
To give their students every open door possible and really understanding how, not only to open doors, but to walk through them appropriately with their peers. Yeah, I love that the SEL lessons are being taught in all of our schools. Would you say that students have responded well to these lessons, or, I mean, how do you think they're responding and are there particular themes or conversations that you feel have stood out to you as a school [00:11:00] counselor?
Speaker 4: I feel like and again, my elementary hat is more on, but I really feel like our school and our elementary. District as a whole team really embraces the character traits. You see them in the hallways, you see them at the assemblies. And from that, I also feel that it really is a connection that makes the school stronger because it's connecting the classroom.
All the classrooms have a common bond that the PE teacher can tap into that different specialists can tap into, and then it really deepens that relationship. Of trust and connection with the counselor, the teacher and the classroom, and like you said, Dr. Schiele, the families. It's so great when they share, oh, I tried that activity.
Or, you know, empower that same character trait at home. I think what's also interesting
Speaker 3: is we have started in the newsletter doing these conversation corners where I'm kind of giving parents ideas on how to talk to their children about lots of different topics, but kind of giving those conversation starters.
Which I think is also very helpful and kind of ties into how [00:12:00] to have these difficult conversations with our kids as well as, you know, building those relationships. 'cause we do want parents to have those relationships with their students and their, their students' friends and the community around them.
One thing that happened from Covid that I just thought was kind of fascinating was that people weren't talking to even their neighbors. So they weren't learning the other, you know, neighbors kids or who they were, were. It used to be. You know, your neighborhood was kind of your little community. Yeah. And if someone needed to get a ride somewhere or help with something, you had someone right there next door that could help.
And you know, COVID just made people like not talk to each other as much as we were doing pre covid. So I'm, I'm really trying to push to get people back into that. Get out of your house, go talk to your neighbors, find out who your village is. Yes. 'cause as we all know, it takes a village, which is one of the great things about LOSD.
Cares is that it's giving those tools to our parents. And so it started off one way, but do you think there's been changes over time on how this program has, you know, [00:13:00] added to the support
Speaker 4: of families? Oh, most definitely. And honestly, it's from the influence of families. We so appreciate their feedback and encouragement, but then also practical applications of ways to make it better.
It's interesting you parallel like the conversation styles during Covid and now I. With families and neighborhoods, but also even within our classrooms. And I think with care, something that's evolved is we're having a lot more not even necessarily q and a time, but collective conversation time. And that's where, you know, whatever adults join us for our workshops there's a lot of dialogue and bonding and sharing stories or asking vulnerable questions and then like.
Four of the other heads in the room are all nodding 'cause they also are struggling with the same thing. And so part of our current work with our parenting series is really tapping into the idea of a play-based childhood and a rolling back the phone similar to Jonathan Hate's work and Dr.
Becky Kennedy's. And we've been using that [00:14:00] we've seen it play out more just within our l ls daycare workshop series. But then what's even. More interesting connecting, not more interesting, but as the school counselor with our students, one of my absolute favorite things is our community circles. I just looked over at Kaylee because I just love walking into her classroom and learning with her classmates and our students, and especially post covid have this.
Maybe it came from this need that wasn't met within Covid. I'm not exactly sure, but. Their ability to communicate and listen and take turns and share and be authentic is really powerful. Even at an elementary level, I can have a deep community circle in the second grade classroom, and the teachers are doing it and other specialists are doing it too.
It's kind of. A new way of learning. And I think at that same depth with students, they wanna share, they wanna listen to each other's stories and make those connections. And we're now also seeing that with our parent community, it's made the conversation just so much richer and more [00:15:00] impactful.
Speaker 3: Yeah. I can see where the community circles would be huge for our students.
I know. Even, I mean, as, as we all know, we've banned cell phone use, which has made a huge difference. It's especially in our secondary schools where they each have their own and they walk around with them like they're, they're puppies. But now, you know, I, I have a, a picnic table outside my window in my office, and we used to have kids who'd sit out there and just.
Be on their phones and now they're sitting around talking to each other. Same kids are sitting out there and they all, they sit on the picnic table and talk to each other. And even though, you know, there's no administrator right here looking to see if they have a cell phone out, it, none of 'em have cell phones out.
It's, it's fascinating and just watching them. Learn together, talk together and actually, you know, be more interested in each other. So I think that's awesome. And I also, I know that's happened at the elementary school where kids are just having better connections with each other. Yeah. So LSD cares, I mean, they've done so many different.
And I've been to them. So I've, I've been able to see the presentations, but from suicide prevention to [00:16:00] screen times. The topics that you cover are so timely and important, but how do you decide what topics you're gonna cover? Or if parents have issues that they want to bring forth
Speaker 4: to be topics, how does that happen?
Such a great question, and I think continues to be our call to action for our community, for our, colleagues and families is that we as school counselors and school social workers, we are gifted to be on the ground with our kids and to be in the mud with them. Walking through the hard times and the joyful times gives us a lot of opening to see what is a current need, but also as parents and families trust us and connect with us more, they're also being such wisdom bearers in sharing with us what the current needs are in their home or in their neighborhood and in kids around them.
And so we really take that feedback and take that honesty seriously because it guides our programming. It guides where we look for resources, and really develops our program. We try hard in the spring to [00:17:00] plan a generic sense for our fall with types of workshops to offer to give us enough time to vet and procure professionals and resources around the community.
Truly families reaching out and whether that's Mary Kay Larson is one of our most incredible organizers and cheerleaders of the CARES Program. So she's a great person to send to email if you have ideas, but also just talking to your child, school counselor or social worker to pass on information because that really is getting that information in the moment helps us to drive a more program that's more effective for families.
Speaker 3: Absolutely. Yeah. It's probably worth mentioning that all of the cares, LSD cares things are after hours. They're, they're not part of the regular work day for a school counselor. So for everyone listening out there, these, these are people who are going above and beyond their work contract, which is why I means so much to me, for sure.
But what keeps you motivated to continue this kind of initiative when you know [00:18:00] it's. It's more than, it's more than is, than you can sometimes do.
Speaker 4: Well, the first cheesy answer that popped in my head was, because we care. LOSD Cares Care. Yes, I like that one. We care. But truly also the team of people that work.
Together for cares. And we're always encouraging more social workers and school counselors to join us and community members. That definitely makes it not seem as heavy, but then truly seeing, because we care so much for our students and we realize that it's, in order to truly bring change and help them is empowering their families and their community, right?
Those bigger bubbles and spheres of influence. And so it really is lighter when we work together in the district. Support has also made it possible for us to have the energy and the capacity to go above and beyond, but it really has become a team. And at the same time with that, with the changes around us in our current culture and our schools, is we're also learning what's reasonable and what's essential.
And I think that's what we're [00:19:00] learning as A-L-O-S-D Cares team of how we're gonna do our programming. But I also think that's maybe the message too we'll be sharing with families is, how can we prioritize and really capitalize on the things that truly matter and do what we can within that?
Absolutely.
Speaker 3: So let's talk a little bit about the upcoming workshop we have raising Resilient children. What can families expect from this kind of session?
Speaker 4: So our next session is tied to our November parenting workshop series, and our team is. Taking key points from that November parenting workshop. It was one of our best attended over 50 families, gathered with us at River Grove and talked for way past our time, but in a beautiful way.
And so we're building on the content from that session as it was really timely and needed for families and we're really adapting it to and the intention of summer. So what does a summer look like for your high schooler or your elementary student or your middle schooler in a way that empowers play, empowers independence.
And teaches them to use screens in [00:20:00] moderation to use them safely and to be doing things outside of the home or outside of their phones so that they can not only enjoy their summer, but really grow their brain and their connections all summer long.
Speaker 3: Absolutely play. We want children to play in the summer, have fun and play, and put away your phone and your screens.
Mm-hmm. So for anyone who has not yet attended a workshop or training, what would you say to them to encourage them to give it a try? Come out, be with other people and learn.
Speaker 4: Oh yes. It's, you know, it's funny. I feel like it's like going that first time that you get nervous, like, who's all gonna be there?
Who am I gonna sit with? They're the same things that fourth and fifth graders come in my office and get nervous about. But I feel like as adults sometimes we have maybe those worries too. If that's a worry you're having. Invite a friend, invite your neighbor. The things you learn and work together on are actually gonna be stronger when you have a partner to implement them with.
Especially as you try to set boundaries with your child in a way that empowers them, but then also holds firm with them [00:21:00] and otherwise know that, yeah, it might be uncomfortable for the first minute as you find your seat, but you'll be greeted with a welcoming face. We always like to do giveaways, so if you like to win things, but then also there'll be time for conversation and time to team with families in the area.
So hopefully it starts to feel less overwhelming or new. Yeah. What better way for a
Speaker 3: parent to show their child how important learning is? Mm-hmm. Going to do something themselves in a learning capacity. So I, I think that that's really important to model that behavior. Yeah. Finally, what's next for LSD Cares?
Any new ideas or hopes on the horizons you wanna share with the listeners?
Speaker 4: For LOSD Cares. We are, as I shared a little bit ago, even just really trying to be intentional with providing content that families are needing. But we're also trying to work within the framework of what's reasonable. And since the pandemic, there have been so many incredible organizations.
In our county alone. And so we're trying to think of ways to more strategically partner with some of those [00:22:00] services as well in local clinics. And for the fall in the next year, we're really committed to continuing our suicide prevention and support for our community as that is critical.
Another piece that we found has been most well attended and asked for from families is parenting workshops surrounding. Mental wellness surrounding wellbeing. And so we wanna continue focusing on that. And then a third piece that we want to grow stronger in is really finding clinicians to partner with, to touch on some more sensitive topics of challenge, such as disordered eating or different kinds of addiction.
And so making sure that we're reaching all families in Lake Oswego, no matter the age of your child. And no matter what stage of mental health or mental struggle that your family is walking through. That's fantastic.
Speaker 3: You heard it here first. Listeners, this is gonna be a great year for LOSD cares. I cannot wait to hear and see what they do.
And thank you so much Ms. E for being here. You were such a [00:23:00] treasure to all of us, and we're very lucky to have you.
Speaker 4: That means the world. Thank you for all your care, for our district and our students and for teaming with Kaylee and I today so we can share about the importance of SEL. Absolutely.
Speaker 3: And now drum roll please.
We have Miss Kaylee. Thank you so much for joining us. Kaylee, can you start by telling us your name, what grade you're in, and something you love about your school?
Speaker 6: So I'm Kaylee Meyer and I'm in fifth grade. One thing I love about Helen is it's just all the students there are really kind and like there might be some people that won't make clue to you.
But that's really rare at our school. They're like, include you in almost everything and they won't say anything negative about you. And that goes with the teachers as well. They don't discourage you when you do something wrong or when you fail the test. They're not gonna be like, why did you fail that [00:24:00] test?
You're gonna be like, no, everything's okay. You just got these wrongs and maybe you need to work. On this a little bit more. And our specials, STEM music and PE are experiences that aren't really experienced at other schools. And I'm really glad that we can experience them at Helenan 'cause they're just amazing.
And the STEM is like we're doing projects that I didn't think I could even do. And I'm learning things that I didn't think I could ever learn till much later when I was older. And it's just crazy and it's amazing as well.
Speaker 3: And I just heard what you wanna do when you grow up, which I think is very, as close to the stem.
So why don't you go ahead and tell our listeners what you're interested in doing.
Speaker 6: So when I grow up, I want to become an Imagineer, which is an engineer for Disney, making the parks and the rides there. [00:25:00] And it's, it's, I like doing that stuff, like building and making other people happy because. Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth.
On Earth. Yeah, absolutely. So making good experiences makes me happy.
Speaker 3: Yes. I think that's fantastic. And being an engineer is an amazing career choice and one that I think, you know, especially being able to make people happy is fantastic. So you've had a chance to learn about things like kindness and emotions and.
Friendships in your classroom, what's one of your favorite lessons or activities from your social emotional learning time?
Speaker 6: My favorite lesson was, it was in the winter. I forget which lesson it was, but we all started sharing about things that we didn't know about each other. It just came up. Randomly. It just started by one thing and we kind of started going off the lesson, but it was amazing.
We started realizing that we have a lot more in common than we actually thought, [00:26:00] and some bad thoughts that we always think by doing that lesson. It made me, when I think that thought make me feel actually better because in my head I'm like, oh, I'm thinking this really bad thought, but I know I'm not the only one thinking it.
Someone else is thinking it as well, and it just makes you feel much better that you're not alone, than feeling like you're the only one feeling it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that is so true, and I think that's not just kids, adults have that same thing. Like we sometimes forget that we're not the only ones feeling something.
So why do you think it's important to talk about feelings and how we treat others at school?
Speaker 6: So. It's very important to talk about your feelings and, and how you can talk to others and being kind, because the world sometimes isn't such an amazing place. But once we learn how to be kind to others, it kind of spreads like a, a disease.
It just like [00:27:00] starts from one person, then it goes to another, then it goes to another, and then it just makes a world a better place and explaining your feelings. Helps people understand you better and, and, and it's kind of just one step forward to talking about your opinions. Not just feelings, but like really important stuff, like things that.
That are like world decisions like that are going to affect the world, not just by feelings, but like events that are gonna happen.
Speaker 3: Absolutely. You know, and actions mean something and so it's important to be able to talk about how you feel about them. So I love that you said that. Now I've heard that you have a pretty special connection with Miss E, and I know a lot of students do.
Can you share what you like about spending time with her or learning from her?
Speaker 6: Well, every time it's an SEL lesson. When I see Miss E, I'm just always happy. She's super kind and cares about [00:28:00] everything you say and everything you think, and she respect your actions and, and like after CVID, I started having these lessons with Miss E and they were just, it was just amazing.
Our connection is. I, I just really like Miss E. She's, she's, I really, really like you too.
She's just super con Again, it's like we will go off the lesson, but yet. Think of something much bigger and like, she won't, like, like purposely try to get us back on track. She'll go with the flow. She'll try to go along while still thinking of the same lesson and, and providing it with the. What we are talking about.
Speaker 3: She can improvise as she goes. Yes, absolutely. So I know some of the things you learn in school, or especially in the cell [00:29:00] lessons, are how to be a good friend. Mm-hmm. Or how to calm yourself down when maybe you're upset. Do you think those things, when you learn them, do they help you more at school or do they help you at home?
Speaker 6: A hundred percent both. I love it. I will say after Covid. I was used to, you know, being on a. Screen for two one hour, and so going back to school was really hard because it's a seven hour event. We're doing multiple things, but I got really stressed in those times, got really overwhelmed very easily. And the SEL lessons helped me think of strategies to calm myself down.
Now, now I get less overwhelmed and less stressed, and I'll use those strategies when, again, to middle school, which will be even more stressful. But also it helps at home like talking to my sister when like something's wrong and sometimes they do get. Upset. And [00:30:00] sometimes I say the wrong things, but I feel like I've been getting a lot better by talking to my parents kindly and my friends.
Speaker 3: Yeah. And, and your little sister, she's in second grade, is that correct? Yes. She's out, she was out in the hallway when you, when we were started recording this. She's adorable and she actually said she'd like to be on the podcast someday, so I think I'll figure out a way to to get her on here in the next couple years.
What would you say to another student who says that maybe they're nervous about talking to their school counselor, they don't know who to talk to at school? Like what advice would you give another student?
Speaker 6: Tell your counselor. They're an ama, they're an amazing person to talk to because they. Keep their word if, unless it's like talking to the parents 'cause it's serious.
But they won't tell other kids about your secrets. They won't. They'll keep, they'll keep your secrets and they'll always try to make things better. So if there's like a [00:31:00] bully or something wrong that's happening, tell your counselor. 'cause they will try to prevent it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they, they will help you. And for those of you who are listening, obviously, if something is told to a counselor, that's any kind of safety concern, they do contact parents.
I don't want anyone to think that they keep those type of secrets. But you're right. You know, like a friend who's upset with you or you're upset with your friend, if you talk to your counselor about that, that's not something that they're gonna go to the friend and say, oh, Kaylee said that she didn't like your shorts yesterday.
That's never gonna happen. So that's, it's like having a really good friend right at school that's gonna. To help you get through anything that's difficult. So the last question I have for you, if you could teach a whole school lesson about one thing that you've learned, like the whole school, like you're the teacher, what would it be?
Speaker 6: I think the power of kind words, because like we said earlier, kindness is like a disease. It just spreads on, spreads on, spread it on, and [00:32:00] when you're just talking to someone very kindly. It makes them feel better. It makes everyone feel better. And there's the show, I don't know if any of you listeners have watched the show.
It's called Survivor. The whole key of the game is to lie it to your, even your best friends. But one season, one of the people, someone was feeling down, they were nervous. If they were going to get voted off that night, but one of the players went up to them and said kind things to them that boosted their game and they stayed a little bit longer.
Sure, they might have gotten voted off later, but that encouraged them to keep on going.
Speaker 3: It's
Speaker 6: so
Speaker 3: easy to be kind. It's actually really hard to be mean, and so when kids are being mean, it's like it takes more energy to do that than just to say something nice. And a lot of times you don't even know that a.
Smile or a hello or a hope your day goes good. Whatever. Some kind of little [00:33:00] comment you make to someone could make a huge difference in somebody's, you know, not only day, but really their life. And so I think it's so important. So I love that lesson. I would like to be there when you're teaching the lesson to the whole school.
So thank you very much, Kaylee, for being here and Miss E. What a great session. What a great school. I'm so proud of both of you and I love that you're here in Lake Oswego. Thank
Speaker 2: you for inviting us. Thank you, Brittany and Kaylee. I knew this episode would be special, but I had no idea. Oh my gosh. Thank you.
Now let's shift gears for a second and highlight some of the upcoming events happening in our district, in our community over the next couple weeks. Jen.
Speaker 3: Thank you Mary Kay. We have a lot happening across the district as always. Tonight on April 29th, we have the Lake Oswego School Board candidate.
Forum hosted by our school parent clubs. School board elections happen every two years, and this year, three of the five seats are up for [00:34:00] election. This forum is a great opportunity for all LOSD voters to hear directly from the candidates on the issues that matter most to our schools and community. So it's tonight Lake Oswego City Hall.
Six 30 to eight 30. We're also, as we mentioned in the podcast, that we're hosting an LOSD Cares parenting workshop called Raising Resilient Children, preparing for a Non-Screen Summer on May 8th and River Grove Library from. Five 30 to seven. And this session is gonna be led by our school counselors, including Ms.
E, who is just on the podcast and social workers. And it offers practical tips for navigating screen time, building emotional resilience, and helping kids thrive this summer. So we hope to see many of you there. And then finally on May 13th, we're offering a special QPR plus suicide prevention training for youth ages 12 and older.
Accompanied by a parent or trusted adult dinner will be provided at. Five. Following dinner, it will be the training from five 30 to [00:35:00] eight. This training in partnership with the Clackamas County Health Authority gives families the tools to recognize and respond to suicide risk, and it's free of charge.
So advanced registration is required. You can find all the details about. All of these events along with LOSD Cares resources in our weekly newsletters and on the district website.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Jen. I hope our community continues to take advantage of these meaningful opportunities. They're a great opportunity to connect, support each other, and always learn something new.
This wraps up today's show. Next time on learning in Lake Oswego, we will be shining a spotlight, pun intended, on our drama program in our high schools, and we'll be talking to our drama teacher, as well as some incredible thespians in our midst. Oh, that's
Speaker 3: gonna be very exciting. I can't wait for that conversation.
So until next time, keep exploring and stay engaged Class. Dismissed. [00:36:00]
Speaker: We hope you found this episode informative and helpful. While our discussions are general, we understand each family's experience is unique. If you have specific questions about your child, please contact your school principal to learn more about the topics we discussed.
Ask a question or share ideas for future episodes, please visit losd schools.org and remember to like and follow us wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for engaging with learning in Lake Oswego. We appreciate your support and look forward to having you with us for our next episode