In honor of U.S. Innovation Day on February 16, we thought we’d take a look at some of the innovative things that have happened/are happening in Lake Oswego.

MILLENNIUM PLAZA PARK AND LAKE VIEW VILLAGE. With all that happens at Millennium Plaza Park, it’s hard to imagine it not being there. But until 1999 it didn’t. Thanks to the Lake Oswego Redevelopment Agency formed twenty years earlier in 1979, the City had a vision and a plan for managing urban renewal activities. By using tax increment financing and other public financing programs, LORA has been the driving force behind such city beautification projects such as Sundeleaf Plaza, Lake View Village, Headlee Walkway and the Boones Ferry Road Improvement Project. While many of the LORA projects result in other benefits like increased economic vitality, they also add to the beauty that is one of our city’s greatest assets. Thinking outside the box – that’s what innovation is all about and fortunately we had community leaders with a vision and the chutzpah to make it happen.

INNOVATION LABS in Lake Oswego schools. One of the initiatives of Lake Oswego’s 2017 capital construction bond was to explore different ways for Lake Oswego students to learn. Innovation Labs or iLabs in all the elementary and middle schools were the answer. Students work in groups on STEM projects that not only involve math and science skills but also research, problem-solving, planning, engineering, collaborating and YES, innovating.

LAKE OSWEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY. We are continually impressed with the programming and services that the Lake Oswego library continues to provide and their ability to make the best out of what they have. While it is a common perception that Lake Oswego needs more library space, our library manages to innovate and continue to find creative ways to engage and serve the public. Take their current Winter Reading Bingo game where completing 4-5 challenges in a row gets you a prize. Or their “It’s Not a Box! – In the Jungle” community cardboard building project scheduled for March where participants are invited to drop into the Children’s Library to create whatever their minds imagine a box could be. And the most convincing evidence of Lake Oswego library’s innovation is its Lake Oswego Reads program that features a month-long schedule of speakers, craft classes, book discussions and more related to each year’s chosen book. This year’s is How to Read a Book by Monica Wood with free book giveaways on March 1 and programming in April.

LAKEWOOD CENTER FOR THE ARTS. You think you know what to expect from the Lakewood Center—entertaining plays, theatre and performance classes, art exhibits and the annual (and innovative) Festival of the Arts! But then you go on to their website to look at the lineup and you see that Stand-Up Comedy has entered the scene! Tyler Boeh appears January 29 followed by Sean Jordan on February 5. That deserves a standing ovation for innovation! Check it out.

OFF AND AWAY CELL PHONE PRACTICE. Starting this academic year, the Lake Oswego School District instituted a full ban on cell phones and all mobile devices (smart watches, tablets, headphones) during the school day. They are one of the few districts to apply the ban across all grade levels. Students are told to turn them off and put them away rather than locking them up in special locked pouches which other schools have done. Considering that nearly 75% of U.S. teens reported in a Pew Research Center study that they feel happy or peaceful when not on their phones, this is an innovative way of trying to capitalize on some of the benefits of cellphone free zones.

In a recent episode of Learning in Lake Oswego with Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Schiele, Lake Oswego High School Principal Kristen Colyer reported benefits of students being more focused in class, making more eye contact with teachers and peers, engaging more with each other during lunch and the “beautiful noise” filling the halls with students talking with each other as opposed to being glued to their phones. Junior Taylor Hefner gave a student’s perspective explaining that the policy has changed the school environment, generating more dialogue among students and eliminating a lot of the drama with students actually communicating directly with each other as opposed to doing it behind other’s backs through their phones. Less distractions thanks to random text messages that could mess with a student’s head mean that many students find the policy very helpful in reducing stress.

Parental response has been both positive and almost relieved that the schools are enforcing it so they don’t have to and negative, with parents concerned about emergency response. One of the reasons behind the district’s decision to adopt an “Off and Away” policy versus locking the phones up is as Schiele explains, “we can do this and still allow people to use phones in case of an emergency.” Parents can always reach students through the front office and there are exceptions to the rule for health, safety or emergencies with prior approval.

We’ve lived here long enough to witness much of the evolution of Lake Oswego, brought about by innovative individuals, committed to making Lake Oswego a great place to live. Please reach out if we can answer any of your questions about moving to Lake Oswego. We’re here to help.

Kevin Costello kevin.costello@cascadehasson.com 503.939.9801

Riley Costello riley.costello@cascadehasson.com 971.322.6205