Hundreds of written and in-person commenters urge Lake Oswego board to keep middle school 'rainbow' schedule

More than three dozen speakers who submitted written testimony and multiple students, teachers and parents who spoke in person urged the Lake Oswego School District Board of Directors to keep the district's current middle-school "rainbow" schedule and to avoid a proposed move to a seven-period schedule tied to personnel reductions.

Students and teachers said the rainbow schedule — longer class periods with fewer daily transitions — supports in-class instruction, labs and student supports. "Our current schedule allows the workload to be spread out... If we were to go to the 7 period schedule, we would have math and math homework every day," said Paige Powers, a Lake Oswego Middle School student. Powers told the board the 65-minute class blocks on the rainbow schedule are important for deeper learning.

Several teachers and staff said the seven-period day would reduce planning and collaboration time. "A 7 period day cuts deeply into learning time with a shortened class period and increases difficult transitions and challenges to executive functioning for students," said Kendall Stewart, a social-studies teacher at Lake Ridge Middle School. Heather Nelson, a Lake Oswego Middle School teacher who said she represents more than 70 colleagues, told the board that Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) guidance favors larger uninterrupted instructional blocks and daily advisory time — both elements of the district's existing schedule.

Teachers and students raised stability and the human cost of transfers or cuts. "Many teachers that are being cut and transferred are integral to our community," said Maddie Curavilla, a Lake Oswego Middle School student. Christine Fu, a grade-level teacher at LMS who said she is slated for transfer, described her concern about losing year-long relationships with students.

Students, educators and parents asked the board to prioritize middle-level schedules and staffing during contract negotiations with the Lake Oswego Education Association; speakers said the district has room for both a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and preserving the rainbow schedule. Superintendent Dr. Sheehy acknowledged staff had heard teachers' concerns and said the district had offered a contract proposal designed to preserve the rainbow schedule while negotiating with the association.

Public comment included dozens of written submissions on related topics; the board read a list of names of those who had emailed testimony. The board did not take a vote on scheduling at the meeting; several staff members and board members said negotiations with the union were ongoing and that the district would meet with the union again.