Check out Lake Oswego’s newest sustainable school

Jun 23, 2026 | Community, Schools, Success Stories

A Sustainability Tour of the New Lake Oswego Middle School

Photo of the Lake Oswego Middle School cafeteria

Members of the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network Schools Action Team recently toured the newly constructed Lake Oswego Middle School and learned how sustainability has been thoughtfully integrated throughout the campus.

The school’s design was shaped by extensive research into the material, cultural and ecological histories of the site and surrounding community. From colors, patterns and textures to native plants and natural materials, the building reflects and celebrates the unique character of our region.

Building on Lake Oswego School District’s longstanding commitment to sustainability, the school incorporates a high-performance building envelope, passive cooling, rooftop solar panels, smart stormwater management and biophilic design elements that connect students with nature. Sustainable transportation is supported through ample bicycle, skateboard and EV-ready parking.

Photo of the Lake Oswego Middle School grounds and basedball field

Inside, student well-being and energy efficiency go hand in hand. Spaces are designed to support their intended use, with calming blue tones in music rooms and other thoughtful design elements throughout the building. Smart window indicators and a highly efficient wind-turbine ventilation system help maintain a comfortable, healthy indoor environment. Classrooms feature hearing-assistance technology, collaborative learning spaces and accessibility-focused amenities, including a life skills classroom and a dedicated Zen room.

Photo of the Lake Oswego Middle School greenhouse and garden

The campus itself serves as a living example of environmental stewardship. Rain gardens collect and filter runoff before it infiltrates into underground vaults beneath the parking lot, while native meadows, gardens and a greenhouse provide hands-on opportunities for environmental learning.

Solar panels cover much of the roof and are designed to generate enough electricity to power the entire building, further reducing the school’s environmental footprint and supporting district sustainability goals.

The new Lake Oswego Middle School demonstrates how sustainability, student wellness, accessibility and community identity can be seamlessly integrated into a modern learning environment—one that not only educates students but also models a more sustainable future.

Announcing the 2026 Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Awardees

This year marks the third year that LOSN has bestowed the Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Award of $1,000 to a graduating senior at each of our two high schools. We are pleased to recognize Julianna Cahill from Lakeridge High School and Auveen Shafaei from Lake Oswego High School as our 2026 recipients. Congratulations!!

LOSN established the Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Award in 2024 in memory of Mary Ratcliff and as a way to recognize high school graduates who have already contributed to sustainability and have a vision of how they would like to do so in the future.

Mary Ratcliff was a founding member of LOSN and longtime board members of LOSN and the Oswego Lake Watershed Council who passed away unexpectedly in 2023. Mary lived her entire life with a commitment to taking care of the earth. She devoted her time to educating our community to adopt sustainable practices from natural landscaping to the elimination of fossil fuels. She worked tirelessly to find solutions to make this earth more sustainable.

Juliana Cahill, Lakeridge High School Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Awardee

Photo of Juliana Cahill, Lakeridge High School Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Awardee “Receiving the Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Award is such an honor, and I’m proud to say I’ve positively impacted Lake Oswego’s sustainability in a recognizable way. In the near future, I will study Environmental Sciences at the Oregon State University Honors College as a Presidential Scholar, and I hope to continue creating meaningful change that benefits climate and human health outcomes well into my future.”

Julianna’s Contributions to Sustainability

- - Served as Lakeridge High School Green Team President and volunteered for three years as a student representative at the Lake Oswego Sustainability Fair.
  - Partnered with the Lake Oswego Watershed Council to organize and lead campus ivy pull restoration events.
  - Represented student voices at community sustainability events, including the City’s “Gas to Grid” event and the inaugural Our Future Oregon Green Team Summit.
  - Moderated the Lake Oswego Sustainability and Equity City Council Candidate Forum, facilitating discussion between candidates and community members.

Auveen Shafaei, Lake Oswego High School Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Awardee

Photo of Auveen Shafaei, Lake Oswego High School Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Awardee

“I am so honored to have been chosen for the Mary Ratcliff Sustainability Award! It was a very wonderful surprise. I look forward to continuing making an impact in college!”

Auveen’s Contributions to Sustainability

Helped establish a sustainability-focused position within the Lake Oswego High School Associated Student Body, creating a lasting voice for environmental issues in student leadership.
Advocated for climate education by speaking with state legislators in support of a climate education bill that was later passed into law.
Earned national recognition for her climate action proposal and contributed to climate education initiatives that reached students beyond her school.
Led the Thread Forward clothing campaign and swap, raising awareness about the environmental impacts of fast fashion and promoting sustainable choices.

Lake Oswego School District Adopts New Strategic Plan

On June 8, the Lake Oswego School Board adopted a new strategic plan that will provide the district’s direction for the next five years. Lake Oswego Sustainability Network’s School Action Team was active in the process and providing recommendations. We are pleased to say that sustainability has remained an important part of the plan. It is one of the four identified conditions of success along with Belonging and Inclusivity; Health and Resiliency; and Innovation and Technology.

At a high level, LOSD has committed to decisions being guided by an equity lens and a sustainability lens. The Sustainability lens was developed by the Board-appointed Sustainability Advisory Committee several years ago.

The plan also includes:

Improvement commitments:

Integrate sustainability into operations and resource use
Integrate environmental learning into existing instruction and student experiences
Promote responsible stewardship of resources

Indicators:

Operational Data: Sustainability practices in facilities, transportation and resource use
Student Participation: Participation in sustainability-related learning and activities
Implementation Data: Integration of sustainability practices across schools and programs

Initiatives the district has identified for the first year with respect to sustainability:

Launch a climate-focused professional learning program and support participating teachers in implementing sustainability-connected lessons
Implement volunteer-supported lunch composting programs in all elementary schools
Establish baseline measures and public reporting on energy use, waste reduction and participation in sustainability initiatives

LOSN is excited to continue to work with the school district to support sustainability in its education and practices.

Help Support LOSD Sustainability Professional Development

The Lake Oswego School District (LOSD) wants to train all of their teachers in sustainability education. The online training, Subject to Climate, equips teachers to implement sustainability concepts into subject areas that they already teach.

In order to start this project, two teachers from each school will train, create lessons that integrate with their current units of study, meet, and create a hub of lessons for the rest of the teachers to use.

There is no budget for this professional development, but there is a lot of enthusiasm among teachers. The training costs $250 per teacher. The Lake Oswego Schools Foundation is managing the funds. We invite you to donate any amount to help get this project off the ground.

Support climate education

Upcoming Sustainability Events

Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts: Nature Rubbings Discovery Zone

Saturday, June 27 | 12 – 2 pm
George Rogers Park Youth Tent, Lake Oswego

Join LOSN for a youth activity called Nature Rubbings Discovery Zone. Kids can explore the textures of nature by creating their own leaf and bark rubbings using crayons, pencils and paper. Along the way, we’ll help identify different leaves and tree bark, connecting the activity to a deeper understanding of our urban forest.

It’s a fun, hands-on way to spark curiosity, creativity and knowledge—plus each child takes home their own nature-inspired artwork!

You can also see the LOSN Waste Reduction Team in action in the Food Cart area of the Festival of the Arts from noon to 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday, June 27-28, to learn about food composting and general recycling and waste reduction information.

Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair

Visit the Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair on Saturday, June 27th from 11am to 3pm at the Redd.

Get your free tickets

With energy prices going up, it pays to power your home with renewable energy. Plus, it’s the biggest single climate action you can take! Learn how to upgrade your home and say goodbye to fossil fuels at this free, family-friendly home electrification fair. PLUS FREE ICE CREAM!

Electrify Portland! is your one-stop shop for exploring high-efficiency heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, solar, EVs and more—all with the guidance of trusted local contractors who specialize in home electrification. Hosted by ElectrifyPDX.

What the City of Lake Oswego Is Doing

Apr 19, 2024 | Success Stories

City of Lake Oswego Park and Recreation equipment and staff

Park and Recreation Department

Submitted by Jeff Munro, Deputy Director

The City of Lake Oswego has already taken important steps to eliminate gas-powered equipment from its contracted landscape services for 200 city-owned sites and has replaced much of the gas-powered equipment used by Parks and Public Works.

The Parks Department’s transition to electric tools aligns with our dedication to maintaining beautiful parks while being kind to our earth and environment. We have added all types of electric equipment including blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, push mowers, riding mowers, utility vehicles, and a new Ford F-150 that can power up equipment in the field. Our Parks Multiple Site Landscape Contract also requires that the contractor that maintains some of our facilities & parks only use electric equipment to perform their maintenance tasks.

Our commitment to Sustainability is powering our parks with electric tools and vehicles that reduce emissions and minimize our carbon footprint. The Parks Department will continue to integrate this electric initiative into daily practice and continue to source new equipment and battery types along with continuing with the City Council’s goals on climate and sustainability practices with fleet policies.

Public Works Department

The Public Works Department has had an electric contract with STORM Landscape Services since 2021.

STORM Landscape Services is a commercial landscape company that has 6 crews that are all electric. In a recent interview, Randy Mihaldo shared details about his work with the City and his transition to electric landscaping equipment. Read the full story…

Transitioning to Electric Landscaping Equipment: A Case Study with Mountain Park HOA

Apr 19, 2024 | Success Stories

Submitted by Tod Blankenship, Director of Landscape Stewardship

I personally have been researching and purchasing small battery equipment for over 10 years. When I was with the City of Wilsonville, I began spearheading a transition to Stihl battery-powered small equipment. Stihl has long been a champion of landscape equipment. When it comes to committing to battery-powered equipment there are many factors to be considered beyond the craftsmanship and reliability of the tool itself. It is also a commitment to batteries and chargers. Stihl has been at the forefront of battery technology, and it was an easy decision for us.

Mountain Park HOA (MPHOA) Landscape Stewardship Division has purchased nearly all of the Stihl commercial battery-powered tools available. When it comes to the replacement of any light equipment we will purchase a battery option if available. We have found most of the items suit our needs as long as we have plenty of extra batteries. The disappointment has been the limited backpack blower options. A new Stihl electric backpack blower is now available and we plan on buying 5 additional blowers this year. We have also purchased (2) Westward electric low-speed vehicles for use on the road and throughout our 9 miles of trails.

Why We Made the Switch

Apr 18, 2021 | Electric Landscaping Equipment, Success Stories

Testimonial from Jeff & Kathleen Wiens

For years it was frustrating trying to start our gas lawnmower and edger. Having to mix oil and gasoline, trying to find a funnel to fill it was always a hassle. The cloud of smoke and fumes made the process even more unpleasant. It was frustrating having to wipe the spilled gasoline off of our hands and ground.

In 2015 we decided to go all electric/battery for our landscaping equipment. We purchased a Black and Decker hedge trimmer and a Kobalt lawn mower at Lowe’s for a reasonable price. This equipment performs great and after 6 years they have held up well. We also like to use a rake and broom.

A few months ago we purchased an Ego electric chainsaw and a more powerful hedge trimmer from Ace Hardware. The batteries are interchangeable and long lasting. We purchased an Ego inverter after our recent power outage to be able to use these Ego batteries to run our refrigerator, TV, power lights, and charge our cell phones. Since we have several batteries, this could help get us through a power outage without the need to run a noisy and polluting generator.

What we like about electric landscaping equipment is when the battery is connected, it starts every time without any nauseous fumes and it’s quieter than gas equipment. We have found that that the cost of residential electric landscaping equipment is comparable or less than the gas equipment. A trip down the aisles at Home Depot or Lowe’s will verify this.

The noise level of gas equipment and the toxicity of the fumes are enough to warrant a change to electric. If homeowners don’t want to do their own landscaping, how about purchasing electric equipment to give to their landscapers. Another idea is to ask your landscaper to look into having an electric option. This would make it healthier for the workers, residents, neighbors and the environment. The switch to electric equipment helps to lower the carbon footprint created from gasoline powered landscaping equipment.

Works Great While Providing Surprising Resilience

Apr 18, 2021 | Success Stories

Submitted by Michael Earp

We have a large lot in the First Addition of Lake Oswego and although we have reduced the lawn size it is still a lot to mow. Over the years I have routinely used electric lawn equipment. At first cords were standard, which increased the time it took and were a hassle with messing with the cord. I can remember cutting the cord with the mower, too.

I upgraded to a cordless mower when they became available. The first cordless mowers cut down on the time spent mowing but they used lead acid battery which made the lawn mower heavier and the battery had to to be recharged half way through mowing my big lawn.

Today’s electric mowers are very light and have a long runtime with a powerful Lithium battery. It is so quiet and easy to push and can do the entire lot with no problem. There are a number of new Lithium battery powered mowers available. We use a Ryobi 20 inch 40 Volt cordless mower which comes battery charger included ($299 at Home Depot).

Ryobi makes a number of attachments and that the same battery can be used on. I have a few of them including: edger, blower (quiet), portable drill, vacuum, radio and inverter.

During the last ice storm I used the 40 Volt Lithium battery from my mower with the inverter to power my house TV for three hours on a charge. And I could have powered the refrigerator.

Once you use one of these new Lithium powered mowers you will never want to deal with a gas mower again. Skip the hassle with gas tuneups along with the noise and pollution. Your neighbors will appreciate it, too!