Flipping though the manual for the library's sewing machines (mainly to find correct terms for stuff I know by rote) and it seems to have conflicting instructions on changing the sewing direction.
On 1 page it instructs doing what we all do: lower the needle into the fabric, raise the presser foot, and pivot the fabric around the needle.
Couple of pages later it has a caution note that says to raise the needle from the fabric and then raise the foot lever to turn to prevent breaking the needle