What Residents Are Saying

If you don’t have a child in elementary school, you might be wondering about the purple and gold “Keep Our 7 Neighborhood Elementary Schools” yard signs. The Preserve Lakewood Schools yard signs are a sign of a thriving community where parents, graduates,and community members value the quality of their public elementary schools, and will go above and beyond to protect them.

I’ve attended recent Board meetings at Grant, Roosevelt and Lincoln.  During the last meeting board members “summed up” reasons to close a school which included lack of collaboration among teachers, a reluctance to move teachers around and uneven class sizes. 

On May 5, Lakewood parents and residents gathered at Lincoln Elementary to speak out against potential elementary school closures (of Lincoln, Roosevelt, or Grant). Many criticized the Board of Education (BOE) and superintendent for a process they view as predetermined, non-transparent, and dismissive of community input. 

Historically, Lakewood City Schools has prioritized students, teachers, and families. In fact, the district spent $100 million dollars to rebuild three elementary schools just 12 years ago. As is true for many Lakewood families, the primary deciding factor for us when we decided to purchase a home in Lakewood was the walkable, new elementary schools.

Though the survey context was muddy, the priorities still rose to the surface: Lakewood residents prioritize walkability, safety, and equitable class sizes. This can be achieved by simply redrawing boundary lines for the elementary schools.

In a packed room at Roosevelt, Lakewood residents expressed concern over the district's plans to potentially close and repurpose Lincoln, Roosevelt, and/or Grant.

The Board of Education and the district are entrusted to manage the school system. With good management, there can be seven elementary schools—preserving our neighborhood schools and safeguarding them for our future. With enrollment stabilizing, classroom sizes projected to equalize starting with the 26-27 school year, little financial benefit, and an overarching lack of transparency, our question remains: Why are we still discussing closing an elementary school?

Good evening. My name is JP Graulty. I’m a Lakewood resident and work as a community engagement professional in the social work school of Case Western Reserve University. Last week, my wife eloquently spoke about the incredible value that our local, community schools provide for our students and families from her perspective as an educator and School Psychologist. She also shared what our community schools means for my family with 2 future Rangers.

The Superintendent has repeatedly said, there is a luxury of time. There is no emergency. We are not in a dire circumstance.

Lakewood's seven walkable neighborhoods schools are an asset. They attract people to the community and help to retain them.

Lakewood residents have shown what they value: walkability, libraries, and our crown jewel, our excellent school system.