Preserve Lakewood Schools
Mission
Who we are: Preserve Lakewood Schools is a non-partisan coalition of parents, residents, and leaders in Lakewood, Ohio, committed to preventing the closure/repurposing of elementary schools by Lakewood City Schools, and supporting the long-term vitality of Lakewood's public schools. We educate residents, provide resources for taking action, and advocate to our leaders. Join us to protect the future of our neighborhood schools - one of our community’s greatest assets.
Our vision: We envision a thriving, united Lakewood community where every child has access to a high-quality, safely walkable, neighborhood-based public education.
Our mission: Our mission is to preserve and strengthen our neighborhood public schools as vital centers of learning, family engagement, extracurricular opportunities (clubs/aftercare/music/sports), equity, and community connection. We work toward building transparent, inclusive communication and connection between the school board and the community, to restore trust and support the long-term vitality of our public schools. Our grassroots organization has evolved into a Political Action Committee (PAC). We advocate for strong public investment in Lakewood City Schools, including supporting levies, as a foundation for equity, opportunity, and the stability of our community. We support local candidates that align with the mission of preserving and marketing our neighborhood school model.
​
​
Watch a video message about how we formed and where we are headed
The Name and Logo
Our name "Preserve Lakewood. Save Our Neighborhood Schools" was a result of then-strangers convening in an office room on a snowy night in January 2025.
We all shared the same concerns about the importance of protecting and leveraging our neighborhood school model.
The name has since been shortened to "Preserve Lakewood Schools" because it was a mouthful! And sometimes you will hear us referred to as "PLS".
The graphic was created by our team, showing seven hands coming together. That represents all seven elementary schools in Lakewood. We stand united in bringing equitable access to all of Lakewood's students.