"Other solutions should be tried first"

Brittany Brocker, resident and parent

Comments to Lakewood's school board, March 17, 2025

1. Thank you for your public service as educators and board members. Your hard work truly matters and impacts all the members of the community, especially our youngest.

2. Closing a school would only increase class sizes. On face value, closing one to two schools could only increase class sizes. There is no way around this fact. It has been said that there are utilized spaces in each of the elementary schools, but I have seen no evidence to support this. In fact after asking teachers and substitute teachers at Emerson they have told me that is not true. Several teachers associations and studies overwhelmingly show ideal class size 15-20 for grades K through three. My son is in a class of 23 kindergartners, which is huge. If there is extra space at Emerson why are the kindergarten classes so huge?

3. There is no support for a central pre-K. I currently drive my Pre-K and Kindergartener to two different locations. It makes the mornings more challenging and time consuming. I have not heard from one parent that thinks this is a good idea or use of our schools. It is baffling that this is even being suggested. There is a high demand for pre-K at each of the elementary schools. Please bring back the Pre-K at each of the elementary schools. The board has stated that there is extra room at each of the facilities. What a wonderful use for those extra rooms and service to our community.

4. Closing one to two schools would only decrease walk-ability in Lakewood. Urban planners, citizens and realtors associations all advocate for walkable communities. The benefits are astounding from health, especially cardiovascular, fostering a sense of community, and improved emotional well being. This topic has been at every Urban planning conference for the past decade. Lakewood already has it and this needs to be protected.

5. Other solutions should be tried first before we close an elementary school like asking for more with the levy, redrawing the districts, utilizing the extra space that we seem to have so much of for Pre-schools and before and after care.

6. Elected officials are elected to protect our interests. Lakewood residents have shown what they value: walkability, libraries, and our crown jewel, our excellent school system. They overwhelmingly support our schools and libraries. Levies for our schools have passed with high support for the past 3 decades. We do not need to choose the cheap option for something as important as our children's education.

7. Please protect our schools and help us to be a community that is a leader and example for other urban communities. The community will support you and thank you. You all took this position because you are passionate about our education system, our community, and most importantly our children. Keep all our elementaries open, place pre-ks at each of them, and increase our walk-ability.

Thank you

Brittany Brocker

Proud Lakewood resident and parent