"Our community, the school district, and the city have a history of not choosing the cheapest option – but rather choosing to uphold the community values."

Comments to the school board, March 17, 2025

Monica Bruaw, parent and resident

I’m Monica Bruaw, lifetime Lakewood resident, LHS grad class of 1990 and mom of 3 children under 10.

I am also a member of the Preserve Lakewood Schools group, and I wanted to thank the Superintendent, treasurer, Board President Nora and Board member Lisa for meeting with us last week.

One area we found in common ground is the importance of putting the Lakewood children first. We believe in their safety – and the biggest way we see that is the walkability and our neighborhood schools.

We support scenario 7 – with redistricting that allows for grandfathering of students at current schools with a more flexible open enrollment policy for students and their families.

The Superintendent has repeatedly said, there is a luxury of time. There is no emergency. We are not in a dire circumstance. So, we have been gifted time to redistrict, work with the city and others to find creative ways to attract families, promote the schools and increase our enrollment and utilization.

This conversation is old. From over 10 years ago. The board at that time fought with OFCC to let us keep the seven elementary schools because that reflects who Lakewood is – with neighborhood schools and 70% of the voters supported the seven-school plan put forth by the school district in 2013.

Our community, the school district, and the city have a history of not choosing the cheapest option – but rather choosing to uphold the community values.

The school board spent 6 figures in saving the front brick façade from the Garfield School and put extra dollars as a LFI in additional building space at many of our schools for the benefit of the many programs we want to offer.

Years ago, the City fought to keep the Lakewood Library separate from the Cuyahoga County Library System and the voters supported that. 

When your own survey results came – and it shows that people want the walkability over a repurposed school – this supports what the community values. We don’t expect you to go cheap on us.

The task force is made up of a variety of individuals, with a lot of different perspectives. Because the task forces was given the seven scenarios, instead of being allowed to create their own scenarios through data and discussion, there seems to be a disconnect between the School board and the communities priorities.

We want to see the task force vote on a scenario recommendation and have that done in May as promised and promoted on the district website, the task force will recommend to the Superintendent, who will recommend to the board,– so that we (as a community) can work together and look towards the future.

When it comes down to it, the final decision needs to come from people who live in Lakewood because this will be something we all will have to live with in Lakewood.