"Retaining walkable schools keeps our kids safer"

Comments to the school board

From an anonymous Lakewood parent and resident

Tonight, I’d like to explain why many working parents choose Lakewood City Schools for elementary school, yet choose a private daycare for preschool and pre-K.

First, I’ll start by highlighting the benefits of a private daycare with an integrated pre-school and pre-K program.

• Expanded Day: Coverage from 8:45am-3:05 pm is not enough to allow for an 8-hour work day and a commute.  An extended day typically from 7:30am-5:30 pm is a real need for working parents.

• Coverage for the summer. The only summer camp options for children under four are partial day. A few day camps accept children starting at 5, yet none of the summer camps cover the entire summer.

• Finally, if you have more than one child under 5, having one drop off location makes life easier.

Given these benefits, many Lakewood working parents need to choose a private daycare for preschool and pre-k due to convenience, and they would not be interested in a centralized pre-K program.

However, these same families choose Lakewood City Schools for Kindergarten and Elementary School.

We choose Lakewood City Schools for the community’s reputation. Lakewood is known as a caring, diverse and tight-knit community. We wanted this for our family.

We also choose Lakewood City Schools for the teachers and quality of education provided. 

Our neighbors and friends were overwhelmingly positive about the level of care, experience, and patience provided by teachers at Grant.

The final selling point was walkability. This is a unique feature and it sets Lakewood apart.

I’d like to share three examples of how this walkability fosters connection and keeps us at Lakewood City Schools.

• On Thursday, Feb 5th, it was 30 degrees out and we walked home. My kiddo had a ball playing chase with classmates in the school yard, before walking home. Then, at the playground we ran into another Grant family, and had an impromptu playdate.

• On Wed, Feb 12th, it was 31 degrees and we participated in the Winter Walk to School with 10 kids. A few parents couldn’t join due to a conflict, yet their kids participated. The kids had a great time, and the parents had the peace of mind that their kids were safe with the group.

• On Wednesday, Feb 26, it was 34 degrees and we biked to school. We exchanged greetings with 11 other families, 2 neighbors, the crossing guard, and the principal.

These stories illustrated that no matter the season, when you attend a neighborhood school, there are more opportunities for connection.

Whether it’s a greeting or a conversation, these positive social interactions create positive associations with school and help to boost attendance and performance. They also build our sense of community. 

Retaining walkable schools keeps our kids safer. It’s safer when you have more kids and families walking, not just those who must walk to school because they don’t have a car. Also, whether you are sick, running late, or have a conflict, it’s nice to have a village, who could help your child walk to or from school safely.

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

The other parents in Preserve Lakewood's Schools, also love our neighborhood schools.  Many have graduated from Lakewood City Schools and are choosing to raise their families here, too.

I encourage you to reconsider the idea of a centralized pre-k program and to retain our seven neighborhood elementary schools.