On Tuesday, over 3,900 Lakewoodites showed up and voted for Monica and Katie, and we came within a few percentage points of claiming our first seat at the table on Lakewood’s School Board. Wow! We are proud of the grassroots movement you all helped to create.

In Lakewood, we take pride in our walkable neighborhoods, vibrant culture, and excellent public schools. Our schools are places where children discover who they are, where families connect, and where talented educators shape futures. They’re the foundation of a community that believes in opportunity, inclusion, and lifelong learning.

A nonprofit formed by Lakewood parents is suing the city’s school board, accusing it of violating Ohio’s Open Meetings Act in the lead-up to a controversial vote to close Lincoln Elementary School and consolidate Pre-K programs.

The Lakewood City Schools Board of Education, led by Pres. Nora Katzenberger and Vice Pres. Betsy Shaughnessy, voted 4-1 to adopt an elementary school consolidation “plan” comprised of a dozen slides and minimal supporting data that will close Lincoln Elementary and all neighborhood preschools and replace them with a centralized preschool in the current Lincoln building.

Tonight, the Lakewood Board of Education voted against the expressed interests of Lakewood residents when it voted to close Lincoln Elementary School, redraw the boundary lines of all six remaining elementaries, and shuffle the locations of the district’s special education programs. 

Hundreds of Lakewood residents came together to rally for our 7 neighborhood schools. Lakewood, you showed up for your schools today. Regardless of the outcome of the school board meeting, we came together to support our schools, and we thank you.

Lakewood resident JP shares why we need to come together as a community to keep our 7 neighborhood elementary schools.

We keep hearing conflicting information from Lakewood City Schools about the superintendent's recommendation to close Lincoln Elementary School, close our neighborhood Pre-K programs create a centralized Pre-K building, as well as other drastic changes to our neighborhood elementary schools.

This article appeared in the Lakewood Observer on October 16, 2025. Zach Robock is a member of the Elementary Planning Task Force. by Zach Robock This message was originally sent to the Lakewood Board of Education and Superintendent on October 7. There has been no response, except to refer to the District’s FAQ website. Good evening, I am sharing preliminary suggestions/questions based on Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki’s recommendations for school repurposing and a firs

Lakewood resident Parker shares why closing Harrison's Pre-K and moving all Pre-K classrooms to a consolidated building would be devastating to Birdtown's (and all of south Lakewood's) youngest residents, limiting, and in some cases preventing, access to early childhood education for many children in the neighborhood.

"As a third-generation Lakewoodite, I’m heartbroken and angry about what’s happening with the proposal to close or repurpose Lincoln Elementary.

For anyone who attended the Lakewood City School District’s Community Engagement meeting on September 29, it may come as a shock to hear that at the Monday, October 6 school board meeting Supt Niedzwiecki made recommendations that include closing Lincoln Elementary School and all of the neighborhood PreK programs to create a consolidated PreK in the vacated Lincoln building.

In March, I offered an article here in the Observer sharing my thoughts on the process being undertaken by Lakewood City Schools to determine the future of our model of education in Lakewood.

Lakewood City Schools Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki’s recommendation this week to eliminate Lincoln Elementary School, convert it into a centralized pre-k and redraw the boundaries of the district’s remaining six elementary schools has sparked a backlash among some parents.

Lakewood City School District Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki announced a recommendation Monday night to repurpose Lincoln Elementary, one of the district's seven elementary schools, to become an early childhood learning center.

This November 4, Lakewood voters can vote for up to two candidates for Lakewood Board of Education (school board), and up to three at-large Lakewood City Council candidates. In addition, Lakewood Ward 2 residents will be voting for a Ward 2 council member. You can look up a sample ballot here to see what will be on your ballot. Make sure to learn about Preserve Lakewood Schools' endorsed school board candidates, Katie Slife Rustad and Monica Bruaw . Learn more about the

Lakewood City Schools' superintendent recommended last night that Lincoln Elementary be closed and repurposed into a standalone Pre-K building, and that our neighborhood Pre-K classes be consolidated into one building, among many other potential changes.  

It’s easy to point fingers at Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki when we see our schools struggling with decisions, but here’s the truth:...

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Preserve Lakewood Schools' Meet the School Board Candidates Night on October 3!

Good news: Elementary school utilization across Lakewood’s seven elementary schools is currently well-balanced, elementary enrollment over the last five years is stable, and no major redistricting or school closure is required.