Lakewood – The Lakewood Board of Education outlined a timeline Tuesday for addressing potential elementary school changes, with Superintendent announcing key dates leading to an October 20 board vote.
Superintendent Niedzwiecki detailed the schedule during the September 2 meeting at Garfield Middle School. On September 15, the district will present data and information to be used in making recommendations and announce details for community discussions. A community tabletop conversation is scheduled for September 29, followed by administrative recommendations presented October 6 and a final board vote October 20.
The timeline comes after months of community debate over potential school closures or repurposing. Task force member Zach Robot highlighted concerns that none of the six proposed scenarios can be implemented as designed due to classroom shortages, particularly noting that Horseman Elementary would need 18 classrooms under one scenario but only has 15 available.
Financial Update Shows Positive Trends
FINANCE
Board member Colleen Clark-Sutton reported the district earned $222,861 in investment earnings for July and maintained positive cash flow with $7.56 million in receipts against $7.23 million in expenditures.
The district will receive approximately $200,000 additional in state funding over the next two years due to achieving a four-star rating on the state report card, part of a performance supplement added to the state funding formula.
Community Voices Concerns Over Process
COMMUNITY
Eight residents addressed the board during public comment, with speakers raising concerns about transparency, enrollment projections, and the impact on families.
Elena McCordon called for the district to pause the process and develop a new strategic plan, noting the current 2022 plan contains no mention of right-sizing or repurposing schools. She urged officials to “rebuild trust” before moving forward.
Another resident requested halting the decision until more post-pandemic enrollment data becomes available, arguing that children born during COVID are just entering kindergarten and enrollment patterns remain unclear.
A different resident questioned the district’s capacity calculations, noting discrepancies in reported building capacity numbers and warning that middle schools and high schools also fall below the 60% capacity threshold cited as justification for elementary changes.
Board Discusses Meeting Schedule Change
GOVERNANCE
Board President Nora Katzenberger proposed moving regular meetings from the first and third Mondays to the second and fourth Mondays to avoid conflicts with city council meetings. The board expressed support for exploring the change, which would be implemented in January when the annual schedule is adopted.
The board also approved six classified personnel actions and adjusted the November meeting schedule due to the Ohio School Boards Association conference.
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