At the most recent Lakewood City School District board meeting on Sept. 15, the district moved closer to resolving the ongoing conflict over repurposing an elementary school. Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki delivered her plan, outlining her recommendations, on Oct. 6, and voting will commence Oct. 20.

​Over the past year, there has been a serious push in some sections of the district to repurpose an elementary school. This push is supported by data such as declining student enrollment and population trends. Lincoln Elementary, Grant Elementary, and Roosevelt Elementary are potential schools that may be repurposed, with only one likely to be closed if the school board votes to approve the plan in October.

“The administration has been talking about it for a number of years, as our enrollment has been declining for at least a decade,” said Christine Gordillo, communications and PR coordinator for Lakewood City Schools. “It has stabilized over the last year or two, but it’s been an issue in the minds of administrators for a while.”

The conflict is divided between two major groups. One supports repurposing an elementary school, citing decreased enrollment, building capacity data, and the need for a centralized preschool. The other, Preserve Lakewood Schools, a parent and community advocacy group, opposes the plan, arguing that the district’s data is unfounded and that repurposing the school would significantly impact traffic, education, and walkability in Lakewood.

​The importance of this board meeting lies in the fact that it is one of the final opportunities for the school board to hear public opinion and gather community input, with only one more meeting scheduled on Oct. 6 before voting commences on Oct. 20.

The meeting began at 7 p.m. and, while it was essentially a general school board meeting, the motivations that made it relevant were clearly related to the repurposing of a school.​

The board first took time to highlight and celebrate the recent opening ceremonies of the Welding building, MEMS lab, and Franklin School of Opportunity. All new facilities are situated at Lakewood High School.

School Board Vice President Betsy Shaughnessy commented during the meeting that “The grant had to be applied for in a very short period of time,” and that “…to get both of them [was] remarkable. So [I] just want to compliment the administration.”

Superintendent Niedzwiecki announced a revised timeline after introducing the new facilities, highlighting next month’s school board meetings, particularly regarding the repurposing of a school.

Firstly, the Lakewood City School District will host a community meeting on Sept. 29, featuring a tabletop discussion with school officials and an opportunity for the community to share their opinions and input.

After the community meeting, there will be a board meeting on Oct. 6, where Superintendent Niedzwiecki will be detailing her recommendations to the school board. On Oct. 20, the school board will vote on the issue and determine whether or not to repurpose an elementary school.

Niedzwiecki commented during the meeting that “While differing viewpoints are natural, we must engage with the full context,” and that “[she will] continue to be committed to transparency that informs rather than unsettles.”

Niedzwiecki also provided a brief summary to inform the public about the data supporting her recommendation. The talking points include data on declining enrollment, building capacity, safety and security, population statistics, the need for a preschool, and the efficient use of financial and human resources.

After presenting the details related to the recommendation data, the board then discussed the annual Lakewood City Schools “Hike ’n Bike” initiative to motivate students of all ages to walk or bike to school.

​“Increasing walking and biking as a legitimate form of transportation, particularly for our school-aged children, provides many benefits for individuals as well as the community at large,” said board member Colleen Clark Sutton.

After discussing the “Hike ‘n Bike” program, the floor was opened to public speakers.

Melissa Hare, president of the Lakewood Teachers Association, expressed appreciation for the district’s cooperation with the community and teachers across all schools. “I really hope that the teachers can stop being moved around a lot. My hope is that teachers could settle a little bit more.”

Dan Kirk, an executive committee member of the Preserve Lakewood Schools initiative, said, “We have asked for a real strategy, one that doesn’t ask which school to close but first asks how to keep every school open.” Kirk shares the sentiment of many Lakewood parents who support the Preserve Lakewood Schools initiative and feel that the consideration given to repurposing a school was insufficient.

“We really feel that the school board should only consider closing and repurposing an elementary school only under the most dire of circumstances,” said executive committee member Jennifer Schlosser. “And so far, they have not shared any data or information that comes close to showing a dire circumstance.”

One of the final speakers before the meeting concluded was Austin Rhodes, a resident and parent of children at Lincoln Elementary. ​“I moved here at the beginning of the year,” Rhodes said. “And one of the reasons I moved to Lakewood was the proximity to this school [Lincoln] and the ability to walk my children to elementary. The closure of this school, in particular, would hurt my ability to do that.”

Even at the local level, there is a clear concern about the commodities that people have moved here for being taken away, highlighting how important this issue is to every parent in Lakewood.

​As the issue is examined more closely, it becomes increasingly clear that the commitments from both sides are not rooted in being right but in a sense of community and prosperity. Across all perspectives, it is evident that people are acting out of love for the community and a hope to do what is best for the community as a whole.

The Lakewood Table Talk Community Meeting will be held at Lakewood High School’s cafeteria on Sept. 29. Community members are encouraged to attend and share their opinions.

​​”Everyone’s voice matters in this because it will impact all of us,” said Scholosser. “We really just want to encourage everyone to get connected, learn about what’s going on, and take action.”