Field Of Dreams Gets A Wake Up Call

Someone asked me why I would want a school near a strip mall and train tracks. I don't. I want a school near a park and a library in the heart of a city full of kids who deserve the best we have to offer.

Back in April I wrote an article for The Lakewood Observer, Location, Location, Location, in which I suggested that the Lakewood City Schools Phase III Steering Committee consider a new elementary school at Kauffman Park. Many have since asked me what happened to the idea.

Shortly after the article appeared in the paper, I formally submitted it to the committee for consideration along with additional research and rationale.

I have summarized the proposal in a simple sketch, district map, and top ten list. The sketch was intended only as a starting point, as the design would require professional development and modifications based on the input of all involved. The map justifies the location based on current student residences and the fixed locations of family-friendly housing units to satisfy the community desire to maintain reasonable walking distances for our youngest students. The top ten list is a reminder of my original inspiration confirmed with findings collected along the way. 

This matrix identifies the total number of elementary students throughout the district that were enrolled during the 2008-2009 school year and their walking distances based on the configurations considered by the District Configuration Sub-Committee. Census data confirms, based on current housing stock, we can expect a similar situation for decades. *Included for reference only

TOP 10 REASONS A NEW SCHOOL AT KAUFFMAN PARK IS A GOOD IDEA 

1.   It is located in/near a park with mature trees.

2.   It would provide the best athletic facility available to elementary students in the city.

3.   It could help with park maintenance and/or upgrades.

4.   It could serve as an anchor to the revitalization of downtown.

5.   It could be used as a community center during non-school hours.

6.   It protects valuable community green space from commercial development.

7.   It is located close to Lakewood Public Library whose Youth Services Division 

      supports the school district with outreach and after school programming.                

8.   It has the least negative impact on teaching and learning during construction.

9.   It brings together Grant, recognized as a Blue Ribbon School and designated EXCELLENT by Ohio Department of Education, and Lincoln, also designated EXCELLENT by ODE.

10. It supports families by locating elementary schools within reasonable walking distance of the most student residences, even better than the current seven elementary school configuration, now and as predicted by census data.

BONUS:  It reflects our identity as a city, great neighborhoods with a strong urban core.          

The proposal received support from some members of the committee but many dismissed the idea as “too costly” without time for a thorough investigation. Others feel that having two neighborhoods (Grant and Lincoln) lose their elementary schools to make Kauffman possible is too much to ask. Many simply think that having to bring so many parties to the table (The Board of Education, The City of Lakewood, property owners and residents) make it too complicated and therefore risky. They believe that a conservative approach better serves the community by avoiding possible delay of the process.

There was a question of whether or not completion of the high school renovation (also part of Phase III) could be split from the elementary school solution to buy the committee more time. According to Treasurer Rick Berdine, postponing a decision on the elementary schools could delay receipt of state funds, some of which are needed for the high school. OSFC will disburse funds once Lakewood passes the necessary bond issue and the final phase of the project begins.

Nathan Kelly, Lakewood City Planning Director, stated that the city is committed to being a good partner to the Lakewood City Schools and has provided all available information to the committee and school leadership to assist in the evaluation process of all potential options, including a new school at Kauffman Park. In doing their part to avoid delay, they “would consider and swiftly evaluate any proposal presented to the city.” 

Those in attendance at the last committee meeting before a summer recess delivered the wake up call when “…we reluctantly accepted that we didn't have all the answers regarding Kauffman Park and accepted that we wouldn't be able to unearth the answers in time to honor our pledge of arriving at an achievable and timely solution. Therefore, the consensus vote was to move forward building cases for two recommendations that didn't involve Kauffman Park,” as stated by committee member Jim Kenny.

In my disappointment I would visit the park, sense the school, imagine the children there, and wonder why more people couldn’t see the potential.

Outsiders, including Jaime Bouvier, founding member of Kauffman Park Friends, expressed their positions. “I am sorry to hear that the Lakewood Schools have decided not to continue to pursue that possibility.  I know that most of the people whom I spoke with, while opposed to selling parkland, were not necessarily opposed to placing a school on the property -- and many people were in favor of it.” Phase III committee member and lifelong resident, Bob Lugibihl, stated, “We may have missed a tremendous opportunity regarding Kauffman Park, which many people initially thought was an excellent site. Without access to and the ability to sit down and discuss the various options in developing this property as a "Joint Venture" with the Board of Education and The City of Lakewood, the committee could not carry the proposal forward. This could have been a WIN-WIN for all involved. The biggest winners would have been the people of Lakewood.”  Ideas like this can’t get off the ground without the collective will of an entire community. In the end, I wish I had a more satisfactory explanation of the proposal’s demise but the truth be told, despite some support, it turned out to be my vision alone.  Looking forward, I encourage you to attend the Phase III Community Forum on Tuesday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the East Gym at Lakewood High School to learn about the two remaining proposals and offer your input. Don’t let just a few influence the decision for the whole community, as all residents will be impacted by the outcome of this process.  Most importantly, keep in mind how far we have come towards completing the district’s Master Facilities Plan for our schools and help get us over the finish line by supporting the upcoming bond issue to insure that Lakewood receives the state’s contribution of approximately $47 million to the project.  
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Volume 5, Issue 18, Posted 10:06 AM, 09.09.2009