Board Votes to Include LHS, Lincoln & Roosevelt in Phase III

The Board of Education at its Feb. 16 meeting voted to amend the Lakewood City Schools Master Facilities Plan to include renovating the eastern half of Lakewood High School, rebuilding Roosevelt Elementary and rebuilding or renovating Lincoln Elementary. That decision would mean that Grant Elementary would be closed as part of the third and final phase of the plan.

The plan for the 10-year rebuilding of our school district required modification due to the State of Ohio’s revision of its original plan to help fund seven elementary schools in our district. When the district was notified that due to continued declining enrollment it will only be given funding for six schools, a decision had to be made whether to fund a seventh school with taxpayer money.

The decision came after a year-long process that included 9-months of work by a citizens’ Phase III Steering Committee. The Board formed the committee in January 2009 to study how the Schools should proceed with Phase III of the district’s facilities plan. The committee worked through February and March to prepare for its first public forum in April 2009. Most people attending the forum agreed that the school district should proceed with six rather than seven elementary schools.

The Phase III committee conducted additional research during April, May, June, July and August in preparation for a September public forum. The tally from table discussions at this forum indicated a preference for completing the high school, Roosevelt and Lincoln for the Phase III plan. Concerns were subsequently raised suggesting that the process at this forum was flawed.

The Phase III committee worked the remainder of September and October and presented its report to the Board of Education on Oct. 19, 2009. In its report, the committee recommended:

1. That the school district proceed with a Phase III plan for completing the high school and for providing for six elementary schools;

2. That the Board choose between a plan for including the high school, Roosevelt and Grant or a plan for including the high school, Roosevelt and Lincoln for Phase III construction; and

3. That the school district continue operating seven elementary schools until the Phase III construction has been completed.

Subsequently to receiving this report, the Board held a meeting at Grant on Nov. 16 to discuss the information presented by the Phase III committee. The Board held another meeting to receive additional public input on Phase III on Dec. 3 at Hayes. After receiving public comments, Board members discussed their views on the issues. At its Jan. 19 meeting, the Board had further discussions on Phase III. At its Feb. 1 meeting, Board members again discussed these issues and their thought process on coming to a decision.

Our school district now awaits and expects to receive notification from the Ohio School Facilities Commission for proceeding with the Phase III project. We anticipate receiving this notification some time within the next year. Subsequently, we will engage in a six-month to one-year process for planning Phase III construction. It is likely that it will be the fall of 2013 or 2014 before Phase III construction will be completed.

 As part of its resolution to include the high school, Lincoln and Roosevelt in the Phase III plan, the Board also indicated:

1. They agree with and hope to be able to follow the Phase III committee’s recommendation to continue to operate seven elementary schools until the Phase III construction is completed; and

2. School district finances may not permit our schools to continue operating seven elementary schools until the Phase III construction process is complete.

There are no current plans to close an elementary school. Given the planning and lead time required, there is no thought being given to close an elementary school for the next school year.

The goal at the outset of our construction program was to provide the best possible buildings to help facilitate the best possible education for all our students. We are committed to working together with the community to make sure that happens.