Superintendent Asking Community's Input At Meetings

As the Lakewood City Schools enters 2012 facing many opportunities and challenges, Superintendent Jeff Patterson has scheduled a series of community engagement meetings to inform citizens about the goals of the district, its financial standing, and to solicit the input of the community on solving the significant fiscal issues the district faces. The first one will be Wednesday, January 18 at 7 p.m. at Hayes Elementary School.

Patterson looks to shore up the district’s finances without retreating from the district’s promise to taxpayers to stretch the revenues from the May 2010 operating levy until at least May 2013. 

“Meeting this challenge will require us to harness the collective wisdom, strength, and resolve of our staff and community in unprecedented ways,” said Patterson. “It will demand that we listen intently to one another and reflect on ideas that may differ significantly from our own.”

The community meetings will be held over the next two months. After gathering input from across the city, Patterson will present a comprehensive financial plan to the Board of Education this spring based on the priorities of the community. 

Patterson will be presenting the same information at all of the approximately 90-minute meetings. The goals of these meetings are:

• To secure feedback from the community about how they view the current challenges and opportunities of the district
• To inform internal and external stakeholders of the community about the financial challenges of the Lakewood City Schools and the need to affect decisions to balance the budget
• To identify the best short- and long-term solutions for addressing district financial challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities of the school system
• To inform the community about Phase III of the Lakewood City Schools’ construction project.
• To maintain and build upon the trust that currently exists between the Lakewood community and its school system leaders
• To maintain support for the next Lakewood City Schools operating levy

Meetings will be held throughout the community and are scheduled for the following dates:

(All meetings begin at 7 p.m.)

• Wednesday, January 18, Hayes Elementary School Cafeteria, 16401 Delaware Ave.
• Tuesday, January 24, Grant Elementary School Gym, 1470 Victoria Ave.
• Thursday, February 2, Horace Mann Elementary, 1251 West Clifton Blvd.
• Wednesday, February 8, Roosevelt Elementary School Gym, 14237 Athens. Ave.
• Wednesday, February 15, Lincoln Elementary School Large Gym, 15615 Clifton Blvd.
• Thursday, February 23, Emerson Elementary School Cafeteria, 13439 Clifton Blvd.
• Wednesday, February 29, Harrison Elementary School Cafeteria, 2080 Quail Ave.

Superintendent Patterson will be holding additional meetings with city and nonprofit organizations as well as small private groups in order to reach the most people possible as every Lakewood citizen has a stake in the success of our schools.

For more information, call 529-4074.