Superintendent Patterson Asks For Your Input On Our Schools

When I first met Lakewood City School Superintendent Jeffery Patterson, he spoke of his desire to have everyone in the District on the same page with regard to the schools, or as he put it, “I don’t want to be putting out fires.", which he said, would require ongoing communication between the community and the Administration.With District-wide community meetings, which he is conducting personally, Jeff Patterson is sharing with parents and residents the state that the District is in, and what it needs to get ready for, in terms of challenges to our resources, along with the educational challenges of the 21st century.

The Superintendent is asking residents about the criteria THEY will use to evaluate the wisdom of the District’s ultimate plan to balance the budget. He clearly wants and expects the community to pay attention and contribute. He is cutting to the heart of the matter by asking for the priority list of community members: What makes this school district special to you?  (Which encompasses, Why did you come here? Why are you still here?)  Additionally he specifically asks, “What should be the last to go when we make budget cuts?”

He is taking in depth notes at these meetings and encouraging dialogue not only between the Administration, teachers, staff and the community, but different members of the community with each other.

And we have opinions that differ, while all having the same goal for our children: a good education. Issues that emerged during the meeting I attended included what the group felt about All-Day Kindergarten, how the gifted program fares with music programs and sports programs, concerns about class sizes at different grade levels, concerns about maintaining actual neighborhood schools, along with a discussion about the value of the team of people inside a building being as important as the construction and technology of the building itself.

It was fascinating, and rewarding, in that parents and residents with different and even opposing viewpoints listened to each other and compared notes and ideas, as Mr. Patterson and his team of note-takers took in the whole thing, and weighed in with policy or the point of view of the Administration.

Along with everyone I spoke to who attended the meeting, I felt that my voice had been heard and valued, and my contribution to the discussion noted and recorded. If you haven’t attended a meeting yet, there are a couple more to go.  If the one at your child’s school or the school in your neighborhood was earlier in the month, try a different school—all are welcome. And then make sure you go to the meeting on March 8, at 7 p.m. in Lakewood High’s East Cafeteria, when after weighing all of this discussion--Superintendent Patterson will report back to the community regarding the recommendations the Administration will make to the Board of Education in April.

The remaining meeting dates are:

• THIS Thursday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m.,  at Emerson Elementary
• Wednesday, Feb. 29, 7 p.m.,  at Harrison Elementary, child care is available (call 529-4074 to reserve space)

As was reported in the last Observer, Superintendent Patterson would like everyone’s opinion, so even if you can’t attend one of these meetings, if you have a strong opinion about what needs to be protected in the District, or how improvements might be made, he has asked that you email him or send him a letter with your responses to his questions.

Question #1: What criteria will you use to judge the wisdom of our ultimate plan to balance the Lakewood City School District’s budget?

Question #2: What district characteristics, programs and services make your school district special to you?

Question #3: As we cut the projected expenditures by $4 million, what should be the last things affected by the reductions?

Email jeff.patterson@lakewood.k12.oh.us or mail Jeffery Patterson, Superintendent, 1470 Warren Road, Lakewood OH 44107.