Schools

The Lakewood City Schools has convened a 50-person Elementary Planning Task Force to explore what is the optimal use and maintenance of the District's elementary facilities. This group, which is scheduled to meet four times this fall, will provide strategic recommendations to Superintendent Niedzwiecki, focusing on efficiently using our elementary school buildings, especially where excess capacity exists.

The task force's responsibilities include analyzing the financial, educational, and logistical impacts of potential changes to the way our current elementary buildings are used, engaging the community in these decisions, and exploring opportunities to expand early childhood education and community programs. Its goal is to align facility use with the District's mission in a financially responsible and sustainable manner.

This task force is the second such group that is part of a comprehensive examination by the District of all of its facilities that began in spring 2023 with the Facilities Study Task Force. Information on that task force and meeting information and updates regarding the Elementary Planning Task Force can be found on the District's website at www.lakewoodcityschools.org. Community members are encouraged to check back to the page for the latest news, including agendas, meeting summaries and recommendations or decisions made by the task force.

Did you know that in Ohio, students who have never been chronically absent are 6.7 times more likely to read on grade level by the end of third grade and nine times more likely to graduate from high school on time? Those stats are just some of the reasons why the Lakewood City Schools has partnered with the Cleveland Browns this school year to be part of their Stay In the Game attendance program. 

The Stay in the Game network was designed to support improved student attendance. It launched in 2019 with the leadership of the Cleveland Browns Foundation, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Harvard’s Proving Ground. The program provides partner districts with: 

• A campaign playbook to customize district and school campaigns
• Browns-themed attendance campaign materials to use in our schools and community
• Incentives and activities to reward improved attendance
• Peer learning opportunities to meaningfully impact attendance

Harrison Elementary has earned a Grow Ohio Grant that will provide the school $13,465 to implement a comprehensive program that will educate students about agriculture and food-related career opportunities and give them an opportunity to grow their own food at school.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce grant will allow the Harrison community to engage with several local food producer organizations throughout the year:

• Fork Farms - Will provide the school with a curriculum to learn about agriculture and food-related occupations through quarterly school assemblies.

• Ohio City Farm run by Source: Cleveland - Over 50 Harrison English language learners will visit this nonprofit run by refugees to see refugees in our community engaged in running a fully functional farm only miles from where they live. Will also explore using Ohio City Farm produce for USDA school lunches.

• Rust Belt Riders/Tilthe Soil - Will provide soil for the school’s Green Team garden projects.

• Cleveland Botanical Gardens - Green Team and EL students will visit and learn about plants and plant-related occupations.

The grant will also provide the money to buy an indoor hydroponic Flex Farm. The fruits and vegetables grown indoors will be grown specifically for use in the Harrison cafeteria to be served in school lunches, along with the produce grown in the school’s outdoor garden. The fruits and vegetables grown at Harrison will also be used by the culinary program at West Shore Career-Tech for their Ranger Cafe at Lakewood High School. The Harrison Green Team students will have the opportunity to dine at the Ranger Cafe to see how their food was used and have a chance to interact with the chefs, culinary students and the district’s dietitian.

Since its inception in 1994, Lakewood's H2O (Help to Others) Summer Service Camp has been a beacon of community service and youth empowerment. The camp, part of the broader H2O program established in 1993, offers middle school students a transformative experience focused on volunteer service and community building. Each year, the camp runs four sessions, each spanning eight days, where campers engage in various service activities that include everything from environmental conservation projects to organizing a community-wide Clothing Drive & Super Sale.

The mission of H2O Summer Service Camp is clear: to connect Lakewood youth with opportunities to serve their community, nurture a culture of kindness, and help them develop the skills needed to become engaged citizens. The camp is grounded in the belief that through service, education, and reflection, young people can grow into individuals who are not only aware of the world around them but are also empowered to make meaningful contributions to it.

Throughout the camp, participants work with local organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Foodbank, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and Lakewood Earth and Food. These partnerships allow campers to experience a variety of service sites, where they can learn about and actively contribute to important community efforts. Each day ends with Circle Time, a reflective session where campers and counselors share stories and insights, further reinforcing the camp's theme and mission.

What sets H2O Summer Service Camp apart is its inclusive approach—camp activities do not require specific talents or abilities, making the experience accessible to a wide range of students. The camp's focus on teamwork, relationship-building, and community connection ensures that every participant feels valued and capable of making a difference.

“Don’t get bitter, get better.” Those are the exact words that Mia-Carroll-Greeves' mothers Kelly and Maureen used when her original travel softball team split off and didn’t invite her, and a few others, to come along. “We don’t want you anymore,” were NOT the words spoken to her, but in essence that was the message. Lakewood’s all-time leader in strikeouts and wins, a two-time all-Cuyahoga County pitcher, a Division I signee (Valparaiso), one of the greatest softball players in school history, was in essence left behind. It’s one of the best things that ever happened to her.

Although Mia didn’t need more motivation to work on her game, she got some anyway, using this development to further fuel her desire to become a great pitcher. She ended up on Team Ohio White, a fabulous travel team with a knowledgeable, demanding but supportive coach (Dale Dawson) and hard charging teammates that embraced her. Pardon the cliché, but the slamming of one door did indeed open up a more fitting one, and Mia walked right on through, determined to get better, and without bitterness. It worked.

Those Lakewood High School Records--539 Strikeouts, 1.4 career ERA--didn’t just materialize, but came mostly from the “get better, not bitter” attitude. Mia is not tall, not fast-of-foot (actually, she’s slow) and is not naturally very strong. She made herself stronger through 6 am workouts in North Ridgeville (before Lakewood had its current strength and conditioning program) and worked relentlessly on the craft of pitching. The one athletic gift bestowed upon her was excellent coordination. So, when she and some friends from Roosevelt Elementary School came upon softball (specifically pitching) in our 10U Emerald Necklace League--she found her niche. 

The Lakewood Board of Education at its meeting July 15 approved Garfield Middle School teacher Hadeel Nimeh as the next assistant principal of Harding Middle School, replacing Trina Poole. Nimeh had four years of teaching experience when Lakewood City Schools hired her as a language arts teacher in 2021 and since has been an integral part of the 7th grade instructional team at Garfield.

In her relatively short tenure at Garfield, Nimeh has helped improve her school community with her participation in the Building Leadership Team, PBIS committee and as a grade level team leader. She was also part of the District’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee and has served as the District’s middle school summer school administrator the past two summers.

At the Board meeting Nimeh expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I am very passionate about Lakewood and I’ve grown so much personally and professionally in my three years here… I am excited to continue that growth and leadership.”

Nimeh holds principal licenses that cover grades PK through 12. Nimeh earned both her bachelor’s degree in Education and her master’s in Educational Leadership from Cleveland State University, where she is currently continuing post-master’s work.

The school district has received questions regarding the 2024 reappraisal process and how it impacts the schools. This brief explanation is provided to help the public better understand the process.

Property value is determined by the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer. This is done through a reappraisal every 6 years, an update every 3 years and an inspection of any additions or modifications to a property on an annual basis. As the cost of groceries, automobiles, and clothing increases with inflation, so does the value of real property.

In Cuyahoga County, Lakewood had a higher than average percentage of reappraisal increase. The positive is that this means Lakewood is a strong, vibrant community where people want to live and raise their families. The flip side is that when folks receive a notice that the value of their property has increased 20% or even higher, they assume their taxes are going up 20% or more. This is not exactly true.

In 1976 during the high peak of inflation the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill called House Bill 920 (HB920). HB 920 was enacted to reduce increases in property taxes on voted levies for schools during a reappraisal (which is occurring in 2024 in Cuyahoga County) or a triennial update (in Cuyahoga County the last triennial update was in 2021). As property values go up, the effective millage rates of levies go down to effectively bring in the same amount of money.

As previously noted, the reappraisal process happens every six years. In three years (2027) there will be a triennial update, which is when the County Fiscal Office looks at recent sales and provides an average increase to the community. During the reappraisal process, the County Fiscal Office’s internal and external appraisers go out to the communities and look at each and every home and business in order to assign them a value. This is comparable to the process followed when a house is sold and needs to be appraised. 

Here we are celebrating the end of another school year – which of course includes celebrating the generosity of our Lakewood community.

For the past decade Supplies4Success has run a summertime city-wide school supply drive supporting our K-12 grad students. There are several collection methods: local businesses and churches act as collection sites where people can drop off items throughout the summer, H2O campers recycle gently use items, and you can even donate funds directly for purchasing and leave the shopping to us!

Once items have been collected, a group of volunteers get together to sort, count, and box up the supplies for delivery in time for the start of school. Items are available at every building, and there are no financial requirements for students to access these supplies.

The committee wanted to report some exciting numbers from last summer's collection. In 2023 we collected over 16,000 items to create supply closets in each of our schools. This number includes 5,000+ pencils, 2,500+ pens, 1,400+ folders, and so much more. If you want to know more about the impact of these stocked supply closets in each building, take it from our teachers: "Harrison Elementary School embraces diversity and inclusion and strives to create a warm and supportive environment for all our students including many new immigrants and refugees. Students can "shop" for backpacks, lunch bags, and other needed supplies. Equipping new Harrison students in need with school supplies fosters a sense of belonging, promotes academic engagement, and alleviates a financial burden on their families. We are so grateful for the donations. Recently we welcomed a new student to Harrison, and he was able to pick out a brand-new Spiderman backpack. His eyes widened in excitement like he couldn't believe it was real!"-- Tiffany Hickey & Jeannette Sgambellone. We hear stories like this each year from all of our buildings. We hope to take the pressure off of families and teachers to make sure students have the needed supplies to succeed academically.

Five area graduating seniors were awarded scholarships by the Rotary Club of Lakewood and Rocky River at its weekly lunch meeting on June 3. Recipients include Mimi Nee, Leah Campbell, and Zen Bowers of Lakewood High School, Stephen Tirpak of St. Ignatius High School, and Hannah Schmidt of Saint Joseph Academy.

Each will receive $3,000 Donald W. Strang, Jr. Scholarship awards from the Lakewood-Rocky River Rotary Foundation. This $15,000 scholarship program is part of nearly $78,000 that the local Rotary Club donates to community programs each year.

In addition to demonstrating academic achievement and potential, these five Rotary scholarship winners were chosen for their character, as well as extracurricular and community involvement.

Having immigrated to the U.S. just 10 years ago, Mimi Nee’s discovery that she could excel in advanced placement language classes inspired her to seek to become the first in her family to attend college. She accumulated over 100 hours of community service as her way of giving back to a community that supported her family in their adjustment to this country.

Mimi served four years on Lakewood’s Student Council and was active in LHS’s Help 2 Others program. She was recognized for her sportsmanship in volleyball and lacrosse. She will attend The Ohio State University to study health sciences, aiming to become a physician’s assistant.

Lakewood Kiwanis Scholarship Foundation is proud to announce our 2024 recipients for this year’s graduating high school seniors. The following 15 graduates are being awarded thirteen $10,000 and two $5000 for vocational schools. We consider their academic, citizenship and leadership abilities. Thank you to all the applicants and their families. This scholarship fund is funded through the efforts of The Kiwanis Club of Lakewood. The Lakewood Kiwanis Hootenanny Dance and legacy donations were just two of our major fundraisers.

The winners of the 2024 Lakewood Kiwanis Scholarships are: Rowan Brown-Lakewood HS, Kaileigh Burton-Lakewood HS, William (Liam) Craighead-St. Ignatius, Rosemary Cronin-Lakewood HS, Ava Donaldson-Lakewood HS, Yasmine Elhachdani-Lakewood HS, Jason Haklaj-Lakewood HS, Edward Horton-Lakewood HS, Safa Jabarkhil-Lakewood HS, Mimi Née-Lakewood HS, Hannah Schmidt-St Joseph, Zoe Schmidt-St Joseph, Hannah Watkins-Lakewood HS, Cameron Wereb-Lakewood HS, Mary Grace Wirst-Magnificat.

The Kiwanis Club of Lakewood is the leading service organization in Lakewood and we are celebrating over 100 years of service. Along with our scholarships, we also support Harding Builders Club, K Kids Club at Horace Mann and Horizon B&A Care at Harrison and Emerson.

We welcome new volunteers and new members to continue giving to our youth. Please consider joining our club. Look  over our web page 

MIDDLE SCHOOL MOCK TRIAL SHOWCASE

By Lisa Batkiewicz

Garfield and Harding participated in the statewide Middle School Mock Trial Showcase sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education last month in at the State Courthouse in Columbus and came away with many awards, including Best Attorney and Best Witness.

Garfield’s three teams together won three of six possible Best Attorney awards and three of six possible Best Witness awards. Harding’s two teams won two  Best Attorney awards and              one Best Witness award. 

Garfield’s Best Attorneys winners were Tyler Kemp, Avery Spahr, and Adam Tanina. Harding’s Best Attorneys were Julia Thomas and Ingrid Matera. Garfield’s Best Witnesses awardees were  Cory Clemens, Zsofi Flasher, and Henry Trefethen. Harding’s Best Witness was Harper Haney.

Forty-three teams from districts across Ohio competed over three days, and only 16 teams scored in the top tier of three scoring tiers. The Garfield Ranger Team received the highest rating of Superior. Garfield Gold and Purple Teams as well as Harding Team 1 received a rating of Outstanding and Harding Team 2 received a rating of Excellent.

This year the Middle School Mock Trials were based on the book “The Giver” by Lois Lowry in which a teenager in a dystopian society risks his well-being and goes against the rules of his community to save the life of a small child. 

Each middle school team subdivides into a prosecution and a defense squad, and prepares for two different trials against other Ohio middle schools. Students take on the roles of attorneys, witnesses, and bailiff/timers. The trials take place in front of real attorneys who act as trial judges and who rate teams on case understanding, professional demeanor, oratory skills, and understanding of trial technique and courtroom procedure.

Lakewood City Schools proudly celebrated the achievements of its brightest students at the 41st annual Celebration of Excellence ceremony on May 16 in the Civic Auditorium. Held to honor the academic dedication and success of its students, 390 medals of excellence were awarded to middle school and high school students who maintained a 4.0 GPA or higher through the first three quarters of the academic year.

The ceremony, a highlight of the school calendar, recognized not only these top academic performers but also celebrated the District's National Merit Finalist and six Commended Scholars, who have demonstrated outstanding academic prowess on a national level.

In addition to the medals of excellence, the ceremony also included the awarding of a range of scholarships to deserving students. Recipients included those honored by the Lakewood Leadership Team, Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation, and winners of various Lakewood High scholarships. A notable addition this year was the presentation of the new Governor's Merit Scholarships, aimed at supporting students in their pursuit of higher education.

Keynote speaker Lisa Bruening, director of student services for the school district and a Lakewood High School graduate, delivered an inspiring address. Her speech emphasized the many ways the Vision of a Lakewood Ranger competencies have helped her succeed in her career and life. The audience and students also enjoyed some beautiful music from the Lakewood High Chamber Choir. 

May in a school district is full of end-of-year awards and recognitions. On May 1, the Lakewood Council of PTAs handed out its annual awards including scholarships for five deserving seniors, Helping Hands and the “T” in PTA Award for the District's educator of the year, Lakewood High's Chuck Greanoff (Dr. G).

Dr. G was nominated for the many ways he supports Lakewood Schools and Lakewood students, from his engaging classrooms where he shares his passion for history to his constant attendance at students' sports, theater and music performances, and so much more.

The PTA Council also honored the overall success of five seniors. Earning $1,000 scholarships each this year were Reagan Bratko, Turner Gilliland, Edward Horton, Amalija Marich and Evan Miller.

On April 22, the Rotary Club of Lakewood and Rocky River hosted the 26th annual West Shore Career-Technical District Outstanding Student Awards at its weekly luncheon, at which 16 recipients were honored for their dedication, leadership, and accomplishments in their career-technical programs. 

Each award recipient is automatically nominated for the “Career-Technical Student of the Year” award, which will be announced later in the school year at the annual Career Passport Assembly.

The 2023-24 Outstanding Student Award recipients are: Katherine Anderson, community based training, O'Neill Health Center; Caroline Baas, health careers; Reagan Bratko, media art and design; Rowan Brown, Project Lead the Way; Eric Bumm, electronic engineering technology; Kaileigh Burton, culinary arts; John Chase, community based program, Gordon Food Service;

Matthew Dilellio, community based program, Wyndham Cleveland Airport; Dominic Dupay, construction trades; Jana Evans, theatre arts; Arlinda Ismaili, business management; Alexa Masten, medical office management; Rita Moran, sports and exercise science; Charlie Quinn, networking with cybersecurity; Tristen Sabo, auto technology; and Shen Da Say, early childhood education.

On April 22, The Rotary Club of Lakewood and Rocky River hosted the 26th annual West Shore Career-Technical District Outstanding Student Awards at their weekly luncheon. Sixteen recipients were honored for their dedication, leadership, and accomplishments in their career-technical programs.  

Each award recipient is automatically nominated for the “Career-Technical Student of the Year” award, which will be announced later in the school year at the annual Career Passport Assembly.

West Shore Career-Technical District encompasses Bay Village, Lakewood, Rocky River, and Westlake. West Shore Career-Tech serves more than 400 students in its programs. 

The 2023-24 Outstanding Student Award recipients are: 

• Automotive Technology: Tristen Sabo, Bay Village
  
  
• Business Management: Arlinda Ismaili, Lakewood
  
  
• Community-Based Program, Gordon Food Service: John Chase, Lakewood
  
  
• Community-Based Program, Wyndham: Matthew Dilellio, Westlake
  
  
• Community-Based Program, O'Neill Healthcare: Katherine Anderson, Bay Village
  
  
• Construction Trades: Domenic Dupay, Lakewood

Come be a part of the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation (LREF) annual Ranger Classic Golf Outing to benefit the educational experiences of Lakewood City Schools students! The Ranger Classic will be held Monday, June 10 at Valley of the Eagles Golf Course in Elyria.

LREF welcomes foursomes and individual golfers for a fun day that will include 18 holes of golf with carts, skills contests, swag bags, raffle baskets and a box lunch and early dinner on the patio. Foursomes are selling quickly, so get your registration in soon! The fee for foursomes is $640, individual fee is $160. Visit https://bit.ly/RangerClassic2024for more information and to register or make a donation.

We’re grateful to our title sponsors, Senney Enterprises and First Federal Lakewood, as well as our Gold Sponsor, Barton Communities, and the rest of our local businesses, organizations and individuals who have signed on as sponsors. Sponsorships still available include:

After Prom 2024, Enchantment Under the Sea was an extraordinary success, a testament to several parents' and community members' dedication and hard work to add joy and community to our schools. I could fill an entire page by naming people and businesses who donated their time and goods to help make the evening a splash.

Our senior class of over 300 found a unique and memorable haven after their Senior Prom at Windows on the River, a feat that sets us apart and one we can all be exceptionally proud of.

Lakewood High School has a long-standing tradition of offering students a fun and safe place to go from 11:30-2:30 a.m. After our seniors enjoy their fancy prom, they get to come back to the high school for a fun evening of festivities meticulously planned by the senior parents, who not only decorate the venue with the secret theme of the night but have food and various activities to enjoy, as well as a chance to win a raffled off item.

This year's secret theme was Under the Sea, with a dash of glow, and the planning started last fall. The students were treated to glowing glasses and leis to go with the beachy theme and a glow-in-the-dark henna artist, with a sizeable glowing octopus generously loaned to us by Garfield Middle Schools PTA. In the main gym, the kids were treated to a bounce house, obstacle courses, 360 photos, a simulated surfboard, enough food to feed an army, and a glow room with a glowing octopus. 

Amid the early afternoon clamor of band rehearsals at Harding Middle School, a remarkable story is unfolding in the world of music and mentorship. Aiden Ardelean and Etienne Massicotte, a student-teacher duo, both of whom are visually impaired, are taking a unique approach to ensuring Aiden’s success in music, and beyond.

Aiden Ardelean, a young trumpet player with a keen ear and a passion for Romanian and Serbian music, faces unique challenges due to his severe visual impairment. Unable to read printed materials, Aiden’s journey into the world of music requires a modified approach. Etienne, whose visual impairment is less severe, draws from his experience having learned music in a traditional setting and tailors his teaching methods to meet Aiden’s needs.

In their one-on-one sessions, they utilize an age-old approach – learning by ear. Instead of relying on visual cues, Aiden learns to recognize notes by their names and their sound. Knowing Aiden’s passion for Eastern European culture, Etienne selects music that aligns with both Aiden’s preferences and the required band curriculum. This not only helps Aiden develop the skills on the trumpet recommended for his age-level, but also ensures that Aiden can enjoy making music that resonates with his family’s heritage.

The Lakewood Board of Education at its April 15 meeting approved Willoughby Middle School Principal Christopher “Chip” Plush as the next principal of Harding Middle School, beginning Aug. 1, 2024. Plush has spent the last eight years as an administrator for the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools.

Plush began as a high school house principal and then moved into an assistant principal role at the middle school level before assuming the principal job at Willoughby Middle School in 2021. He began his educational career as a language arts teacher at Willoughby South High School.

Among many accomplishments while principal at Willoughby Middle School, Plush and his team earned the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce 2023 Momentum Award in recognition of significant improvement in growth and achievement on the Ohio School Report Cards. 

Plush earned his undergraduate degree in education from Dayton University and was awarded a master’s degree in educational administration from Cleveland State University.   

On the corner of Bunts and Franklin, in the LHS Gym, the annual Lakewood Ranger Purple & Gold Classic took place in front of a rowdy, exuberant and supportive crowd, cheering on their respective 5th grade school squads. Fans and spectators showed up in force creating an electric atmosphere, feeding off of the energy of the Women’s Final Four. 

Tip-off began at 8:30am with Emerson and Harrison going back and forth all game. You can’t kick off a tournament any better than with a game winning shot. With 6 seconds left, a right side short jumper sent Harrison into the 2nd round earning their first ever tournament victory!

Game number 2 featured Grant and Lincoln, who slugged it out for 32 minutes, with Grant emerging victorious. The final 1st round game was a cross town rivalry with Roosevelt facing off against Horace Mann. Both teams gave it their all, playing hard, but Roosevelt managed to claim the W.

Second round action, the returning champion Hayes, faced the upstart Harrison squad.  It seemed there was a lid over the rim for the first quarter but things began to roll as the teams settled into a rhythm.  The game was frantic, neither team backing down, which resulted in another game winning shot - Harrison advances! Grant and Roosevelt had a grudge match, both teams running and gunning, taking each other's best haymakers and when it was all said and done, Grant survived and advanced.

Despite the important work nonprofits and community organizations do in the communities they serve, many are lacking the modern technology tools needed to perform their missions to the fullest. To bridge this technology gap, Cox Communications today announced it has awarded grants to nonprofit groups committed to investing in technology equipment for the betterment of its patrons and mission. In Ohio, the company awarded a $10,000 “boost” to Lakewood City Schools.  

This marks the seventh year of the Cox Communications Tech Boosts program, and the goal remains the same: to help nonprofits invest in technology equipment and services that enrich the lives of community members while fulfilling their missions to the fullest.

This technology grant is awarded to organizations which reinforce intellectual prosperity and are committed to improving humanity. The nonprofit must demonstrate how the organization will positively impact one of four categories with its Tech Boost award. These include: Environment and Conservation; Health; Early Childhood Education; and Empowering Families and Individuals for Success.

Grab your bathing suits, towels, baskets and goggles for Lakewood Recreation’s annual Underwater Egg Hunt. This year’s event will be held Saturday, March 30, 2024 at the Lakewood High School Pool beginning at 9:30am. 

Children are split up into age groups for the hunt. All children ages 6 and under must be accompanied by an adult in the pool; no separate registration fee is required for the adults accompanying younger children. Eggs can be redeemed for prizes after the hunt.

Don’t be fooled by the name; not all the eggs sink. Approximately half of the eggs float at the surface. The other eggs are spread out on the pool bottom, varying in depth from 3.5 feet deep to 9 feet deep. There are a variety of activities in the pool for the children to participate in when not diving for eggs. There are pool toys out for the little ones, and, always a favorite, the high dive for the older kiddos.

Pre-register and save - $8 registration available only through March 28. Registration is available online at recreation.lakewoodcityschools.org.

We look forward to seeing everyone for this year’s hunt.

The Lakewood City Schools Student Services Dept. will host sessions for families and caregivers called "Too Much Tension: Strategies to Cope with Anxiety." Presenters will be Cleveland Clinic psychiatrist, Molly Wimbiscus, M.D., and clinical social worker, Ashley Penman, LISW-S, both with a wealth of experience working with Lakewood students and families.

The Lakewood High National Honor Society welcomed 44 new members to its chapter in an induction ceremony at the Civic Auditorium on Jan. 25, 2024. To be inducted into the National Honor Society, students must possess a GPA of at least 3.5. Students are also evaluated based on their character, which means the nominating committee looks at community involvement, extracurriculars, leadership skills, and other intangibles. 

Prior to the induction of new members, NHS President Arabella Spear offered a President's Message, followed by the four remaining NHS officers each speaking on one of the four tenets of the organization: scholarship, leadership, service and character. Vice President Fiona Gjermeni spoke on the topic of service; Treasurer Evie Abderrazza spoke on leadership; Secretary Gift Anya spoke on character; and Sergeant at Arms Jana Evans spoke on scholarship. The guest speaker of the evening was Lakewood High English social studies teacher Austin Sparks. 

Congratulations to all our our new NHS inductees and thank you to the current members for welcoming the newest members!

Inductees:

Fallon Austin
Caroline Bass

Ronan Barley
Maggie Barmann
Beckett Broadwater

Lakewood City Schools' preschool and kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! The registration process begins online. Visit the district website and www.lakewoodcityschools.org and click on Enroll at the top of the page. Children must be 5 years old before Sept. 30, 2024 to be eligible for kindergarten. Preschool classes are available for 4- and 5-year-olds at Grant, Harrison, Hayes, Horace Mann and Lincoln elementaries. For more information on our early childhood education program, visit our website and click on Preschool under the Departments tab at the top of the page. Questions? Call 216-529-4267.

The Community Recreation and Education Department has employment opportunities for the Event Staff position. Event Staff are the direct representatives of the Lakewood Board of Education and the Lakewood City Schools Community Recreation & Education Department during non-school hours. The primary duties and responsibilities are, but not limited to, the monitoring and managing of all facility events, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.

The ideal candidate for the position of Event Staff will have knowledge of school facilities, the ability to establish priorities and work independently, without direct supervision. This position is part time, approximately 15-20 hours a week, nights and weekends may be required.

Interested candidates should submit an Employment Application, which is available at www.recreation.lakewoodcityschools.org under Find It Fast-Part Time Jobs, to: The Lakewood City Schools Community Recreation and Education Department, c/o Mitchell Robida, 14100 Franklin Blvd., Lakewood, OH 44107.

The Rotary Club of Lakewood and Rocky River continued its distribution of dictionaries to all third graders in Lakewood and Rocky River this fall, a project that the club began in 2005. A total of 593 dictionaries were distributed to students in 26 different classrooms at 11 different schools.

Harlan Radford, project chair, with assistance from club members, stamped each dictionary with the Rotary logo, the Rotary Four-Way Test, and a place for the student’s name.

Schools receiving dictionaries were: Rocky River – Kensington Intermediate, Ruffing Montessori, and St. Christopher; Lakewood – Emerson, Grant, Harrison, Hayes, Horace Mann, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Lakewood Catholic Academy.

As always, Rotarians looked forward to volunteering and going to the schools and interacting with both students and teachers. Distributing dictionaries were David Baas, John Chandler, Matt Daugherty, Vicki Foster, Thom Geist, Chuck Gustafson, Jim Harris, George Hwang, Leslie Favre Krogman, and Jay Rounds.

Members were rewarded with smiles on the students’ faces as they received their dictionaries and began to explore the contents. Both students and teachers are very appreciative of receiving these dictionaries and using them in the curriculum.

At Lakewood City Schools, we know how fortunate we are to be part of a community that continually shows up for our students and school communities. We couldn’t provide the rich smorgasbord of opportunities from preschool to graduation without that support. So from all of us at Lakewood City Schools to all of you, we wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful 2024!

Gratefully,

Maggie Niedzwiecki

Superintendent of Schools

A new club at Lakewood High School, funded by a grant from the Healthy Lakewood Foundation, recently wrapped up its work this school year and in doing so, left several Lakewood nonprofits richer for it. Lakewood City Schools parent and development professional Jason Weiner proposed the idea and was able to secure $5,000 through Healthy Lakewood Foundation’s Neighborhood Opportunity Grant Program to fund the club. Weiner was aware of private schools having philanthropy-focused clubs and thought Lakewood High students should have the same opportunity.

Weiner teamed with Lakewood High teacher Alison Gliozi to guide a small group of game sophomores and juniors who wanted to learn about philanthropy and all its facets. The students worked with their advisers through a months-long philanthropic decision-making process that resulted in purposeful and mission-aligned grants awarded via the Healthy Lakewood Foundation to Colors+ ($1,200), Gigi’s Playhouse ($1,300) and Lakewood Young Filmmakers Academy ($1,500).

Club member Stevie Williams said they were “happy to be able to support organizations doing work that they thought was important.”

Gigi’s Playhouse site director Lizz Maxwell said she was thrilled with Gigi’s grant: “We are incredibly honored to receive important funding from Lakewood High School’s Philanthropy Club! I was highly impressed by their diligence and professionalism and appreciate their intent to learn more while seeking out the needs of their community," Gigi’s site director Lizz Maxwell said.

At Lakewood City Schools, we love to see our graduates succeeding in their post Lakewood City Schools life. It is especially inspiring to see our most recent grads thriving and exemplifying all the competencies in our Vision of a Lakewood Graduate. Class of 2022 graduate Kellyn Donohoe is a prime example.
 
Kellyn embodies all of the six competencies - critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, empathy, growth mindset and global awareness/citizenship - as she navigates the early stages of adulthood. Kellyn left Lakewood High with a legacy of outstanding academics and engaged membership in clubs from H2O to marching band to student council and assisting with the girls' basketball team. She did not miss a beat in her first year at Kent State University.
 
Kellyn’s can-do approach to life born of her personal mantra of focusing on “what I can vs. what I cannot do” has served her well at KSU, where she is part of the Career and Community Studies program. The program is a transitional program that prepares students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for adult life through academic pursuits, peer socialization, and career discovery and preparation.
 
She continues to be involved in music as part of the KSU basketball pep band, is a member of the honors fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi, and is part of the Dress Up for Downs club on campus. And she earned a 4.0 GPA her first year! Kellyn taps into her growth mindset to try out new things in college and has relied on her collaboration and communication skills to be a successful member of the organizations she is part of. Her fraternity offers opportunities to be a globally aware citizen and show empathy through its emphasis on community service.
 
No surprise that this summer Kellyn is a valued member of not one, but two staffs as she works at GV Art & Design and the Recreation Department’s Safety Town program, where she helps children learn how to be safe in their community. She hopes one day to work with children full time as an educational assistant. We have no doubt that Kellyn will approach fulfilling that goal as she does everything in her life, with determination and a small on her face!

Parents of preschoolers, mark your calendars for Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024 for Lakewood City School's annual Kindergarten Information Night. Come learn all about the Lakewood City Schools' kindergarten experience. You will hear from the Teaching & Learning Department team members from each building. The night will include a question-and-answer session and an opportunity to check out the kindergarten classrooms at Grant. Call 216-529-4203 for more information The event starts at 6:30 pm in the Grant Elementary cafeteria. 

Note: Students must be 5 years old on or before September 30, 2024 in order to be age eligible to enter kindergarten in fall 2024.

Congratulations to the Lakewood High School student athletes who have been recognized by the Great Lakes Conference for their outstanding efforts during the fall 2023 season, including soccer Player of the Year, Isaac Craciun and Goalie of the Year, Louis Van Der Kuil! Below are our hard-working and dedicated athletes who earned recognition for their outstanding effort:

1st Team:
Cross Country: Charlie Payne
Football: Avery Holt, Aidan Maxwell
Soccer: Bukuru Bafukamire, Isaac Craciun, Helen Fraunfelder, Louis Van Der Kuil, Quincy Zvomuya
Volleyball: Delaney Garcia
Cheerleading: Kenla Hamilton, Piper Polen

2nd Team:
Cross Country: Josie Kvac
Football: Ed Horton, Donnie Mikuluk
Golf: Aidan Smith
Soccer: Butoto Bafukamire, Riley Forster, Seth Hammersmith, Touko Penttilae
Volleyball: Sophia Zarbo

Congratulations to Lakewood High seniors Turner Gilliland and Ryann Stirling on having their artwork selected for Otterbein University's 5th Annual Juried Art Exhibit! Turner and Ryann's pieces were  two of 65 chosen from more than 250 submissions. The exhibit will take place in December. Turner and Ryann are also eligible now for a $3,000 scholarship if they choose to attend Otterbein.

During the past several years, social emotional learning in schools has been a hot topic, hasn't it? Here in Lakewood City Schools, we've identified SEL, Diversity, Equity and Belonging as the lenses through which we approach our Vision of a Lakewood Ranger. We believe that parents and caregivers are students' first/most important influences for social emotional development, and we look forward to sharing ideas and insights! Lakewood City Schools administrators are hosting a parent/caregiver session to share foundational information about SEL and then open the session for an informal dialogue. There will be light refreshments and free child care by Help to Others (H2O) at the in-person session.

Lakewood City Schools’ Vision of a Lakewood Ranger does not just apply to the classroom and the work being done by the Student Leadership Athletic Team (S.A.L.T.) is proof positive! Through a series of projects that these student-athletes are spearheading, they are simultaneously displaying our Vision competencies of collaboration, communication, empathy, growth mindset and global citizenship at the highest levels. The aim of the projects is to connect our athletic program across grade levels and to the greater community as well.

At a recent Board of Education meeting, the S.A.L.T. members spoke about the projects each of them is leading. A sampling of projects that S.A.L.T. hopes to accomplish include:

• Hosting military, youth and senior citizen nights for each sport.

• Organizing a community-wide Homecoming 5k with an L-shaped route through the city.

• Reaching out to elementary students with visits to schools to share the Rec Department opportunities available to them.

• Continuing Ranger Readers program where student-athletes read stories to younger elementary students and share their experiences in youth sports.

S.A.L.T. is comprised of 56 mostly seniors and sophomores, the makeup of which is designed to have the senior leaders mentor the sophomores and help guide them into future leadership roles. Each senior is responsible for heading up an initiative.

Athletic Director Rob Slone, now in his second year with the District, believes S.A.L.T. is key to his mission of creating a culture in Ranger Athletics that embraces the connection between our sports participants across all grade levels. It reinforces the concept that we are all Rangers!

We asked for questions to be sent in for Board of Education candidates, here are the top 5 Questions and the Candidates Answers.

1. LENGTH OF SCHOOL DAY:  Lakewood has the shortest elementary school day of any district in Cuyahoga County. Would you be willing to consider lengthening the elementary school day by 30 to 45 minutes? Why or why not?

2. ENROLLMENT:  Declining enrollment could pose a threat to the broad curriculum that is the hallmark of Lakewood City Schools. What ideas do you have for maintaining or increasing enrollment?

3. CURRICULUM:  This year, the amount of time elementary students spend in music and physical education was cut by over 50%. What is your understanding of the role that early music and physical education play in the long term cognitive, social and physical development of a child? Do you favor restoring this time?  

4.) TRANSPARENCY: While the Board of Education/Administration has sent out surveys and put together citizen committees in the past, when difficult decisions have needed to be made like the closing of an active school or curriculum changes, readers felt that those processes had predetermined conclusions and that the opinions of the community were not actually represented or considered. They cited the Phase 3 committee and the recent reduction of music and physical education at the elementary level as examples. How would you bring a more transparent, inclusive process to the way decisions are made and shared with the public?

5.) SAFETY: Lakewood High School was in the news this past year for being chosen for the implementation of safety measures like installing ballistic film on cafeteria windows and upgrading locks on classroom doors. Would you consider adding metal detectors and safety officers at points of entry throughout the District?

THEIR ANSWERS

Colleen Clark-Sutton

EXPERIENCE: I have more than 25 years of teaching experience at the high school and college level.  I hold certifications in school administration and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion). I have 2 children that grew up in and graduated from the Lakewood City Schools: I was an active member of the PTA throughout their school years. As a member of all three phases of the 50-year committee, I have a thorough understanding of what goes into our educational facilities and an ability to determine the cost versus value of different proposals.  I am an effective collaborator and communicator as evidenced by the success of three school levies and three school bond issues for which I was part of the campaign leadership and several local political campaigns that I managed. I work hard and persistently for the Lakewood City Schools, with compassion and open-mindedness, to find solutions for the challenges that face us.  

1) LENGTH OF SCHOOL DAY: Yes, I am willing to have that conversation. I support a thorough review and community conversation about changing the elementary school day for our students. This could include examining resource and staffing allocations for equity across all student ability levels. This could be a multi-month study seeking input from all school district stakeholders. Which subject areas are essential to student development and success? How much time is appropriate for quality teaching and learning? What are the administration’s contractual obligations? What costs are involved? Are there any savings to be realized? Can the community afford any changes to the status quo? Is there a rationale for keeping the elementary schedule as it is? (This requires collection of data via appropriate survey instruments open to multiple stakeholders, focus groups with teachers and other district staff, and community meetings that are widely advertised and offered at different times and days of the week.)

For nearly the past four years I have had the privilege of representing our community on the Lakewood Board of Education. When I ran for office in 2019, I sought to add representation of a parent with children in the district to the Board, and to bring a perspective of a career public sector manager and parks & recreation professional. I am grateful for the opportunity the community has given me. I have been committed to working for our community and school district in a visible, approachable manner.  I have maintained a wide lens as a board member and understand that families in our community have very different needs, interests, experiences, and situations.

I am a retired Lakewood elementary school teacher and I serve as the campaign treasurer for Colleen Clark-Sutton, a candidate for the Lakewood School Board. I, and my husband who is also a retired teacher, have known Colleen and her family for more than 20 years. She is intelligent and hardworking with a calm, reflective, and deliberate nature. This year’s School Board election includes ten candidates for three seats. Colleen is my first choice on November 7th because she is a diligent supporter of Lakewood’s diverse students and staff, while always in pursuit of improvement and excellence.

Colleen is a highly experienced educator who has been involved in the Lakewood City Schools through PTA & The Ranger Marching Band. She served on all four phases of the 50-Year Committee that led the school renovation/construction process. Colleen held a leadership role in several successful local campaigns including three school levies and three bond issues. Following her daughters’ graduations, Colleen has remained engaged in school-related activities with students and teachers. This includes coordinating LHS horticulture students who volunteer at the Beck Center gardens.

Congratulations to Emerson Elementary, which has won an Ohio PBIS Bronze Recognition Award for 2023! PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) refers to a set of ideas and tools that schools use to improve student behavior and school culture. Award winners' PBIS efforts were evaluated in the areas of student expectations, behavior and discipline; teacher expectations; faculty, student and family involvement; and evaluation processes. The Emerson team will be honored at the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council's PBIS Showcase in January. The Ohio Leadership Advisory Council is a partnership between the Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Department of Education.

Each new school year the Lakewood City Schools celebrates its numerous Lakewood High School students who have earned the designation of AP Scholar by virtue of their scores on the college-level Advanced Placement exams taken in May. The District proudly congratulates the 85 current students and recent graduates - the most in years - who have earned AP Scholar honors thanks to their performance on their AP tests.

The College Board, which administers the AP program, also recognized two of our current seniors as part of its National Recognition Programs. Aaliyah Aziz and Aniya Johnson each earned the National African American Recognition Award. The award recognizes students who identify as African American or Black, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous or Native who have taken an AP or PSAT exam and have a 3.5 or better GPA.

AP Scholars with Distinction (earned by averaging at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams): 

Lauren Barber, Charlotte Beno, Kaitlyn Bitter, Ainsley Bronson, Rowan Brown, Leah Campbell, Audrey Carson, Helinor Clark, Katherine Coleman, Rocco Crino, Tyler DiLoreto, Gavin Fulmer, Mateo Guajardo, Grace Hildebrandt, Ava Hitter, James Holland, Jill King, Lydia Kress, Alexis Lindsay, Abigail Marsh, Clare Morrissey, Madeline Oldfield, Alexander Peterson, Jackson Provost, Hutch Reed, Bailey Rohrs, Owen Rumsey, Kegan Weber, Megan Winters, Lila Wright, 

AP Scholars with Honor (earned by averaging at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams):

Meredith Barcelona, Ronan Barley, Layla Black, Ava Bruening, Aiden Clasen, Eliza Dreger, Jazmin Dunay, Carter Eardley, Jonas Evans, Alexandra Hodson, Michael Klasa, Rose Lipka, Amalijah Marich, Griffin Norris, Emily Potoczak, Jaxon Riley, Bode Smith, Scarlett Wankowski

Congratulations to the five Lakewood High musicians chosen to be part of the Ohio Music Educators Association’s Northeast Ohio Regional Orchestra and extra applause to senior bassist Willow Detmar on being selected for the All-State Orchestra! Students must qualify for the Regional Orchestra to be eligible for a spot with the All-State ensemble. 

The five LHS musicians will perform with the Regional ensemble Nov. 5 at 2 pm at the EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron. The concert is free! The All-State ensemble performs at the OMEA annual conference, which will be held in Columbus in early February. 

In addition to Willow, our Northeast Regional Orchestra qualifiers are:

• Margot King - violin
• Abby Kovach - bass
• Anna Maurer -  viola
• Bryce Sandoval - cello

Congratulations to these talented and dedicated students!

With recycling codes frequently changing, many Lakewood students (and parents) are unclear about what can and cannot be recycled. Starting for the 2023-24 school year, the LHS halls feature student-created posters that advise students on how to properly recycle in the City of Lakewood. Let's break down some of the slogans that these posters feature. 

"When in doubt, throw it out" -- Even though this may seem counterintuitive, if you are unsure of whether or not an item is recyclable, it's always best to throw it out. If recycling supplies contain too much trash, they become contaminated and are thrown out. 

"Not all plastics are recyclable" -- Most of us know that plastic is recyclable but very few of us know which types of plastics are recyclable. In general, bottle-shaped plastics are recyclable while clamshell-shaped plastics are not. A good rule of thumb is that plastic containers that get narrower at the top are recyclable.

"Empty, clean, and dry" -- Always make sure that items are empty, clean, and dry before putting them in the recycling bin! This helps prevent contamination and makes the recyclables easier for the machines to process at the recycling plant. 

To learn more about proper recycling in the city of Lakewood, visit https://cuyahogarecycles.org. 

Congratulations to Lakewood High School senior Carter Eardley, who has been named a Semifinalist in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Corp. competition! This designation recognizes Carter as among the top students in the nation based on junior year PSAT scores. LHS also boasts six Commended Students, seniors Rowan Brown, Jazmin Dunay, Mateo Guajardo, Hutch Reed, Cameron Wereb and Max Winters.

Carter is part of an elite group of 16,000 Semifinalists across the country whose PSAT scores in the 2022-2023 school year put them in the top tier of the more than 1.3 million students who took the PSAT. Semifinalists represent less than 1% of U. S. high school seniors and are the highest scoring entrants in their state. The number of Semifinalists named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the national total of graduating high school seniors.

Carter is now eligible to continue on in the competition in hopes of being named a Finalist and receiving one of more than 7,100 scholarships worth nearly $28 million to be awarded in the spring. Finalists will be notified of this designation in February.

National Merit Scholarship Corp. Commended Students are among the top 5% of PSAT scorers. Although Rowan, Jazmin, Mateo, Hutch, Cameron and Max do not move on in the scholarship competition, we recognize them as among the best students in the state.

Congratulations to these seven academic standouts!

Lakewood High School will host its annual LHS Showcase event on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 6-7 pm in the school cafeteria. The event features information tables and hands-on activities from all the academic departments and extracurricular clubs and sports available to Lakewood High students. Coming to the Showcase is a great way to see all the opportunities that make Lakewood High such a rich place to grow and learn! The event is for any family and/or student interested in learning more about Lakewood High, from the advanced course and career-tech offerings to the myriad options for students to explore their passions in the clubs and sports. Come check it out!

I am Martha Woerner, and I’m running for a seat on the Lakewood Board of Education this fall. As a passionate believer in the power of public education to transform lives, I decided to run for a seat for two reasons.

First, I am the parent of two young children (a 2 1/2 year-old and a newborn) who are future Lakewood students, and I believe that our board needs greater representation from this demographic. Parents of young children are in it for the long-haul with the district - my youngest son will graduate in 2041 - and we have  specific needs and perspectives as we navigate preschool and out-of-school time, enroll our children for the first time in school, and set our children up for long-term academic, professional, and personal success. The decisions that the board makes today are the ones that will affect our children’s education for years to come.

Secondly, I have deep experience in public education that I believe would be an asset to the board and district administration. I’ve dedicated my career to figuring out how to make public education systems work so that each student is positioned for success, which requires educators to be set up to do their best work in classrooms every day. With nearly 15 years of experience working with and within K-12 education systems, I’ve built an understanding of the opportunities and challenges that schools and districts face. I have worked in research, policy, strategic planning, human resources, finance, and stakeholder engagement, many of which are key responsibilities of the board.

My name is Linda Beebe. I am running for re-election to the Board of Education because I believe in public education, and I believe that children deserve the best that public education can offer: quality teachers, a safe, open creative, growth-minded, and diverse environment and programming that meets the needs of all individual students.

I have served the Lakewood Board of Education for forty years. I have lived in Lakewood for 50 years with my husband Dr. Bruce Beebe and our children Meg and Aaron, both of whom graduated from Lakewood City Schools. Prior to going to law school, I taught English and history for 15 years, partly in Lakewood and Scotland. I am now a practicing attorney with an office in Lakewood. I love reading, photography, travel, and anything to do with schools and teaching. 

I do not have children currently enrolled in the district. I believe that my role is to look at a broader picture than that that viewed by those candidates with children in the school. While I believe that it is important to have board members with children in the schools, my commitment is to bring my years of experience and a broader focus to help determine the best practices for all children as well as district-wide issues and concerns. 

Westshore Enforcement Bureau (WEB) announces the availability of teen driver education scholarships courtesy of funding from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO).  The grant will help teenager’s in low income and/or families that are struggling financially to get access to free driver training. Attendance at one of the Westshore High Schools in Bay Village, Fairview Park, Lakewood, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake is required. Financially eligible families with students (15 ½ to 17 yr. old) with a valid temporary permit can be referred through their schools guidance office for an application.

At the 2023-2024 school year opening Convocation for all Lakewood City Schools staff, the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation (LREF) awarded nearly $18,000 in teaching grants for staff. The grants will be used to fund 20 unique and innovative learning experiences created by the District’s amazing teachers. 

Lakewood City Schools is ramping up for the coming school year and is hiring for the following positions:

• Substitute teachers
• Classroom aides
• Lunch monitors
• Recess monitors 
• Cafeteria workers

The non-teaching positions are for both permanent employees and substitutes. You can view open staff positions on our Human Resources Department page at www.lakewoodcityschools.org/ departments/human-resourcesemployment. Substitute applicants can apply directly at www.rachelwixey.com.

Come join our K-12 team!

Did you know that the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation (LREF) provided more than $41,000 in scholarships to members of the Lakewood High School Class of 2023? Or that LREF awarded nearly $14,000 in teaching grants for Lakewood City Schools staff members for the 2022-2023 school year? These are just a couple of the myriad areas in which the Foundation is able to help provide support for Lakewood City Schools students and staff. To do so, LREF runs several fundraising campaigns throughout the year. LREF will be kicking off its Summer Fundraising Campaign week on Sunday, July 30, which is National Public Education Day. 

Beyond the teaching grants and scholarships, LREF provides significant supplemental funding to the Lakewood City School District for academics, performing and visual arts, athletics, clubs, scholarships, and more. Some examples include providing support for private student music lessons, new marching band uniforms, specialized athletic equipment and training clinics and transportation for the 4th grade field trip to see the Cleveland Orchestra. Money raised in the Summer Fundraising Campaign will be dedicated to the Foundation’s Teaching Grant Program.

Teaching grants are awarded annually to support innovative classroom and co-curricular projects led by Lakewood Schools faculty, and benefit students at every grade level in all buildings. If our campaign this summer is successful, LREF hopes to award a greater number of grants and dollar figure beyond the $13,700 given out last school year.  Some of the teaching grant projects LREF has funded in past years include elementary Battle of the Books, CREATURES in the Classroom for the Lakewood High MILES unit, Middle School Soccer Club, Lakewood High Model UN and Academic Challenge clubs, elementary reading and STEM projects, CHAMPS Cafe at Horace Mann Elementary, Gardening Club, various field trips, and more. 

The Lakewood Board of Education recently approved Trina Poole, current assistant principal at Findlay High School, as the next assistant principal for Harding Middle School. Poole will replace April Patton, who is taking over as principal at Garfield Middle School for the departing Robin Pettiegrew.

Before serving as an assistant principal for the Findlay City Schools, Poole served as a high school social studies teacher for the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District for 23 years. Poole is a lifelong learner, evidenced by the four higher education degrees she has earned. Poole received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in American politics, both from the University of Akron, a master’s degree in secondary education from Kent State University and a master’s degree in educational administration, also from Kent State. 

The Rotary Club of Lakewood and Rocky River has awarded college scholarships to five area graduating seniors.

Recipients include Matthew Esdon of Rocky River High School, Maggie McGann of Lakewood High School, Bert Wirtz, Jr. of St. Ignatius High School, and Lindsay Farrall and Kate Seeley of Magnificat High School. Each will receive $3,000 Donald W. Strang, Jr. Scholarship awards from the Lakewood-Rocky River Rotary Foundation. This $15,000 scholarship program is part of nearly $70,000 that the Lakewood/Rocky River Rotary Club donates to community programs each year.

In addition to demonstrating academic achievement and potential, these five Rotary scholarship winners were chosen for their character, as well as extracurricular and community involvement.

Maggie McGann’s extracurricular activities included Lakewood High School’s Help to Others service club, especially its program offering training for younger students on how to be safe when they have to be “Home Alone” for a while until their parents get home from work. Maggie was also involved in track and field and volleyball. One of her teachers commended Maggie for her “genuine and deep capacity for empathy.” Maggie is excited to go to Xavier University prepare for a career as a teacher.

Matthew Esdon is a young man with a strong sense of direction and purpose, as evidenced by his attainment of the Order of the Arrow in the Boy Scouts of America. He was a varsity swimmer, recognized for his leadership with the Triple Impact Competitor Award. Matthew was a member of symphonic and marching bands. His peers look to him for inspiration. Matthew will attend Miami University to study business.

Congratulations to West Shore Career-Tech Culinary Arts student Sophia Kowalski, who has qualified for the 2023 FCCLA National Leadership Conference Baking and Pastry competition in Denver in July.

Sophia competed at the regional and state competitions and qualified for the nationals in April. She then scored in the top 30 in the country on the online American Culinary Federation/NOCTI baking exam, a new qualification requirement this year, and will compete against 30 students from around the country in Denver for culinary scholarship opportunities.

All competitors at the event, to be held July 1-6, will prepare the same recipes and will be judged on sanitation, production, presentation, time management, professionalism and, most of all, taste! Good luck to Sophia!

A fabulous time was had by all at the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation Ranger Classic Golf Outing on June 9 at Valley of the Eagles course in Elyria. The foundation raised more than $30,000, all to benefit programs for Lakewood City School District students at all levels and in all buildings! A capacity 124 golfers experienced a gorgeous day on the course!

The foundation would like to thank everyone who participated, donated and sponsored! The money raised doesn't happen without all of you! Special thank you to our repeat title sponsor, Senney Enterprises. This year we had several new sponsors and we look forward to welcoming more support from our local businesses and organizations next year. Whether you were a sponsor or donated auction items or services, we are so grateful! 

This year's sponsors and donors included:

Admiral Products
Aladdin's Eatery
Around the Corner
Balance Foot & Ankle
Barton Communities
Bartos & Co. LPA
Best Greening Services
Brad Grant & Kate Murray '85
Delong Staffing Specialists
Brindza, McIntyre & Seed LLP
Cleveland Kitchen & Design
Clifton Club
Collision Bend Brewery
Dewey's
Dinerbar on Clifton
Emerson Elementary PTO
Erie Design
Evergreen Podcasts
First Federal Lakewood Banking & Investments
Forage
Friends of Colleen Clark-Sutton
Garfield Middle School PTSA
GDP Group
Geiger's
Getner Chiropractic
Georgetown
Haven
Hayes Elementary PTO
Horace Mann Elementary PTA
Immigrant Son
Jason Shachner
Jason Verderber
Johnson Bentley Wealth Management
Judge Tess Neff
Kevin Butler
Lakewood Board of Education members
Lakewood Council of PTAS
Lakewood Recreation Department
Lakewood Teachers Association
Lakewood Truck Park
Laskey & Costello
Law Offices of John Podgursky

Congratulations to Lakewood High School rising senior Kaydence Doxley on finishing fourth in the long jump at the State Track & Field Championship Meet earlier this month. Kaydence earned All-Ohio status for her top eight finish! Kaydence also competed in the 200 meters at the meet. Kaydence was not the only Ranger who qualified to compete with the best track and field athletes in the state. She was joined at the meet by Aniya Symons, who qualified in the long jump and Charlie Payne, who ran the 3200 meters. Congratulations to these three athletes and their coaches on a fantastic season!

Like Sports? The Community Recreation and Education Department has employment opportunities for the Event Staff position for Fall High School Sporting Events & Activities. Event Staff are the direct representatives of the Lakewood Board of Education and the Lakewood City Schools Community Recreation & Education Department during Fall High School Sporting Events & Activities. The primary duties and responsibilities are, but not limited to, the monitoring and managing of all facility events, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.

The Community Recreation and Education Department has employment opportunities for the Event Staff position. Event Staff are the direct representative of the Lakewood Board of Education and the Lakewood City Schools Community Recreation & Education Department during non-school hours. The primary duties and responsibilities are, but not limited to, the monitoring and managing of all facility events, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.

Can a society really make its way back from genocide and other mass atrocities? Is it possible for survivors to once again live as neighbors with the perpetrators who killed their friends and family? Is there a clear roadmap to both justice and true healing?

We do not yet know. 

What we do know, however, is what happens when we don’t try to create that roadmap. Enduring trauma. Bitterness. Vengeance. An inevitable cycle of violence. 

And that is why Cleveland State Sociology professor, Michael Skladany, insists we wrestle with the ideas of transitional justice. 

According to Dr. Skladany, Transitional Justice is an “overarching framework that consists of retributive and restorative mechanisms that envisions the traumatized society moving from authoritarianism to democracy.” It includes all the initiatives needed to bring a community true justice and true healing. Dr. Skladany, who is also a committee member of Ohio’s Holocaust and Genocide Education Network, spent two days with Lakewood High students explaining the possibilities --and the complexities-- of transitional justice. 

Lakewood High School’s Human Rights and Conflict class has been studying the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda, during which 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu moderates were killed in a span of three months. Dr. Skladany, who teaches Genocide Studies at CSU, knows a lot about how societies become genocidal. 

Lakewood City Schools and seven other schools have submitted letters to withdraw from the Great Lakes Conference and form a yet to be named new conference after the 2023-2024 school year. The withdrawals will leave Elyria Catholic as the only school remaining in the Great Lakes Conference, which began play under the Ohio High School Athletic Association with the 2015-16 school year. Lakewood joined the conference in the 2020-2021 school year.

The decision to withdraw from the GLC comes after events impacting the structure of the conference occurred. Parma City Schools closed Parma High School, and Fairview Park City Schools plans to leave the conference to join the Chagrin Valley Conference, leaving the GLC with only nine participating districts.

Lakewood, along with Westlake, Rocky River, Bay Village, North Olmsted, Buckeye, Normandy and Valley Forge will form an eight-team conference. The eight districts believe this conference configuration will allow for more flexibility in scheduling.

“We enjoyed our time competing in the GLC and look forward to a new alliance with our Northeast Ohio neighbors and continuing our friendly rivalries," said Athletic Director Rob Slone.

The Lakewood City Schools Recreation & Education Department is pleased to announce that we have been approved as a service provider for the Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Account program. The ACE program provides funds to a student’s parent or guardian to use on various enrichment and educational activities. The program is being offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Ohio Department of Education.

Information on how to apply for up to $1,000 per child (ages 6-18) to spend on camps, music lessons, enrichment and educational activities can be found on the ACE website at www.aceohio.org. Parents must meet eligibility requirements based on residency, income (extended to 400% of federal poverty levels), or government social program participation. Once approved by ACE, parents may register for programs through the Community Recreation & Education Department. 

Ways to Register:

1. Online - parents pay at the time of registration and submit their receipt to ACE directly for reimbursement.
2. By phone (216-529-4081) or in person at the Lakewood Recreation Department (located on the LHS campus, corner of Bunts & Franklin, Door 31) and the Rec Department will invoice ACE. Verification of your acceptance from ACE is required for registration.

Programs approved by ACE: 

Summer day camps