Security and Safety In Lakewood Schools
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
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Mark Crnolatas
- Posts: 400
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2005 10:32 pm
- Location: Lakewood, Ohio
Security and Safety In Lakewood Schools
1) How safe and "peaceful" are our schools, in general? Can we hear from some of the parents of the students, and/or the students themselves? 2) Are Lakewood teachers and substitute teachers required to have backround checks ? 3) Who is in charge of security for our schools, besides of course the police dept. ?
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Joan Roberts
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:28 am
LHS parent here.
Sending your kid to the high school is like sending them to a good-sized city for a day of fun and shopping. Use common sense, keep your eyes and ears open, watch what's going around you, have fun. It's not Teletubby-Land, but it's not Baghdad, either.
The private security force is no better or no worse than what you'd see at your average 7-11. But from everything I can see, principal Wagner is a hands-on guy whom the staff trusts and the kids by and large respect.
I look at it this way. The kids are 15 and 17. The Barney years are long gone. LHS is a step toward the real world. I can deal with that.
Sending your kid to the high school is like sending them to a good-sized city for a day of fun and shopping. Use common sense, keep your eyes and ears open, watch what's going around you, have fun. It's not Teletubby-Land, but it's not Baghdad, either.
The private security force is no better or no worse than what you'd see at your average 7-11. But from everything I can see, principal Wagner is a hands-on guy whom the staff trusts and the kids by and large respect.
I look at it this way. The kids are 15 and 17. The Barney years are long gone. LHS is a step toward the real world. I can deal with that.
Joan Roberts
"Whose needs are being met?"
"Whose needs are being met?"
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Ivor Karabatkovic
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:45 am
- Contact:
The private security force is no better or no worse than what you'd see at your average 7-11. But from everything I can see, principal Wagner is a hands-on guy whom the staff trusts and the kids by and large respect.
Students could never outsmart the security guards, because there's just too many. They watch the cameras closely in a enclosed room and act immediately if needed. They have random drug, weapon and bomb checks where everyone is evacuated by a firedrill and they bring in the K-9 unit and check every inch of the building.
Oh yeah, and I love Dr.Wagner. He's a very respectful guy and handles everything in a professional and correct manner. I also wouldn't mess with him, since he busted through 5 cinder blocks with his hand at our freshman meeting.
Substitutes are usually ones that your kids already know from middle school. 9 of 10 substitutes I can think of off the top of my head I've had before in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. So they won't be strangers.
It's a peaceful day usually. If there's a fight it gets taken care of within minutes. If you try to mess around during school whether its fighting or anything that will disrupt the peaceful day, you'll get taken care of, too.
Many freshman believe that they're going to get lost on their first day-
Rule #1: There's no elevator PASS. you need a key to open the elevators and yes, this is an age old prank that still gets pulled on freshmen. It's an easy 5 bucks too.
Rule #2: The school isn't THAT big. There's always staff walking around and security, so if your kids get lost just ask a staff member.
Rule #3: Get involved. whether its sports, music, or the 100+ clubs that LHS offers- it's important to get involved.
Rule #4: Homework will increase- but it's the most important part of doing good in High School. If you do the homework, you'll do good on tests.
I guess High School is just what you make it. The dress code goes unnoticed now, every now and then people slip through the cracks but people just want to get out of the school faster so they obey it.
"Hey Kiddo....this topic is much more important than your football photos, so deal with it." - Mike Deneen
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Jeff Endress
- Posts: 858
- Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:13 am
- Location: Lakewood
Mark
First, recognize that LHS has a large, diverse, student population. Perhaps even more diverse than the city itself by virtue of special prgrams offered at LHS that many other districts avail themselves of. It is a microcosm of the society in which it exists. To whatever degree there are drugs, alcohol, violence, and other societal evils, those will also be present in any school. The real question is not an examination of the presence of societal evils, but rather, the impact of that presence on the educational mission of the school.
I have a Sophomore at LHS, and 3 graduates: Classes of 2001,2005, 2006.
They have all been involved in many activities at LHS, from athletics to orchestra, from barnstormers to the Lakewood project. They have taken AP courses, and participated in Pathways to teaching. They have voluteered in H2O. They have received a good solid education and have left prepared for the college experiences that the graduates went on to. But these were all choices they made. Choices to participate in activities, choices to go to class, choices to work and learn. So, in a very real sense, LHS is, like all of life, all about getting out of it what you put into it.
The issue, however, is examining how the administration deals with the negative side of the equation and whether those negatives detract from the educational mission, and the ability of those who wish to participate, and to learn, to do so. There will always be a disruptive element, and as society itself demonstrates less tolerance, less acceptance and less civility, those disruptive pressures will increase. The job of the administration is to insure that those disruptions do not impinge on the educational mission of the school. That they are recognised, dealt with and held in check so that those who wish to take advantage of all the school has to offer may do so, safely and in an evironment that fosters the educational atmosphere. It is a difficult job, but one that the LHS administration does extremely well.
So yes, you will hear about smoking in the restrooms, perhaps a drunk or high student. You may hear about a "code Ranger" with a locker sweep or perhaps a scuffle. But make no mistake about it, the administration does not tolerate those disruptive behaviors and works very hard to assure that the environment continues to be one of educational purpose in a safe and secure surrounding. Having said that, at the end of the day, it is the choice of the student whether they wish to take advantage of the opportunities offered, or attempt to take advantage of the system. Those who choose the former, are the ultimate winners, and the latter, the consumate losers. Fortunately the vast majority of students recognise this reality. Likewise, so does the administration who fosters an atmosphere that stimulates and encourages the "winners" and does well at controlling the "losers".
Jeff
First, recognize that LHS has a large, diverse, student population. Perhaps even more diverse than the city itself by virtue of special prgrams offered at LHS that many other districts avail themselves of. It is a microcosm of the society in which it exists. To whatever degree there are drugs, alcohol, violence, and other societal evils, those will also be present in any school. The real question is not an examination of the presence of societal evils, but rather, the impact of that presence on the educational mission of the school.
I have a Sophomore at LHS, and 3 graduates: Classes of 2001,2005, 2006.
They have all been involved in many activities at LHS, from athletics to orchestra, from barnstormers to the Lakewood project. They have taken AP courses, and participated in Pathways to teaching. They have voluteered in H2O. They have received a good solid education and have left prepared for the college experiences that the graduates went on to. But these were all choices they made. Choices to participate in activities, choices to go to class, choices to work and learn. So, in a very real sense, LHS is, like all of life, all about getting out of it what you put into it.
The issue, however, is examining how the administration deals with the negative side of the equation and whether those negatives detract from the educational mission, and the ability of those who wish to participate, and to learn, to do so. There will always be a disruptive element, and as society itself demonstrates less tolerance, less acceptance and less civility, those disruptive pressures will increase. The job of the administration is to insure that those disruptions do not impinge on the educational mission of the school. That they are recognised, dealt with and held in check so that those who wish to take advantage of all the school has to offer may do so, safely and in an evironment that fosters the educational atmosphere. It is a difficult job, but one that the LHS administration does extremely well.
So yes, you will hear about smoking in the restrooms, perhaps a drunk or high student. You may hear about a "code Ranger" with a locker sweep or perhaps a scuffle. But make no mistake about it, the administration does not tolerate those disruptive behaviors and works very hard to assure that the environment continues to be one of educational purpose in a safe and secure surrounding. Having said that, at the end of the day, it is the choice of the student whether they wish to take advantage of the opportunities offered, or attempt to take advantage of the system. Those who choose the former, are the ultimate winners, and the latter, the consumate losers. Fortunately the vast majority of students recognise this reality. Likewise, so does the administration who fosters an atmosphere that stimulates and encourages the "winners" and does well at controlling the "losers".
Jeff