Lakewood School District Misses the Mark...Again

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Grant parents received a flier home yesterday, Tuesday, about the Board of Education Special Meeting on Phase III. Here is what the flier said:

PHASE III NEXT STEP

WHAT: Board of Education Special Meeting on Phase III
WHEN: Thursday, December 3 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Hayes Elementary School Cafetorium
16401 Delaware Ave.

The Board will continue its examination and discussion of the Phase III Steering Committee Report at this meeting and will also welcome comments from the public.


I know many of you may be wondering what the problem is with this problem? Afterall, Grant parents wanted fliers they got fliers.

The problem is that no where on the flier does it say that Grant, Lincoln, or Roosevelt are in jeopardy of closing. The words "Phase III" doesn't mean much to many in our community. Most have no idea what "Phase III" means. As part of the Phase III Committee I have voiced this concern over how we communicate to the community at large all along. They do understand; however, when someone tells them there is a meeting in which they can voice their concern over there school potentially closing. There is a variety of reasons why people can't pay close attention to everything that is going on in the district and so it is the job of our elected leaders to make sure they understand the impact Phase III would have on their lives. This morning, when I asked Grant parents at drop-off if they were going to attend the Phase III meeting most of them said no. Then I asked how many would attend a meeting about the closing of Grant Elementary. All, but one, said they wanted information on time/place and that they would plan on attending.

Unfortunately, communication from the Board of Education that is clear and timely has been a long standing issue within our school community. When communication isn't clear, forthright, or timely it carries the appearance that our District is trying to conceal something. Let me be clear now, I am not accusing our Board of Education members of anything here. The fliers were sent out, but the verbiage was so vague and unless you actively participated in Phase III you wouldn't know what this flier was talking about.

Parents and Grant community members do care about whether Grant School closes. The affect on the families within this neighborhood would be massive. I hope that it is not interpreted by Board members that absent Grant parents at the Thursday Special Meeting means they don't care. More likely, they didn't understand the flier.

Kristine Pagsuyoin

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

That would be MISSES the mark again. Guess I "missed" the mark.

[Corey Rossen]

I'm confused -
1. Grant PTA sent out this message or
2. BOE sent out the message or
3. BOE edited Grant PTA's message or
4. Grant PTA edited BOE's message...

Basically, whose words are on the flier?
Was it a cut/paste flier?

Corey Rossen

"My disclaimer is no where to be found."
~Anonymous

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Hi Corey,

The flier I posted was sent to Grant from the District. The fliers were sent home in backpacks. I received mine yesterday. Many parents have not received them yet. And, I am not sure if others schools received the flyer.

Kristine

[Bill Trentel]

Kristine,
It doesn't surprise me at all. The Lakewood Schools are most inept communicators I've ever experienced. Actually this is a really good piece for them, it includes the time, place and location and got to a few homes before the event. And as far as I know the information is correct too. wow!

Do you know if the parents in Lakeview got fliers too?

It's to bad this event is at the same time as the Harding Holiday Concert at the Civic and I won't be able to make it to the Phase III meeting. I'm sure the BOE with provide a fine post event press release that will capture the complete spirit of the evening.

Bill

[Danielle Masters]

I like Bill would love to go but alas I think attending my son's concert is a little more important. It's too bad the meeting couldn't be held on a different night. I do know there are a ton of concerts at this time of year but I am sure there would be one or two nights available that didn't interfere with holiday concerts. But then again it's not like getting a large audience in the past has been that important.

In fact several years ago the entire city was shut down due to a major snow storm yet a meeting regarding the closing of Franklin was still held. The roads were so bad that the police said not to go out. Yet many of us went out because the meeting was still scheduled. And the super and board members shockingly said that they didn't think anyone would show. So the fact that this is being held to conflict with another school event doesn't shock me at all. I have become so appalled by this whole process, thinking about it literally makes me sick

So since I won't be attending I will send a letter. I also want to send a letter to city hall since when Grant is sold in order for the property to be usable the entire east side of Elmwood between Grant and Hilliard and the entire west side of Victoria between Grant and Hilliard will need to be demolished or rezoned, I am wondering just how far the city is willing to go with re-zoning. Despite repeated comments about Grant being in a commercial area this is blatantly false. Unless you consider a school that is surrounded by homes on three side a commercial area. But whatever no one really cares.

[Rhonda loje]

I worry about losing historic buildings that make Lakewood so unique.

[Kate McCarthy]

Bill and Danielle ... I too was surprised this meeting was scheduled at the same time that a large percentage of parents interested in the issue at hand will be at the civic beaming with pride at the amazing accomplishments of their middle school students. They need to work on a district calendar, where all the moving parts are all in one place.

And Rhonda I cannot imagine ever razing those historic buildings. Right down the street a building is being restored to its original glory near an old post office that was preserved and repurposed into a bank branch. I can't imagine that the Melt would have become a destination had it been housed in a brand new shopping center strip. So much of its charm is in the old wood, the old bar, the history.

I was in Houston a couple of months ago....generally a hideous example of a lack of planning. We joined one of our colleagues for dinner in Rice Village. Lots of new built but all nestled among historic houses and buildings. Our colleague said that the area was only preserved because the people who lived in the area were wealthly and were able to wage an effective defense against a "mixed use" condo development that would have raised much of the area and introduced high rise buildings into an area with a turn of the 20th century scale.

Let's hope that the qualities that make Lakewood Lakewood will be preserved.

[Rhonda loje]

I hope the BOE realizes the value of these historic buildings......I hope your are right.....

[Kristine Pagsuyoin]

Rhonda,

The BOE has told us repeatedly through the process that the BOE will not be moved because it would cost too much (6 million which Lakewood residents would have to pay for without State help). My point has been all along that if we know the BOE buildings will remain, and I agree that I wouldn't want to lose these buildings, that wouldn't it be wonderful to build a new school and create a campus-like atmosphere. Keep in mind, Grant can be built to resemble our historic buildings we love so much. It wouldn't look the way it does now. Why would we want another eye sore of a strip mall behind our BOE? It is in the center and adds to the uniqueness of our city. As was stated by a previous post, helps make Lakewood Lakewood.

Kristine

[Rhonda loje]

Sounds like a great idea to me!

[Danielle Masters]

I agree I do not want to see the BOE buildings go as they are beautiful historical buildings. But without that property how is Grant valuable? It lays back behind 20 something homes with access only from ELmwood. And it's not like it is right off Detroit, it is eight house down from Huntington bank. Also in the immediate area the Lutheran church/school property is up for sale as is the former Christian scientist building, are developers lining up to buy properties that are right on Detroit in the middle of downtown? I just don't get how the property is viable for development unless we are willing to destroy a neighborhood and blow off every zoning law we have. But ugh yeah once again whatever, this has been hashed out and people don't care because it's not their school and it's not in their backyards.

Back on point. I looked through the calendars for all schools in the district for concert dates and found 7 weekdays in December with no concerts meaning that there are 7 dates that this meeting could have been held without forcing parents to choose. It's unfortunate that a date had to chosen that conflicted with a big concert, especially since Lakewood is a music community. Concerts bring people out in droves. It really is unfortunate that we are forced to choose. So once again it may appear that some people are apathetic where really the fact is we will be supporting our children which is what good parents do.

[marklingm]

Grant parents received a flier home yesterday, Tuesday, about the Board of Education Special Meeting on Phase III. Here is what the flier said:

PHASE III NEXT STEP

WHAT: Board of Education Special Meeting on Phase III
WHEN: Thursday, December 3 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: Hayes Elementary School Cafetorium
16401 Delaware Ave.

The Board will continue its examination and discussion of the Phase III Steering Committee Report at this meeting and will also welcome comments from the public.

I'm confused -
1. Grant PTA sent out this message or
2. BOE sent out the message or
3. BOE edited Grant PTA's message or
4. Grant PTA edited BOE's message...

Basically, whose words are on the flier?
Was it a cut/paste flier?

Corey Rossen

"My disclaimer is no where to be found."
~Anonymous

Corey,

There are two flyers.

One flyer was distributed by the Lakewood City Schools. That is what Kristine is referring to above.

The confusion may be that some Grant parents distributed the attached flyer to some … not all … Grant parents yesterday.

I hope that helps.

Matt

[marklingm]

The BOE has told us repeatedly through the process that the BOE will not be moved because it would cost too much (6 million which Lakewood residents would have to pay for without State help). My point has been all along that if we know the BOE buildings will remain ...

Kristine,

For the record, the Board of Education has not told you the above ... although similar statements were made by Administrators to both the Phase III Committee and the Board of Education. Again, the Board of Education has not made a decision. The Phase III Committee that you led, deferred the decision to the Board of Education. And, we are in the process of doing just that.

Matt

[marklingm]

Most have no idea what "Phase III" means.

Kristine,

I think that most have an idea as to what "Phase III" means. Your own flyer to Grant parents even indicates that: "As most of you know there is a meeting Thursday night that will allow Grant parents to communicate the the [sic] Board of Education how they feel about the prospect of Grant Elementary closing [emphasis added]."

Thanks.

Matt