It's official: All Seven Schools Staying Open

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hi all,

I thought I'd give this its own thread. The School Board just voted 4 to 0 to approve the "Resolution to Approve the Superintendent’s Recommendation to Maintain Operations of Seven Elementary Schools."

The language of the resolution makes it clear that the decision is based on the significant increase in the population of young children in Lakewood, and increased enrollment.

As for the big question of whether it's permanent, it sounds like as long as enrollment stays up, our schools will stay open.

The resolution has a provision for awaiting the re-evaluation by the Ohio School Facilities Commission of our enrollment-- "until such time that the District completes Phase Three of the School Facilities Master Plan"-- which will occur "when state funding becomes available"-- hey that could be never! but Board Member Ed Favre thinks it's more like 2014.

The resolution also provides for home rule. The School District never had to accept the State of Ohio's advice, or their "matching funds" which are less than one third of the total cost. They could make an independent decision to say, just finish the high school now, in order not to wait until "funding becomes available" but that issue is for another day.

The resolution allows for the District to close a school if they deem it appropriate.

"Or until such time that the District determines that classroom space exists to reduce by one the number of buildings" (these quotes are not exact but I will get the full text soon.)

So if our enrollment drops significantly, to the point that our children won't be stuffed into our classrooms, this issue will come up again. Right now, it makes no sense. Board Member Ed Favre commented, "We don't have enough room even if we squeezed everybody in. If you saw the numbers, it's a no brainer."

There are those that insist that this increase is "a bubble" that won't last, and others that are convinced that the increase shows no signs of stopping and is indeed the "second baby boom"-- the grandchildren of the first baby boom.

Mr. Favre is among those who think the population will sustain. "I think it's the real deal," he said. "I don't believe that this is an anomaly."

Here are the current numbers from Christine Gordillo's August 7th Lakewood Observer article:

...live birth records indicate that 3,020 children ages 0-4 are living in Lakewood. That is compared to 2,631 children ages 5-9, or a nearly 15% increase. Historically, on average 79% of the children living in Lakewood will enroll in Lakewood City Schools. Using that
figure, district officials calculated that six remaining school buildings with a capacity of 430 (the current capacity of the district’s new buildings) would not
be able to accommodate the projected increased enrollment. In addition, between 500-750 students would be affected by redistricting if Roosevelt, Lincoln or Grant closed.

Mr. Favre stressed that the District would not have even entered into the discussion of the displacement of students with the numbers being what they are now.

So good news, based on real facts, meticulously collected and presented by our Superintendent to our community and our Schools Board so that they could make the best decision for our kids.

Betsy Voinovich

[Peter Grossetti]

, indeed.

kids first ... people first!

[Nadhal Eadeh]

Hi Betsy:

Thanks for sharing. This is indeed great news! Quick question: why was it a 4-0 vote? Where was the fifth vote?

Nadhal

[Christopher Bindel]

I'm glad to hear this. Thanks for reporting on it Betsy.

[Scott Meeson]

Hi all,

I thought I'd give this its own thread. The School Board just voted 4 to 0 to approve the "Resolution to Approve the Superintendent’s Recommendation to Maintain Operations of Seven Elementary Schools."

The language of the resolution makes it clear that the decision is based on the significant increase in the population of young children in Lakewood, and increased enrollment.

As for the big question of whether it's permanent, it sounds like as long as enrollment stays up, our schools will stay open.

The resolution has a provision for awaiting the re-evaluation by the Ohio School Facilities Commission of our enrollment-- "until such time that the District completes Phase Three of the School Facilities Master Plan"-- which will occur "when state funding becomes available"-- hey that could be never! but Board Member Ed Favre thinks it's more like 2014.

The resolution also provides for home rule. The School District never had to accept the State of Ohio's advice, or their "matching funds" which are less than one third of the total cost. They could make an independent decision to say, just finish the high school now, in order not to wait until "funding becomes available" but that issue is for another day.

The resolution allows for the District to close a school if they deem it appropriate.

"Or until such time that the District determines that classroom space exists to reduce by one the number of buildings" (these quotes are not exact but I will get the full text soon.)

So if our enrollment drops significantly, to the point that our children won't be stuffed into our classrooms, this issue will come up again. Right now, it makes no sense. Board Member Ed Favre commented, "We don't have enough room even if we squeezed everybody in. If you saw the numbers, it's a no brainer."

There are those that insist that this increase is "a bubble" that won't last, and others that are convinced that the increase shows no signs of stopping and is indeed the "second baby boom"-- the grandchildren of the first baby boom.

Mr. Favre is among those who think the population will sustain. "I think it's the real deal," he said. "I don't believe that this is an anomaly."

Here are the current numbers from Christine Gordillo's August 7th Lakewood Observer article:

...live birth records indicate that 3,020 children ages 0-4 are living in Lakewood. That is compared to 2,631 children ages 5-9, or a nearly 15% increase. Historically, on average 79% of the children living in Lakewood will enroll in Lakewood City Schools. Using that
figure, district officials calculated that six remaining school buildings with a capacity of 430 (the current capacity of the district’s new buildings) would not
be able to accommodate the projected increased enrollment. In addition, between 500-750 students would be affected by redistricting if Roosevelt, Lincoln or Grant closed.

Mr. Favre stressed that the District would not have even entered into the discussion of the displacement of students with the numbers being what they are now.

So good news, based on real facts, meticulously collected and presented by our Superintendent to our community and our Schools Board so that they could make the best decision for our kids.

Betsy Voinovich

Nostradamus?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Nostradamus?

Nawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww


Just one of the best education/school attorneys in Ohio, that cared more about kids and education,
than silly games of peer pressure and clubiness.

.

[Corey Rossen]

Maybe the parascope can see into the future?

[Betsy Voinovich]

Nostradamus?

Nawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww


Just one of the best education/school attorneys in Ohio, that cared more about kids and education,
than silly games of peer pressure and clubiness.

.

Last Spring there was a front page article in the Lakewood Observer entitled "Lakewood Enrollment Increases," based on Mr. Markling's research into our enrollment numbers. I can look it up, but for now, and since I'm late picking up kids, an illustration will suffice. (He didn't have to be Nostradums, though I enjoy picturing him that way):

Picture 6.png (605.84 KiB) Viewed 1728 times

Betsy Voinovich

[Betsy Voinovich]

Actually I didn't mean last Spring, I meant in Spring of 2011. A year ago last Spring. This is from April 20, 2011, Volume 7, Issue 8
of the Lakewood Observer.

Here's the article:

Elementary Enrollment In Lakewood is Up
by Betsy Voinovich

Good news for Lakewood families. Our elementary enrollment numbers continue to grow, going against the trend that the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) predicted when they assessed our District in 2008.

The OSFC evaluates school districts in terms of need for help with rebuilding or stabilizing school structures. When they first visited our District in 2001, they determined that our enrollment qualified us to have seven of our elementary schools rebuilt. This held true for Phase One, and Phase Two of the program, when our District undertook the rebuilding of some of our schools, the demolition and closing of others, with their eye on that seven elementary school number.

In 2008, the OSFC came back to take a look at our plan, and noted that the enrollment numbers in Lakewood had been steadily falling. At that time a determination was made to fund only six elementary schools; it was then that Phase Three began, with the painful process of determining which of the three remaining schools would be renovated and which closed. This decision by the OSFC was still only preliminary; their policy is always to re-evaluate before building.

In the 2009-2010 school year, while the Phase 3 Committee was embroiled in discussions about housing density and architecture, our enrollment began to turn around. In our current 2010-2011 school year, the turnaround continued, defying the OSFC prediction of declining enrollment, with numbers that are significantly higher than the OSFC’s predictions for these years.

Dr. Madak has cautioned the community that we cannot evaluate our position based on only two years, saying all along that three years was a better benchmark.

If you arrange the years of our declining enrollment in three year increments, making our year of lowest enrollment ground zero, and arrange our recent increase in three year increments, an encouraging picture appears, showing a 5.67% increase in the last period. If this continues, we will be well-positioned to qualify for keeping our seven remaining elementary schools.

At tonight’s School Board meeting, Dr. Madak seemed optimistic, putting the message out loud and clear that it will be a while before any school closes for renovation, because the OSFC has yet to come back and evaluate our District. The earliest time they could come back would be Fall of 2011. At this time, they will make a new determination on our enrollment.

If the current plan which is to close Grant and renovate Roosevelt, Lincoln and finish rebuilding Lakewood High, still makes sense after updating the data, this plan would have to be approved of by the citizens of Lakewood, by their passage of a bond.

Only after the bond passes would construction begin. Grant School would remain open as a transition school, housing the displaced students whose schools were being renovated. Under the current plan,the SOONEST the new schools would be ready would be 2015, with Grant open until then.

After the meeting, Board President Markling commented, "Our numbers are starting to look more like they did earlier in the process, when we qualified for seven schools. If this continues, the Board will be asking the OSFC to honor the promise they made to our city during the Phase One and Phase Two: to help us rebuild seven elementary schools."

Board Member Ed Favre also considered the news to be positive but added that the whole thing was dependent on the fiscal health of the State. He added that enrollment going up means that families are choosing Lakewood, are staying in Lakewood, and whatever the State of Ohio does, that's good news for us.

Here's the link: http://lakewoodobserver.com/read/2011/0 ... wood-is-up

The graph I posted above goes with this section of the article: If you arrange the years of our declining enrollment in three year increments, making our year of lowest enrollment ground zero, and arrange our recent increase in three year increments, an encouraging picture appears, showing a 5.67% increase in the last period. If this continues, we will be well-positioned to qualify for keeping our seven remaining elementary schools.


So yeah, the Administration and the Board knew that enrollment was going up though the percentage change now is higher.

Betsy Voinovich

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hi Betsy:

Thanks for sharing. This is indeed great news! Quick question: why was it a 4-0 vote? Where was the fifth vote?

Nadhal

Hi Nadhal,

Sorry, I meant to answer this. Linda Beebe was out of town and did not participate in the vote.

Betsy Voinovich

[Scott Meeson]

Nostradamus?

Nawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww


Just one of the best education/school attorneys in Ohio, that cared more about kids and education,
than silly games of peer pressure and clubiness.

.

Last Spring there was a front page article in the Lakewood Observer entitled "Lakewood Enrollment Increases," based on Mr. Markling's research into our enrollment numbers. I can look it up, but for now, and since I'm late picking up kids, an illustration will suffice. (He didn't have to be Nostradums, though I enjoy picturing him that way):

Picture 6.png

Betsy Voinovich

Betsy,

If you know, in what school year did Lakewood start offering all-day kindergarten?

Scott

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hi Scott,

I don't really know. My son was in half day, I think my middle daughter was, and
by the time my baby was in Kindergarten in 2010, it was all-day. I know there was
a lot of controversy surrounding it, and I know that it was one of the subjects discussed
at the Community Meetings.

Search the Deck for "all day kindergarten"-- you will probably find a lot of answers there.

I think before this levy campaign kicks into gear we should be secure in what the money
we have is being spent on, and what the money we are being asked for is going to be
spent on.

Betsy Voinovich