LAKEWOOD, Ohio — Due to declining enrollment, Lakewood City Schools Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki last night recommended the repurposing of Lincoln Elementary School.
“The data pointed towards repurposing Lincoln,” she said. “When it came to walkability, it was the one that provided the least amount of disruption for all of our elementary students.
“This is a professional recommendation, but I know this hits families personally. Lincoln is an amazing school, much like our other six unique elementary schools. I do really care for our staff and our families of Lincoln. I know they’re gonna find success in one of our other buildings that they will attend.”
Lincoln Elementary School this year includes 243 students with 13 general education teachers.
The Board of Education on Oct. 20 will engage in discussion before voting on the superintendent’s recommendation.
Along with repurposing Lincoln Elementary School, the superintendent recommended — in the spirit of greater accessibility and equitable learning environments — related moves involving the district’s special education and specialized programming.
This included CHAMPS program from the basement of Horace Mann Elementary School to the first floor of Hayes Elementary School, the RISE classroom from Emerson Elementary School into the former CHAMPS space at Horace Mann Elementary School and the self-contained gifted program from Grant Elementary School to Hayes Elementary School.
The plan also includes expanding or rebuilding playgrounds at Emerson and Horace Mann elementary schools and expanding the playground at Hayes Elementary School.
The superintendent recommends opening the repurposed Lincoln Elementary School as the Lakewood City Schools Early Learning Center, which would provide before and after-school care, as well as summer daycare options.
“Every school’s boundaries will be adjusted, so there will be changes throughout the district to other families, not just Lincoln,” she said.
“As much as this change is difficult, I believe that we will have a smooth transition. My goal is going to be, if the board approves this recommendation, to design teams to help with the transition the best we can.”
If approved, the implementation timeline includes the district this spring creating transition teams and building a rollout strategy that will end up with finalizing new boundaries.
The 2027-2028 school year will feature the repurposed Lincoln Elementary along with new boundaries for six elementary schools and the relocation of specialized classrooms.
It’s been quite the year for Lakewood City Schools, which last fall convened a 50-member community task force to study the future of the district’s seven elementary schools.
The effort was anything but smooth with various community groups challenging the elementary school closing/repurposing discussion.
Legal action ensued in the form of a demand letter.
Niedzwiecki said the district paid legal counsel Weston Herd LLP nearly $75,000.
“It’s been super difficult,” she said.
Read more news from the Sun Post Herald here.
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