Following Chardon Shooting, Lakewood Schools Send Letter to Parents

In the aftermath of Monday’s shooting at Chardon High School that left three dead and two injured, Superintendent Jeffrey Patterson is hoping to assuage some parents’ fears about student safety.

On Monday, he talked to measures following the shooting.

On Tuesday, he sent out a letter to all parents of students in the Lakewood School District.

Here’s the letter — also posted online — in its entirety.

Dear Parents/Guardians:

As we are all saddened by the tragedy that happened at Chardon High School on Feb. 27, on behalf of the district, I offer our condolences to the victims, their families, staff, students and the Chardon community.

This is a good time to emphasize with parents the importance of open communication lines between the schools and its families and vigilance of student behavior. I also want to reassure parents that the district’s safety procedures are sound and secure.

The best way to prevent a tragedy such as what happened in Chardon from occurring is for parents and students to report any criminal misconduct, violence, threats and bullying on the part of our students. Should an incident occur off school property, we encourage you to contact the Lakewood Police Department. Otherwise, please report such incidents to a building principal, teacher, guidance counselor or other staff member. All reports will be taken seriously. You can also call the district Security Hotline that is monitored 24/7 at 227-5311. Calls can be made anonymously to the Security Hotline and district personnel are notified immediately when a call is placed. Once the district receives a report, school officials will investigate and notify the Lakewood Police Department when necessary.

The Lakewood Police Department is also a critical partner with the district in preparing and implementing our safety procedures for our school buildings. Our staff is trained each year with the help of the Police Department on lockdown and evacuation procedures. Our students and staff practice the lockdown drill four times throughout the school year. Our staff is well-prepared to handle any situation that may arise and will always put your child’s safety first. The Police Department is also well-prepared to respond to school emergencies and utilizes our facilities to train for crisis situations.

Our safety plan is continually reviewed and updated when needed and a thorough review will be conducted once investigation reports are available from Geauga County law enforcement agencies to see what can be learned from their experience in Chardon.

On a day-to-day basis our safety measures include secured entrances and video cameras at all school buildings. In addition, at Lakewood High School students and visitors must pass through a staffed security entrance and there are also eight security personnel on duty during the school day. There is also a Lakewood Police Department presence at the high school through its School Resource Officer/D.A.R.E Officer.

When an emergency situation arises, the district will notify parents via phone and email with the AlertNow system. Please make sure that your contact information is updated with your child’s school office and rememberto let the school know whenever there is a change in address, phone number or email. If you have not provided an email to the district and you would like to do so, please also contact your school office.

To reiterate, all of the district administrators, faculty and staff take any threats of violence, criminal misconduct and bullying very seriously and urge parents and students to report any such incidents. Your child’s safety is our first priority and with your cooperation and support we can help stem any potential harmful acts from occurring in our schools.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey W. Patterson Superintendent