School Officials Reunite to Forge a New Future for Lakewood Schools

Assistant Superintendent Jeff Patterson took the podium during Monday night’s regular meeting at and announced that the Lakewood Board of Education had appointed Kevin Bright as his successor.

Patterson, who will replace this August, was pleased to make the announcement, given that he and Bright started their teaching careers together decades ago.

“Kevin and I share more than a past, we share a vision that one day soon students will walk into the classrooms in using technology that they feel most comfortable with and the teacher will be able to accommodate their learning and the district will support it,” Patterson said.

Bright started out as a social studies teacher in Richland County, then moved to Findlay where he quickly moved up the ranks, going from assistant principal, to principal, to assistant superintendent in just a short time, Patterson said.

From there, Bright became assistant superintendent of the Mason City School District, near Cincinnati, and was named superintendent in 1998.

He’s spent the past 13 years in Mason, where he earned much of his recognition.

In 2003, he was named Ohio’s Superintendent of the Year for his various achievements, which included growing the Mason district from 2,500 to 11,000 students and working to vastly improve students’ proficiency scores.

“I greatly appreciate the confidence the board has in Mr. Patterson’s decision to bring me on board here,” Bright said. “I really look forward to bringing my experience and knowledge and background up here to Lakewood to help the district as I’m able.”

Bright was met with a round of applause and warm congratulation from school officials, and board president Matthew Markling took the opportunity recognize Madak, Patterson and Bright for their administrative achievements.

“We have, in front of us, three of the top superintendents in the state of Ohio,” Markling said. “This should not go unnoticed, this small but large historical moment that we have these three outstanding academic professionals right in front of us at this moment.”