Survey Says: Lakewood School Levy Coming

District officials would first like to figure out how much voters could withstand before putting a measure on the ballot.

Would you support a school levy? How much could you afford? What are your thoughts on the Lakewood City Schools? These are a few examples of the questions being asked of Lakewood voters. On Wednesday night, a campaign began to randomly call 400 homes in Lakewood, asking residents (with landlines) to take a 15-minute survey to get their input on a new levy. Superintendent Jeff Patterson said that a new levy is “inevitable.” Now, he said, the district must figure how much voters could afford — especially given the current economic climate. “I know it’s a difficult financial time for all of us — for consumers, for businesses, for the city of Lakewood,” he said. “We need to be the best stewards of the public’s money.” In addition to the …

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School District Raising the Roof

School board OK’s raising and replacing the roof of the district’s administrative office and annex for $276,000.

The Lakewood Schools’ administrative offices on Warren Road are raising the roof. And then replacing it.  The Lakewood School Board OK’d a measure to replace the aging roof at the administration office and annex at its meeting on Monday.  Work, expected to begin soon, will have five phases — all of them will completed at one time to save the district $28,000, according to the agreement. The district, using state bidding procedures, had three bids come in. The work will be done by Tremco and its subsidiary, Weatherproofing Technologies.  The existing roof — at least 30 years — old had been patched several times during the past few years, said district officials. “There’s just no getting around that it’s time to replace it,” said Christine …

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City, Schools Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Two entities are back to sharing facilities after disagreement over who provides the insurance.

The city of Lakewood and the Lakewood School District will be sharing buildings with each other. Again. For the past couple years, a legal question over insurance liability has prevented the partnership. But on Tuesday, the Lakewood School Board passed a memorandum of understanding that will allow the city to use its facilities. Think block clubs and civil service exams. Meanwhile, just east on Detroit Avenue, Lakewood City Council passed its own measure that will allow the school district to use its facilities. Think the Lakewood Park Women’s Pavilion. Officials said that for years there’s been an “informal” partnership between the two entities, but the effort was recently hindered by legal hang-ups. “In this day and age, a government …

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Lakewood Students ‘Jump’ For Heart Health

Lakewood School District’s fourth- and fifth-graders put their best jumping foot forward in an effort to help fight heart disease and stroke when they participated in the Jump Rope For Heart event at Lakewood High School.

Refugee Students Getting the Chance to Catch Up

Lakewood School District enters into agreement with Asian Services Inc. to provide after-school tutoring to refugee students.

The Lakewood School District is getting some help teaching 80 refugee students from around the world who have settled in Lakewood. The schools entered into an agreement with Asian Services in Action at Monday’s school board meeting that will offer after-school tutoring to refugee students from kindergarten through the 12th grade. Assistant superintendent Kevin Bright said the goal for the students is to “accelerate assimilation and accelerate their learning,”  “Cognitively, it takes four to seven years to get caught up,” he said. “We’re trying to speed up that process. We’re marshaling our resources during the regular school day and this is an added effort.” Students are set to begin the twice-per-week after-school program at Emerson …

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School Board Advances Anti-Bullying Policy

The board OK’s a measure that will help protect students against dating violence.

Closing a gap in the district’s anti-bullying policy, the Lakewood School Board passed a measure Tuesday that will help protect students against dating violence. That’s in line with the district’s plan to become a local leader in the effort to prevent sexual assaults, domestic violence and stalking among teens and adolescents. The school district adopted an anti-bullying policy a few years back. Christine Gordillo, the district’s spokeswoman, said the update was to keep the district in line with the Ohio Revised Code. But, now, the schools have the some financial help to back up the initiative thanks to a half-million dollar grant awarded by the US Department of Justice. The district is one of 10 districts in the nation selected to …

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Tuberculosis Case Confirmed at West Shore Tech in Lakewood

The same case was reported in the Westlake High School community.

Someone at West Shore Career-Technical District, at Lakewood High School, has tested positive for tuberculosis. But officials aren’t saying whether it was a teacher or a student. MetroHealth spokesperson Christina Karas said it is the same case reported in Westlake on Thursday. “We can’t really give any more details out,” said Christine Gordillo, spokeswoman for the Lakewood School District. “I don’t have any information at this time that it is spreading." According to a press release, the Lakewood School District received the information late Thursday, by the Cuyahoga County Tuberculosis Program.  The case was confirmed through the TB Clinic at MetroHealth Medical Center.  The person was diagnosed over winter break and has not returned to…

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Schools, Financial Woes Focus of Community Forums

Patterson hoping to shore up the district’s finances without retreating from the district’s promise to taxpayers to stretch the revenues from the May 2010 operating levy until at least May 2013.

It’s no secret that with a financial crisis looming, the Lakewood School District may face its share of challenges in 2012. The recent five-year forecast revealed that the district is likely to have a $10.5 million budget deficit by the year 2015, barring the passage of any levies. That’s part of the reason why Superintendent Jeff Patterson has scheduled a series of community meetings to keep residents posted about the district’s goals, financial footing and to gather some feedback about the “significant fiscal issues” facing the district. According to a press release, Patterson is hoping to shore up the district’s finances without retreating from the district’s promise to taxpayers to stretch the revenues from the May 2010 operating levy …

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Lakewood School District Selects New Treasurer

Whitehall City Schools chief financial officer to join district in October 2012.

After searching for several months, the Lakewood Board of Education selected a new treasurer for the Lakewood School District on Thursday. Current treasurer of Whitehall City Schools Timothy Penton will begin his new gig in Lakewood in October 2012. Penton will replace Rick Berdine, who in June announced his resignation as of Dec. 31, 2012.  Starting in October, Penton will work closely with the current treasurer to ensure a smooth transition, according to the release, and take over the post on Jan. 1, 2013. Penton is eager to begin his work for the district, noting in a statement that he looks forward “to making Lakewood my home and serving the Lakewood City Schools as its Treasurer/CFO.” “I very much look forward to working with …

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