Pardon our “dust”, web site under construction!
This summer and early fall we are in the process of rebuilding our website. Watch for a new look and more information available in the 2007-08 school year! As our school buildings are being updated and transformed, we felt it was a good time to update and transform our web presence. In the meantime, we will update this site with information as best we can and when the new site is up and ready, we will let you know!

History
The first Lakewood High School graduating class was in 1885 from the small ivy-covered building on Warren Road now occupied by the Recreation Department. The high school was then moved into a new building, called Grant school, just south of the old Rockport Building, where Lakewood High School made its beginning. In 1903 a high school building was erected across the street from the present site of the Recreation Building. The present high school was built in 1917 to accommodate 2000 pupils. It was filled and in 1926 overflowed into three junior high schools. In 1928, the swimming pool was constructed.

During the past years, many fine improvements have been made in the physical plant of the school. The present facilities make possible one of the finest programs of any comprehensive high school. Improvements have included the planetarium, reading center, improved academic classrooms and offices, cafeterias, horticulture laboratory, enlarged library, five computer labs, additional physical educational facilities, and extensive vocational program facilities. A building addition, completed in 1970, was necessary because of increased enrollment which included bringing ninth grade to the high school. The installation of a new all-weather P.E./athletic field and the addition of a new swimming pool made Lakewood High School's facilities some of the finest in the state. The most recent addition is the music wing which accommodates both the vocal and instrumental programs.

The curriculum is one of the broadest of any school anywhere, offering a wide selection of courses in technical, vocational, art, home economics, music and business as well as the regular academic fields of English, Science, Mathematics, Languages and Social Studies.

Preparations for a New Lakewood High School

You have probably seen or heard about the progress on Phase I of the district facilities master plan. Demolition and site preparation at Garfield, Harrison, Hayes, and Madison Elementaries are moving along nicely. Phase 2 of the facilities master plan will include work on McKinley, Taft, Emerson, and Horace Mann in addition to the beginning of renovations on Lakewood High School. Phase 3 includes the completion of the work at LHS along with renovations at Grant and Lincoln and the closing of Roosevelt and Franklin Elementaries.

This school year, we will begin preparations for the LHS portions of both Phases 2 and 3. The designs and transition plans for the both phases of the high school project must be competed prior to starting, so we need to begin now. There will be three committees that will be working concurrently to meet this tremendous challenge.

Heritage Committee
Recognizing the historical, cultural, and educational contributions of the Lakewood City Schools, the Heritage Committee will provide input within the parameters established by the community and staff developed educational specifications, the Fifty Years Committee recommendations, the Program of Requirements, the budget, the Ohio Schools Facility Commission Agreement and timelines relative to:

• Any pieces of existing buildings to be incorporated into the design of Phase II buildings
• Artifacts and memorabilia to be preserved from Phase II buildings
• The decommissioning of the current Harding Middle School building
• The decommissioning of Phase II buildings as middle schools
• The commissioning of Phase II buildings as elementary schools

The Heritage Committee will be a district-wide committee that may sub-divided into separate committees of each Phase II building.
The committee will be composed of students, parents, community members and staff. There will be at least two community-wide meetings held, as well as affected building meetings as needed. One key, early in this committee’s work, will be to provide its recommendations in a timely way to the architect for design work. The Heritage Committee will begin with design work and conclude with decommissioning work.

The committee meetings will occur on Thursday evenings. The approximate meeting schedule will be every other week. The Heritage Committee will begin work in November, 2005 and complete its work no later than May, 2006.

Design Committee
The Design Committee will work within the community and staff developed educational specifications, the Fifty Years Committee recommendations, the Program of Requirements, the budget, the Ohio Schools Facility Commission Agreement and timelines to provide input in the design of the remodeling of Emerson and Horace Mann into elementary schools and the remodeling of Lakewood High School. The Design Committee may subdivide into sub-committees as appropriate.

At least two community-wide meetings will be held, as well as affected building meetings as needed. The Design Committee will consist of students, parents, community members and staff. The Design Committee will be divided into two subcommittees: the Middle to Elementary Design and the Lakewood High School Design.

The committee meetings will occur on Thursday evenings. The approximate meeting schedule will be every other week
The Design Committee will begin work in November, 2005 and complete its work by May, 2006.

Transition Committee
The Transition Committee will work to provide input for transition activities for students, parents, staff, and community within the parameters established by the community and staff developed educational specifications, the Fifty Years Committee recommendations, the Program of Requirements, the budget, the Ohio Schools Facility Commission Agreement and timelines.

This committee will be composed of students, parents, community representatives and staff to be impacted by Phase II construction.
This committee will be divided into separate subcommittees for the High School, and a combined Elementary and Middle Schools Subcommittee.

This committee is not to deal with the school staffing issues of transition. These staffing issues will be worked through the administration. Input will be sought from the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee, the LTA, Communications Forum and the OAPSE Communications Forum.

At least one organizational level meeting will occur, as well as a minimum of one school meeting for each school affected. The committee meetings will occur on Wednesday evenings. The approximate meeting schedule will be every other week.

The Elementary and Middle School Subcommittee will begin meeting in the Fall of 2006 and complete its planning by Spring, 2007. The High School Subcommittee will begin meeting in January, 2006 and complete its planning by Spring, 2007.

We want your input and involvement!
We will be seeking to have representation on each of the committees by board members, administrators, staff, students, community members, and parents. If you are interested in serving on one of the committees listed above for the high school, please email me at william.wagner@lakewood.k12.oh.us or call the principal’s office at 529-4021. The committee sizes will be limited, so let me know if you are interested as soon as possible.

Even if you can’t participate in one of the committees, please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with us as we continue to make Lakewood High School the best it can possibly be Every Period, Every Day!