Recently, parents along with concerned Lakewood residents have been coming together to discuss issues facing Lakewood City Schools. A new grassroots group, PALS (Parent Advocates for Lakewood Students), has been formed to improve communication with the Lakewood City School Board of Education while providing a forum for parents who may have specific concerns on a variety of issues facing their neighborhood schools. One of the most important things a citizen can do to stay informed is to attend a school board meeting. Most board meetings are open to the public; however, there are different types of meetings. The following is a summary of each so that you know when you can attend a school board meeting...

On Monday, November 10, 2008, Garfield Middle School hosted the 12th annual Veteran’s Day Breakfast and Recognition Program. The Garfield staff and students, with the assistance of H2O, Garfield Civics Club, and the Garfield PTSA, welcomed nearly fifty veterans with an opening breakfast. During breakfast the veterans had an opportunity to share stories with each other and with Civics Club members. The PTSA provided a wonderful breakfast for these ever so deserving veterans...

For at least the last four school years, each Fall, individual Members of the Lakewood Board of Education have joined Superintendent Dr. David Estrop in visiting each and every school and support department within the Lakewood City School District. At each of these annual visits, the staff at each school has been asked to formally respond to the following:

A letter has been received from Mary Taylor CPA, Auditor of State, to create a review and independent audit for a whole group of items including; staffing levels, collective bargaining provisions, and leave use in an effort to ensure efficient and effective services.

The "Project" will be handled by the Auditor of State's office, which has to date completed 205 released audits resulting in more than 11,000 recommendations, and more than $1 billion in potential savings...

The students in the Health Careers Technology Program of the West Shore Career/Technology School headquartered at Lakewood High School, teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic Office of Civic Education to become Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) on Wednesday, October 29th. In this case, the “crimes” were committed against the human body and consisted of such things as smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, etc. Using the new technology capacities at Garfield Middle School (all of Lakewood’s new schools have such capacity), the Health Career Technology program participated via interactive distance learning (a capacity similar to remote two-way TV broadcasts)over the school district’s technology network and conventional phone lines...

At 2:00 p.m. on Halloween, the Saints Cyril & Methodius School parking lot was abuzz with haunts of all grade levels. The third annual “Trunk and Treat Extravaganza” was underway as parents, some with little goblins in tow, doled treats from their car trunks as the costumed students paraded past to fill their bags...

Lakewood High School Seniors are always in need of money for prom. In an effort to raise money for the senior class, Lakewood High School has entered a contest sponsored by ultimateprom.com for a chance to win $25,000 for this year's prom. Runners-up will receive $5,000.

“We're hoping to win as much money as possible for Prom,” said Sara Luehring, Senior Class President...

November 5th 7:30-8:30am & 2:30-3:30pm Volunteers from a number of organizations and clubs at Lakewood High School will be out front of the school to collect spare change and cash donations from the community, parents, staff and students to help feed Lakewood Families throughout the Holiday Season. Make sure you stop by! All donations to be delivered to the Lakewood Charitable Assistance Corporation. Where $3 can feed up to 4 Lakewood Families!

A total of twenty-eight students at Lakewood High School have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) Exams.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the 1.6 million students who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award...

West Shore Culinary Arts students, Bianca Beltran and Meredith Bea were among the 13 students working in the VIP Room at the Taste of The NFL on September 22, 2008. The event was a fundraiser for the Cleveland Food Bank...

Real runners wear purple. And a purple wave will engulf Saturday’s Green Lakewood 5K jaunt when the Lakewood middle-schools cross country team ends its season where it started in late-August; Lakewood Park...

In the midst of Lakewood High School's annual Spirit Week, many of LHS' active student organizations and sports teams gathered together to participate in the LHS Spirit Parade...

After a preceding announcement on September 10 of six National Merit Semifinalist students, Lakewood High School recently announced that four additional students were named National Merit Commended Scholars...

The National Merit Scholarship program is an academic competition which students enter by taking the PSAT as high school juniors. More than1.5 million students in over 21,000 high schools entered the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Competition, with 16,000 top scorers named Semifinalists...

When the West Shore throws a party, it throws a party! What a Celebration! Reminding everyone that the arts, as well as arts and communication education are not only alive, but thriving on the West Shore. The Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River, and Westlake School Districts, along with the Beck Center for the Arts celebrated in fine fashion the evening of September 18th...

Superintendent Dr. David Estrop pleased to share with everyone that the District accomplished all of the Board of Education approved 2007-2008 Goals and Objectives. It was a very successful year for the Lakewood City School District. As one can see, “It’s Lakewood’s Time!”

I recall the day as clear as the blue sky was that September morning. I sat next to the window in my home-ec classroom at Horace Mann Middle School, dazing into the sky. We had just finished sewing a pillow. Mine was a soccer ball; my friend Eric had a football. We finished cleaning up our supplies and sat down, when our teacher came bursting into the room full of energy....

At a time when many school districts across this state and the nation are reducing or eliminating arts and communication programs, the four school districts on the West Shore (Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River and Westlake) have continued their strong traditions in both areas. In addition, the West Shore has benefited for over 75 years from the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood which has provided high quality arts focusing on theater, gallery exhibitions, and a comprehensive arts education program. On the evening of September 18, 2008, the four West Shore School Districts, the Beck Center for the Arts and the many partners of these organizations are coming together to Celebrate Arts and Communication Education at the Beck Center located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood...

Some of you may remember the old “SUCCESS” cheer from your high school days. Well, it’s back, at least in Lakewood. As a result of academic performance improving on the State Report Card, Lakewood Cheerleaders led the approximately 1000 people attending the Annual Convocation of the Lakewood City School District through the “SUCCESS” cheer and there was more to come...

The Lakewood Alumni Foundation (LAF) presents Oktoberfest, on October 4th from 7:00-11:00 p.m. at Around the Corner Saloon and Cafe, 18616 Detroit Avenue. Tickets are $25 and include an Oktoberfest themed dinner buffet, one drink ticket, musical entertainment by Lakewood alum Jeff Sherman and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit LAF...

When a team of people is charged with advancing the interests of a greater organization, colliding viewpoints and ideas are typically the norm rather than the exception, particularly as each individual member of that team brings his or her own respective areas of expertise and a lifetime of experience to the table. When those differing viewpoints and ideas meet head-on, the ensuing debate often brings stronger and better solutions...

Many of us in Lakewood have probably heard of or even benefited directly from H2O, Help To Others, in some capacity; if not, the name is fairly self-explanatory. However, the width and depth of the impact of the efforts put forth by this youth based community service group, are not as well known as they deserve. This summer, H2O decided to add yet another layer to their message of service to others. By placing their focus on recycling, H2O campers experienced first hand the interconnectedness between stewardship of the earth and the growth of healthy, volunteer based, community-building efforts championed by H2O...