Our Elementary Plan - Lakewood City School District

On Oct. 20, 2025, the Lakewood Board of Education approved Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki's elementary facilities restructuring plan that includes the following elements:

Specialized Program Placement

● CHAMPS Classrooms: Move from Horace Mann Elementary School to the first floor of Hayes Elementary School to provide full accessibility for students with mobility needs.
● RISE Classrooms: Move from Emerson Elementary School to Horace Mann to better align with facility layout and available space.
● STARS Classrooms: Remain at Emerson, where the environment continues to meet program requirements.
● Gifted Self-Contained Classrooms: Move from Grant Elementary School to Hayes to optimize building classroom space.

Playground Accessibility & Improvement Plan

● Reinvest and update the playgrounds at Horace Mann and Emerson.
● Modify the Hayes playground to improve accessibility and add new ADA-compliant features.
● Evaluate and create a plan to update the other elementary playgrounds as necessary.

Facility Repurposing and Boundary Realignment

● Repurpose Lincoln Elementary School as the Lakewood City Schools Early Learning Center, which will provide before- and after-school care, as well as summer daycare options while ensuring efficient use of space and resources and maintaining equitable access for all students.
● REDRAW ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES for the remaining six elementary schools to better reflect enrollment trends, walkability, and program distribution.

Implementation Timeline

2027 – 2028 School Year:

● New boundaries go into effect
● Relocation of specialized classrooms take effect
● Lakewood City Schools Early Learning Center opens
● Upgrade Emerson Elementary playground

Winter 2026 – Fall 2026:

● Create transition teams and build roll out strategy
● Finalize boundaries
● Upgrade Horace Mann & Hayes playgrounds

VIEW SLIDES FROM SUPERINTENDENT'S
PRESENTATION AT
OCT. 6 MEETING

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FAQs

When will new attendance zones be available?

Will there be kindergarten at Lincoln for the 2026-2027 school year?

If I think my child will attend a specific school, can I open enroll them to that school now?

What will be the capacity of students at each elementary school if the specialized programs are moved?

Why was the choice made to move the self-contained Gifted and Talented program out of the most centralized building, Grant, and move it to Hayes? l

The administration assessed the specialized classrooms to determine whether relocating programs could better support the District's goals of stable class sizes, reduced teacher mobility, and balanced building capacity and found that moving the specialized programs would not compromise the quality of instruction or services - including gifted. It's important to note that first-floor accessibility at Hayes for our CHAMPS program was very important to the district.

What are some of the benefits of an early childhood education center?

An early childhood education center allows the District to bring all preschool programs under one roof, creating a cohesive, high-quality learning environment for our youngest students. Benefits include:

Consistency and collaboration: Teachers can share resources, training, and best practices, leading to stronger instruction and smoother transitions into kindergarten.
Dedicated spaces: Classrooms and play areas are specifically designed for preschoolers, supporting early learning and social-emotional development.
Family support: Centralized before- and after-school care, as well as summer programming, make it easier for families to access services in one location.

Efficient use of space: Repurposing an existing school allows the District to use facilities more effectively while maintaining equity and program quality.

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