A citizen-led elementary facilities task force that met for months and produced a 32-page draft report presented three narrowed scenarios for managing declining elementary enrollment — including repurposing one school or redrawing boundaries — but the group’s work was paused after the district received a demand letter and consulted legal counsel.

The task force, convened to assess enrollment, building capacity and program implications, reduced seven initial configurations to three finalists: Scenario 1, repurpose Lincoln Elementary for preschool and redistrict; Scenario 3, repurpose Grant Elementary and redistrict; and Scenario 7, keep all seven neighborhood schools open while redistricting to rebalance enrollment.

The draft did not produce a single, unanimous recommendation. “While consensus was not achieved, the task force fulfilled its charge by offering a thoughtful and well informed exploration of the district’s options,” said Nikki Wills, a task force member and parent. “Its work provides a strong foundation for the superintendent and board of education to move forward.”

Task force members said the group met repeatedly over nine months and focused on walkability, class-size equity, staffing, fiscal impacts and community values. “We engaged in a thoughtful, data-driven process that included a review of enrollment trends, building capacity, educational programming, financial outlooks, community survey results and multiple scenario analyses,” said Joanna D’Agostino, a task force member and senior pastor at Lakewood Congregational Church.

Proponents of repurposing argued the district faces long-term operational inefficiencies if it continues to operate seven elementary buildings at lower enrollment levels. “Some members viewed repurposing as a proactive, data-driven response to long-term trends,” said Megan Dubecke, who served on the task force and is a district employee. The draft included a projected savings figure: “more than $900,000 in annual savings in some configurations,” Dubecke said.

Supporters of keeping all schools open stressed neighborhood identity and walkability. “Scenario 7 would result in six of the seven schools having all students living within one mile of school,” said Kathleen McGorry, a former district principal and task force member. Among 34 task-force homework respondents, 20 favored repurposing while 14 favored redistricting only.

The superintendent said the demand letter — from an outside group, Friends of Lakewood — prompted the pause. “We paused under the direction of our legal counsel,” the superintendent told the board during the meeting’s Q&A. The district has since said it will gather additional data and analysis before any final recommendation.

Public commenters who had served on the task force urged the board to release the draft report publicly. “As volunteers who put in many hours, we feel the findings are worth being heard and acknowledged by the school board and the community at large,” Joanna D’Agostino said during public comments. Several other task-force participants described the meetings as rigorous and collaborative and asked the district to publish the draft and a timeline for next steps.

Board members and task-force speakers also flagged external financial uncertainty, noting possible changes in the upcoming state biennial budget and expanded voucher proposals that could affect district finances. Task-force members urged clear communication and support for any families affected by future transition planning.

The superintendent said additional data collection is under way, including updated enrollment, building capacity, staffing and financial analyses, and promised a timeline “in the next couple weeks.” The board has not taken a formal vote on any of the task force scenarios.

The pause leaves the district without a final policy decision; speakers on both sides asked the board to act with transparency and to weigh neighborhood impacts, fiscal projections and walkability in any future recommendation.

Ending: The district’s next public steps will include additional staff analysis and a timeline from the superintendent. The board has not scheduled a final decision; several task-force members said they would continue to ask for public access to the draft report and for clear implementation plans if a repurposing option is pursued.