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Lakewood moves toward a community-school model; district pilots wellness center and support services
Summary
The district described Lakewood Elementary’s transition to a community-school model, including a grant-funded wellness center, student leadership in wellness activities, a clothing closet and mini food pantry, and partnerships with city and health providers; trustees discussed volunteer and PTA funding disparities across schools.
Dr. Dean told the board that Lakewood is emphasizing a community-school model that coordinates supports across health, family engagement and after-school programming.
The superintendent described a grant-funded wellness center at Lakewood staffed by a specialist outreach assistant and a liaison who meet to discuss campus needs. “With that wellness center, we've also been able to incorporate our wellness warriors, which is student leadership, who are bringing activities and try to bring other supports during recess and lunch,” Dr. Dean said. The site has added a clothing closet, a mini food pantry, and planned dental screenings.
Trustees acknowledged the benefits of community-school work while noting PTA funding disparities across campuses. Board members said the district should continue pursuing grants and partnerships to close resource gaps, and several trustees noted that community-school models can be a draw when done well. Staff committed to continuing grant-seeking and to evaluate whether contract clinic services or district-housed wellness staff best fit the campus going forward.
