Lakewood Public Schools

A huge shout out to Mrs. Palazzolo and the Student Council for leading the charge and making this year’s Vikings on the Run 5K an incredible success! The Lakewood High School Student Council hit their goal by bringing families from all across the community together to support student-led projects and activities.

Thanks to everyone’s participation and generosity, the money raised will help fund: pep assemblies, homecoming events, blood drives, teacher appreciation, student recognition, and many more activities that keep our Viking pride strong! Go Vikings!

Director of Special Education, Jenny Richardson, led District crisis teams through Ukeru training in the high school media center. Ukeru, a trauma-informed approach to crisis intervention and behavior management, equips staff to better support student needs. We are very thankful for our staff who step into this important role. Go Vikings!

Our middle school math team was hard at work yesterday doing a deep dive into their new curriculum. Focused on vertical and horizontal alignment, the team spent the day engaged in on-demand learning and creating continuity across the grades. Go Vikings!

LPS building crisis team members, bus drivers, and coaches came together this morning for CPR/First-Aid training provided by Corewell Health. Thank you to Emily Flessner and her team for spending the morning with us! One step closer to preparing for the new school year. Go Vikings!

Today we are excited to officially welcome our amazing new teachers to the Lakewood team! We can’t wait to see the incredible impact they will have on our students this year. Go Vikings!

We're thrilled to announce the new app for LPS! It's everything LPS, in your pocket. Download for Android https://aptg.co/_zB2GP Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/nq0Fnf

📢 Office Staff Availability Update‼️

We’re excited to welcome everyone back as we gear up for a great new school year!

🏫 High School Office Staff will be available in the building starting Monday, August 4th.

🍎 Early Childhood Center, Elementary School, and Middle School Office Staff will return on Monday, August 11th.

Please feel free to contact the respective buildings starting on those dates for any assistance you may need. We look forward to seeing you soon!

🚨 Transportation Survey Update 🚨

We’re happy to share that the technical issues with our transportation survey have been resolved. A new link has been emailed to all families today.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and truly appreciate your patience and support as we worked through it. Your feedback is important to us, and we’re grateful for your continued partnership.

Thank you! 🚌💛

📣 Help Us Plan Ahead! 🚌

The 2025-2026 Transportation Survey was sent out via email this morning, and we need your input! 🚍

Whether your transportation plans are already set or still uncertain, your responses will help us better prepare and plan for the upcoming school year. Even if you're unsure about all the details, please take a few minutes to complete the survey — your feedback makes a big difference!

✅ Check your inbox and submit the survey today!

🕒 The sooner we hear from you, the better we can serve your family but no later than August 13th!

Thank you for being a valued partner in our planning process!

LAKEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENT The Lakewood Board of Education is announcing a vacancy on the Board. Persons interested in being considered for appointment to fill the vacancy should apply in writing to the Lakewood Board of Education, at 223 W Broadway, Woodland, MI  48897. Length of the term shall be through December 31, 2026. Applicants should include a brief biographical sketch, a statement regarding the reasons why the person desires consideration, and his/her philosophy concerning public education. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States and a qualified and registered elector of Lakewood Public Schools. Candidates must be willing to work within the Carver Model of Board Governance. Information on the Carver Model is available at LPS Central Office for review or on our website http://www.lakewoodps.org. In compliance with Board policy, applications will be reviewed by the Board and candidates screened for further consideration. Interviews will be held July 7 th , 2025. All candidates recommended by the selection committee are required to attend the July 7 th , 2025 meeting at 7pm in the high school media center. The Board may, by roll call vote, determine which candidate shall be appointed to fill the vacancy. Applications must be received by 3:30 p.m. on July 3 rd , 2025. Candidates with questions may contact the Superintendent’s office at 616-374- 8043.

Mrs. Bennington’s Baby Palooza Psychology A Unique Lesson & Real-Life Research Some tiny participants joined Mrs. Bennington’s high school Psychology students for a unique lesson in child development. Forget textbooks and lectures; this was real hands-on learning at its most adorable. Through carefully designed classic experiments, students observed and interacted with infants, gaining invaluable insights into the fascinating world of early childhood development. The experiments are designed to informally test babies from 4-12 months old on attachment, depth perception, object permanence, habituation, core principles and social referencing! There were five experiments. First: Object Permanence. The objective was to determine if the infant understands that objects continue to exist even when out of sight. Students showed babies of different ages objects and hid them under blankets to see if they try finding them! Second: Habituation. Students observed how infants become accustomed to a stimulus over time by showing a colorful toy and watching how long it took for them to recognize the same toy over time. Third: Violation of Expectancy. The objective was to assess if infants recognize when events contradict their expectations. Students used a simple "magic trick" to set up what would appear to be an impossible event by having a child watch a marble pass through a tube and knock over a mini-bowling pin. After showing this possible event multiple times, they then turned on the "magic" and moved a cog in the tube to not let the marble fall, making an impossible event that the baby thought would occur! Babies will stare longer at an impossible event because they understand core principles (two objects not being able to occupy the same space at the same time as well as gravity!) Fourth: Visual Cliff. The objective was to determine depth perception in infants. The crew from the woodshop created a visual cliff apparatus for babies to be placed on. In this case, a clear glass surface with a patterned floor underneath created an illusion of a drop-off. After placing the crawling infant on the glass, the daycare provider was instructed to make a scared face to help the baby learn social referencing that this was "not a safe" step to take. Then the daycare provider was instructed to make a happy face and encourage the baby to crawl towards her! Due to their lack of depth perception at this young age, babies were hesitant to crawl over the glass and some even tried to take a step by feeling first with their feet as if there was a drop off! Through social referencing the babies eventually crawled to the daycare provider and felt safe. The final experiment was Strange Situation Classification. Students examined attachment styles in infants. Students observed from the classroom window a baby and the caregiver play. The caregiver was instructed to leave the room while a stranger (student) came to play with the baby. They watched how the baby responded for a few moments to see how they would react upon the caregiver's return. It was a big huge hug! They loved watching the reunion and seeing a happily secure attachment for the infant! Wow, learn by doing. Real-life, project-based learning empowers our students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts, builds critical thinking and problem-solving, and promotes collaboration skills that impact their future success. Special Thanks to Michelle Huisman, Emma Huisman, Baby Atlas, Baby TJ, Baby Wade, Baby Isla, Baby Rayna, and Baby Nelly for helping our Psychology Class Get Interactive! We appreciate the work of our skilled trades students to design and produce a safe apparatus for our experiment. Big thanks to Mrs. Bennington for consistently thinking outside the box to craft impactful interactive learning experiences that deepens student learning. THIS IS LAKEWOOD!

The Language of Influence Mrs. Mir’s English Class Studies Persuasive Language Tools Mrs. Mir’s ninth-grade English students delved into the power of persuasive language, dissecting infamous speeches to understand the art of rhetoric. They meticulously examined techniques like simile, emotive adjectives, and pathos, recognizing how these tools ignite emotions and sway audiences. By analyzing the strategic use of pronouns, the rhythmic impact of the rule of three, and repetition, students gained a deeper appreciation for how language shapes perception and drives action. Mrs. Mir asked her students to work as partners to discuss how these techniques are effective in speech. Looking at Atticus’s closing argument in To Kill a Mockingbird, students began to uncover how these tools are used to drive an argument and persuade or inspire an audience. Mrs. Mir’s instruction will serve her students well as they build communication skills and advocate for themselves throughout their lives. Go Vikings!🥸

Behind the Scenes Karen Sage, High School Counseling Office Behind the scenes, a dedicated team works quietly and tirelessly to ensure the smooth operation of our schools, from managing budgets to supporting teachers and students. Today, we celebrate the work of Karen Sage at Lakewood High School. Karen, the heart of our high school counseling office, quietly orchestrates a range of support behind the scenes. As an administrative assistant, she serves as a vital link between students, counselors, and parents. Her dedication ensures the smooth operation of the office, allowing counselors to focus on providing essential guidance and resources to students navigating their academic and personal journeys. Join us in extending our gratitude to Karen Sage for her remarkable years of dedicated service and unwavering support serving our school family at the high school counseling office.

Mrs. Beard’s Second Graders Explore the World of Words Instructional Strategies for Reaching Every Child The floor was the place to be as second graders gathered close, captivated by Mrs. Beard’s voice as she led them through an exploration of words. Together they listened for which words rhymed, and which words didn’t belong. Mrs. Beard’s students turned detectives, uncovered how one word can have multiple meanings, expanding their vocabulary and reading comprehension. One student identified the word ‘board’, he said, “like ‘bored’ when you feeling uninterested, or ‘board’ like a surfboard. “WOW!” responded Mrs. Beard, “great example!” Another student added, “or ‘board’ like when you get on an airplane!” Mrs. Beard was so impressed with the flow of examples her students shared. Next she guided them through strategies like 'chopping' words to break down those longer words, and then 'blending' them back together. They got out their “choppers” and collectively sounded out and chopped words in unison. Lakewood Elementary teachers are truly skilled at their craft, they’re masterful at transforming learning into a fun and engaged adventure for their students. Their talent in making learning accessible for all students using a range of instructional techniques allows kids to build confidence, thrive, and succeed. Go Vikings!