Dear Families of Lakewood Elementary School,
Lakewood has long been known for its excellence and its strong community. The people who make up our school community - students, teachers, leadership, and parents - working in collaboration make our community great in spite of ongoing challenges related to our building and physical spaces.
On November 6th, we hosted an open SBDM meeting with guest speaker, Wade Johns, a former Lakewood Elementary parent and prior FOL President. Wade has been serving as the District 2 representative on the Dallas ISD Citizen’s Bond Steering Committee – an advisory group that works with the Dallas ISD leadership to review student and facility needs across the district since March 2025. Wade’s presentation was highly informative.
In December, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees will receive a briefing detailing preliminary recommendations from Dallas ISD leadership recommending a Bond package for 2026. Bond packages are the pathway for funding to replace, renovate, and expand schools across our district – Lakewood Elementary included. You can see the products of previous district bond packages at Geneva Heights Elementary, Walnut Hill Pk-8, and Longfellow Career Exploration Academy, among other locations.
In early 2026, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees is expected to consider whether to bring a bond proposal to voters, including:
- Whether to bring a Bond package proposal to the voters
- When in 2026
- Total amount
Before the board briefing and vote, Dallas ISD Trustees are holding informational meetings about the Bond process, its potential impact on students and property taxes, and next steps. Our District 2 Trustee, Sarah Weinberg, is hosting a meeting on December 1st at 5:30 pm at Career Institute North (10115 Midway Road Dallas, TX 75229).
This meeting is an important opportunity to learn more about the district wide Bond process and proposals, to understand the opportunities and impact this bond could have on our schools and on your property taxes, and to bring questions directly to district staff and our District 2 Trustee. Additionally, strong attendance from our school will indicate interest and engagement around funding pathways that could allow for facilities improvements at our school and others.
We hope you will be able to join us and attend Monday, December 1 at 5:30 pm. Thank you for your ongoing support of creative solutions to create excellence in our school and for your support of our students, our teachers, and our staff.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Cheek, Lakewood Elementary Site Based Decision Making (SBDM) Committee Chair and Meggie Gilstrap, Lakewood Elementary SBDM Enrollment Sub-Committee Co-Chair
Other Resources:
Citizen’s Bond Steering Committee and Scope of Work
October 10th Dallas Morning News Article on potential Bond 2026 request
