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RENEE HART

As the school psychologist at Franklin School of Opportunity, Renee Hart sees her focus on student wellness as just one part of a team effort dedicated to supporting students in every way possible.

“Collaboration is huge,” says Renee, who regularly consults with parents, teachers, administration, and students to find the best solution for any struggling students. “All of these pieces working together is important.” 

Renee, who serves students at Lakewood High and Garfield as well, heavily relies on the Vision of a Lakewood Ranger competency of empathy in the process of building trusted relationships with students. Says FSO principal Terri Elwell-Bornino: “Renee exhibits a strong commitment to student well-being, consistently demonstrating compassion and a desire to make things better. She goes above and beyond to seek out resources and support systems to help improve student situations.”

Renee believes students deserve a voice in working out issues and makes sure that they feel included in the process. “I like to be up front and honest with them that they are part of the team and we can problem-solve together,” says Renee.

Renee practices the Vision competency of growth mindset by seeking out opportunities to learn new strategies, often through professional development courses. She also grows her skills through her membership on the Western Cuyahoga County School Counseling Crisis Team.

Renee’s commitment to serving the whole child is evident in her leadership at FSO and Garfield with the ROX girl group, which aims to empower girls to be confident and self-assured, and learn tools to help them successfully navigate a complex world. It’s just one example of Renee’s continuous commitment to helping students thrive both in and out of the classroom.

JOSH MALAMES

Josh Malames landed the science teacher job at Franklin School of Opportunity (then Lakewood City Academy) upon earning his teaching certification in 2016. He has been at FSO ever since, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He feels fortunate to work in a small-school setting as he believes it helps create an intimacy between students and staff that can’t be duplicated in larger, traditional school settings.

“You can build a rapport with the kids,” Josh says. “Building that relationship over three or four years by having the same students each year allows me to better help them.” 

Besides the Vision of a Lakewood Ranger competency of communication, Josh finds it easy to use his collaboration skills with his colleagues since they are in close proximity. He often works with FSO math teacher Missy McCarthy to make sure that the math concepts he is including in his science lesson align with the way that Missy has been teaching them to students. 

FSO school counselor Andrew Maruk notes Josh’s willingness to collaborate and support others: “Whether it’s covering a class, supporting an escalated student, or jumping in to assist with a building issue, he is flexible, dependable, and always able to adjust on the fly. He is an experienced educator who is well-respected by his colleagues and often looked to for advice and support.”

As a father and coach, Josh brings a valuable real-world perspective into the classroom. Andrew remarked how Josh makes a point to incorporate life lessons into his teaching, noting that it creates opportunities for meaningful conversations about finances, employment, goal setting, and more. He adds, “Josh has built strong relationships with our students and is a genuine advocate for our alternative learners.”

The final group of students and staff at the Franklin School, June 2, 2025.

With the 2024-2025 school year now behind us, Lakewood City Schools prepares to say a heartfelt goodbye to a building that has stood for more than a century as a symbol of education, resilience, and community — Franklin School.

Built in 1907 as a four-room school, Franklin has seen Lakewood grow and evolve around it. It began as Franklin Elementary, serving grades K-6. Over the decades, the building was  reimagined and repurposed, reflecting the District’s commitment to meeting changing needs. 

Franklin served as a K-6 elementary school from its opening in 1907 through the 1969-1970 school year. The following year, the District shifted the sixth grade to middle school. It would remain a K-5 school through the 2006-2007 school year. In February 2007, the Board of Education voted to close the building as a K-5 school as part of its 50-Year Master Facilities Plan that would eventually reduce the number of elementary buildings in the district from 10 to seven. 

Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, the building served as the home to Lakewood City Academy, then a community school sponsored by the Lakewood City Schools that served students in grades 7-12 both online and in person. LCA remained at Franklin until the 2014-2015 school year when it moved to the former Taft Elementary School to make room for students displaced from Roosevelt Elementary while the new Roosevelt building was constructed. When the new Roosevelt opened in August 2016, LCA returned to Franklin. The building also served as the brief home of the Board of Education office when pigeons infested its building on Warren Road in 2013.

At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, LCA was dissolved and a new alternative education program, Franklin School of Opportunity, occupied the building beginning with the 2020-2021 school year until present day.

Franklin has always been more than just a building. It has been a second home to countless students, a place where teachers sparked curiosity, where friendships were built, and where futures were shaped. Franklin’s legacy will be one of transformation, resilience, and family. From its start as a traditional elementary school to its use as a home for alternative education programs, the small size of Franklin has always helped nurture a sense of community and family among those who worked and learned there. 

Now, nearly 120 years since its doors first opened, Franklin School’s service to the District is coming to an end. The Lakewood Board of Education has officially placed the building up for public auction, which will take place June 23, 2025.

Although we don’t know what the future holds for Franklin School, its legacy will remain in the minds and hearts of the teachers and support staff who worked there and the students who were able to learn and grow there. We are grateful for its service.

Learn right from the sources why FSO might be the right choice for your child!

Jackie Fields, teacher

Ben Sorby, student

Tony Giuliani, FSO graduate

Ashley Swartz, FSO parent