I'm Chase Cruse and I am honored to serve as the principal of Lakewood Elementary. We are proud to be Bruins, and our mission—Lead, Learn, ROAR—guides everything we do. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive environment where every student is encouraged to grow, succeed, and reach their full potential.

We are intentionally getting back to the basics—focusing on meaningful paper-and-pencil tasks, putting more text in students’ hands, increasing outdoor exploration, and creating hands-on learning experiences. We believe these approaches help build stronger thinkers, problem-solvers, and lifelong learners, while also reducing unnecessary screen time.

In addition, our work is grounded in our HCS Portrait of a Learner, which helps define the skills and characteristics we want every Bruin to develop. We strive to grow effective communicators who can share ideas with confidence, responsible citizens who demonstrate character and leadership, and personal champions who set goals and persevere. We encourage students to be engaged learners who think critically and seek knowledge, as well as active collaborators who value teamwork, empathy, and respect for others.

I take this responsibility to heart and am dedicated to serving our Lakewood family while ensuring we live out our mission each and every day.