What's New

Creekside Students Get Tips from Best-Selling Author/Illustrator

10/28/2020

Creekside VLO and in-person students recently learned the secret to being good at anything. Award-winning author and illustrator Derek Anderson held a special Zoom session for each grade at Creekside, where he shared this secret along with many other tips about writing and drawing.

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WE are Prepared: Fall 2020 Community Newsletter

10/26/2020

Several times a year, Lakota produces a community newsletter to help parents and residents stay informed about important district-wide news and updates. The fall 2020 edition, titled "WE are Prepared", shares an inside look at one of the most unusual starts to a school year yet and all the ways we are preparing for what could come next.

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Super in 60: October 2020 Edition

10/21/2020

In each month's edition of "Super in 60", Lakota Superintendent Matthew Miller provides the latest district highlights in just 60 seconds. Get the latest on Lakota's Educators of Excellence, the district-wide food drive and recent changes to the academic calendar.

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Nov. 4: Next Coffee Chat with the Superintendent

10/21/2020

We hope you will join Superintendent Miller on Facebook Live (@LakotaSuper) for an update on the school year and to share your questions and concerns. These virtual coffee chats have been very well attended, and to help efficiently prioritize questions and concerns, consider sending in your thoughts via Thought Exchange.

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Honoring Lakota's 2020 Educators of Excellence

10/20/2020

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools, are proud to announce the three recipients of the 2020 Lakota Educator of Excellence Awards.

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Lakota COVID-19 Update

10/20/2020

This week marks the start of the second quarter. Lakota’s staff, students and families have proven that they are following the guidelines, wearing face coverings, washing their hands and staying home when they are sick.

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East LEAF Club Reforestation Project Takes Root

10/20/2020

A once wide-open plot of land between Lakota East High School’s baseball fields and Interstate-75 now dawns about 60 trees - all thanks to the advocacy of the school’s LEAF Club and two critical community partners, Cincinnati’s Taking Root and Delhi Nursery.

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Liberty ECS First Grade Detectives Look for Clues

10/20/2020

What do police detectives have in common with first graders? They look for clues. This is what Janet Alsip’s class at Liberty Early Childhood School learned during a recent lesson in reading.

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WOW Gives ‘Women of West’ Social Emotional Boost

10/20/2020

“I was in one of the most accelerated career paths for P&G, yet I couldn’t look myself in the mirror,” shared Helena Alsbury, a chemical engineer and senior director of product supply at P&G. “What I had two years ago was a self-esteem issue.”

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Ridge Jr. Storage Area Transformed into Fitness Center

10/19/2020

An old storage area at Ridge Junior School is a now a place where students and staff can go to improve their physical, social and emotional health. It all started last year when Scott Laman (who was the school’s Athletic Director) proposed turning the area into a fitness center.

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Lakota Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

10/19/2020

National Hispanic Heritage Month took place from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, and schools around the district held their own unique programs to honor the histories, cultures and contributions of those from Latin American countries. Lakota students represent 14 of those Hispanic countries and they make up 9.6% of the student population.

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In-Person Learning Survey: The Results are In

10/19/2020

Lakota Local Schools could not have completed its first quarter, offering both in-person and virtual learning options, without valuable feedback from parents, staff and students. There were 4,180 responses to Lakota’s in-person learning survey that closed on Oct. 12.

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Meet Our School Board Video Series: Michael Pearl

10/19/2020

Lakota Local Schools is excited to introduce our community to the members of the Board of Education. Through December, you’ll get to know more about each of the five members. First up, meet Michael Pearl, the newest member of the Board.

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Words of Wisdom: What Do You Like About Fall?

10/19/2020

What do you love about fall? That’s what we asked students around Lakota for this month’s Words of Wisdom.

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Lakota Board of Education Recognizes OSBA Business Honor Roll

10/19/2020

The Lakota Local Schools Board of Education announced four outstanding business partners as recipients of the Ohio School Boards Association’s (OSBA) Business Honor Roll at last night’s school board meeting.

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October's 'Super in 60' Video Update

10/19/2020

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LODI Introduces Kinship Connections to Link Lakota Caregivers

10/12/2020

Lakota’s Outreach Diversity & Inclusion (LODI) Department is introducing a monthly program called “Kinship Connections.” Designed for our grandparents and other kinship caregivers of Lakota students, the program is being introduced in response to the feedback district leaders received at a Community Conversation with some members of this group earlier this year.

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Lots of Color in Hopewell’s Creative Alternative to Color Run

10/06/2020

Despite having to completely reimagine this year’s format, at least one thing about a popular after-school event at Hopewell Junior School remained intact: lots of color. But this time, rather than having staff and parent volunteers throw color at them, students spread out on the school’s athletic field and were throwing paint on a blank ceiling tile. All together, the individual tiles will soon form a large display of student expression in the school’s cafeteria.

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Focus on Meeting the Social & Emotional Needs of Virtual Learning Students

10/06/2020

Addressing the social/emotional needs of students is always important, but especially so for virtual learners during the COVID pandemic. Students in virtual learning environments such as Lakota’s VLO might feel particularly isolated or lonely by missing out on valuable social interaction and relationship building in the school setting.

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Lakota Cyber Academy Partnerships: A new Wave of Cyber Talent

10/06/2020

The Lakota Cyber Academy is a first of its kind program for high school students. It has been designed alongside industry partners to develop a local pool of talent in one of the fastest growing professions in the world: cyber security.

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WE are Prepared: COVID-19 Update

10/06/2020

Now in its eighth week of in-person learning, Lakota Local Schools continues to follow the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Butler County Health Department (BCHD). Safety protocols continue to be adjusted as needed in order to help stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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New Video Series Debut: A Peek Behind the Curtain

10/06/2020

Take a closer look inside Lakota Local Schools with a new video series called “A Peek Behind the Curtain.” Throughout the year, you’ll get an inside look at different parts of the school day. In this first video, you’ll meet the #DogsOfLakota, the district’s four therapy dogs who are helping students and staff in innovative ways.

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Freedom Elementary Hallway Becomes Stone Age Cave

10/05/2020

How do you get sixth-graders excited about studying the Stone Age? Transform the hallway by your classroom into a cave. Freedom Elementary social studies teacher Regan Hagemeier explained to her students that they would spend the school year travelling all over the Eastern Hemisphere studying world civilizations.

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Lakota School Board's ‘WE CAN’ Food Drive Serves Reach Out Lakota

10/05/2020

The Lakota Board of Education’s annual district-wide food drive for Reach Out Lakota will run Oct. 12 through Oct. 23, leading right up to National Make a Difference Day on Oct. 24. In true “WE are Lakota” fashion, the district is challenging families, staff and community members to “stuff the bus” with canned goods and other non-perishables needed by our community’s local relief organization.

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New Literacy Lab is on a Roll at Shawnee ECS

10/02/2020

Many Shawnee ECS kindergarteners are saying it is the favorite part of their day. It’s not recess. It’s not lunch. It’s when the Literacy Lab rolls into their classroom.

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October Social Media Contest: Fall Favorites

10/02/2020

Is it jumping into a big pile of leaves? Warm apple cider? Trick or treat fun? Family and friends sitting around a fire pit? We want to know your favorite thing about fall. Lakota’s October social media contest is all about fall fun. Share a photo showing what you like most about fall, and you just might win a prize basket full of Lakota spirit items.

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Academic Calendar Change: Nov. 2-4

09/28/2020

Lakota has made an adjustment to our academic calendar for Nov. 2-4. Traditionally, Lakota’s teachers and staff participate in professional development on Election Day. This decision is part of our safety and security guidelines because 18 of our schools are used as polling locations in our community.

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Technology Zoom Sessions Help Parents Support Student Learning

09/22/2020

How can I help my child who uses Seesaw? How do I navigate Canvas? What are some tips and tricks to make all of this technology easier to use? Whether students are learning virtually or in-person, parents across the district are asking these questions.

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Mask Breaks Reinvent Outdoor Learning

09/22/2020

If it weren’t for “mask breaks,” Wyandot ECS teacher Alison Brunk may have never discovered just what a “treasure trove” of learning opportunities her school’s outdoor classroom has to offer her first-graders.

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INCubatoredu@Lakota Cultivates 100 Future Entrepreneurs

09/22/2020

Kevin Keen can recall several good answers he received after asking his 100 students what they hoped to get out of Lakota’s newest course for budding entrepreneurs. But his favorite was the student who said that she wanted to use the class to “make as many mistakes as possible while there are no real stakes involved.”

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Lakota Receives Prestigious Auditor of State Award for Sixth Consecutive Year

09/22/2020

Fewer than 5 percent of all entities that are audited annually earn the Auditor of State Award with Distinction – and Lakota has received the honor six years in a row. Treasurer Jenni Logan was virtually presented with the award for the district’s clean audit and excellent record keeping at the Sept. 14 Board of Education meeting. The award recognizes the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and transparency.

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Lakota Updates, Expands COVID-19 Dashboard

09/21/2020

Beginning Monday, Sept. 21, Lakota Local Schools will expand the information displayed on its novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) dashboard. The dashboard, which launched on Sept. 8, initially presented the number of staff and students who have tested positive for COVID-19, or are presumed positive by the Butler County Health Department (BCHD) or their doctors. The number of quarantined individuals related to in-school cases is also displayed.

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Whole-Student Activities Prepare Students for the Future

09/18/2020

Each day, Plains Junior students spend ninety minutes in ‘advisory period.’ But what actually is advisory period? Sixty minutes is set aside for typical academic assistance from teachers and continued academic practice, while thirty minutes is devoted to whole-student skill development.

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2021 MLK Day Contest Challenges Students to ‘Reinvent Reforms’

09/17/2020

In preparation for our community’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, all Lakota students are invited to participate in a contest that promotes self-reflection about diversity and inclusion in our community and nationwide. This year’s "Reinventing Reforms" theme challenges students to reflect on what they can do personally, using the resources of this era, to carry on the work started by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Super in 60: September 2020 Edition

09/15/2020

Lakota Superintendent Matthew Miller’s newest video series, “Super in 60”, gives parents, staff and community members a 60-second overview of what’s happening around Lakota. View the inaugural edition of “Super in 60.”

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Michael Pearl Appointed to Lakota Board of Education

09/14/2020

The Lakota Board of Education unanimously appointed Michael Pearl to the school board at its Sept. 14 meeting.

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All Lakota Students Eligible for Free Meal Program

09/12/2020

In response to the financial hardship felt nationwide as a result of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an opportunity to provide free meals to all students through an anticipated date of Dec. 31, 2020. Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 16, student accounts will not be charged for any breakfast or lunch meals that meet the regular meal criteria set forth by the USDA.

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Lakota Board of Education Update: Mr. Parnell's Resignation

09/11/2020

On Sept. 11, the Lakota Board of Education made a statement regarding the reason for former board member Todd Parnell's resignation. Lakota Superintendent Matthew Miller shared this statement via a letter to the Lakota community.

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West’s Student Athlete Advisory Board: More than Meets the Eye

09/09/2020

What does a practice look like when it combines student-athletes from 27 different sports? It looks like Lakota West High School’s Student Athlete Advisory Board, better known as SAAB. Every other Sunday, August through May, nearly 60 of Lakota West’s finest student-athletes gather for two to three hours to practice a skill shared across all their sports: leadership.

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VIDEO: Student Words of Wisdom for a Great School Year

09/08/2020

In spite of this year’s unique challenges, our students have some pretty good ideas for how to make it a great school year. Our monthly video series featuring student voice, “Words of Wisdom,” continues this year. Click to hear what Lakota students had to say this month.

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Lakota Gets Feedback from Parents, Students and Staff

09/08/2020

Lakota Local School continues to gather feedback from its parents, staff and students regarding the 2020-2021 school year. “This is new to all of us,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller about the reopening of the district amid the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Since the mandatory closing in March, the district has invited feedback as it navigated through uncharted territory.

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Lakota's COVID-19 Communication Procedures, New Data Dashboard

09/08/2020

With the return to in-person learning, Lakota is committed to responsibly tracking positive cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) among our students and staff, as well as current quarantine counts in response to such cases.

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West's Volley for the Cure Goes Virtual Sept. 8-25

09/08/2020

Lakota West’s 14th annual Volley for the Cure event may look different this year, but still supports a great cause. The volleyball team is asking fans to put on an old “Volley for the Cure” T-shirt and tune into its full line-up of official “Volley for the Cure” games virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 8, beginning with the freshman game at 4:30 p.m.

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Back-to-School and COVID-19 Updates

09/08/2020

Have you visited Lakota’s Back-to-School webpage recently? The list of frequently asked questions is updated regularly, as information regarding the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) remains fluid.

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Wearing Masks Doesn’t Stop Students & Staff from Making Connections

09/08/2020

We may be starting the school year wearing masks, but that hasn’t stopped Lakota students and staff from making important connections with each other. Challenges associated with wearing masks have brought about creative solutions across the district.

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C3 and Lakota Focus on Impact of Social Media on Youth

09/08/2020

The area’s largest school district and a local non-profit organization are teaming up to host a conference exploring the impact of social media and technology on youth.

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Liberty Junior Student Engineers Tackle Football Team’s COVID-19 Challenge

09/07/2020

The Liberty Junior School football team had a problem - one that Doug Noxsel’s Design & Modeling students weren’t afraid to tackle, even if it was just their first full week in the new class. Despite his best efforts to make the team water cooler completely touchless in light of current COVID-19 precautions, Coach Hamilton still had no way for his student-athletes to refill their bottles during practice. The alternate valve that he purchased may have kept students from touching the same release button, but still required each water bottle to repeatedly touch the same surface.

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VLO Students Staying Connected to Home Schools

09/07/2020

While about a quarter of Lakota students might be learning virtually from their own homes, the goal is to keep them as connected to their home school as possible. A partnership between the Virtual Learning Option (VLO) and school principals is focused on ways to maintain this connection. Students receive communications from their home school, can participate in extracurriculars, and can even get their school pictures taken and be part of the yearbook. Whenever possible, students have a VLO teacher from their home school.

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Meal Program for Virtual Learners

09/03/2020

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 10, Lakota's virtual learners will be able to pick up breakfast and lunch via our new drive-through bagged meal service. Meals will be available for pick-up at four locations on Mondays and Thursdays.

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Applications Now Being Accepted for Board Vacancy

09/01/2020

The Lakota Local Schools Board of Education seeks applicants to fill the unexpired term of board member Todd Parnell, who resigned on Aug. 27, 2020. The board will interview candidates on Sept. 12 and 13. A replacement must be appointed within 30 days of the resignation. The newly appointed member will serve until Dec. 31, 2021. If the appointed member desires to continue serving, he or she must run in the Nov. 2021 general election.

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Lakota Limits Spectators at All Athletic Events

09/01/2020

Per Gov. DeWine’s most recent sports health order, as well as guidance from the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Lakota is significantly limiting attendance at all athletic events until further notice. As we prioritize the families of our student-athletes, we will not be accepting staff badges, Golden Lakota passes or Corporate Sponsor Passes at any sporting events for the 2020 season.

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Lakota Board of Education Accepts Member’s Resignation

08/27/2020

The Lakota Board of Education accepted the resignation of school board member Todd Parnell at an emergency meeting this afternoon.

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Lakota Welcomes Back Students in a Whole New Way

08/25/2020

Lakota welcomed back its 16,800 students last week in a whole new way. While relationship building was still in the forefront, students and staff also spent the first days of school becoming accustomed to new safety procedures.

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What Does a 'Mask Break' Look Like?

08/25/2020

From dancing on the playground to relocating class outside, teachers throughout Lakota are finding creative ways to give their students, and themselves, “mask breaks.”

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Survey Results: How Was the First Week?

08/25/2020

Lakota Local Schools values feedback from its families, students, staff and community. Beginning on March 13 when Lakota closed its doors to in-person learning due to the state-mandated shutdown of schools because of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the district began gathering feedback about everything from the remote learning process to looking ahead to the 2020-2021 school year to feedback on the first days of school. District leaders use the feedback to help guide their decisions on how to best meet the needs of its students.

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Introducing Back-to-School Photo Contest Winners

08/25/2020

While Back to School 2020 may have looked a little different in some ways, Lakota’s annual back-to-school photo contest returned in full force. We are excited to announce this year’s contest winners, based on the posts coming out on top with the most votes (or “likes”).

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Lakota’s Back-to-School Karaoke 2.0 Celebrates Safe Return

08/24/2020

Lakota's Back-to-School Karaoke 2.0, which follows last year's hit school bus karaoke debut, features Lakota students and staff celebrating a safe return to school. The new hit, titled “At Lakota,” is sung to the tune of “Copacabana”.

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Lakota Celebrates Top Volunteers in Unique Way

08/24/2020

Lakota spent the last weeks of summer break honoring the district’s most beloved volunteers. A social media campaign, each day featuring a different 2020 Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit Award winner, replaced the District Parent Council’s traditional recognition event that takes place in person every spring.

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Lakota Launches Unique Virtual Learning Option

08/24/2020

One in four Lakota students are starting their school year as part of the Virtual Learning Option (VLO), setting up their classrooms in home offices, kitchens and even in an RV during travels out West.

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First Day Photo Contest: Celebrate New School Year

08/14/2020

For some of our students, the new school year begins Monday, Aug. 17 and for others, Tuesday, Aug. 18. So get ready to capture those special first day moments at the front stoop, at your bus stop, in your classroom or at home in your new VLO workspace.

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Lakota Welcomes New Administrators for 20-21 School Year

08/14/2020

As the district prepares to welcome back students for the 2020-2021 school year, Lakota welcomes new administrative leaders at several schools, as well as in two key district positions.

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Lakota Releases COVID-19 Safety Protocols & Guidelines Resource Manual

08/13/2020

In accordance with guidance from the Butler County Health Department, Lakota Local Schools has compiled a comprehensive resource manual outlining the district’s safety protocols and guidelines for its responsible reopening this school year.

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Lakota’s Child Nutrition Department Prepares for New School Year

08/07/2020

Lakota’s Child Nutrition Department is working closely with the Butler County Health Department, building principals and custodial staff as it gears up for the 2020-2021 school year.

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HAC: Bus Routes, Teachers, Schedules and More

08/07/2020

Home Access Center (HAC) is a communications tool to help keep students and parents up-to-date and in contact with their teachers throughout the year. Use HAC to find daily assignments and scores, report cards, schedules, bus assignments, attendance, and more.

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Video: Face Coverings Safety Tips and Tricks

08/05/2020

For everyone's safety this school year, Lakota staff and students will be required to wear a face covering at most times throughout the school day. During planned mask breaks or at other times when students and staff can be at least six feet apart, face coverings will not be required. Lauren Brown, Lakota's Manager of Health Services, shares with the Lakota community some tips and tricks for effectively wearing and caring for your face coverings.

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Daily Health Assessment Important Part of Lakota’s Reopening Plans

08/04/2020

When Lakota opens its doors on August 17, students and staff will notice many changes to help protect the safety and health of our Lakota community. In order to keep our schools open, it will be up to everyone to closely follow new procedures and protocols, including a daily COVID-19 health check.

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Special Mask Promotion in Lakota Spiritwear Shop

08/03/2020

As our families mark off items on this year's non-traditional school supply list, Lakota is offering a special face mask promotion via its online spirit wear shop. The promotion includes a two-pack of "WE are Lakota" 3-ply face masks, including both youth and adult sizes in three different colors: black, grey and red.

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Board Approves Plan A: New School Year Begins Aug. 17

07/31/2020

This afternoon, the Lakota Board of Education met to review the most recent data and recommendations from the Butler County Department of Health surrounding the reopening plans for the 2020-2021 school year. The Board called today’s special meeting in order to vote on whether or not to move forward with the district’s Plan A, which welcomes back all students for in-person learning with additional safety precautions.

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Notice of Special Board of Education Meeting: Lakota School District

07/29/2020

Notice is hereby given that the Lakota Board of Education, Butler County, will hold a special meeting on Friday, July 31, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing and approving the re-opening plans for the 2020-21 school year.

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Star In Lakota's Back-to-School Karaoke

07/28/2020

Lakota Local Schools is ramping up for a school year like like no other - and WE need students, staff, parents and community partners to help us get it started on the right foot! Lakota Karaoke 2.0, which follows last year's hit school bus karaoke debut, will feature the Lakota community celebrating a safe and energetic return to school - through song! Submit your homemade music videos until Aug. 5!

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Check Your Lakota Communication Preferences

07/23/2020

Lakota is proud to offer a powerful mass notification system for delivering important school and district news and announcements via email, phone and text message. We encourage parents, employees and community members to take full advantage of the customization options within School Messenger platform. Before the school year gets underway, log into your account to check your preferences.

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Miller Participates in WCPO Virtual Town Hall

07/21/2020

On July 13, Superintendent Matthew Miller participated in a virtual town hall meeting hosted by WCPO, the ABC affiliate in Cincinnati. The television special featured educational leaders from the tri-state area speaking about plans to return to in-person learning amid the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

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Lakota Names New High School Principals

07/13/2020

Lakota Local Schools announced today that it has hired two new principals to lead Lakota’s two high schools this fall - Ben Brown at Lakota West and Yejide Mack at Lakota East.

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Work Permit Update

07/07/2020

Effective July 7, 2020, Lakota students in need of signed work permits are asked to visit their respective high schools to complete the paperwork. Previously, the COVID-19 shutdown shifted this process to Lakota's Central Office.

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2020-2021 School Year Plans Announced

06/30/2020

At the June 29 Lakota Board of Education work session, Superintendent Matthew Miller presented four different plans for the 2020-2021 school year, including a virtual option that will be available to families who do not wish for their children to attend school in person. “We want our students back in school,” said Miller.

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Lakota Virtual Learning Information Sessions Announced

06/26/2020

After surveying Lakota families at the end of the school year, as well as through a community-wide ThoughtExchange, it is evident that some families may be uneasy about sending their children to school in the fall due to concerns about the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). To help meet the needs of families, the district will offer a 100-percent online K-12 education through the Lakota Virtual Learning Option this fall.

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WE are Prepared: Fall 2020 Update

06/23/2020

As Lakota prepares for a potentially different start to the 2020-2021 school year, Superintendent Matthew Miller shared an update with parents and staff on June 23. While we await guidance from Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Department of Health and the Butler County Health Department, we want to share the principles guiding our plans and other resources to stay informed as the summer continues.

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ThoughtExchange: Community Shares Input on Responsible Reopening

06/16/2020

“As we continue to build out options and plans for what school can look like in the fall of 2020, what considerations should we keep in mind?” Lakota Local Schools recently posed this open-ended question to its parents, students, staff and community members to gather input on reopening the district’s 23 buildings for the 2020-21 school year.

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Guiding Principles for Reopening Lakota School Buildings for 2020-2021 School Year

06/11/2020

Even before the past school year ended, Lakota began planning for what the 2020-2021 school year might look like based on COVID-19 considerations. How schools reopen in the fall will depend largely on requirements and guidance from Gov. DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Education and the Butler County Health Department. Lakota is also using feedback gathered from parents, staff and students, to build out plans for the upcoming school year.

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District Seeking Input on 2021-2022 Calendar

06/09/2020

The Lakota District is soliciting community input on the 2021-2022 district calendar. Lakota staff, students, parents and community members are invited to review the current draft before any final recommendation is presented to the school board.

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NOTICE OF LOGISTICS FOR REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 8, 2020

06/05/2020

As we begin our transition to in-person Board of Education meetings again, notice is hereby given that the Lakota Board of Education, Butler County, will meet in person at its normal meeting location, Plains Jr. School, 5500 Princeton Rd, Liberty Township, Ohio on June 8, 2020, with the public continuing to participate virtually. To continue to preserve social-distancing standards to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we will continue the public the ability to view and participate in the meeting via the live video conferencing.

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A Message to the Lakota Community

06/04/2020

To Our WE are Lakota Community: Our students, staff, families and community, as a whole, are rightfully and justly upset by the horrific death of Mr. George Floyd - and the national outcry that’s ensued since his murder. To take a united stand against future injustices, that same reaction and level of emotion needs to be felt and experienced by each and every one of us.

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Drive-In Style Graduation Ceremonies Celebrate Class of 2020

06/03/2020

Lakota’s graduation weekend was marked by seven non-traditional, yet memorable celebrations of both East’s and West’s Class of 2020. Over the course of two days and seven separate ceremonies, nearly 1,100 graduates celebrated the important milestone among their family and friends from the comfort of their vehicles (or parking spaces).

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Final Remote Learning Survey Results Guide Preparation for 2020-2021 School Year

06/02/2020

Ongoing feedback from Lakota parents and secondary students has played an important role in shaping Lakota’s fourth quarter remote learning experience. Surveys went out to parents at the start, middle and end of remote learning. The final survey recently closed, and results will help Lakota prepare for the 2020-21 school year.

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Fall Thought Exchange Closes June 3

06/02/2020

How school looks in the fall will depend largely on requirements and guidance from Gov. DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Education and the Butler County Health Department. While we understand that guidance may be released early, we also anticipate that it will most likely change between now and August. Keeping this in mind, district leaders are building out possible scenarios for our students’ safe return to school this fall.

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Mental Health Supports Remain In Place Over Summer

06/02/2020

We all know that mental health needs don’t take a summer break and that our students continue to need support even when they are not at school. That is why our MindPeace partners and therapists are still available to support Lakota students via telehealth (either through a virtual or phone appointment).

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East Holds Reimagined ‘Relay for Life’

05/19/2020

This is the tenth year that Lakota East has held its Relay for Life event to benefit the American Cancer Society. This year, though, it looked a little different than in the past. When in-person Relay for Life events were cancelled through the end of June, East decided to pivot to a virtual event to ensure that those affected by cancer could still receive the things they need, especially during these difficult times.

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Lakota Celebrates 2020 Retirees

05/19/2020

Lakota Local Schools is celebrating its 21 employees who will be retiring in 2020. The district has been recognizing each of the individuals on social media throughout the month of May.

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Lakota's Military Commitment Ceremony Honors Seniors

05/19/2020

On May 7, Lakota Local Schools celebrated its 22 seniors who have committed to attending a military academy or enlisting in a branch of the armed services after graduation. While this was the third annual Military Commitment Ceremony for the district, it was the first held virtually. “Regardless of the setting, it was important that we recognize our seniors who have chosen to put service before self after graduation,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller.

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Honoring the Class of 2020

05/19/2020

A senior year like no other of course means honoring the Class of 2020 in unique ways as well. A community celebration on what should have been graduation night for both Lakota East and West high schools, May 20 and 22 respectively, will light the path for our graduates.

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PTO/PTA Activities Bring School Communities Together

05/19/2020

Lakota schools are still relying on the support of their parent-teacher organizations during remote learning to help bring their school communities together.

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Woodland Team, Blue Jacket Captain Create Memorable Moment for Student

05/19/2020

onsidering it came from his all-time favorite sports figure, Woodland Elementary Thomas Kiefer received the compliment of a lifetime last week. “You’d be a big leader in our locker room,” said Columbus Blue Jackets Captain Nick Foligno. “I love your enthusiasm. You’re awesome,” he added, to which Thomas responded, “I think you are, too!”

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Community Foundation Accepting Nominations for 2020 Lakota Educator of Excellence Awards

05/19/2020

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools, is currently accepting nominations for the 2020 Lakota Educator of Excellence Awards. The nomination deadline, traditionally in the spring, has been delayed until September 4th due to the current health crisis.

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Plains Junior Virtual Awards Include Surprise Presentations

05/18/2020

During normal times, Plains Junior eighth graders would have had several events to mark the end of their junior high years. “Because of the pandemic we couldn’t physically have these celebrations, but we wanted to make sure students knew that their hard work did not go unnoticed,” said Plains Principal Kim Wade.

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Reflections on Remote Learning: Pulse Journal (May 17, 2020)

05/18/2020

Superintendent Matthew Miller shares thoughts on the end of the 2019-2020 school year while looking ahead to the fall in this article as published in the May 17, 2020 Pulse Journal.

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Class of 2020 Graduation Update: May 12

05/12/2020

On May 1, we shared Lakota’s unexpected change of plans for celebrating the Class of 2020. This was a direct response to the governor’s strong recommendations against large, in-person commencement gatherings, now or later this summer, as well as guidelines set forth by the Ohio Department of Education. This latest update reflects enhancements to the original plan in response to student and parent feedback, as well as changing expectations from our local health department.

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Virtual Parades of Graduates Celebrate Class of 2020

05/11/2020

Lakota's "Parade of Graduates" tradition has become an important rite of passage for Lakota East and Lakota West seniors. To carry on this tradition in a virtual format, every weekday from May 11 through May 22 (the last of Lakota's original graduation dates), Lakota is releasing a new video dedicated to each of the elementary schools our graduates may have attended.

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Mental Health Video: Talking About COVID-19

05/06/2020

In the latest installment of this video series, Lakota’s Student Wellness Coordinator Megan Cameron shares some tips for talking about COVID-19 with your children. In this minute-long watch, she provides a list of questions to help guide the discussion.

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The Show Must Go On (even with remote learning)

05/05/2020

Remote learning hasn’t stopped Lakota West’s Acting 2/3 class from finishing a project they started back in January. They just completed “Keeping Up with the King,” a video performance for the annual Project 38 festival hosted by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

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Hope Squad Video Shares Tips for Spreading Positivity

05/05/2020

The Lakota East and West Hope Squads play an important role in creating a school culture of positivity and hope – whether students are learning at school or learning at home.

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Year End Remote Learning Update

05/05/2020

As we enter the last few weeks of school, below are updates regarding assignments, the pick up of personal belongings, Chromebook drop off, refunds and celebrating our graduates.

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Senator Coley Brings Fourth Grade State Government Unit to Life

05/05/2020

“Teachers know a lot, but the senator has actually experienced it,” said Endeavor Elementary fourth-grader Patrick Bramlage, reflecting on his recent lesson about how a bill becomes a law. He and his classmates went straight to the source: Senator Bill Coley. “No offense, Mrs. Veneman,” he added with a laugh.

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Remote Learning Survey Results

05/05/2020

Three weeks into remote learning, Lakota Local Schools asked its parents and secondary students to complete a short survey about the experience. The survey was similar to one sent after the remote learning practice day on March 13.

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Meal Distribution Updates

05/05/2020

While meal distribution for our families will continue through May 20, there are two location changes that go into effect next week.

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Military Commitment Ceremony Premiere May 7

05/05/2020

Join us as WE celebrate our seniors who have made a commitment to enter either a military academy or branch of service after graduation. Lakota Local Schools will host a Facebook video premiere on Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. to recognize this group of 22 seniors.

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April Words of Wisdom: Remote Learning

05/05/2020

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COVID-19 Health Tips from Your School Nurse

05/05/2020

Adena Elementary school nurse Karen Fogel recently produced this simple and kid-friendly video (in English and Spanish) as a way of sharing tips for staying healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Remote Learning Update: Pulse Journal (May 3, 2020)

05/04/2020

Here is the latest remote learning updated from Superintendent Matthew Miller as published in the May 3, 2020 Pulse Journal.

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Recognizing Special Lakota Volunteers

05/01/2020

End-of-the-year recognitions are looking a little different this year, including the annual Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit Awards sponsored by Lakota’s District Parent Council (DPC). The annual ceremony honors a special volunteer from each school, as well as a volunteer that has made a big impact across the district.

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Class of 2020 Graduation Update

05/01/2020

Following the updates and in guidance of Gov. Mike DeWine, the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio and Butler County departments of health, Lakota is facing the difficult reality that a traditional commencement ceremony is not going to be feasible for the Class of 2020. The latest parent communication shares the details around Lakota's plan to honor the Class of 2020, which involves a combination of both formats being permitted by the state and local health officials.

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Students Read to Nursing Home Residents, Firefighters

04/30/2020

Staying at home hasn’t stopped the students in Amy Weisbrot’s class from forging new friendships with members of the community. Once or twice a week, her students hop on Zoom to read aloud to nursing home residents and firefighters.

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Lakota LEADS Announces 2020 Write Challenge Winners

04/23/2020

Lakota LEADS announced the winners of its annual Write Challenge, a district-wide writing contest open to students in grades K-12. Participants submitted a poem, narrative or essay responding to this year’s theme of “progress.”

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Specials Find Special Place in Remote Learning

04/22/2020

At a time when art, music, technology, exercise and creativity are a daily outlet to help offset the emotional toll of quarantine, Lakota’s “specials” teams are rallying to fuel their families’ idea banks. Called choice boards, flexible playlists or menu boards, their guiding purpose is all the same.

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Mental Health Video Series: Modeling Behaviors

04/22/2020

Lakota’s emphasis on social, emotional and mental health has become even more pronounced as students, staff and our families start to feel the toll of our recent break in routine. Throughout this pandemic, Lakota is sharing brief video messages from our mental health experts on what small actions can help support our children and teenagers and keep their minds healthy and happy during these uncertain times.

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Real World Engineering Via Remote Learning

04/21/2020

How do you make the jump from teaching about 130 students in a class that heavily relies on hands-on learning to remote learning? Joe Schorr, a Butler Tech teacher at the Lakota East Freshman building, has figured it out.

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Virtual Coffee Cart Keeps Learning Going

04/21/2020

Before remote learning Brianna, a freshman at Lakota East, would work on vocational skills by taking a coffee cart around to staff throughout the school building. Creative new ways to deliver instruction are emerging and now, just like so much other learning, the coffee cart that Brianna and her regular customers looked forward to each morning has gone virtual.

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Mask-Making: Lakota Gives Back

04/21/2020

“Don your mask, don your cape." It’s a phrase we hear often from Dr. Amy Acton, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, about the heroic behavior of physical distancing. Masks can be hard to come by, but the Lakota community is stepping up in a big way to get face masks to those who need them.

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Virtual Author Visit Adds Real World Learning to Novel Study

04/21/2020

When Independence Elementary fourth grade teacher Jenny Garwood realized she and her students would miss out on completing their latest class novel together, she resorted to the next best thing: Zoom. But the virtual class meeting doubled as real world learning when it included one more visitor than can be found on most online book discussions happening these days - the book’s author herself.

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Hopewell Junior NHS Challenged to Continue Spirit of Service

04/21/2020

Hopewell Junior Honor Society members are coming up with creative ways to continue their spirit of service – despite restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Their advisor, science teacher Mark Bauer, challenged them to share their good deeds with each other in a Google Drive folder.

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Remote Learning Continues through Academic Year

04/20/2020

On Monday, April 20, Gov. DeWine announced that remote learning will continue for all Ohio schools through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Below is the email from Superintendent Matthew Miller to all parents.

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Remote Learning Update: Pulse Journal (April 19, 2020)

04/20/2020

Here is the latest remote learning updated from Superintendent Matthew Miller as published in the April 19, 2020 Pulse Journal.

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Public Notice to Participate in the April 20 Board of Education Meeting

04/16/2020

On April 20, 2020 at 6:30 p.m., the Lakota Local School District Board of Education will hold its regular meeting virtually. The live stream will be available by clicking the video link included for this meeting located on our Boarddocs page.

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Parade of Graduates - Call for Photo Submissions

04/15/2020

Besides graduation, another important right of passage for Lakota's seniors is the “Parade of Graduates,” which has traditionally brought many of our graduates back to the elementary school where their schooling started. While we are making plans to reschedule some of the other traditional senior milestones closer to the new graduation dates, this is one event that we have decided to reimagine in a virtual format.

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Lakota Reschedules, Relocates Graduation Ceremonies

04/10/2020

After learning that Xavier University has cancelled all events until August, we have identified an alternative location to recognize our graduates. We are pleased to announce that the graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 will be held at Lakota East and West high schools.

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Lakota Staff 'Zoom' into Remote Learning

04/08/2020

During a time when the preferred classroom setting is not an option, Zoom has quickly become Lakota’s go-to tool for keeping staff and students connected. In the district’s first seven days of remote learning, teachers and staff used the video conferencing tool to collectively host more than 1,600 meetings that were attended by more than 10,000 individuals.

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VIDEO: Lakota Experts Share Mental Health Tips

04/07/2020

Lakota’s emphasis on social, emotional and mental health has become even more pronounced as students and staff start to feel the toll of our recent break in routine. In addition to the resources, tips and guidance Lakota experts are sharing with their families to help guide them through this pandemic, Lakota is sharing brief video messages from our full range of mental health experts.

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Morning Announcements Go Virtual Too, Add Routine and Normalcy

04/07/2020

All across Lakota, students are starting their school days at home no different than they would if they were at school. While morning announcements are taking on a slightly different format than normal, they are still being used to take care of business and most importantly, set the tone for the day ahead.

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Plains Junior Students Meet ‘Face-to-Face’ with a NASA Scientist

04/07/2020

Lakota teachers are bringing unique learning opportunities to students, all possible due to our new remote learning environment. Case in point: last week Plains Junior eighth graders got to speak ‘face-to-face’ with a NASA scientist.

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Submit Alternative Transportation Requests for Next School Year by July 20

04/07/2020

To ease the transition to a new school year and honor families’ requests for alternative pick-up and drop-off locations for transportation, Lakota is asking that families submit transportation forms by July 20.

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Lakota March Madness Basketball Tournament Update

04/07/2020

The Lakota March Madness Basketball Tournament has been cancelled due to the recommendations and guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health and the Butler County Health Department.

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Master Facilities Update

04/07/2020

Due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Lakota Local Schools has pressed pause on the process to create a new Master Facilities Plan (MFP). District leaders will continue working on the plan in the coming months. As a result, the scheduled meetings, including the community open houses, have been postponed.

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Fanfares Go Virtual

04/07/2020

Starting your day with cheers and words of encouragement might seem a bit odd in the workplace, but to Lakota students, it’s a beloved tradition called fanfares.

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OHSAA Letter Regarding Spring Sports

04/07/2020

Due to the COVID-19 issue, the Ohio High School Athletic Association had to cancel the remaining winter sport tournaments. This affected many student-athletes throughout the state, including many Lakota students.

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Lakota Remote Learning Update: Pulse Journal (April 5, 2020)

04/06/2020

Here is the latest remote learning update from Superintendent Miller as published in the Pulse Journal on April 5, 2020.

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Altered Meal Schedule for Long Weekend

04/06/2020

When it comes to remote learning, the district will honor its originally scheduled long weekend coming up April 10-13. But a slightly altered schedule will still make emergency food relief available to students who need it.

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'A Look Around Lakota' Video Update: March 2020

04/02/2020

In this first remote edition of A Look Around Lakota, Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just a few of the happenings that have occurred during an unforgettable March.

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Remote Learning Extended through May 1

03/31/2020

On March 30, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine made an announcement ordering all of Ohio’s public, community, and private K-12 school buildings to extend their closure to students through May 1 due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis. We understand that the Governor’s order to extend the school closure through May 1 presents a challenge to our families. Our district is working diligently to partner with you in furthering your child’s education and well-being in spite of these challenges.

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Remote Learning Begins March 25 for Students

03/20/2020

We know that you have questions about what remote learning will look like during this state-mandated shutdown. Using the feedback we received from you, our teachers, and our secondary students, we have used this week to work out details for remote learning moving forward. Working remotely, teachers will use Monday and Tuesday of next week to continue building out lesson plans for their students. Remote learning for students will begin on Wednesday, March 25.

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Lakota's Preparations for Remote Learning

03/17/2020

Article written by Lakota Superintendent Matthew for the Sunday, March 22 issue of the Pulse Journal: We are in the midst of uncharted territory as a nation, as a state and as a community. As we come to the end of our scheduled spring break, we will not see our students in our classrooms and hallways tomorrow. Instead, we are preparing to launch remote learning throughout Lakota Local Schools.

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Mobile Lunch Program Announced

03/17/2020

With the state-mandated shutdown for our students, we wanted to provide you with some community resources, including the schedule for our Child Nutrition lunch program, and how you can help.

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Coronavirus Update & FAQs: March 13

03/13/2020

Governor DeWine announced on Thursday that all schools in the state of Ohio would be closed beginning at the end of day on Monday, March 16 for a period of at least three weeks. Lakota schools will be closed through April 3 with students returning on April 6, unless otherwise directed by expert authorities. All district activities, including preschool, athletics and extracurriculars are canceled during this time. View a list of frequently asked questions regarding Lakota's response.

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Coronavirus Update from Lakota Schools: March 11

03/12/2020

At Lakota Local Schools, the health, safety and well-being of our students, staff and community are our top priorities. With the recently elevated discussion regarding the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the news, we want to take a moment to reinforce preventive safety measures and reference our process and communications.

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March 13: Important School Safety Exercise

03/09/2020

With the increasing number of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases being reported, we as a district must be prepared for the possibility of an extended closure initiated by either Lakota Local Schools or the Butler County Health Department. Having plans in place to continue educating our students during an extended closure is of critical importance and part of our evolving district safety plans. Just as we practice drills in the event of a fire, tornado or lockdown, Lakota will conduct a remote education exercise. On Friday, March 13, students at Lakota Local Schools will not report to class, but instead will continue their learning remotely from home.

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Submit Alternative Transportation Requests for Next School Year by July 20

03/05/2020

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Hopewell Junior Students Return to Recess in Different Roles

02/28/2020

The playground is as much a learning space as any classroom - and Hopewell Junior School students are now the ones behind some of those lessons. With the start of a new partnership with their neighbors at Hopewell Early Childhood School, the seventh- and eighth-graders are experiencing recess from a whole different perspective.

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Feb. 26 Meeting Recaps Visioning for Lakota's Future

02/28/2020

On Feb. 26 members of the community gathered at Lakota West Freshman to hear the district’s most recent update on the Master Facilities planning (MFP) process. Attendees heard from Superintendent Matthew Miller, Chief Operations Officer Chris Passarge and Educational Visioning Planner Tracy Richter. “We’ve spent the past month meeting with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) to update our building conditions and holding focus groups to hear from our community about what they think education should look like in Lakota,” said Passarge.

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February 2020 Video Update: A Look Around Lakota

02/28/2020

In this latest video edition of A Look Around Lakota, Superintendent Matthew Miller and Lakota East Junior Kara Abney share just a few of the happenings throughout the district during the month of February.

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Heritage First Graders Finding New Ways to Love Their Earth

02/28/2020

It all started with some classroom bean bag chairs that had gone flat. Most people would refill them with styrofoam beans, but not in Stephanie Allan and Rhiannon Wilson’s first grade class. Allan and Wilson team teach at Heritage ECS. They share a passion for lowering waste in their lives outside of school and decided to collect plastic bags over the summer to refill the ‘poof’ chairs. When students saw the teachers stuffing the chairs, they wanted to help.

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Introducing Wonderbus: Lakota's First Mobile Learning Space

02/27/2020

With the rollout of its first mobile learning space, Lakota Local Schools will be giving parents and community members a dose of the Lakota learning experience. The Wonderbus - a former school bus transformed into a “Wonder Lab” or “STEAM Lab” on wheels - will officially roll out at Lakota’s Pi Day celebration on March 6.

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May 9: Lakota Spirit Night at FC Cincinnati Game

02/26/2020

Lakota is excited to announce this year’s Lakota Spirit Night with FC Cincinnati! Lakota families and staff are invited to take advantage of special ticket pricing for the May 9 game. FC Cincinnati will take on New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium. Special activities are being planned to celebrate Lakota’s presence at the game, including a special recognition of Lakota West Girl Soccer State Champions, so come and show your Lakota spirit and support.

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Amazing Race Celebrates International Mother Language Day

02/26/2020

Last week, Lakota high school students took their passports and went on a journey around the world – all in just about an hour. To celebrate International Mother Language Day (February 21), over 2500 students took part in an Amazing Race-style competition to learn more about the languages offered at Lakota.

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Lakota Superintendent Testifies About EdChoice Program

02/26/2020

On Feb. 18, Superintendent Matthew Miller testified before the conference committee about the state’s EdChoice voucher program. The committee is hearing testimony with regards to House Bill (HB) 9 which includes the Senate’s plans addressing the voucher program. Here is Miller’s testimony in its entirety.

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Notes from the Nursing Staff about COVID-19

02/26/2020

We understand that there is concern about illness in our schools especially with influenza, strep throat and COVID-19 (formerly known as Coronavirus). Please be assured that we work closely with the Butler County Health Department to stay up to date with concerns and illness trends in our area.

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Woodland's Business Day Takes on a New Twist

02/25/2020

What does it take to get a business off the ground? It starts with an idea. Fifth graders at Woodland Elementary School have been learning about running a business for some time now, but this year the annual event known as Business Day took a different turn.

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Nominations Sought for Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit Awards

02/25/2020

Nominations are being accepted now through March 12 for the 2020 district Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit award. Everyone is encouraged to take a moment to consider nominating a volunteer who is making positive things happen in the district. It is your opportunity to demonstrate your appreciation for the volunteers that truly make Lakota a special place to educate children.

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Community Input in Lakota's Master Facilities Planning

02/24/2020

As Lakota moves forward in creating a new Master Facilities Plan, it is imperative that we include our community in the process. Our next community meeting is on Feb. 26 to discuss results from our recent visioning sessions with students, parents, staff and business & government officials.

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Summer Fun Fair: 110 Exhibitors, Free Raffle with $4000 in Prizes

02/19/2020

Lakota East and West’s hallways will soon be lined with a record-setting number of organizations offering summer youth activities. It’s all part of Lakota’s eighth annual Summer Fun Fair events taking place on Monday, March 2 at Lakota East High School and Wednesday, March 4 at Lakota West High School, both from 6-8 p.m.

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Superintendent to Deliver 2020 State of the Schools March 11

02/18/2020

Superintendent Matthew Miller will deliver the district’s third annual “State of the Schools” address on March 11. The event is open to the entire community.

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Update on EdChoice Voucher Program

02/15/2020

The debate over the expansion of public schools on the EdChoice voucher list continues in Columbus. At this point, the Ohio House and Senate have not come to an agreement on a joint solution as to the prospect of 70-percent of the state’s districts having an eligible school on the list. The enrollment period, which was to open on Feb. 1, has been delayed until April 1, following a vote by the state legislators.

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Lakota Listens: Community Shares Feedback about Facilities

02/15/2020

Immediately following the first Master Facilities community meeting on Jan. 28, Lakota Local Schools launched a ThoughtExchange online survey to gather feedback about the data shared.

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Liberty, Hopewell Join Forces, Make Friendly Wager to ‘Help Other People’

02/14/2020

A class project that reaches the point of real community impact is called project-based learning. But when that project lives on the next year without any connection to the original class - and in partnership with another school - some might call it pure selflessness.

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East Seniors Bring Back Student Safety Committee

02/13/2020

School safety is the number one priority at Lakota, and some students at Lakota East are stepping up to do their part to make sure their school is as safe as possible.

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Roller Coaster Project Makes Learning Fun

02/13/2020

What’s more fun than riding a roller coaster? How about designing your own coaster? Students in Caroline Smith’s math class took on that challenge, applying concepts like slope, average and angles to an amusement park.

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New ECS Innovation Hubs Filled with Fun Learning Tools

02/13/2020

Virtual reality, robots, green screens, and books? Yes! They are all part of Lakota’s newly unveiled Innovation Hubs at its early childhood schools (ECS). The wait is over for Lakota’s youngest learners as they’ve gotten to explore their redesigned media centers over the past few weeks.

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Union Sixth-Graders Spearhead Greenhouse Renovation

02/13/2020

Union Elementary School had a dilemma. What to do with their greenhouse, which had been built as part of an Eagle Scout project, when it was badly damaged during a storm. Sixth-grade teacher Madison Geiger found out that when you pair that with a lesson about the environment, magic can happen.

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Extreme Makeover Classroom Edition Takes Over Adena

02/13/2020

To the tune of “Move that bus!” from ABC’s former hit home makeover series, Adena Elementary School Principal John Mattingly exclaimed to two lucky fourth grade classes on Monday, “Do you want to see your new classroom?” With that, a stampede of students broke through their two classroom doorways, each concealed by a paper curtain, to find their learning space outfitted with more than $22,000 worth of new furniture and equipment.

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Lakota's School Counselors Wear Many Hats

02/11/2020

National School Counseling Week, always celebrated the first full week in February, is a time to reflect on the unique contribution Lakota’s counselors make to our school communities. From hot button issues like mental health and college and career readiness to lesser known responsibilities covering parent education and staff wellness, Lakota’s counselors are at the center of a lot of critical pieces in a student’s K-12 experience.

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Feb. 26: Next Community Facilities Meeting Discusses Visioning

02/07/2020

Lakota continues to make progress toward building a Master Facilities Plan (MFP) that protects Lakota's most important physical assets and supports the type of learning that will carry our schools into the future. Parents, staff, students and community members are invited to attend the community visioning meeting on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m at Lakota West Freshman.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Jan. 31

02/05/2020

Lakota's latest shout-outs include award-winning artists & musicians, a student acing an Americanism test and winning a trip to DC, and another student recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit.

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Ohio Department of Homeland Security Visits Lakota

02/03/2020

Representatives from Ohio’s Department of Homeland Security were at Lakota on Jan. 24 to speak with district administrators and students about school safety.

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K-12 Online Registration for 2020-2021 School Year Opens Feb. 1

02/03/2020

Online registration for grades K-12, including Lakota’s all-day kindergarten program, opens Feb. 1 for the 2020-2021 school year. Kindergarten registration extends through April 14. Parents of incoming kindergartners are encouraged to attend the Kindergarten Information Night at the early childhood school in their attendance zone on March 24 at 6 p.m.

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Community Provides Feedback Through ThoughtExchange

02/02/2020

Members of the community recently completed Lakota’s first ThoughtExchange, a new online tool used to gather feedback from stakeholders on specific topics. The district asked, “What are some specific things you appreciate about how Lakota communicates with you and in what areas can we improve?”

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Crime Scene at Liberty Junior Drives Forensics Unit, Student Engagement

01/31/2020

Four weeks after their return from winter break, eighth-graders at Liberty Junior School are still talking about the scene they found on their first day back in science class.

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January 2020 Video Update: A Look Around Lakota

01/31/2020

In our first video update of 2020, Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just a few of the happenings around Lakota Local Schools during the month of January, including: new Innovation Hubs in our early childhood schools; a visit from the Ohio School Safety Center to speak to Lakota students and staff; an opportunity for our community to give feedback during the Master Facilities Planning process; and a special “Starbooks” themed reading week.

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“Nurse’s Needs” Service Project Empowers Hopewell ECS Students

01/30/2020

While the inspiration for a recent service project was just steps outside of a Hopewell ECS first grade classroom, the lasting impact of their work reaches much further.

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Solar Array Project Will Leave Lasting Environmental Impact

01/29/2020

Lakota East’s National Honor Society is taking on a different type of service project this year – one they hope will leave a lasting impact at the school and in the community. The group tackled the question: In a school of our size and a district of our size, how can we make a sizable environmental impact?

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Lakota's Master Facilities Planning Process Loops in Community

01/29/2020

On Tuesday night, the community had its first opportunity to hear the results of an intensive review of Lakota’s school buildings presented alongside the district’s student enrollment projections. The analysis lays the groundwork for a multi-year Master Facilities Plan (MFP) that hasn’t been updated since the early 2000s.

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Math Concepts Come Alive in 'Candytown Village'

01/27/2020

“I like to do things differently,” said Union Gifted Intervention Specialist Amy Alexander. “I like to have my students start with the dessert and have their veggies at the end.” Instead of projects being the ‘dessert’ where students demonstrate mastery at the end of a unit, she often starts math lessons with a project. Alexander finds that students can learn a lot just by playing around with new concepts. Then, after ‘dessert’, students do exercises and worksheets (aka veggies) using the knowledge they gained from the project.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Jan. 17

01/24/2020

Lakota's latest shout-outs include a milestone on the basketball court, over 200 art awards and recognition of Lakota's Board of Education.

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Liberty Kindergartners Chip Away at 100-Plus Question Bank

01/17/2020

Have you ever wondered why boxes are made of cardboard, why tigers have stripes, how skyscrapers are made or who invented numbers? These quandaries - and so many more - are what fill the minds of kindergartners in Christa MacFarlane’s class at Liberty Early Childhood School. The best part of all: They’re getting answers.

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West Journalism Class Launches Online News Site

01/17/2020

Journalism class is back at Lakota West High School this year, but with a twist. “The students didn’t want to sit in a traditional English class,” teacher Mary Mahoney said. “So I threw my lesson plans away.”

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Ridge Junior Students Redesigning the Way Information is Shared

01/17/2020

School announcements are coming to life over at Ridge Junior School thanks to this year’s video announcements. Principal Ben Brown wanted to give students a chance to “tap into the personal learning aspect of students following their interests during RISE time.” RISE time is the school’s advisory period and is an acronym for Realize, Innovate, Serve and Empower.

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#LakotaGoesGreen: Super Cheetahs Take on Challenge

01/16/2020

What if you could build a better world? Where would you begin? The Super Cheetahs, a team of Cherokee fourth-graders, took on this challenge as part of a FIRST LEGO League competition.

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GE Program Brings New Learning Opportunities to Six Lakota Schools

01/15/2020

Sixth grade science classes at Endeavor are using 3D printers to make crystals for a presentation on rocks and minerals. Lakota East high school students are using 3D printers for projects in nearly every subject area -- they even used their creativity and knowledge of 3D printing to make ornaments for a holiday tree in the school’s Innovation Hub. Examples like these are happening more often now thanks to the GE Additive Education Program.

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WE are Personalized: Winter 2020 Community Newsletter

01/14/2020

Several times a year, Lakota produces a community newsletter to help parents and residents stay informed about important district-wide news and updates. This issue brings Lakota’s emphasis on “Personalized Learning” to life, sharing examples of the district’s four different “plays” in action.

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Staying Healthy During Flu Season

01/13/2020

Keeping our students healthy during this time of year can be a challenge, but Lakota has put many safeguards in place to keep illnesses from spreading.

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Master Facilities Planning: Community Meeting Jan. 28

01/11/2020

Lakota’s strategic plan calls for an in-depth assessment of our facilities, with the end goal being to build a plan that protects our district’s most important assets and supports the type of learning that will carry our schools into the future. The first community meeting on Jan. 28 will share data that the committee has gathered so far to help devise a plan.

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Lakota’s First ThoughtExchange Gathers Input on Communication

01/09/2020

Lakota is introducing a new online platform to regularly engage our community and gather input on different topics. The tool encourages you to share your own thoughts by answering a single question and then rate others’ thoughts according to how strongly you agree. Participate in our first ThoughtExchange to help us continue improving our communication efforts.

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Jan. 20: Community Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Student Winners

01/08/2020

The entire West Chester Liberty community is invited to the 21st annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20. The March for Unity will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Union Centre’s Clock Tower and conclude at Lakota West, where the program, beginning at 11:15 a.m., will lead into a free lunch donated by local restaurants.

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The Facts about EdChoice

12/31/2019

The State of Ohio’s EdChoice scholarship program has been in the news a lot lately. This voucher system was originally created to provide financial assistance to families with students attending “failing” public schools so that they might attend a private or parochial school. This system has morphed into something detrimental, without much publicity, and with a bigger cost to our local taxpayers.

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Junior High Choirs Share Sounds of the Season

12/20/2019

The sounds of the season can be heard throughout our community, thanks, in part, to Lakota’s four junior school choirs. While all four programs perform holiday concerts at their schools, the choir directors all agree that it is important to give back to the community.

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VIDEO: Student Choice Equals Higher Engagement in East, West ASL

12/20/2019

Modeled after the options they are now giving their students, the American Sign Language (ASL) teaching team at both Lakota East and Lakota West high schools have come up with their own “playlist” of lessons to share among their classes.

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Lunch & Learn Series Prepares West Seniors for Life after High School

12/19/2019

Life after high school can mean enrollment, employment, military enlistment or venturing into entrepreneurship (the 4Es). Lakota West is helping its seniors prepare for these paths by holding Lunch & Learn events throughout the school year.

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Community Partners Help with Construction Unit at Lakota Wonder Labs

12/19/2019

As one Butler Tech high school student looked around Creekside Early Childhood’s Wonder Lab, he kept saying, “I wish I had this when I was in first grade.” Elementary Wonder Labs are filled with equipment to help Lakota’s youngest learners explore and create using concepts that apply to engineering, science and technology.

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Union Fourth-Graders: “Kids Can Really Do A Lot When We Work Together”

12/18/2019

The process started months ago with the question: “How do we put on the play Matilda that is both entertaining and makes sense?” From there, Union Elementary fourth-graders led the creative process in all aspects of play production: acting/dancing, lighting, sound, special effects, prop-making, scenery-creating and playbill writing.

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Lakota Superintendent Joins Governor DeWine’s School Safety Working Group

12/18/2019

Lakota Local Schools Superintendent Matthew Miller has been named to Governor Mike DeWine’s new School Safety Working Group. Governor DeWine called for the creation of the working group in August when announcing the development of the Ohio School Safety Center, a new statewide office focused on assisting educators and law enforcement in preventing, preparing for, and responding to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm. The working group, which will be led by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, will evaluate current issues regarding school safety and advise the Ohio School Safety Center on its work.

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2020-2021 Preschool Registration Open through Jan. 31

12/17/2019

The lottery application for Lakota's tuition-based preschool program at VanGorden Elementary is now available and registration will run Jan. 6 through Jan. 31. An informational meeting for parents will be held on Jan. 16 at VanGorden at 5:30 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria.

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Service Learning Project Gives East Freshman English Classes Sense of Purpose

12/16/2019

Two different English classes at Lakota East Freshman learned as much about their community this past quarter as they did about reading, writing, researching and presenting. The two service learning projects are both examples of project-based learning in action.

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Lakota District, Five Schools Receive ODE's Momentum Award

12/12/2019

Lakota Local Schools, including five individual schools within the district, has received the Ohio Department of Education’s Momentum Award for 2019. Additionally, two schools received both the All A Award and Overall A Award. This annual recognition is given to districts or schools for exceeding expectations in student growth for the year.

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Lakota Enrolls in State Funding Program to Kick Start Master Facilities Planning Process

12/11/2019

At the Dec. 9 school board meeting, the Lakota Board of Education approved a resolution to enroll the district in Ohio’s Expedited Local Partnership Program (ELPP). Hosted by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), enrollment is required to gain the OFCC’s support and partnership in ultimately building a master facilities plan that if approved, will be financed in part by the Commission.

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Know the Facts About EdChoice

12/10/2019

The state of Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship, or voucher program, began as a way to provide options for students whose local public schools were considered to be “failing” or “underperforming” by the state. However, the program has expanded to include students attending not only passing but thriving public schools.

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A Look at Lakota's Five-Year Forecast

12/10/2019

At the Nov. 18 school board meeting, I presented the five-year forecast for Lakota Local Schools which looks ahead through fiscal year (FY) 2024. The forecast documents the prior three years’ financial performance, as well as a five year projection. We use the forecast for long-range planning and as a management tool with regards to how we do business.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Dec. 6 Edition

12/09/2019

The latest edition of Lakota Shout Outs include West's Marching Band making history, elementary mathletes taking home top prizes, and Lakota employees giving back to local causes.

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December Social Media Challenge: #WEareRecharging

12/06/2019

As we gear up for the holidays, we want to know just how Lakota students, staff and their families are planning to relax and recharge over the upcoming winter break. What are you doing to enjoy time with friends and family and come back ready to take on second semester? Throughout December, we invite you to share your winter break plans and highlights on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or all three!

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French Club a Big Hit at Independence Elementary

12/06/2019

“Répétez, s’il vous plait” greets you when you walk into the Innovation Hub at Independence Elementary School on Mondays. Why? Twenty-nine students are participating in a new after-school club led by Lakota East French teacher Tiffany Ashley. Wanting to expose younger students to a new language, Ashley reached out to the Independence PTA to see if they would be interested - and they whole-heartedly agreed.

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Station Rotations Personalizing Learning

12/06/2019

Walking into Heather Blaylock’s seventh grade science class at Plains Junior School, you might see a group of students wiggling a piece of string. Or stretching out a Slinky. Or watching a video on their Chromebooks. Why? They’re expanding their knowledge and putting what they’ve learned about wavelengths into action as part of a personalized learning technique called station rotations.

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Real World 101 Offered 27 Sessions at West Freshman

12/05/2019

Last week, West Freshman students took part in the school’s first ever “Real World 101”. It was a day of learning, self-discovery and preparation for the future. Students were able to choose from 27 different sessions, everything from finance basics to mock interviews to college applications/scholarships.

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Introducing INCubatoredu@Lakota: ‘Shark Tank’ for High-Schoolers

12/04/2019

Lakota is the second school district in Ohio - and one of just 120 nationwide - to make “Shark Tank” a class for its high-schoolers next school year. Families are invited to get a sneak peek at an upcoming information session on Dec. 12.

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Latino Family Literacy Project Takes Off at Creekside

12/03/2019

As the saying goes, “Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” Such was the inspiration behind a new family literacy program designed specifically for Spanish-speaking families at Creekside Early Childhood School this year.

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A Look Around Lakota: Nov. Video Update

12/02/2019

In this month’s video edition of A Look Around Lakota, join Superintendent Matthew Miller as he shares just a few of the highlights at Lakota Local Schools during November, including using Skype for a real world learning experience, a look inside our elementary schools' innovation hubs, building relationships with "Talk to me Tuesdays”; and a closer look at how flexible playlists are helping our teachers personalize learning for our students.

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Words of Wisdom: What are you thankful for?

11/28/2019

Each month, we ask students for some words of wisdom. In this video, students share what they are thankful for.

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Woodland Team Transforms Thanksgiving Turkeys into Real World Math

11/22/2019

Some fifth-graders at Woodland Elementary have made it easier for local shoppers to calculate just how much turkey they need to buy for Thanksgiving this year. And they did it all by adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing decimals. It’s a little bit of project-based learning, real world learning and personalized learning all rolled into one lesson that Woodland teachers Christina Butler and Jakeb Knight dreamt up this year for the 150-plus math students they share. The final products live on in the storefront of a longtime local favorite, Steve’s Meats & Deli off Cincinnati-Dayton Road.

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Lakota Shout Outs: Nov.15, 2019 Edition

11/20/2019

The latest edition of Lakota Shout Outs include a state championship, two 'Women of Excellence', a teacher of the year, and some outstanding student-athletes signing letters of intent to play their sports at the next level.

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Lakota Local Schools Board Votes to Reinstate Freshman Transportation

11/19/2019

At its Nov. 18 meeting, the Lakota Board of Education voted unanimously to reinstate transportation services for freshman students, effective for the 2020-21 school year for students living outside of neighborhoods with walking paths or sidewalks that lead to schools.

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Lakota Learning Blog: Portrait of a Graduate Our 'North Star'

11/18/2019

The genesis of Lakota’s “Portrait of a Graduate” started with this simple request: “Describe the ideal Lakota graduate.” We figured that if everything WE do is designed to create a future-ready, student centered learning experience, then we should start with the end in mind.

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Personalized Learning Video: The Flexible Playlist

11/18/2019

Personalized learning does not discriminate on the basis of grade level or subject area. Case in point: Lisa Sizemore’s second grade class at Wyandot Early Childhood School. As part of Lakota’s move toward more personalized learning, Sizemore introduced flexible playlists into her Math Workshop this year. Playlists give students a list of options from which to choose, each activity reinforcing a skill or concept they’ve learned in a different way.

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Building Relationships with Hopewell Junior's "Talk to Me' Tuesdays

11/18/2019

“What I love about this school is that everyone is on board that building relationships is the centerpiece of education,” said Hopewell Junior math teacher Kyle Schlensker. “It’s a goal that falls outside of curriculum and standards, but it’s key to our students’ success.”

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Lakota Students Take OSBA Capital Conference By Storm

11/15/2019

With more than 9,000 attendees, the Ohio School Board Association’s Capital Conference is a highly anticipated event for educators across the state. One of the highlights of the three-day event is the Student Achievement Fair. Each year, 100 booths display innovative learning opportunities from schools throughout Ohio. This year, Lakota Local Schools held five of them.

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Three Communities Win in ‘Stuff the Bus” Crosstown Competition

11/15/2019

The longstanding tradition behind Lakota’s annual food drive helped the district bring home a win in the second annual “Stuff the Bus” crosstown competition against neighboring school districts Middletown and Hamilton. But the real winners were all three communities that collectively brought in more than 15,000 pounds in donations for their respective relief organizations, a total determined thanks to the support of Planes Moving & Storage.

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Digital Resources Give a New Look to Speech Therapy Sessions

11/15/2019

If you stop into Brittany Schafer’s fifth-grade speech therapy session, you’d be surprised at how engaged her students are – and at how much she can cover in just 30 minutes. New resources are changing the look of traditional speech therapy sessions. While Schafer still uses flash cards, worksheet exercises and games like Apples to Apples, Lakota teachers now have access to new digital resources that can transform the way they teach and the way students learn.

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WWII Expert Makes Dr. Seuss Relevant to High School English

11/15/2019

Now that they’ve studied some of his 400-plus political cartoons, students in Marian Weber’s American Literature class at Lakota West will likely never look at a Dr. Seuss book the same. “We’ve all read his children’s books, but I never realized there were deeper meanings beyond all the rhymes,” said West junior Sergio Negroe, noting his surprise at finding out Dr. Seuss’s first career as a controversial political cartoonist later used children’s books to subliminally apologize for his former missteps.

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Why are You Thankful? November Social Media Contest

11/04/2019

As we begin to count down the days to Thanksgiving break, Lakota is asking staff, students, parents and residents to look back over the last year and let us know who or what makes you thankful for your Lakota experience. Post your photos that best capture the people, places, programs or things that make Lakota a better place.

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East, West ASL Students Sign Together During Lab Days

11/01/2019

“In real life, you aren’t just sitting down practicing sign language. You are doing what we are doing right here, having a conversation,” said West ASL II student Riley Sutherland. In true #WEareLakota and #WEareInThisTogether fashion, Lakota East and West ASL students came together this week for Halloween-themed Lab Days.

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Student Engagement 'Sky High' for Save the Bees Project

11/01/2019

Did you know that bees are attracted to caffeine and can be trained to sniff out bombs? Or that they are confused by noises coming from cell phones? These are just some of the facts fifth-graders at Independence Elementary School learned during their project based learning (PBL) assignment “Save the Bees.” During her unit on ecosystems, teacher Laura Brown thought it would a great opportunity to try PBL for the first time.

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Words of Wisdom: Helping Others

10/31/2019

From our district-wide "Stuff the Bus" food drive to "Hawks for a Cure" to Stockings for Soldiers, this month has been all about making a difference and helping others in our community. It's why we dedicated this month's social media challenge to celebrating "National Make a Difference Day" and now, this month's “Words of Wisdom” video to the importance of helping others.

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A Look Around Lakota: October Video Update

10/31/2019

Join Superintendent Matthew Miller as he shares just some of the highlights and happenings throughout Lakota Local Schools during the month of October.

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Ridge's Advisory Period Focuses on Building Relationships

10/31/2019

Brown approached the school’s innovation specialist, Tiffany Rexhausen, during the district’s “Wednesday Workouts” learning sessions this summer. He wanted to reimagine his school’s advisory period and enlisted Rexhausen to help. Now known as RISE, Brown envisioned a program embedded in the day to encourage his staff to continue building relationships with their students.

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Heritage ECS Pilots Mixed-Reality Game, Learns Design Process from Inventor

10/30/2019

Heritage Early Childhood School students are the first in Ohio to try out a new interactive learning tool called Norilla. The mixed-reality game bridges physical and virtual worlds, encouraging students to experiment with 3D objects as they learn basic Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills, along with simple physics principles like base, height, weight and width.

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Place Value Rap Video Takes Learning to New Levels

10/29/2019

About this time every year, Gifted Intervention Specialist Erin Maddox shows her fourth-graders a rap video to help them learn about number place value.

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MLK Day Program Adds ‘Celebration of Unity Expo’ to Feature West Chester, Liberty Cultures

10/29/2019

In the spirit of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s values and ideals surrounding diversity and inclusivity, our community’s annual observance of Martin Luther King Day will include a new component this year. The “Celebration of Unity Expo” - to be held in conjunction with the regular MLK Day "Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity" march, program and lunch on Jan. 20 - invites individuals or families to share information about their culture with their West Chester and Liberty township neighbors.

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Woodland Service Learning Project Puts Students in the Driver’s Seat

10/25/2019

What happens when you give a group of sixth-graders the freedom to lead their own community action project? They fill half their classroom with 1,500-plus donations for the Animal Friends Humane Society and facilitate a special celebrity dog appearance for the winning class.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Oct. 18 Edition

10/23/2019

In this edition: Lakota wins a technology & innovation award, plus our golf, soccer, and cross country teams celebrate championships.

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‘Flipping’ the Classroom: Math ‘On Demand’ Empowers West Students

10/21/2019

What happens when you “flip” a classroom? Lakota West math teacher Jenny Circello can attest to the benefits of this more personalized approach to learning that puts students in the driver’s seat.

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The 'Game of Life' Teaches East Seniors Valuable Life Skills

10/18/2019

Do you know how to change a tire? Manage a budget? Write a resume? Lakota East seniors are getting the chance to learn these and many other important skills in a new course called the “Game of Life”. For 12 weeks during XH (extra help period), students can participate in this inaugural sprint course.

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'The Little Mermaid Jr.' Reaches Beyond the Stage

10/18/2019

Who knew that pool noodles, straws and bottle caps could be transformed into seahorses and colorful underwater plants? The beautiful sets in Lakota East’s upcoming ‘The Little Mermaid Jr.’ were created from these seemingly ordinary recycled materials.

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Innovation Hubs Facilitate Good Old Fashioned Collaboration

10/17/2019

Collaboration through technology doesn’t have to mean hiding behind a screen. In fact, a recent exercise led by Endeavor teacher Tanya Hoeting proved it can actually enhance interpersonal skills.

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A Splash of Color Makes Running Fun

10/17/2019

Is it possible to combine health, fundraising and fun? The answer is yes if you’re a Lakota junior school student. Parent-teacher organizations at each of the district’s four junior schools used fall runs as not only a fun activity for students, but a fundraiser for their schools. “The run has become far beyond a money maker for our PTSO,” said Jeff Rouff, principal at Hopewell Junior School. “It has become an opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate junior high style.” More than 700 students participated in runs across the district.

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High School Transportation: Projected Ridership Survey

10/15/2019

The Lakota Local Schools Board of Education is gathering data from all families about the future of high school transportation in our district. The feedback will be used in conjunction with other information to discuss possible high school busing options for the 2020-21 school year.

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Beneath the Surface of New Ice Cream Shop at Hopewell ECS

10/14/2019

A new ice cream shop opened its doors at Hopewell Early Childhood School - and everything from the money and ice cream to the menu and drive-thru window was created by the students who dreamt it up in the first place. Peek inside this project based learning activity to see how student choice transformed learning.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Oct. 4 Edition

10/10/2019

More great things are happening around Lakota. Read about golf championships, all-state musicians... and another student aces the ACT!

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Community Conversation Brings Business Leaders and Students Together

10/07/2019

What happens when you fill a room with business leaders and high school students? A conversation that bridges the gap and benefits both groups. Lakota Local Schools partnered with the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance to host its second community conversation between local business leaders and high school students. “We believe in providing real world learning opportunities for our kids,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller. “Partnerships with the Chamber Alliance and the business community are crucial to making that happen.”

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October Social Media Challenge Highlights Difference-Makers

10/07/2019

In honor of “National Make a Difference Day” on Oct. 26 and the district-wide “Stuff the Bus” food drive, we want to know all the ways the Lakota community is making a difference. That’s why we’re dedicating October’s social media challenge to just that.

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MLK Day Contest Challenges K-12 Students to Have 20-20 Vision

10/05/2019

In preparation for our community’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, all Lakota students are invited to participate in a contest that promotes self-reflection about diversity and inclusion in our community and nationwide. This year’s "20-20 Vision" theme challenges students to use their hindsight vision to identify Dr. King’s single most important accomplishment. The contest is part of the community-wide observance of MLK Day, known as the "Live the Dream: Our Declaration of Unity" celebration.

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New Freshman LINCC and Humanities Labs Get Personal

10/04/2019

It’s known as LINCC Lab at East Freshman and Humanities Lab across town at West Freshman. But the concept is the same: Give the same group of students the same schedule across two or three core subjects and consecutive class periods, then remove the division (or the bell changes). Known as co-teaching among educators, it’s a model that lends itself to student choice and cross-curricular projects that tackle all the same standards, but oftentimes add in skills of real world learning like collaboration, communication and creativity, for example.

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Shark Tank Veteran Shares What it's Like to be an Entrepreneur

10/03/2019

What’s it like to be an entrepreneur? Liberty Junior seventh-graders learned firsthand through a recent “Shark Tank” project, complete with a special guest speaker who had inked a deal with shark Daymond John on the popular TV show.

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District-wide 'Stuff the Bus' Food Drive Kicks Off Oct. 18

10/03/2019

Lakota’s annual district-wide food drive for Reach Out Lakota kicks, running Oct. 18 through Nov. 1, continues to make an impact beyond West Chester and Liberty townships. The district has again invited neighboring districts to join the cause, this year teaming up with Middletown City Schools and Hamilton City Schools for the friendly crosstown competition.

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Woodland's New Fundraiser Focuses on Acts of Kindness

10/03/2019

It’s not every day that students ask to go out to the playground to pick up trash, or to write thank you letters, or even to pull weeds around the school building. But acts of kindness like these are a daily occurrence at Woodland Elementary. This wave of kindness was spurred on by the school’s new fundraiser called Raise Craze.

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Flexible Playlists Aren't Just for Teachers

10/03/2019

Preparing for life after high school can be intimidating. What path will you take? What steps do you need to follow? The counselors at Lakota East High School are trying to ease the way for seniors this year by using flexible playlists.

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Lakota Learning Blog: The Logic Behind Trauma-Informed Teaching

10/02/2019

It should come as no surprise that educators have to meet their students’ social and emotional needs before they can ever tackle their academic growth. And where trauma is involved, that task can be even more challenging. The latest “Inside Lakota Learning” blog shares how Lakota defines all forms of student trauma - it’s not exactly what you’d expect - and how Lakota educators are using non-traditional approaches to help students get in the right mindset to learn.

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A Look Around Lakota Video Update: Sept. 2019

10/01/2019

Please enjoy the September edition of "A Look Around Lakota" video update for the 2019-20 school year. Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just a few of the highlights and happenings during the month, including welcoming new families at the annual ice cream social, future-ready Fridays at Hopewell Junior, and a new humanities lab at Lakota West Freshman.

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Wyandot Second-Graders Read by Campfire to Celebrate Growth

09/30/2019

With the lights dimmed and a dozen or so tents pitched around a “crackling” campfire on Monday morning, second-graders at Wyandot Early Childhood School quickly forgot that they were, in fact, reading in their school’s gymnasium.

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Parent Project Offers Practical Training for Raising Teens

09/27/2019

Our kids today face unprecedented pressures and problems. It is no wonder that many respond with negative, defiant or out-of-control behaviors. In partnership with the Butler County Parent Project Collaborative, Lakota is pleased to offer a special 10-week program to parents of students in grades 7-12. The “Parent Project” gives practical, concrete, no-nonsense tools, skills and resources to parents who are raising teens in today’s world.

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Lakota Shout-Outs (9.20 edition)

09/25/2019

There are lots of great things happening around Lakota. Read about our international Telly Award, National Merit Scholars, band recognitions and more.

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New Family Ice Cream Social Forms New Friendships

09/24/2019

A fun Lakota tradition confirmed that the playground is as much a place to make new friends for parents as it is for their children.

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Students Get Reality Check in Hopewell Junior Math

09/23/2019

Math teachers at Hopewell Junior School are addressing the age-old “When am I ever going to use this?” question - and then some. The department’s new “Reality Path Fridays” are challenging every single seventh- and eighth-grader to map out their futures with a strong consideration toward their personal finances. The project-based learning activity is designed to span two years, asking students to first shape their short-term plans and then look beyond high school.

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Somos Lakota Video Wins Telly Award

09/20/2019

Lakota Local Schools is excited to announce that its “Somos Lakota” video, produced by SpotOn Productions, earned a 2019 Bronze Telly Award in the Branded Content General-Education category. With 55 languages spoken by Lakota students, “Somos Lakota”, which means WE are Lakota in Spanish, invites the viewer to relate to the district’s nearly 2,000 students who speak a language other than English at home.

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Teachers Focus on Personalized Learning

09/20/2019

Flipped classrooms? No, it doesn’t have anything to do with the furniture. It’s one of four learning styles Lakota teachers are implementing in their classrooms this year to further bolster personalized learning.

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Hope Squads Making an Impact on School Culture

09/20/2019

Lakota East and West’s Hope Squads used last week’s National Suicide Prevention Week to spread positivity and help break the stigma about mental illness issues.

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VIDEO: Lakota Students Share “Words of Wisdom” on Making New Friends

09/19/2019

Personalized learning requires a commitment by students and staff to really get to know each other. That’s why we’ve put an emphasis on building friendships since the first day of school. In the same spirit, we are dedicating the second installment in our new “Words of Wisdom” video series to that very topic. A few Lakota students share their best advice for making new friends.

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Extreme Makeover Surprises Hopewell Junior Staff

09/16/2019

The staff at Hopewell Junior had a big surprise awaiting them when they returned for the new school year. Over the summer months, the school’s PTSO and custodial staff were working on a special “welcome back” gift: a new staff lunchroom.

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2018-19 Report Card Shows Consistency for Lakota

09/13/2019

Lakota Local Schools has earned a “B” as an overall letter grade by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) in its recently released state report card for the 2018-19 school year.

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Contest Celebrates Lakota Friendships

09/12/2019

Students and staff started the school year with a focus on building the friendships that will carry them through the remainder of the year. In the same spirit, we are dedicating this month’s social media contest to celebrating those new and continuing friendships around Lakota.

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Portrait of a Lakota Graduate Helps Define the 4Es

09/11/2019

A new visual now serves as a roadmap for Lakota educators whose ultimate goal is to prepare every graduate to follow one of the 4 Es at the end of their K-12 career: Enrollment in higher education, Enlistment in the military, Employment, or the pursuit of Entrepreneurship.

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New Elementary Innovation Hubs Empower Students, Staff

09/10/2019

Lakota’s elementary school media centers, turned innovation hubs, still offer shelves of books to enjoy - but they are also now complete with virtual reality stations, video production green screen rooms, a sound recording booth, a 3D printer and even modernized furniture to help facilitate authentic, future-ready learning.

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Students Taking Advantage of New Course Offerings

09/09/2019

During the 2018-19 school year, district leaders, staff and students worked together to reimagine the high school experience. Teachers and students collaborated during a three-day LakotaNEXT design challenge last November, working to answer the question: How might we design a prototype of a high school master schedule that fosters the core principles of personalized learning? The result? New course offerings and expanded zero bell options at both Lakota East and West high schools. “We have heard the request for more choice during zero bell from parents and students,” said Keith Koehne, Lakota’s executive director of curriculum and instruction. “We are excited that we have been able to do just that this year.”

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New Sensory Paths Help with Focus and Learning

09/09/2019

Over the summer, hallway floors at 10 Lakota schools were transformed to look like giant gameboards. These new sensory paths have Shawnee ECS students jumping on lily pads, hopscotching on tiger paws, and turning circles on pictures of coiled snakes. These sensory paths are making their way into schools across the nation to help keep kids moving and engaged during the day. Students and teachers alike are enjoying these cool new movement paths.

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Limited-Time Back-to-School Promotion in Lakota's Online Spirit Wear Shop

09/05/2019

To celebrate the start of a new school year, Lakota is proud to offer the community reduced rates on select district apparel in its online spirit wear shop. This limited-time promotional offer ends Sept. 20.

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A Look Around Lakota Video Update: August 2019 Edition

09/05/2019

WE are back! Please enjoy this first video edition of "A Look Around Lakota" for the 2019-20 school year. Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just a few of the highlights and happenings from the first two weeks of school.

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Sept. 6: Future Hawk & Future Firebird Nights

08/29/2019

Calling all future Thunderhawks and Firebirds! Lakota East & West high schools have planned some special activities for you at their Sept. 6 home varsity football games.

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Latest Lakota Shout-Outs: Aug. 23

08/28/2019

There are lots of great things happening around Lakota. Read about our student-athletes earning All-American honors and two graduates making waves in their fields.

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Lakota Students Share 'Words of Wisdom' for School Year Ahead

08/27/2019

Wondering how to make the most of the 2019-20 school year? In the first of a new video series called “Words of Wisdom,” we asked students throughout Lakota that very question.

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New Standards Strengthen Lakota’s Commitment to Social Emotional Learning

08/26/2019

Ohio schools are working from a new set of social and emotional learning standards - and three Lakota educators actually helped write them.

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Lakota Board of Education Approves New Finance Policies

08/26/2019

At its June 10 school board meeting, the Lakota Board of Education members voted to approve three new finance policies.

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Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Marks Opening of Lakota Cyber Academy

08/23/2019

In a room packed with business leaders, government officials, school administrators and students, the Lakota Cyber Academy was officially opened for the business of learning. Nearly 50 supporters gathered in the Lakota East Innovation Hub for a ribbon cutting ceremony that included a proclamation from State Representative George Lang and special guest speaker, Lt. Governor Jon Husted.

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Hero Training Kicks Off New Year at Hopewell ECS

08/23/2019

You don’t have to be a grown up to be a hero. Just ask the students at Hopewell Early Childhood School.

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Relationships Trump Curriculum at East, West on First Days Back

08/22/2019

“What can you do on day one that has your kids running back on day two?” posed Lakota East Principal Suzanna Davis at Lakota’s all-staff convocation. Both Lakota high schools answered this question with an exciting line-up that kept students and staff on their feet and engaged with one another all day long.

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Sept. 14: District-Wide Ice Cream Social for New Families

08/22/2019

For families new to Lakota Schools this year, the district is offering an opportunity to meet other new families and get to know the Lakota community a little better. The Lakota Outreach Diversity and Inclusion (LODI) department invites all new families to its annual ice cream social on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 1-3 p.m.

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Electric Staff Opening Day Sets Tone for New School Year

08/21/2019

Electric. Rocking. Inspiring. These were just some of the words Lakota staff used to describe the district’s opening day program, where more than 1,700 administrators, teachers and support staff packed into Lakota East’s gymnasium on Aug. 13 to celebrate the start of a new school year.

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WE are In This Together Evident in the Adena Way

08/21/2019

Cheers, high-fives and well wishes. All of these were in abundance at Adena Elementary’s fanfare on the second day of school, showing community and school support for the students.

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Junior Schools Focus on Bringing Students Together

08/20/2019

Building relationships is key at Lakota’s four junior schools. Afterall, students are coming together for the first time from several different elementary buildings.

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VIDEO: School Bus Karaoke - WE are All In This Together

08/13/2019

Lakota’s 1,700-plus staff opened the new school year today with an energetic celebration at Lakota East High School. Following a program packed with student and staff speakers, the morning ended with the premiere of Lakota’s newest video release: “School Bus Karaoke: WE are All In This Together.” The sing-along video sets the tone for one part of Lakota’s new vision statement and this year’s theme - WE are In This Together - by involving Lakota staff, board members, students, parents and community partners in a comedic interpretation of High School Musical's "We're All in This Together."

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First Day Photo Contest: Celebrate the New School Year

08/12/2019

The new school year begins Thursday, August 15. So get ready to capture those special first day moments at the front stoop, at your bus stop, with your carpool group, or in your classroom.

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Lakota Welcomes New Administrators

08/09/2019

As the district prepares to welcome back students for the 2019-20 school year, Lakota welcomes new administrators at several schools, as well as in four key district positions. “In looking ahead to the next school year, I’m excited to welcome this group of administrators to Lakota. While some are brand new to us, others are embracing a new role in the district,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller.

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Lakota Sixth Graders Now Part of 1:1 Program

08/08/2019

When students return to school this fall, sixth graders throughout Lakota Local Schools will have a new tool to enhance their learning: the ‘WE are Empowered’ initiative, introduced to secondary students during the 2018-19 school year, will encompass a new grade of students.

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One Year Later Lakota Sees Benefits of Real World Learning

07/22/2019

One year after being selected as one of five districts nationwide to lead the Real World Learning Challenge Collaborative, Lakota Local Schools is poised to not only be an example for other districts, but continue to expand learning opportunities for its students. The Challenge Collaborative, through Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools, is funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

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Elementary Students, High School Interns Benefit from Camp Potential

06/21/2019

A free two-week summer camp doubled as a learning opportunity for nearly 40 Lakota elementary students and an internship experience for 10 high-schoolers. or a second year, Camp Potential invited gifted students entering grades 4-6 to participate in eight days of summer learning and enrichment at Hopewell Junior School.

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Lakota Participates in County-wide Safety Drill

06/18/2019

Eleven Butler County school districts, including Lakota Local Schools, participated in a full-scale safety exercise on June 18 at the Ross Local High School and Middle School campus. This is the first time in Butler County history that a safety exercise of this scope has been planned.

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WE are Graduates: Summer 2019 Newsletter

06/10/2019

Several times a year, Lakota produces a community newsletter to help parents and residents stay informed about important district-wide news and updates. The summer 2019 edition, titled "WE are Graduates", was mailed to all residents this week.

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A Look Around Lakota: May/June 2019 Edition

06/07/2019

In this final edition of "A Look Around Lakota" for the 2018-19 school year, Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just some of the highlights and happenings that marked the end of a great year.

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Art Develops Writers in Heritage Kindergarten Class

05/31/2019

Art may be considered one of Lakota’s six daily specials, but it’s finding its way into early learners’ routine far more frequently than every sixth day of the school week. Take, for example, Julie Meno’s kindergarteners at Heritage Early Childhood School.

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Hopewell Students Learn Math through Food Trucks

05/30/2019

Whoever thought food trucks had nothing to do with math hasn’t met Hopewell Junior teachersMatthew Dollard and Kyle Schlensker. Earlier this year, the duo invited a local food truck, East Coast Eatz, to visit their seventh-graders and serve them lunch. But their visit provided far more value than lunch. The owner shared his success story, giving students a lot of food for thought as they began formulating their own mobile restaurants.

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Adena Time Capsule Sends Graduates Back to Sixth Grade

05/29/2019

The end of the school year has many students celebrating the start of summer vacation, but for seniors, they’re also looking ahead to what comes next after graduation...and some are even looking back. Adena Elementary School welcomed back 143 seniors from the class of 2019 to take a walk down memory lane. Six years ago, these seniors filled time capsules while in their final year at Adena and, on May 15, had the opportunity to open them for the first time.

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Project-Based Learning Takes Many Forms at West Freshman

05/28/2019

The energy in Lakota West Freshman’s Innovation Hub after school last week spilled into the hallway as students showcased their last quarter’s work. Their projects may have stemmed from three different classrooms and two different subject areas, but they all had one thing in common: a move toward more personalized and project-based learning.

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Annual Breakfast Celebrates Hard Working Students

05/27/2019

Seventy-four students were recognized for their hard work and dedication to their jobs through Lakota’s Work Study program on May 16 at Wetherington Country Club. The students were celebrated by their families, job coaches, instructional aides and district staff. The program, which has been in place for over 30 years, continues to grow each year.

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Lakota Business Partner Breakfast Celebrates Success, Looks Ahead to the Future

05/23/2019

On May 3, Lakota Schools welcomed 150 community partners, staff and students to celebrate a successful year and look ahead to the future at its Business Partner Breakfast. Katie Bauer, the district’s strategic partnerships coordinator, wanted to thank the business community for its commitment to the students at Lakota Local Schools.

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West's Clevidence Presents at Innovative Teachers Forum in South Korea

05/22/2019

Collaboration between teachers within a school building happens every day, as well as across the district. But what about collaborating across the country or even the world? Annie Clevidence, an English literature teacher at Lakota West High School recently had the opportunity to do just that.

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West Freshman I.D. Student Conference Encourages Self-Reflection & Inclusion

05/21/2019

A first-ever school-wide conference at Lakota West Freshman School this week encouraged both personal reflection and observation of others’ differences - all to build a stronger culture of inclusion and understanding.

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Plains Engineering Challenge Offers Wide Appeal, Career Exposure

05/20/2019

An aspiring marine biologist, science teacher, graphic designer and astrophysicist at Plains Junior School all found value in a recent group project that challenged them to solve an engineering problem using fluid power. Why?

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VanGorden Students Get Hands-on Lesson about Metamorphosis

05/17/2019

When third-grade teacher Katie Frambes asked, “Chicks are an example of what kind of metamorphosis?” just about every one of her students raised a hand. (The answer: incomplete metamorphosis.)

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Special Ceremonies Recognize the "Top 25"

05/17/2019

All across the district, year-end ceremonies are taking place to honor the academic achievements of our students. At the high schools, the “Top 25” students, representing approximately the upper 4 percent of their graduating class, were recently recognized during some special celebrations at Lakota East and West high schools.

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Arts Find a Place in Core Curriculum at Shawnee

05/16/2019

For teacher Rebecca Striet, the arts don’t have to be limited to the art room every six days. In fact, the Shawnee ECS kindergarten teacher is so committed to intersecting the arts with the core curriculum that she teamed up with colleague Katie Welch to give their 50 kindergartners the invaluable experience of performing a full-scale re-enactment of “Peter and the Wolf.”

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Lakota Shout-Outs: May 10

05/15/2019

So many great things are going on around Lakota. Read about the latest Shout Outs.

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Second Annual Military Commitment Ceremony Salutes 43 Lakota Seniors

05/14/2019

The Lakota community came together on April 30 to recognize 43 students who have made a commitment to enter either a military academy or branch of service after graduation.

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Celebrating the Class of 2019

05/13/2019

It's time to celebrate Lakota's Class of 2019! Graduation ceremonies will take place at Xavier's Cintas Center; Lakota East's ceremony is on Thursday, May 23 at 8 p.m. and Lakota West will hold its event the next evening, May 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets are not required to attend.

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Announcing Lakota's 2019 Educators of Excellence

05/10/2019

The Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools, are proud to announce the three recipients of the 2019 Lakota Educator of Excellence Awards.

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Volunteers Honored for their Passion & Support

05/09/2019

End-of-the-year awards programs have already begun – and on Wednesday, the District Parent Council hosted a ceremony to honor some very special people: our volunteers.

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Rotary Swaps Makerspaces for Traditional Dictionary Donation

05/08/2019

A donation from the Rotary Club of West Chester doubled as a hands-on learning experience for some Lakota elementary students. Local Rotarians joined students at Freedom and Cherokee last week to help assemble the new mobile makerspaces that they gifted to each of Lakota’s eight elementary schools.

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Ridge Junior Students Take Lead on First Mental Health Expo

05/07/2019

All that Ridge Junior health teacher Matthew Abshear takes credit for in the school’s first-ever mental health expo is sharing the idea and then turning his students loose.

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'Operation Incubation' Means More Student-Led Impact at East

05/07/2019

A group of students at Lakota East now have a blueprint for how to make more student-led ideas, like the recently transformed “Innovation Hub”, come to life in their school. It’s something that East junior Leo Rolfert and sophomores Michelle Antiri and Courtney Lyden are calling “Operation Incubation.”

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Cherokee Students Lead Statewide K-12 Stock Market Game

05/03/2019

If you’re new to the stock exchange, you might find good counsel in these sixth-graders at Cherokee Elementary: Benjamin Gill, Philip Lee, Evin Lodder and Gavin Halstead.

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Heritage First-Graders' Curiosity Fuels Learning

05/02/2019

Students in Kristin Sellers and Eunice Vogelsang’s first grade classes had a lot of questions when it came to the history of their school.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: April 26 Edition

05/01/2019

Lakota's latest Shout-Outs include a Pulitzer Prize finalist, pitching a perfect game and more!

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Lakota Shares Powerful Learning Strategies to Inspire Advancements in Education

04/30/2019

Lakota Local Schools is sharing powerful learning strategies with a national audience through Innovation Portfolios, a new storytelling platform where school districts can widely share ideas, programs, and implementation practices they’ve designed, supported, and grown in their districts.

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Welcoming New Administrators for the 2019-20 School Year

04/24/2019

Preparation for the 2019-20 school year is underway as Lakota welcomes new administrators at six of its schools, as well as in five key district positions.

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Parents Plan Garden to Remember West Students Lost Too Soon

04/23/2019

Plans for a garden at the main entrance to Lakota West High School is so much more than a beautification effort. The new gathering space, scheduled to begin in July, will be a place for the school community to remember the lives of former Lakota West students lost too soon.

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Lakota High School Students Get College Advice through Engineering Pen Pal Program

04/22/2019

Lakota East, West students are getting advice about engineering, preparing for college and more through a pen pal program with the Ohio State University Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

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Real World Learning: Liberty Students Put Research into Action

04/19/2019

When given the creative freedom to tailor a recent research project to their passions and interests, eighth-graders in Andree Philpot’s language arts class at Liberty Junior School ended up creating an impact that reached far beyond their school’s walls.

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After School Homework Clubs Provide Extra Help

04/18/2019

What started as a group of school administrators, teachers and aides traveling to a neighborhood has grown into a popular after school activity. Several Lakota elementary schools are offering extra help for students through homework clubs.

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Mental Health Video Series: Modeling Behaviors

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