What's New

'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

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 for the 2020-2021 school year by July 20 to receive busing on the first day of school.

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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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Meet Hopewell Junior's Newest Staff Member

02/01/2020

Are schools going to the dogs? At least one in Lakota is. Hopewell Junior School has welcomed Golden Retriever Zooey with welcome paws...or arms. Members of Lakota’s special services department have been researching different methods to best assist the growing number of students with social and emotional needs. This led to a conversation about bringing a therapy dog into the school. “It was about thinking outside the box and trying something new,” Executive Director of Special Services Andrea Longworth said. While therapy dogs have visited Lakota’s schools for several years, the district has not had one as a dedicated staff member...until now.

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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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Real-World Learning: Apply Now for Internships, Apprenticeships & Volunteering Opportunities

10/23/2019

Lakota now offers a number of new internships, apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities to help students prepare for their future beyond high school. These real-world learning experiences range from HVAC apprenticeships to a marketing internship to volunteering in a hospital environment.

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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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High School Open Houses Welcome Future Families Nov. 2

09/26/2019

Lakota is welcoming future and prospective students to visit its two high schools on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 for a community open house.

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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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Fall Internships In Pediatric Therapy, Photography, Teaching, Communications and Writing

09/12/2019

Do you know high school students interested in therapy, photography, teaching or writing? Here’s a chance for them to get hands-on, real world experience through one of our fall internships.

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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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Safety is Number One Priority: New Measures for 2019-20

09/09/2019

As another indication of the importance of safety, Lakota Local Schools has implemented new security measures throughout the district. “The safety of our students and staff is always our number one priority,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller. “Our plans are never complete. We are always working with our law enforcement partners to evaluate all of our safety measures in order to improve.” During the summer, 1,200 Bearacade® Door Control Systems were installed in classrooms throughout the district.

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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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Latest Lakota Shouts-Outs: August 9

08/13/2019

There are lots of great things happening around Lakota. Read about national awards and recognition for our students and Superintendent, as well as our technology, curriculum and communication departments.

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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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2019-20 Back-to-School Essentials: All Your Questions Answered

07/12/2019

Beginning Thursday, August 15, Lakota teachers, administrators and support staff will welcome new and returning students for the start of the 2019-2020 school year. Here is some important information to keep in mind as you and your family gear up for the new school year. From school supplies to bus routes to teacher assignments, we answer all your questions in this back-to-school FAQ.

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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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VIDEO: Lakota Looks Back at 2018-19 School Year

05/24/2019

From daily specials and all-day kindergarten to a surge in digital learning and student voice - and everything in between - WE made a lot of progress and memories this past school year. We invite you to take a trip down memory lane and relive just some of the highlights that made the 2018-19 school year one to remember.

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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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Summer Break Information

05/21/2019

Look here for a recap of summer updates, including school office hours, summer, school, free lunch program, mental health services, summer assignments and more.

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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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Open Enrollment for the 2019-20 School Year

04/29/2019

Each school year, the Lakota Board of Education can choose to approve the renewal of Lakota's open enrollment policy. Under Board Policy 511, students residing in other Ohio school districts can apply to attend Lakota. Due to the high volume of returning open enrolled students, at this time we are not accepting applicants that are applying for the first time.

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May 1: Lakota Hosts Community Forum for Parents On Grief & Suicide

04/26/2019

As we mourn the tragic loss of one of our Liberty Junior students to suicide this week, Lakota invites all parents to a community forum about grief and suicide on May 1. With so many unanswered questions about how best to support one another, including our children, during this difficult time, the forum will arm adults with information and resources about how we can help our students navigate through this situation and be part of the solution as we move forward.

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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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In-School Therapists Provide Easy Access to Mental Health Services

04/17/2019

The lack of awareness and stigma attached to mental health issues keep the majority of young people from getting help. That’s why Lakota is partnering with MindPeace, a local non-profit that connects its network of professional mental health providers with schools to increase student access to quality, affordable mental healthcare.

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Latest Lakota Shout-Outs: 4.15.19

04/17/2019

There are lots of great things happening around Lakota. Here are some recent special shout-outs to students and staff members.

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Transportation Update: Contract Signed Between Petermann & Bus Drivers

04/17/2019

Lakota Local Schools has been notified that an agreement on an amended contract has been reached between its bus provider, Petermann Transportation, and its drivers. The negotiations have ended and a new contract is in place.

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Agreement Reached: Transportation to Continue

04/16/2019

Overnight, an agreement was reached between Petermann Transportation and its drivers. The strike has been avoided. Transportation for any students who utilize Lakota busing will begin this morning, as the bus drivers have agreed to return to work.

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Transportation Video Update from the Superintendent

04/16/2019

Please watch this special video message from Lakota Superintendent Matthew Miller, who reflects on the last 24 hours of communications surrounding the negotiations between the school district's busing provider, Petermann Transportation, and their bus drivers. Since sending this morning's communication, we have received the unfortunate news from Petermann that the agreement is still tentative, pending the outcome of another vote this evening. For this reason, we must all prepare for another potential strike.

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Petermann Bus Drivers Announce Strike, No Transportation Until Further Notice

04/15/2019

This evening, Lakota Local Schools was notified that its contracted bus provider, Petermann Transportation, could not reach an agreement in contract negotiations with its drivers. The bus drivers have chosen to strike, effective immediately. This means that beginning the morning of Tuesday, April 16, busing will not be available to any students who utilize Lakota school transportation until the drivers return to work. This includes special education preschoolers and high-schoolers, as well as parochial school students.

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Lakota/BCESC Relocating to VanGorden in August

04/12/2019

The Butler County Educational Service Center and Lakota preschool program will have a new home for the 2019-20 school year; the program will move to VanGorden Elementary School in the fall. The decision to consolidate the program to one school is a result of the recent enrollment study the district commissioned.

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Lakota Military Commitment Ceremony April 30

04/11/2019

Lakota is inviting the community on April 30 to help honor this year's Lakota East and Lakota West graduates who have committed to serve our country through any branch of the U.S. Military.

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Union Students Use Technology to Educate Peers

04/08/2019

Students became the teachers at Union Elementary School thanks to a fifth grade project. Olivia Overberg’s tutorial and enrichment (T & E) students were able to choose a topic of interest that they would then teach to their peers. Working in groups, student choice was at play as they chose a subject to study and then create a documentary to share their results.

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Latest Shout-Outs (March 29, 2019)

04/05/2019

There are so many great things going on around Lakota. Here are the latest shout-outs about our student and staff accomplishments.

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Destination Imagination Hands-On, Collaborative and Fun

04/04/2019

Lakota’s Destination Imagination program is thriving and has grown to 10 teams over the last four years. And while you can measure the program’s success by regional awards won or the number of teams that go on to compete at the state level, the program’s impact on participants goes well beyond competitions.

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Family Heritage Festival an Independence Tradition

04/03/2019

A special tradition at Independence Elementary School has family tradition at its core. For more than 15 years, the school’s Family Heritage Festival has followed a social studies unit on immigration, challenging fourth-graders to explore their own family history. The culmination of the students’ research and creativity is a worldwide culture fair spread across five different classrooms complete with native dress, food and, in some cases, artifacts.

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Ridge Art Club Opens Doors to Cincinnati Zoo

04/02/2019

Without time in her schedule to take an art class this year, Ridge Junior School’s Art Club has given eighth-grader Abby Wilson an alternative outlet for pursuing her passion. It’s also helped her land a spot at the Cincinnati Zoo to showcase her work. Wilson was among just 40 Cincinnati-area youth artists - including very few junior high school honorees - selected to hand-paint a rain barrel with her original winning design.

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East Students Engineer Solutions to Change Lives

04/01/2019

How does Lakota East and Butler Tech engineering teacher Ken Kinch motivate his students? He hands them a project that has the potential to change someone’s life. For East senior Cali Hoffman and the rest of her team, that someone is a four-year-old at Shawnee Early Childhood School who was born without a hand. Since the beginning of the school year, they have dedicated every minute of class - and then some - to create a fully customized and functional prosthetic hand for her.

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Heritage has Heart: Art and Technology Combine

03/29/2019

Every student at Heritage Early Childhood School recently created a heart-themed art project. Not for Valentine’s Day, but to echo the school’s positive behavior initiative, Heritage has HEART. Students earn hearts, either individually or as a class, by demonstrating the aspects of the school’s motto.

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Lakota Earns Auditor of State Award for Fifth Time

03/28/2019

Fiscal responsibility and transparency are top priorities for Jenni Logan, Lakota’s treasurer/CFO. “One of the pillars of our new strategic plan states that WE are fiscally responsible,” said Logan. “This is something that I have always taken very seriously.” Logan’s commitment to fiscal responsibility has earned the district the prestigious Auditor of State Award with Distinction for the fifth consecutive year. One of the highest financial honors at the State level for outstanding financial accountability, the district has also received a clean audit report for the fifth year in a row.

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Students Take Center Stage at 2019 State of the Schools

03/27/2019

A new twist on Lakota’s second annual “State of the Schools” address had Lakota East High School’s Main Street bustling with activity on March 13. A school showcase preceded the more formal address from Superintendent Matthew Miller and his guest speakers, putting on display the innovative learning happening throughout Lakota’s 23 schools. From new learning spaces like a student-inspired greenhouse, a culinary center and the early childhood schools’ new Wonder Labs to digital learning through video conferencing, virtual reality and video production - the K-12 Lakota learning experience came alive for hundreds of visitors. In case you missed it, we captured the whole thing on video!

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March 30 CommUnity University: Tackling the 4Es After Graduation

03/26/2019

Lakota’s monthly learning series, Family & Parent CommUnity University in partnership with Miami University Voice of America, continues Saturday, March 30 from 8 a.m. to noon with a session titled, “You’ve Graduated! What’s Next?” Whether your post-graduation plans include enrollment, employment, enlistment or entrepreneurship, or the “4 Es,” get helpful tips and advice for that next step.

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Freedom Sixth-Graders Present Ted Talks

03/19/2019

Most adults have probably watched, or at least heard of, Ted Talks. Elementary students? Not so much. However, sixth-graders at Freedom Elementary School have not only watched Ted Talks, they’ve presented the short, powerful speeches in front of their peers.

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Speaker Series Gives West Creative Writers New Perspective

03/19/2019

“Writing is hard work." “Just get it on paper.” Coming from someone who writes for a living, these words seemed to carry a lot of weight for the Lakota West students sitting in Eileen Washburn’s creative writing class last week.

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Early Childhood Students Go Sledding without Snow

03/18/2019

Lack of snow didn’t stop students at Hopewell and Shawnee early childhood schools from getting some sledding in last week. Students paired up in teams to race sleds they built during a unique class collaboration.

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Lakota Shout-Outs (March 8, 2019)

03/14/2019

So many great things going on around Lakota. Here are the latest Shout-Outs about students and staff!

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Celebrating Lakota Learning Day

03/12/2019

It’s not just the classrooms that look different… rows of desks have been replaced with flexible seating options like comfy chairs and standing desks. But learning has taken on a whole new look as well. Last week, Lakota turned National Digital Learning Day into Lakota Learning Day to celebrate these changes.

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March 13: Students Take Center Stage at State of the Schools

03/11/2019

“Students tell our story best,” said Lakota Superintendent Matthew Miller. That’s why students will take center stage at Lakota’s second annual “State of the Schools,” happening Wednesday, March 13.

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Help Honor Lakota's Educators of Excellence, Nominations Due April 5

03/05/2019

Following with tradition, the Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools, is currently accepting nominations for the 2019 Lakota Educator of Excellence Awards. Outstanding educators can be nominated to receive this honor by students, colleagues, parents or any community member who wishes to acknowledge an educator’s exceptional effort. Nominations are not limited to classroom teachers. Award recipients may be any person (teacher, administrator, counselor, support staff, etc.) working with young people in the Lakota School District.

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Online Registration for 2019-2020 Kindergartners Now Open

03/01/2019

Open registration for Lakota’s all-day kindergarten program opens today, March 1, and run through April 5. For the first time, Lakota will be offering incoming families the convenient option to register online. All students are eligible for the all-day kindergarten option, with the option to enroll in the half-day program, if desired.

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Chemistry Project Finds East a Place on International Art Piece

03/01/2019

An historical international fixture hanging in the Science Teaching Complex at the University of Waterloo Canada will forever be stamped with the artwork of a Lakota East student.

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A Look Around Lakota: February Video Update

03/01/2019

Please enjoy the next edition of our monthly video update, A Look Around Lakota. Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just a few of the highlights from around the district.

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Union Celebrates Black History Month through Music

02/28/2019

Students at Union Elementary taught a valuable history lesson through music this week. “In the classroom, it’s easy to get caught up in the more technical side of music like rhythms and instruments,” said first year Union music teacher Delaney Roberts. “But students aren’t always exposed to the historical side of music.”

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Student-Created Mural Captures Spirit of Community at Wyandot

02/28/2019

You can’t help but notice the beautiful mural in the cafeteria at Wyandot Early Childhood School. After all, it is 20’ high by 80’ long – and includes a paper doll representation of each student and staff member, nearly 700 in all.

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East, West ASL Programs Make Strong Statement at Center Court

02/28/2019

The scene at center court before the East vs. West boys basketball game on Feb. 8 was something American Sign Language teachers Katie Nicol and Jessica Frye had only imagined. But it wasn’t until West junior Lauren Petersen approached them with the same vision that it actually became a reality.

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Mock Interviews Prepare CRA Students for Next Step

02/27/2019

Sitting down for your very first interview can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially with questions like these: “Tell me about yourself.” “What are three words you would use to describe yourself and why?” “What is one of your greatest weaknesses?” They are tough questions to tackle, but students at Lakota's Career Readiness Academy (CRA) are prepared to answer them.

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Lakota Shout-Outs: Feb. 22

02/26/2019

There are lots of great things happening around Lakota. Here are some recent special shout-outs to students and staff members.

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Summer Fun Fair Promises Over 100 Vendors, Free Raffle with $5000 in Prizes

02/25/2019

Lakota East and West’s hallways will soon be lined with over 100 organizations offering summer youth activities. It’s all part of Lakota’s seventh annual Summer Fun Fair events taking place on Monday, March 4 at Lakota East High School and Wednesday, March 6 at Lakota West High School, both from 6-8 p.m.

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East, West Go Orange and Gold for Dragonfly, Raise More Than $10K

02/20/2019

The student sections at two crosstown basketball games on Jan. 25 may have been painted two different colors, but their mission was the same.

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Nominations Sought for Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit Awards

02/20/2019

Nominations are being accepted now through March 22 for 2019 Barb Bossu Volunteer Spirit awards.

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Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Theater Productions

02/19/2019

It’s time to mark your calendars to see Lakota’s talented students in their upcoming theater productions. This year’s spring lineup includes something for everyone.

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Student Videos Welcome Sixth-Graders to Ridge

02/15/2019

The transition from sixth to seventh grade can be daunting. Ridge Junior School teacher Alexandra Cook tasked her students to help ease the way. Cook used the video production unit in her Media Design and Communications class as an opportunity to get her students involved. The project: create a video to welcome incoming seventh graders to Ridge.

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Plains Puts Digital Spin on Traditional Language Arts Unit

02/15/2019

A digital spin on a traditional language arts unit got Plains Junior School students outside of the four walls of their classroom in more ways than one.

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Latest Lakota Shout Outs

02/14/2019

So many great things are going on around Lakota. Read about the latest Shout Outs that highlight our talented artists, musicians and athletes.

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Students Tour the World With Multicultural Events

02/14/2019

Students at Cherokee Elementary and Creekside Early Childhood schools went on a world tour recently. Events at both schools were an opportunity to celebrate the different heritages of their students and learn about different cultures.

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Spontaneous Food Drive a Glimpse into LODI's Year-Long Efforts

02/13/2019

Lakota schools may have been closed last Friday for inclement weather, but Central Office was bustling with volunteers - and mounds of canned goods. After three consecutive days of no school, including school-provided breakfasts and lunches, Lakota’s Outreach Diversity and Inclusion (LODI) department organized a spontaneous food drive to provide emergency relief to 55 area families. Using staff email and the viral power of social media, the district put out a call for support and within just two hours, the front lobby at Central Office was overflowing with donations.

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New High School Schedule Adds Seventh Bell, Gives Students More Flexibility

02/12/2019

More opportunities for Lakota high school students is on the horizon. As registration season opened at the end of January, the district announced expanded options for its seventh class period.

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WE are Pushing Boundaries: Winter 2019 Community Newsletter

02/05/2019

Several times a year, Lakota produces a community newsletter to help parents and residents stay informed about important district-wide news and updates. The piece is mailed to every household and business in West Chester Township and Liberty Township for just 16 cents per piece. The winter 2019 edition, titled "WE are Pushing Boundaries", was mailed to all residents this week. If you do not receive a copy at your home or if you need additional copies, please visit Lakota’s Central Office or any school’s main office.

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Superintendent to Deliver State of the Schools March 13

02/04/2019

Superintendent Matthew Miller will deliver the district’s second annual “State of the Schools” address on March 13. The event is open to the entire community.

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Mobile Dentist to Visit Lakota Elementary, ECS Schools

02/04/2019

Last week, 21 Freedom Elementary students got a full dental exam with x-rays -- without having to leave school. Lakota’s new partnership with the Primary Health Solutions Mobile Dental Program made it possible.

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2019-2020 Kindergarten Registration Underway

02/01/2019

Open registration for Lakota’s all-day kindergarten program is now open. All students are eligible for the all-day kindergarten option, with the option to enroll in the half-day program, if desired.

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Creekside Economics Unit Teaches the Value of Hard-Earned Dollar

02/01/2019

A lot of lessons were wrapped up in a recent economics unit that tasked Creekside ECS second-graders with just one homework assignment over winter break: household chores.

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Q&A with Lakota's Second Career Educators

01/31/2019

For these five Lakota educators, K-12 education was a second or third stop in their career paths. But in the end, the decision to push their own professional boundaries has landed them in a place where they were meant to be.

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Lakota Students Big Winners in Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Contest

01/31/2019

Lakota high school students were big winners in the Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards with 99 students amassing 187 individual awards. “I’m not quite sure but these could be record-breaking results,” said West Visual Arts Teacher Stephanie Gauer.

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Regional Bus Tour Stops at East to Show Student Voice in Action

01/30/2019

Lakota East High School was one of just four stops on a bus tour designed to showcase innovative learning spaces around the Greater Cincinnati region. Hosted by the Hamilton County Educational Service Center (HCESC), the tour gave 55 local educators and students an inside look at each school’s journey to redesigning their spaces and leading change.

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Inaugural 'WE are Lakota Honor Choir' Performs for the Community

01/29/2019

With the return of daily specials this school year for grades K-6 has come yet another opportunity for sixth-graders to take their music skills to the next level. “Music is an art form that needs to be performed,” explained Hopewell Junior School choir teacher Jennifer Akers. “Yet most of our students come to us in seventh grade with no concept of what an evening choir performance looks like."

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Playtime is More than Meets the Eye at Wyandot ECS

01/28/2019

For the kindergarten team at Wyandot Early Childhood School, right up there with reading, writing and math is open playtime - which is exactly why they’ve created something this year called “Play Workshop.”

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Students Share Words of Wisdom at 20th Annual MLK Day Program

01/25/2019

“The common ground is that we are all Americans. The human pyramid is a reminder that we are one. It doesn’t matter what you look like. You are an important piece of the pyramid. If one falls, we all fall, but if we stand strong together, we can do anything together.” These were the words of Wyandot Early Childhood School first-grader Nicci Back, as she explained her winning painting in this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. student writing and art contest.

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Student Reimagines, Transforms West Freshman Innovation Hub

01/24/2019

Lakota West freshman Lora Broz did more than just reimagine her school’s media center, recently turned Innovation Hub. She made her vision a reality, rolling out the red carpet for her classmates’ return from winter break and just in time for the school’s rollout of Chromebooks to every student.

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West Chester Hospital Medical Series Takes Off at East, West

01/24/2019

his week’s spotlight on the rehab services industry blazed the trail for a first-ever 10-week medical speaker series that UC Health West Chester Hospital is hosting at both Lakota East and Lakota West high schools.

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Indy Third-Graders Explore Passions with Personal Learning Projects

01/23/2019

Did you know that human DNA is 50 percent identical to the DNA of bananas? Third grade students at Independence Elementary School learned interesting facts like this and more while researching their Personal Learning Projects (PLP).

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One-to-One Initiative Launches at High Schools, Freshman Campuses

01/15/2019

Students at the freshman buildings and high schools returned from winter break only to receive one more present. Nearly 4,000 district-owned Chromebooks were distributed to students in grades nine-through-eleven as part of Lakota’s WE are Empowered initiative.

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Lakota Launches into 2019: Here WE Go Social Media Contest

01/04/2019

Lakota is launching into 2019 and has a lot to look forward to in the new year! We'd love to hear from the Lakota community about what you are trying new this year or what you are looking forward to in 2019.

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Lakota District, Five Schools Receive ODE's Momentum Award

01/03/2019

Lakota Local Schools, including five individual schools within the district, has received the Ohio Department of Education’s Momentum Award for 2018. Additionally, two schools received the All A Award.

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East, West Collaborate to Expand ASL Holiday Tradition

12/28/2018

Since 1993, Lakota West American Sign Language teacher Gwen Trujillo has been challenging her ASL students to learn and sign a holiday song from start to finish for their peers. But a new twist introduced this year by ASL teachers Katie Nicol and Jessica Frye transformed the tradition into a learning experience for ASL students at all levels.

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West Chester Hospital Hosts High School Medical Speaker Series

12/21/2018

Both Lakota East and Lakota West high schools are partnering with UC Health West Chester Hospital to bring students a 10-week medical speaker series that kicks of Jan. 9.

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December Video Update: A Look Around Lakota

12/21/2018

Please enjoy our next installment of A Look Around Lakota. This month's edition takes you into our schools to highlight some of the many happenings in our district, including the new strategic plan, the Lakota Cyber Academy, and service learning.

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East's Student Voice Efforts Highlighted on National Stage

12/21/2018

Empowering student voice is something in which schools in Lakota excel. Just ask Dr. Blaine Alexander from the Arkansas Leadership Academy. Recently, administrators, teachers and students who are passionate about empowering student voice gathered at the University of Arkansas to participate in the Student Voice Institute.

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Lakota's Youngest and Oldest Students Build Special Bonds

12/20/2018

Liberty ECS second-grader Isaiah Givens greets Assistant Principal Caryn Gross each day with a hug and a countdown that goes something like this: “Seven more days until Big PAWS! I wish we had it every single day!”

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Jan. 21: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration

12/19/2018

The entire West Chester Liberty community is invited to the 20th annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 21. 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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Students Lead Way in Giving Back this Holiday Season

12/18/2018

Learning through service is a year-round occurrence in Lakota classrooms. But during the holiday season, it takes a front row seat in many of our schools.

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Lakota School Board Approves New Strategic Plan

12/17/2018

At its Dec. 10 meeting, the Lakota Board of Education unanimously approved a new three-year strategic plan for the district. “This new strategic plan has been designed to be a blueprint for Lakota’s future,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller. “It reflects where we are now and where we want to go.”

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2019-2020 Preschool Registration Open through Jan. 31

12/12/2018

The registration application for Lakota's tuition-based preschool program is now available and will run Jan. 3 through Jan. 31. An informational meeting for parents will be held on Jan. 23 at Liberty Early Childhood School at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium.

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Save the Date, Exhibit at Lakota Summer Fun Fair March 4 & 6

12/11/2018

Does your business or organization offer a summer program or activity that’s perfect for kids? Are you looking for ways to keep your kids active this summer? Lakota Local Schools will partner with more than 100 local businesses and organizations to host its seventh annual Summer Fun Fair this March 4 and 6. The event features local organizations with programs and services to keep students in grades K-12 active this summer. Vendors range from summer camps, learning centers and childcare facilities to athletic leagues, art programs and local parks and recreation.

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Adena Has High Hopes for New Greenhouse Learning Space

12/07/2018

Adena Elementary has big plans for a new greenhouse just gifted to the school by Eagle Scout hopeful and Lakota West Freshman Matthew Hollowell.

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East Teacher's Passion Project Delivers Engineering, Technology Career Day

12/06/2018

It’s not every day that the school gymnasium doubles as a holding place for robots, augmented reality, a topographical sand pit, model bridges and other representations of career paths marked by technology and engineering skills. But on Nov. 16, this was the scene at Lakota East High School as about 15 local businesses put their best work on display.

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Lakota Shout Outs: Nov. 30

12/05/2018

The latest Lakota Shout Outs go to the Lakota East Marching Band, some Women of Excellence with Lakota ties, and a Lakota West student photographer who won the grand prize in a local contest. Congratulations to all!

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ECS Students Start the Day Calm, Focused and Ready for Learning

12/04/2018

Every single day, over 600 Wyandot students start their morning calm and focused, ready for learning. Many other Lakota early childhood students begin their school day the same way. It’s because of a program called Mindful Music Moments.

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'Above the Line' Volunteers Build Special Relationships

12/04/2018

Each day from 10:45 to 11:50 a.m., you’ll see Plains Junior students building special relationships by working together on academic activities, getting some exercise in the gym and moving through the lunch line side-by-side.

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#LakotaGivesBack on Social Media

12/04/2018

This December, as we celebrate the season of giving as the ultimate example of what is encouraged in our schools all year long, help us highlight all the ways Lakota staff, students, parents and residents care for one another and give back to the community. Look back on the last year and help us recap the many acts of service that have happened all year long.

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Lakota to Launch New Cyber Security Academy

12/03/2018

Computer hackers beware! A new wave of cyber security analysts will be coming from Lakota Local Schools. Beginning in the fall of 2019, the new Lakota Cyber Academy program will launch for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

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Lakota Students Collaborate to Solve Real World Challenges

11/26/2018

Three school districts joined together with Butler Tech to put real-world learning into practice at an event known as Project Chaos. Approximately 100 students from Lakota, Loveland, Middletown and Butler Tech worked together to offer solutions on how best to solve the problem of making transportation available to everyone.

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Student-Athletes Recognized During Signing Events

11/21/2018

Lakota East and West Athletic Departments hosted their first college athletic signing events of the year on Nov. 14, the first day of the NCAA National Letter of Intent signing period for fall sports (except football). Congratulations to these student-athletes who signed early commitments to continue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.

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#LakotaGivesThanks on Social Media

11/20/2018

As we count down the days to Thanksgiving break, Lakota is asking staff, students, parents and residents to help us count all the ways we are blessed as a school community. Looking back at the last year, who or what gives you a good reason to be thankful for your Lakota experience?

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Sport Stacking at Shawnee, Hopewell Exercises Brains & Bodies

11/20/2018

In addition to being part of a worldwide event, students at Shawnee and Hopewell early childhood schools got to exercise both their bodies and their brains in gym class last week.

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November Video Update: A Look Around Lakota

11/20/2018

Please enjoy this next edition of "A Look Around Lakota." In this month's video update, Superintendent Matthew Miller is joined by Treasurer Jenni Logan to provide a special update about Lakota's recent five-year financial forecast. Plus, see more district-wide highlights from November!

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#GivingTuesday Kicks Off Year-End #GiveLakota Campaign

11/19/2018

The Community Foundation of West Chester Liberty, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools, invites the community to transform #Giving Tuesday into #GiveLakota this Nov. 27, in support of The Lakota Schools Foundation.

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Lakota Students & Staff Present, Perform at State Conference

11/19/2018

Lakota Local Schools was well represented at the Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference. The annual event, held in Columbus, includes three days of in-depth learning for school administrators and board members from across the state.

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New Student Groups Take Action this Veteran's Day

11/16/2018

Veteran’s Day gave two new student groups at the high school an opportunity to shine, but most importantly, do what they set out to do this school year: honor our local veterans. Although the recent Tri-State Honor Flight brought the Patriotic Firebirds and East Veterans Network together in a unique way last month, both groups are forging their own path. Even just a few months after their inception, both have several impactful programs underway, not to mention even bigger plans for the future.

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New Netflix Series Features Plains Junior Family

11/16/2018

Several Plains Junior seventh-graders will make their first television appearance on a Netflix documentary series called “Dogs” premiering on Nov. 16. Although not the focus, their parts support an emotional story about Plains Junior seventh-grader Corrine Gogolewski and her family. They were followed by a production crew for an entire month last fall while she and her twin sister, Carly, were sixth-graders at Endeavor Elementary. They follow the family’s journey through receiving, training and welcoming Corinne’s service dog, Rory, into their family.

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Cherokee Student One of Only Six Tri-State "Heroes of Character"

11/13/2018

The standing ovation Cherokee Elementary sixth-grader Landyn Bomar received from a gymnasium full of his classmates last week demonstrated that his depth of his character went far deeper than the words expressed in a recent nomination letter from his former teacher, Todd Overbeck.

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Liberty Junior's 'Hawk's Choice' Offers Over 30 Learning Activities

11/12/2018

Advisory period at Liberty Junior School looked a little different last week. Encouraging teacher voice, student voice and student choice were all a part of creating an event called Hawk’s Choice.

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Lakota East's 4E Day 'Not Your Grandma's Career Day'

11/08/2018

For the first time, Lakota East dedicated an entire afternoon to encouraging students to explore the full range of post-graduation options available to them. Called “4E Day,” the event tapped into 70-plus local professionals representing career paths involving one or more of the 4Es Lakota promotes to all students: employment, enrollment, enlistment and entrepreneurship.

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Cherokee Sixth-Grader Youngest of Only Six Tri-State “Heroes of Character”

11/07/2018

Cherokee Elementary sixth-grader Landyn Bomar was among just six students in the Tri-State honored at the Oct. 25 Heroes of Character Celebration. Hosted by the Character Council, which serves Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana, the event honors youth and adults who consistently demonstrate outstanding character traits in their everyday lives. Landyn was the youngest recipient of all six student honorees.

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Over 200 Lakota Students Take Part in Honor Flight Tri-State

11/06/2018

Over 200 Lakota students honored 75 veterans as they participated in Honor Flight Tri-State’s last flight of the year on Oct. 23. The morning began bright and early for a group of about 20 Lakota West students, as they headed to CVG airport at 3:30 a.m. in order to welcome the veterans and their guardians to their flight. The event was organized by the school’s new club, Patriotic Firebirds. Advisor Kristin Henley explains that the purpose of the group “is to support Firebirds who have joined the military or who are in the process of joining the military, their families and all veterans.”

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Lakota Leads Crosstown Food Drive, but Three Communities Win

11/05/2018

The longstanding tradition behind Lakota’s annual food drive, hosted by the Lakota Board of Education, helped the district bring home a win in the inaugural match-up against neighboring school districts Mason and Middletown. But the real winners were all three communities that collectively brought in more than 53,000 items for their respective relief organizations.

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Nov. 17 CommUnity University: Understanding Gender-Expansive Youth

11/01/2018

Lakota’s new monthly learning series, Family & Parent CommUnity University in partnership with Miami University Voice of America, continues with a session focused on understanding the complexities of gender-expansive youth. In the spirit of love, curiosity and respect, Lakota parents, staff and residents are encouraged to attend Saturday, Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. to noon at Miami VOA Learning Center, located at 7847 VOA Park Drive.

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New Junior School Elective Explores Media and Communication

10/29/2018

Creativity and communication have Lakota’s junior school students thinking about media in a whole new way. Media Design and Communication, a new English elective, gives students the opportunity to explore communication through a wide variety of tools and media. Students are also challenged to apply media and communication to real world learning.

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Endeavor Turns Tradition Upside Down for Future-Ready Experience

10/24/2018

When the sixth grade teaching team at Endeavor Elementary was seeking a future-ready experience for their students, they looked no further than one of the school’s longest standing traditions - an annual field trip to Camp Kern.

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Welding Engineer Helps Connect the Dots on Industrial Revolutions

10/24/2018

Which invention had a bigger impact on our world - the steam boat or the light bulb, the telephone or the elevator, the 3D printer or the smartphone?

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Wyandot Students Partner with Canadian Second-Graders

10/23/2018

The world is getting a little smaller for Wyandot second-graders in Melissa Riehle’s class. That’s because they are participating in the 9th annual Global Read Aloud (GRA).

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October 2018 Video Update: A Look Around Lakota

10/23/2018

Please enjoy this next edition of "A Look Around Lakota." In this month's video update, Superintendent Matthew Miller shares just some of the highlights and happenings around Lakota in October.

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High Schools Kick Off Theater Season

10/23/2018

Lakota high schools are getting ready for their first theater productions of the school year. Get your tickets now to see our talented students present these top-notch plays: James and the Giant Peach, Jr. and Radium Girls.

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One-to-One Chromebook Pilot Expands to High Schools

10/22/2018

Lakota Local Schools is excited to announce the district is expanding its one-to-one (1:1) technology pilot to both Lakota East and Lakota West students in January.

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Lakota Offers 'E+R+O' Parent Training Oct. 25 & Nov. 8

10/19/2018

Has your son asked you to “press pause?” Have you heard your daughter say that something is “above the line?” Are you wondering what it all means? Lakota Local Schools is offering parents two opportunities to learn what E+R=O is all about and why we are teaching it district-wide.

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Liberty ECS Celebrates 90 Years

10/16/2018

Liberty Early Childhood School, in partnership with the Liberty Township Historical Society, celebrated the school’s 90th birthday on Sept. 16. The school welcomed past and present students, parents, teachers and residents to bear witness to the opening of a time capsule buried in 1976 following the building’s restoration.

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Students Become Archaeologists in Indy's Innovation Lab

10/15/2018

Fourth grade archaeologists in Susan Smith’s class took over the new Innovation Lab at Independence Elementary this week. They rotated between four hands-on stations using ingredients like cookie dough, bread and gummy candies to learn about trace fossils, molds and casts, and fossil creation.

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MLK Day Writing, Art Contest Encourages Students to 'Find a Common Ground'

10/12/2018

In preparation for our community’s 20th 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.

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Oct. 20 CommUnity University Focuses on Mental Health

10/11/2018

Lakota’s new monthly learning series, Family & Parent CommUnity University in partnership with Miami University Voice of America, continues with a session focused on students’ mental and emotional health. Lakota parents, staff and residents are encouraged to attend Saturday, Oct. 20 from 8 a.m. to noon at Miami VOA.

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West's Fourth Annual Cultural Fair Has New Twist

10/10/2018

Students in the English Language Learners (ELL) program at Lakota West had an opportunity to share about their cultures and home countries at the school’s annual Cultural Fair. Guests were able to hear about what life is like in many different countries from 35 student presenters.

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Hopewell Junior Community Profits from Inaugural "Color Run"

10/09/2018

Who knew that combining colored corn starch, community and competition could result in more than $18,000? The final fundraising figure was a welcome surprise for the school and PTSO leaders behind Hopewell Junior School’s inaugural “Color Run” on Sept. 28.

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First High School Open Houses Welcome Future Families

10/08/2018

Lakota is welcoming future and prospective students to visit its two high schools on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 for the district’s first open house. “We are excited to invite both up-and-coming students and families who may be considering Lakota to visit our open houses,” said Superintendent Matthew Miller. “We are proud of the high quality, student-centered education we provide and w

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