Regular Meeting Schedule
Generally, the Lakota Board of
Education holds a regular board meeting on the second Monday night of each month at 6:30 p.m. Unless otherwise indicated, regular meetings are held at Lakota Plains Junior School (5500 Princeton Road) in the Media Center.
Dates and locations for board meetings are tracked on the board meeting
calendar (at right), which is updated as any schedule changes are
announced.
Other special meetings and changes of time may be called, as needed, and will be announced consistent with Ohio law.
Work Session Schedule
Generally, the Lakota Board of Education holds a work session on the fourth Monday night of each month at 6:30 p.m. Unless otherwise indicated, these work sessions are held at Lakota Plains Junior School (5500 Princeton Road) in the Media Center. Dates and locations for board work sessions are tracked on the board meeting calendar (at right), which is updated as any schedule changes are announced.
The work sessions give board members the opportunity to dive deeper into topics affecting our schools. There is not an opportunity for public comment during these work sessions; however, regular board meetings offer two opportunities for public comment .
Other special meetings and changes of time may be called, as needed, and will be announced consistent with Ohio law.
Executive Sessions
All school board meetings are
open to the public. During regular meetings, the board may call a
closed-door session, called an executive session. Ohio law allows
executive sessions for discussion only, and only to discuss personnel,
property purchases, pending legal action, employee negotiations, or
security. The board may not take any votes or other action during
executive sessions.
Public Comment
We welcome comments and
questions at regular board meetings. Public participants must be residents of
the school district or Lakota staff, and have a legitimate interest in
the action of the school board. Public comment is limited to three
minutes.
Two opportunities to address the board will be given during each meeting. The first opportunity is when
members of the public may direct concerns, suggestions, questions, or
comments to the Board on agenda items only. At the end of the meeting, a second opportunity is available to address items not on the agenda. Members of the public may address the board during both times, but on different topics.
During the "Public Comments" sections
of the meeting, local residents who would like to address the board are
invited to the podium. You will be asked to state your name and address,
and may speak for up to three minutes. The public participation
session is normally limited to 45 minutes.
To protect employees' rights to
privacy, the board does not hear complaints or comments about specific
employees in public session.
In general, the board oversees
district-wide issues and policies. If you have individual concerns about
a specific situation or student, it's best to first talk with the
teacher, building principal, or school administrator. Lakota's goal is
to work together with parents to resolve issues quickly, and staff
members closest to the situation are oftentimes better able to do so.
However, if you still have questions or concerns after working with the staff member, please contact the superintendent or assistant superintendent.
Board Response
If appropriate, the
board will occasionally respond immediately to questions or comments,
but will often instruct the superintendent or treasurer to do further
research and report back to the board and resident. If you have specific
questions, you will receive a response either at the meeting or shortly
thereafter. The board wants to ensure that it is fully informed before
responding, and so if your questions are not addressed during the
meeting, this does not indicate a lack of interest on the board's part.
A response will be forthcoming.