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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.