From the Superintendent

Welcome to Lakota Local Schools! 

August 2025

WE are Building OUR Future…One Piece at a Time

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year at Lakota Local Schools.

Imagine a nearly finished jigsaw puzzle—the edges locked in place, and suddenly, the picture begins to emerge. This image captures the spirit of our school year ahead. At Lakota, we believe that WE are Building OUR Future…One Piece at a Time, and every student, staff member, parent and community partner holds a vital piece of that puzzle.

This year, we’re anchoring our work in the R-Factor Performance Pathway, guided by the principle E + R = O, where an Event plus your Response impacts the Outcome. It’s a simple but powerful idea: while we can’t always control the events we face, we can choose how we respond. These intentional responses shape not only our outcomes, but also our culture. Whether you’re new to Lakota or have been part of our journey for years, this framework will help us all connect, grow and thrive and will be the foundation for a culture blueprint and strategic plan that we will build this year. 

Additional areas that will help us grow and thrive include our work on Lakota’s Master Facilities Plan (MFP) and building a new strategic plan. Our school board and committee continue to work towards a blueprint for our schools that will:

• Enhance educational programming and opportunities for our students;
• Alleviate overcrowding at many of our schools and lower class sizes;
• Take advantage of a 32% co-funding opportunity with the State to renovate 12 of our existing schools and build four new elementary schools; and
• Achieve operational savings that will eliminate the need for a future operating levy that would have a higher net impact on our taxpayers.

I hope you’ll join us for informational sessions we will hold throughout the upcoming months. More information about the MFP, as well as meeting dates, can be found on our website.

Work on building a new strategic plan will begin in November. This plan will be our blueprint for the future of Lakota Local Schools and how best to educate our students. Last year I held over 100 listening sessions with our community to hear what you think we do well, where we can improve and how I can best support you as the superintendent. This feedback will be one key component in building our new strategic plan. 

As we move forward this school year, together, we’ll build memories, partnerships and a future that reflects the best of who we are. From teachers and bus drivers to custodians and administrators, from parents to community members to our local business partners, every person contributes a unique shape and color to the vibrant picture we’re creating together…for our students. Let’s continue placing each piece with purpose, shaping a future that is beautifully complete—because it supports our students as we build OUR future, one piece at a time.

Dr. Ashley Whitely
Superintendent/CEO