Building Tomorrow: Lakota's Community-Driven Facilities Plan

As Lakota continues to develop its new Master Facilities Plan (MFP), the School Board and District are dedicated to involving the community throughout the process. Over the next several months, there will be numerous opportunities for community members and staff to provide their input in various formats.

Surveys

In February, the District partnered with Fallon Research and Communications to conduct a public opinion study on various aspects of the school district. This formal survey covered a wide range of topics, including facilities and building conditions. While opinions varied between renovation and new construction, the majority of respondents agreed that something should be done with Lakota’s schools.

In April, the District conducted a ThoughtExchange online engagement survey to gather community questions about the MFP. Over 500 participants shared or rated 300 thoughts. The responses supported the Fallon study, with participants sharing a common interest in improving the District’s facilities in a fiscally responsible way.

The results of this informal survey will guide communications to help the community better understand the MFP process. The top topics noted are the timeline for implementation of the MFP, along with questions surrounding how the changes will impact students and taxpayers. 

Focus Groups

The educational programs offered by Lakota will drive the design process. “We want to make sure that we are building spaces that align with your curriculum,” Lisa Cameron Gulley, a senior designer with architectural firm Elevar Design Group, told the MFP committee. This month, Lakota will partner with Elevar to hold a visioning session around this topic. Invited participants will discuss what education looks like for students in grades 9-12 now and what it could look like in the future. Additional focus groups for other grade bands are being planned.

Community Feedback

After sharing insights from the visioning sessions with the community, the District will launch follow-up ThoughtExchanges to gather additional feedback. “This is a really exciting conversation,” board member Christina French told the committee at its April 1 meeting. “We have the opportunity to really engage the larger community.”

More Engagement Opportunities

Small and large community meetings are being planned over the next several months to update residents and answer questions. These events will be shared on Lakota’s website and Facebook page. District leaders also welcome the opportunity to attend formal and informal meetings to update the community on this very important topic. If you would like to invite Superintendent Ashley Whitely, Treasurer Adam Zink or others to attend your event, please email lakota@lakotaonline.com.