District News

Thursday, May 22 was the last day of school for all Lakota students. We hope that everyone has a safe and fun summer break with family and friends. Here are some important summer and back to school updates, including summer hours, Lakota's USDA summer food service program, work permits, back-to-school dates, transportation requests, FinalForms and school supply lists.

Students, staff and community members recently came together to dream big about the future of Lakota Schools—and the ideas were inspiring. From flexible learning spaces to outdoor classrooms and student-centered design, these visioning sessions are shaping what comes next in Lakota's continuing Master Facilities Planning process.

A unique business idea devised by Heritage ECS first graders transformed the school into a storefront one night this month. In the end, their business model served both birds and people and the real world learning experience was a culminating showcase of what they’d learned in all different subject areas this year.

Lakota Local Schools is proud to present its final group of "Lakota Gem Award" winners for the 2024-2025 school year - the teachers, administrators and support staff who bring a sparkle to our schools. Selected from a pool of over 400 nominations submitted since October, Lakota’s most precious gems for May include: Creekside ECS teacher Amanda Benjamin, Endeavor Elementary nurse Brianne Kopecky, Hopewell Junior teacher Robyn Parrish, Lakota East High School principal Matthew MacFarlane and Lakota Superintendent Ashley Whitely. 

Read all about the facets that make these Lakota staff members shine. Plan to nominate someone whose brilliance makes a difference in our schools when the nomination form reopens at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

Stop by Savannah Hawley’s corner of Heritage Early Childhood School on any given day and your visit will double as a trip to the bakery, laundromat, an ice cream shop, the doctor’s office or the police station. Beneath the surface of the speech language pathologist’s regular rotation of themed play stations is a very intentional strategy to help each of her students achieve their own personal speech goals. 

Lakota's 2025 Secondary Summer School dates and deadlines.

The Northern Cincinnati Foundation, in partnership with Lakota Local Schools and Phelan Insurance Agency, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 “Lakota Diamond Educator Awards": K-6 Teacher Winner Beth Bonin (Freedom Elementary); 7-12 Teacher Winner Stacey Lane (Lakota East High School); Support Staff Winner Jennifer Russell (Counselor, Creekside Early Childhood School); and Administrator Winner Traci Stubenrauch (Assistant Principal, Wyandot Early Childhood School). 

Formerly known as the “Lakota Educator of Excellence Award,” the new name establishes a connection to the District’s new Lakota Gem Award, which celebrates outstanding staff all year long. Honorees of the top award exemplify all six facets, or categories, of the Lakota gems that the District awards on a monthly basis. 

Fifth graders at Endeavor Elementary are practically getting paid to go on their spring field trip. Besides the experience not costing the school a cent, every student will walk away with new entrepreneurial skills and $600 worth of products created by other elementary students around the region. 

Open enrollment applications for Lakota staff and currently open-enrolled students must be submitted by May 30. Per Board Policy 5113 and its Administrative Guidelines, Lakota Local Schools will only be accepting open enrollment applications from Lakota staff and current open enrolled students for the 2025-26 school year.

Lakota's 2025 Financial Prospectus offers an in-depth look into Lakota’s finances, with the goal of helping taxpayers comprehend how “WE are Fiscally Responsible” - a key component of Lakota’s strategic plan. The prospectus is scheduled to arrive in mailboxes around mid-May.