Frequently Asked Questions

The new plan reflects community feedback from the November 2025 ballot issue. Construction focuses primarily on grades 6-12 but all students will benefit from fewer school transitions, expanded learning opportunities and improve operational efficiency.

The new grade-band configuration would be:

• Preschool: Liberty Early Childhood School
• Grades K-5: Remaining 13 early childhood, elementary and junior schools
• Grades 6-8: East Freshman and Plains Junior (renovations and additions to both)
• Grades 9-12: Lakota East and West high schools (additions to both)

Once construction is completed, Adena Elementary, Ridge Junior and the West Freshman/Creekside/Lakota Central building will close. The total number of school buildings would drop from 21 to 18. 

This is the complete plan. Future phases would not be planned unless the community asks for the Board to consider changes in the future.

A Master Facilities Plan (MFP) is a long-term plan that looks closely at all of Lakota's school buildings. The purpose of the plan is to help district leaders and the Board of Education create a clear vision for what Lakota's school buildings should look like in the future so they can best support student learning for many years.

Lakota currently has 25 buildings valued at more than $632 million.

When creating an MFP, district leaders:

• Study what each building will need over the next 30+ years;
• Decide what improvements should be made; and
• Determine how much money will be required to make those improvements. 

The goal of our MFP is to ensure that Lakota's schools continue to be safe, support student learning that matches our community's vision for the future of education and allows for future enrollment growth, doing this in the most responsible and cost-effective way.

The goal of our MFP is to ensure that Lakota's schools continue to be safe, support student learning that matches our community's vision for the future of education and allows for future enrollment growth, doing this in the most responsible and cost-effective way.

The District needs a long-term solution for its buildings that are becoming harder and more expensive to maintain and to address overcrowding in our schools. Lakota has revised its Master Facilities Plan (MFP) based on community feedback after the November 2025 ballot issue did not pass. 

It's been a long time since the last plan was updated

The last time Lakota created a full, district-wide MFP was in the early 2000s, with updated completed in 2008. Many things have changed since then-in education, technology, safety and how schools need to be designed to support student learning.

Some schools are getting harder to maintain

Lakota's buildings serve hundreds, and some thousands, of students and staff every day. Because of this heavy use, the buildings experience more wear and tear and need repairs more frequently, which is becoming harder and more expensive to maintain. Many spaces no longer fit today's learning needs. Examples of this include collaborative space and flexibility so a classroom can have more than one purpose.

Overcrowding due to enrollment

Some of Lakota's schools in Liberty Township have portable units to add additional classrooms to address overcrowding. These units are not allowed in West Chester Township.

According to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's (OFCC) guidelines, Lakota is overcapacity by more than 700 students, when comparing our enrollment to the size of our schools. 

Timing matters for state co-funding

The Lakota Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to accept about $77 million in state co-funding through the OFCC. This co-funding is available for Lakota Local Schools to use for its Master Facilities Plan if voters approve a bond issue. Initially, the District was not going to receive the money for several years.

The longer Lakota waits, higher construction costs and inflation could impact the total cost of the plan. Delaying also risks Lakota's percentage from the OFCC, as it can change. 

Community feedback throughout the planning process has shown a desire to have fewer grade-band transitions. 

The shift to K-5 elementary schools, 6-8 middle schools and 9-12 high schools not only provides fewer transitions, but also gives students more time in one building to improve continuity. This will also improve operational efficiencies and allow for expanded learning opportunities like consistent, year-round specials for K-5 and expanded course offerings for grades 6-12.

Middle schools, which are bigger than junior schools, have the space to allow for classrooms to be located within grade levels, similar to elementary schools. However, it also provides the opportunity for grades to overlap in certain electives. These two options provide more of a transition between elementary and high school than a traditional junior school.

No. 

Although the construction focuses primarily on grades 6-12, all students will benefit from fewer school transitions, expanded learning opportunities and operational efficiency.

If the community wants to discuss changes to K-5 in the future, it could be discussed. However, that is not the plan now.

If approved by voters in November, the proposed timeline will have students moving into the new facilities for the start of the 2029-2030 school year.

Nov. 2026 - May 2027: Design

June 2027 - July 2029: Construction

Aug. 2029: Occupancy

Aug. 2029 - March 2030: Demolition of three buildings

At this time, it does not appear that students will need to move buildings during the construction and renovations of Lakota's schools. While some of the work will need to take place during the school day, we will try to make disruptions as minimal as possible to our students and staff.

At its June 9 meeting, the Lakota Board of Education unanimously approved placing a bond issue on the November 2026 ballot. The measure would fund phase one of the District’s Master Facilities Plan. 

Any future phases would be considered after construction and renovations are complete.

The plan reflects community feedback from the November 2025 ballot issue. Construction focuses primarily on grades 6-12 but all students will benefit from fewer school transitions, expanded learning opportunities and improve operational efficiency.

All Students:

• Fewer transitions between schools: Preschool, K-5, 6-8, 9-12
• Students spend more time in each building for continuity

Elementary Schools (K-5):

• Less overcrowding and smaller class sizes because sixth graders move to middle schools
• Consistent, year-round specials (e.g. art, music, gym)

Middle Schools (6-8):

• Expanded course offerings (e.g. world language)
• Access to electives starting in sixth grade

High Schools (9-12):

• Freshmen attend the main high school campus
• Expanded course offerings

The improved efficiencies with the new plan will allow for more stable class sizes.

Smaller class sizes, especially in elementary school, remain the community’s top priority.

Today, many K‑5 classrooms have 27 or more students, with some classes exceeding 30. Under the proposed grade‑band changes, the District would aim for:

• 23–24 students per class in grades K‑5
• Even smaller class sizes in kindergarten

Moving sixth grade into a middle school model helps relieve overcrowding in elementary schools and gives the District more flexibility to add classrooms where they are needed most.

Secondary class size, grades 6-12, are built on student interest through scheduling. Because of this, high class sizes are not seen as much.

The new grade-band configuration will shift to a middle school concept, with sixth graders joining seventh and eighth at Plains and East Freshman. This will open space at our elementary schools. Additionally, all remaining current K-6 schools will become K-5.

If the bond issue is not approved, we cannot shift the grade-band configuration, which is necessary to address overcrowding and large class sizes. Other options will need to be considered, including all-day kindergarten.

All-day kindergarten is not a state requirement, it is optional. However, there are other options that would be considered before eliminating all-day kindergarten because of its educational impact. These options include specials, electives and a tuition-based all-day kindergarten.

New and renovated buildings will include fully accessible, purpose-built spaces for special education programs. The plan will prioritize inclusive design and improved access to specialized services.

With the closure of the West Freshman/Lakota Central/Creekside building, Lakota Central students will move back to Lakota East and West high schools. We understand the importance of the supports put in place for Central students and will make sure the students continue to be supported as they return to their main campus.

Although we will shift from 21 buildings to 18, we still have the same number of students. Although it is inevitable that staff will move schools, changes to staffing are anticipated to come through attrition, not a reduction in force.

For example, right now, our schools have one nurse. Moving to a middle school model with more students, we would need to have more than one nurse in the school. 

While a junior school focuses primarily on traditional academic classes to prepare students for high school, a middle school focuses on supporting the whole child.

Along with strong academics, a middle school gives students extra personal guidance to help them build confidence and adjust as they grow. It offers smaller learning teams, dedicated advisory time and structured support to help students navigate these school years.

By moving ninth graders to comprehensive, grades 9-12, high schools and sixth graders to middle schools, grades 6-8, learning opportunities can be expanded because we will have more room in buildings. For example:

K-5 Elementary:

• Consistent, year-round specials like art, music and gym.

6-8 Middle Schools:

• Access to electives, including band, beginning in sixth grade.
• Expanded elective offerings, like world language.

9-12 High Schools:

• Expanded elective offerings

Like teaching and learning evolves, so should grade-band configurations in order to meet the needs of students. While having fewer grades in a building was once thought to be beneficial to learning, as educational needs of students have changed, more recent research shows that they do not work as well as they once did.

Nationally, the K-5 model is very common. Grades included in middle schools can vary between 5-8 and 6-8. We chose grades 6-8 because these ages have more in common developmentally than 5-8.

No. However, the District has worked very hard to deliver a new plan that meets the top priorities based on community feedback at a more palatable price. 

Top Priorities:

• Safety;
• Small class sizes and less overcrowding;
• Fewer grade bands;
• Expanded programming; and
• Operational efficiencies.

However, at the lower cost, we will not see the full benefits that would have been delivered with the previous plan:

• Less operating savings;
• Not as many new programs; and
• K-5 buildings will only receive some modifications/retrofitting, as needed.

If the bond issue is successful, all programs will be reviewed during our visioning work. We will review our current classes to determine if they are the right ones being offered or if there are new ones we could introduce to benefit all students. This includes K-5 specials.

The plan reflects community feedback from the November 2025 ballot issue. Construction focuses primarily on grades 6-12 but all students will benefit from fewer school transitions, expanded learning opportunities and improve operational efficiency.

While there will be some disruption as the additions and renovations take place, it is our hope that it is as minimal as possible. When feasible, construction will occur after hours or during breaks. Students will remain in their current schools during the construction.

While redistricting will inevitably be a part of this process, we understand that it is important to our families that our schools follow a neighborhood model, meaning schools would be geographically situated to serve surrounding neighborhoods and students residing within the same neighborhood would not attend different schools. We will do our best to continue this.

Enrollment studies are crucial so the District can monitor growth areas and be prepared to handle large groups of students, referred to as "bubbles", as they move through the grade bands.

While redistricting will inevitably be a part of this process, we understand that it is important to our families that our schools follow a neighborhood model, meaning schools would be geographically situated to serve surrounding neighborhoods and students residing within the same neighborhood would not attend different schools. We will do our best to continue this.

However, with Hopewell Junior and Hopewell ECS next to one another and becoming K-5 schools, we do anticipate Hopewell ECS becoming a West feeder school. This is to help with enrollment in the Pisgah area, as Adena elementary will close. 

If the bond issue is approved by voters in November, this type of redistricting would not take place until construction is done and students move in Aug. 2029. The District would engage with the community during this process.

Lakota owns the land its buildings are on. At this time, no decisions have been made about what will be done with the sites of the decommissioned buildings (Adena Elementary, Ridge Junior and the West Freshman/Creekside/Lakota Central building). 

The District continues to have discussions with the township officials about possible uses. Some ideas have included green space for a park or sports fields, fire station or a second bus depot to aid in more efficient routing.

Prior to decisions being made, Lakota will engage the community for feedback.

K-5 students will benefit from smaller class sizes and consistent, year-round specials. Although the plan focuses on grades 6-12 for construction, some modifications will take place at the 13 K-5 buildings, as needed, to make them suitable for younger learners.

Beyond retrofitting, looking at any future updates to elementary schools would require community discussions.

Although we will shift from 21 buildings to 18, we still have the same number of students. Although it is inevitable that staff will move schools, changes to staffing are anticipated to come through attrition and retirements, not a reduction in force. 

For example, right now, our schools have one nurse. Moving to a middle school model with more students, we would need to have more than one nurse in the school. 

A K-4 model would push fifth graders to the middle school model. There is a wide gap between the development of students in fifth and sixth grade, where fifth graders fit better in a K-5 model. Additionally, a K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 grade band configuration align with teaching licenses much better.

With three middle schools, they would become split feeder schools to Lakota East and West. This means that students attending a middle school would not move to the same high school, but would be split. 

Additionally, two middle schools instead of three helps consolidate bus routes, which means making fewer stops and helping to keep travel times within our target of 30 minutes.

If the November ballot is successful, we will begin evaluating attendance zones as quickly as possible. It is a long process and the District will communicate throughout. We would anticipate attendance zones being finalized and communicated about one year before we change grade bands.

Keeping students and staff safe is Lakota's first priority. We regularly update and improve safety features in our schools. Safety is also an important part of the Master Facilities Plan.

Safety will be built into every discussion. This includes things like:

• Stronger security at entrances;
• Cameras;
• How classroom doors are locked; and
• Better accessibility for people with disabilities (ADA compliance).

Any changes to busing are still being considered. It is the hope that more efficient bus routes as a result of the new grade-band configurations could support a return on K-12 transportation.

Yes. Lakota had done preliminary parking studies at both Lakota East and West high schools, taking the proposed additions into consideration. A new traffic study will need to be done to determine the final options for traffic flow, including entrance/exit locations. 

While conversations have taken place with the Butler County Engineer and police, the extensive study is pending the outcome of the Nov. 3 vote by the community due to its cost.

Lakota has worked extensively with the West Chester Police Department, Butler County Sheriff's Office, both townships and the County to review student safety in our parking lots and for those who walk. Safety and traffic flow will be reviewed again prior to construction beginning. Lakota will continue working with local law enforcement and the townships to plan for traffic changes. Any updates will be shared with our families. 

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) found that 12 of our 21 buildings are in “deficient” or “borderline” condition*. This does not mean that they are unsafe. The State uses the word "deficient" when fixing and renovating a building would cost more than 67% of the cost to build a new one.

In addition to building conditions, enrollment is growing—especially in Liberty Township. Some schools are already using portable classrooms because they are out of classroom space. Lakota is already over capacity by more than 700 students based on the OFCC's space standards. 

The Master Facilities Plan is designed to address building needs and enrollment to make sure that Lakota's schools remain safe, modern and ready for the future.

*Note: Creekside, West Freshman and Central share one building. Preschool is located at both VanGorden Elementary and Liberty Early Childhood schools.

Every school building in the district has been reviewed by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). During the process, 23 major building components are reviewed, including structure, systems, technology and safety.

The OFCC's report is based on the idea that renovations will last about 20 years and new buildings last about 50 years before needing to be updated.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) reviews 23 important components at each school building. They estimate how much it would cost to update the components so the school can function the same as a new building for the next 30+ years.

The OFCC also calculates how much it would cost to build a new school. 

Then, the OFCC compares these amounts using this formula:

Cost to Renovate ÷ Cost to Replace = %

Lakota can receive co-funding for "satisfactory" or "borderline" ratings. View Lakota’s current building condition ratings, as assigned by the OFCC. 

No Lakota school is considered unsafe. When the State rates a building as “deficient” it means that renovation costs are ore than 67% of the cost to build a new school. It does not mean that the school is unsafe or that Lakota hasn't taken care of it.

Even if some schools have older systems that are harder to maintain, all of them still meet the safety rules that were in place when they were built. However, that doesn't mean that they meet today's safety and health standards. In some of our schools certain upgrades - like improved air filtration systems - cannot be added without major system upgrades.

If local contractors reviewed Lakota's buildings, they would have an unfair advantage when it is time to bid on future construction work. 

Lakota asked two local architects to review the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's (OFCC) final report. During this review, Lakota asked the OFCC to re-evaluate three schools. Renovations on these schools, Cherokee, Independence and Ridge, now qualify for state co-funding.

The District has also hired Skanska/Megan/Shook as its Construction Manager at Risk. These local companies have employees who live in West Chester and Liberty townships. They have confirmed the OFCC's review is accurate.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) studied how much space students need in a classroom. They determined that 900 square feet (SF) is the best size for a classroom with 25 students. 

Districts are able to make classrooms slightly smaller - no less than 810 SF - so they can use the extra square footage for spaces like collaboration areas, common spaces, art and music rooms.

While 900 SF is the OFCC’s recommendation, 810 SF is the minimum size for a standard classroom. 

Current Lakota square footage examples include:

While the terms are similar, retrofitting involves minor modifications to a building in order to accommodate younger learners. Renovating involves more expansive changes.

The previous plan involved a smaller building footprint than this one. We were going to take more buildings offline based on OFCC standards in order to receive more co-funding from the State and obtain more operating efficiencies. However, that price point was not palatable to our community. 

The new plan keeps more buildings that will receive some modifications in order to make them grade-band appropriate for younger learners. 

When the master facilities plan work began in 2018, Lakota expected that some schools would close (or be decommissioned) by 2023. However, the pandemic happened, the district had four superintendents in two years and the school board changed. These events paused facility planning but maintenance on the buildings continued. Cost-effective choices were made during this time.

For example, in 2018, it didn't make sense to put a new roof on West Freshman if the building would close in 2023. Instead, the roof was patched to save money.

Long-term capital planning is a focus. The District has reviewed all facility spending for a 20 year period - 10 years in the past and projected spending for 10 years to the future. This includes from the District level down to the school level.

Some of the considerations to have come from this review include finding a natural rotation for systems and reviewing decisions that have saved money at one building that can be duplicated at other buildings. Also, with the size of the district, the operations team considers how they might be able to get a better price point for purchases because we do have 23 schools.

If approved by voters in November, the proposed timeline will have students moving into the new facilities for the start of the 2029-2030 school year.

Nov. 2026 - May 2027: Design

June 2027 - July 2029: Construction 

Aug. 2029: Occupancy

Aug. 2029 - March 2030: Demolition of three buildings

The safety of our students and staff is always our first priority. Construction zones will be physically separated from student areas and contractors will adhere to strict safety and background check requirements. Work will be phased to minimize disruption to learning and students will not have access to any construction areas. 

Concept drawings were shared with the Board at its April 13 special meeting. The drawings were based on enrollment projections, state space requirements and previous feedback from staff, students and community members.

Construction would include:

• Lakota East and West: Addition (about 143,000 square feet)
• Plains Junior: Addition (about 130,000 square feet) and renovations
• East Freshman: Addition (about 127,000 square feet) and renovations

The designs focus less on traditional classrooms and more on flexible and specialty learning spaces. 

While we are aware that additional space will be needed for cafeteria space at the middle and high schools and some conversations have taken place, options would be considered and decided upon during the design phase. This would occur once voters approve the bond issue.

K-5 students will benefit from smaller class sizes and consistent, year-round specials. Although the plan focuses on grades 6-12 for construction, some retrofitting will take place at the 13 K-5 buildings, as needed, to make them suitable for younger learners.

Beyond retrofitting, looking at any future updates to elementary schools would require community discussions.

We want to make sure that people who use the buildings will be represented on the design team. Beyond the facilities committee, this includes teachers, administrators, staff and students.

The design phase cannot begin until funding is approved by voters. If voters approve the Nov. 3 ballot issue, the design phase will begin in November.

Additional gyms will be included at Lakota East and West, as well as Plains and East Freshman. Additionally, the cost of the plan includes dollars to be used for items outside of what is allowed with the co-funding dollars. These are called "locally funded initiatives," or LFIs.

If voters approve the Nov. 2026 ballot issue, the 2.2 mill bond issue would not begin collections until 2029. This is when current bonds are paid off. Because the new bond replaces an existing one, the District does not anticipate an increase in the current bond tax rate.

If approved by voters: 

• 2028: 2.2 mill bond payment ends
• 2029: 2.2 mill bond payment would begin collection.
• The District does not anticipate an increase in the current bond tax rate.

The ballot language will specifically state that collection will begin in 2029.

Although collection timing remains the same from last year's ballot, we were unable to include the specific timing previously. Now, voters will see the specific timing when they read the ballot language on Nov. 3, 2026.

Bond Issue

A bond issue lets Lakota borrow money to pay for construction projects in the Master Facilities Plan. It works like a mortgage- Lakota borrows money and pays it back over time.

Operating Levy

An operating levy helps Lakota pay for everyday costs, like teachers, classroom supplies, support staff and extracurricular activities. Think of it like Lakota's checking account for daily expenses.

Permanent Improvement (PI) Levy

A PI levy pays for things that will last at least five years. This is like Lakota's savings account, paying for long-term needs. It helps pay for things like curriculum materials, technology and building upkeep.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's (OFCC) design are not as strict as they used to be. Now, there are more options for school districts to choose from when planning renovations and new construction. 

Plus, approved projects in the Master Facilities Plan qualify for the State to reimburse Lakota $77 million, funds that are available now.

The funding associated with Lakota's Master Facilities Plan (MFP)  includes contingency dollars for things like inflation and tariffs. Lakota's Construction Manager at Risk will ensure that the architect and builder are working within budget.

No. Lakota, and all Ohio schools, must follow the law about spending. Salaries are paid from Lakota's general operating fund, not permanent improvement or bond funds.

Operating and PI levies can only collect at the amount voters approved. So, as the community grows and property values rise, the millage goes down. For example, the PI levy was originally approved at 2 mills, but now now collects at 1.09 mills, due to House Bill 920. Bond millage is different - it is adjusted each year by the county auditor to make sure debt is paid on time.

Lakota also works hard to use money responsibly. Examples include:

• Buying curriculum on a set schedule instead of whenever needed. This helps with budget planning and consistency across schools.
• Ending lease agreements and using competitive bidding to save money long-term.
• Both Superintendent Whitely and Treasurer Bertram are required to approve every purchase order.
• Reducing the number of law firms Lakota uses, with only the superintendent treasurer allowed to contact them unless approved otherwise.

An operating levy will come at some point in the future. This is because of how Ohio schools are funded. The last time Lakota asked taxpayers for an operating levy was in 2013.

Currently, an operating levy is forecasted for 2028. However, the financial forecast is a snapshot in time. While the master facilities plan will have operating efficiencies, there will come a time when an operating levy is needed. This is something that the District watches very closely.

The Board of Education signed a resolution of conditional approval to accept the $77 million in co-funding through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). If the November ballot issue is not successful, Lakota will have two additional attempts at passing a bond issue.

If a bond issue is not approved by voters after three attempts, the OFCC will apply the $77 million to another district's facilities plan.

If approved by voters, the new 37-year bond would begin collections in 2029.

However, the District would have the ability to refinance the bonds for lower interest rates and pay the debt sooner.  This is the step Lakota has taken to reduce debt and not anticipate an increase in the bond tax rate if voters approve the November bond issue.

The District does not anticipate an increase to staffing. The new grade bands match teacher licensure better than our current configuration. Additionally, the new grade bands allow staff to be used more efficiently.

For example, the new grade bands would allow for fewer traveling teachers. When teachers travel between buildings, they lose time that could be spent teaching students. If we would have comprehensive 9-12 high schools, a teacher would not need to travel between the main and freshman campuses, which means they could teach additional bell periods.

No. A bond can only pay for buildings, like a mortgage.

However, the operating dollars that will be freed up with three fewer buildings to maintain can be used for busing.

Lakota can only collect the amount voters approve. When property values increase, or more people move into a district because of new construction, the County Auditor can lower the millage Lakota collects. This is called effective millage and is because of House Bill 920.

• As of 2013, the last time voters approved a levy for Lakota, the total millage was 68.42 mills. 
• For Fiscal Year 2026, Lakota collected 26.6 mills.

Enrollment projections help determine the size schools should be. When reviewing master facilities plans for approval, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) will use its enrollment studies to determine how much square footage the State will co-fund. If buildings exceed the allotted square footage, school districts must pay for the overage through locally funded initiatives (LFIs). In those cases, the State does not provide any co-funding. 

The District regularly reviews enrollment studies to plan for future growth.

A 2024 state enrollment study forecasted a 2,000 student increase over the next 10 years. However, an updated study in 2026 showed a decline due to fewer housing permits and a lower birth rate in Butler County.

District leaders met with state officials to review the data. While the state study offers a broad overview, the District also tracks local developments and specific hot spots. For example, we are watching the Pisgah area in West Chester as neighborhood turnover is anticipated in the next 10 years.

This ongoing tracking ensures that the Master Facilities Plan accounts for future enrollment changes, which is a natural occurrence in schools. 

Student enrollment helps determine how much space our schools need now and in the future. Because of that, Lakota’s expected enrollment is an important part of the facilities plans we are considering. 

Although the Ohio Facility Construction Commission's (OFCC) March 2026 enrollment study shows a decline in enrollment over the next 10 years, we are still out of room for many of our elementary schools. According to the State’s guidelines for how much space each student should have, Lakota is already over capacity by more than 700 students.

Tom Fernandez, president of Elevar Design, Lakota’s architect, told the Board, "At this point, the OFCC’s enrollment study won’t have much of an impact on the master plan because Lakota is choosing to do the work in phases. When the Board moves forward with the K-5 phase, (the OFCC) will repeat the study."

Open enrollment (also called inter-district enrollment) refers to students who attend Lakota Local Schools but do not live in West Chester or Liberty townships. Because our schools have become more crowded, Lakota had not approved new open‑enrollment students for several years. The only exceptions were for staff members’ children and siblings of students who were already open enrolled.

In May 2024, the District announced that changes had been made to Administrative Guideline 5113. As part of these changes, open enrollment would is not longer available for students in grades K-6. In addition, only Lakota staff and students already in grades 7-12 as of the 2025-2026 school year would be allowed to continue. While staff members can still apply for open enrollment, applications from families who do not work for Lakota are not accepted. 

Lakota is committed to an open, honest and transparent process that has involved the community from the very beginning. Community voices continue to play a major role in shaping our Master Facilities Plan. Feedback has been collected through community meetings, focus groups, online surveys, ThoughtExchanges, one‑on‑one conversations, emails and phone calls. All of this input helps guide the Board’s decisions.

After the failed bond issue in Nov. 2025, the District held additional feedback sessions and provided another online survey so the community could share its thoughts about next steps. This information helped the Board better understand what the community values most.

Future opportunities for the community to provide input will be shared through our regular communication channels, including our website, social media pages.

One of the main goals of the feedback sessions following the Nov. 2025 bond issue was to check whether the priorities in the original plan still matched what the community felt was most important. The top themes that emerged from the feedback sessions and online survey were:

• Smaller class sizes;
• Safety and security;
• Fewer building transitions; 
• Transparency, trust and community engagement;
• Flexible, dedicated learning spaces; and
• Efficient transportation.

The Board is taking these priorities into account as it plans the next steps.

Lakota's Master Facilities Plan will affect all residents, including those who do not currently have children in the District. School facilities are public assets, funded and maintained by the community. Decisions about how buildings are updated, repaired or replaced influence long‑term operating costs, how space is used across the District and the overall condition of publicly-owned property.

Modernizing or improving facilities can also affect community infrastructure needs, such as traffic patterns and transportation efficiency. In addition, school quality and the condition of school buildings are factors commonly used by prospective homeowners when evaluating a community.

Providing students with facilities that support current educational standards is one way the District plans for future needs, both for students and for the community as a whole.

Community engagement opportunities to gather feedback will be posted on the Master Facilities Plan calendar. There will be visioning sessions, surveys and design forums to gather feedback as plans are finalized.
 

Yes. Superintendent Whitely hosts several informational sessions through different formats each week.

For a traditional presentation, come to an information session.

For a quick question and answer, stop by a Drop In with Whitely.

For on-the-go information, stream a Facilities Friday Facebook Live recording. Questions are gathered ahead of time and answered live.

Dates and times for all sessions can be found on the Master Facilities calendar.

Last December, the District initiated a shared services meeting between officials from West Chester and Liberty townships, Butler Tech, the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance and Lakota. This includes township trustees and school board members.

The purpose of these meetings is to see how we can work together in order to benefit the greater community. These meetings have continued, with the next one tentatively scheduled for December.