Lockland Schools eNews
September, 2025
Dear Lockland Schools Families and Community:
Welcome back to the start of the 2025-2026 school year! We are excited to work with you and your child(ren) and are looking forward to a wonderful year of growth and learning.
Our goal is to Equip our students for success in school and life, Engage them in relevant and meaningful learning opportunities, and Motivate them to take ownership of their learning and take action to apply it in a meaningful way that allows them to support themselves, their families, and their community. We are excited about the plans we have for this school year that will allow us to continue to focus on this work and also improve the outcomes of those that we serve.
Pardon Our Dust!
As we welcome our students back to school, we continue to work through the K-12 Main Campus construction project in partnership with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, Pepper Construction and SHP Architecture and Engineering.
Significant progress has been made on the project and the real-time product already yields an environment that is far more conducive to teaching and learning for our students and staff than ever before.
At the on-set of the 2026-2027 school year, all students in grades K-12 will return to our historic Main Campus setting. Site work, facade work and punch list work on the interior and exterior of the facility will be ongoing through the Winter 2025, so Main Campus will continue to be a very busy place for the coming months.
Mark Your Calendars!
As you will see in the remainder of this edition of our eNews, there is always something happening within the Lockland Local School District! Make a note of upcoming athletic events and other activities that may pique your interest and allow you to support our students, families, schools, district, and community!
Thank you!
As always, thank you for your continued support of the Lockland Local School District. Lockland Schools are a wonderful place to teach and learn because of our people: students, families, staff, and community members. It is a privilege to serve and I hope you will contact me if I can ever be of assistance. I can be reached at (513) 563-5000 or via email at: bob.longworth@locklandschools.org
Sincerely,
Bob Longworth, Superintendent
Lockland Local School District
Lockland Local School District has been awarded a $1 million Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant, a competitive state grant designed to improve literacy instruction and achievement across all grade levels. The funding, distributed over the next four years, will empower the district to implement high-impact literacy practices, expand educator training, and strengthen partnerships with families and the community.
“This is a significant milestone for Lockland,” explained Elizabeth Fessel, Director of Student Services for Lockland Schools. “It reflects the dedication of our educators and the district’s shared commitment to literacy and student success. We are incredibly proud to be selected as a CLSD grant recipient and excited to begin this transformational work.”
Superintendent Bob Longworth said this $1 million grant award will create many opportunities for our staff to hone their craft in teaching reading over the next four years.
“Most importantly, it provides us with the tools and resources that we need to continue our literacy efforts needed to ensure that every boy and girl that we serve gets what they need to be successful in life,” he added. “It is truly a GREAT day to be a Panther!”
The CLSD grant supports evidence-based literacy instruction aligned with Ohio’s policies for effective literacy learning. Lockland’s grant will:
Strengthen implementation of the core K-12 curriculum and interventions, with an emphasis on building a more robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) for students in grades 7-12.
Support the launch of a district-wide literacy coaching model, led by newly hired Marcy Berns, a highly accomplished literacy leader with expertise in the Science of Reading and extensive experience in teacher leadership and intervention.
Expand professional development for teachers, including content-area literacy strategies and writing instruction across all disciplines.
Develop peer literacy coaches who will serve as embedded instructional leaders and collaborators in their grade levels to build capacity within the district.
Family, Community Partnerships
Recognizing that literacy extends beyond the classroom, Lockland will also strengthen family engagement and community partnerships. The district plans to:
Establish a tiered family engagement framework developed through two years of professional learning with the state.
Partner with the Metanoia Center in Lockland, which provides after-school tutoring, to align tutoring practices with school-based literacy instruction through training in the Science of Reading.
Expand district literacy initiatives to engage families of middle and high school students, providing tips and strategies to support reading and writing at home.
A Collaborative Effort
The successful grant application was the result of a year-long effort led by district leaders and teachers. Staff members contributed to the development of the district’s Local Literacy Plan, analyzed student achievement data, and provided input on strategies to meet the diverse needs of Lockland students.
“This funding allows us to continue our journey of continuous improvement, ensuring that all students, including those who face learning challenges or are learning English, receive the support they need to become successful readers and writers,” Ms. Fessel said. “We are especially proud of the collaboration that made this possible, with contributions from staff across all grade levels and content areas.”
Looking Ahead
Implementation begins immediately, with districtwide professional development scheduled for fall 2025 and monthly collaborative planning sessions to follow. Family engagement initiatives and community partnerships will expand over time, with visible results expected in years three and four of the grant.
Lockland’s participation in the grant also includes contributing to Ohio’s broader literacy network, sharing lessons learned with other districts, and supporting the state’s goal of improving literacy outcomes for all students.
“We are building a literacy-rich future for Lockland,” Ms. Fessel added. “This work will have a lasting impact on our students, staff, and community for years to come.”
Meet Dean of School Operations - Mrs. Cochran
The Annex building administrator, Peggy Cochran, will be stepping in where our beloved Mrs. Brinkley stepped into retirement. As the Dean of School Operations, Mrs. Cochran will work closely with teachers and students to build a positive learning environment for all.
Thank You!
We would also like to thank our donors for the many bookbags and school supplies given to our children to provide them with a more fulfilling school year.
Welcome back to the 2025-26 school year. We’re excited you are a part of the Lockland Family. A couple of things to remember:
Doors open at 8, and school starts at 8:30. Students arriving on time ensure a great day of learning.
Please make sure you have completed your child’s information in Final Forms - https://lockland-oh.finalforms.com/. Please call the main office for login information | 513-563-5000.
This year, we are continuing our commitment to academic excellence. Our teachers have prepared an engaging and challenging curriculum designed to inspire critical thinking and creativity.
Important Dates to Remember
Early Release Day: September 24th, at 1:00 p.m.
No School for Students: October 10th, Professional Development Day for our Teachers
No School for Students/Staff: October 13th in observance of Columbus Day
Mark your calendars and stay informed by checking our school website regularly for updates.
Safety and Wellness
The safety and well-being of our students are our top priorities. A couple of ways this is achieved is:
Enhanced Security: We have a school SRO who will be on main campus daily
Student Wellness Resources: Our student wellness department offers a wide variety of resources including the availability of school counselors and partnerships with local mental health organizations.
I am excited about the year ahead and confident that, together, we can make it a memorable and successful one. Let’s work hand in hand to support our students in achieving their fullest potential.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at karen.clemons@locklandschools.org or any member of our administration team. We are here to support you and ensure that Lockland remains a place where every student can thrive.
Welcome Back! What a great time to be a Panther! Our Board of Education, District Administration and community have made a significant investment in our students and student athletes with the renovations to Main Campus and Roettger Stadium. If you have not had the opportunity to visit our upgraded facilities, you are missing out. What we have to offer within the buildings and at our stadium is incredible. Hopefully you were able to make it to the open houses we had at the stadium and at the Main Campus and Annex buildings to see the improvements in person.
Congratulations goes out to graduate Aliou Diallo, recipient of an OHSAA/South West District Athletic Board scholarship this past Spring. Aliou was a football and baseball athlete and a member of our Student Athlete Leadership Team. Aliou is attending the University of Cincinnati.
The Lockland Athletic Department would like to thank Coach Coduti for his 6 years as our Varsity Head Softball coach and wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future. Mr. Coduti has left Lockland as a teacher as well, but he will ALWAYS be a Panther! Best of luck and thank you Mr. Coduti!
We have kicked off the Fall sports season with Cheer, Football, Soccer and Volleyball all in action. You can check stats, game results and schedules by visiting the Miami Valley Conference website at: https://miamivalleyconference.com/ or at: https://go.dragonflyathletics.com/sites/OHSAA/WLG8L3/about.
Anyone interested in being involved in any of our Winter sport offerings will need to make sure they are staying up on their academics in order to be eligible to participate. A valid sports physical will need to be on file in the Athletic Office. Please check Final Forms for physical expiration dates and to be sure all forms are signed. Academics can be tracked in Progress Book or through communication with our teachers.
Did you know that 5th and 6th graders can participate on our Junior High teams (Cheer, Basketball, Football, Volleyball, Track). They just need to be academically eligible and have a valid physical on file. If interested or if you have questions, contact Mr. Payne (jon.payne@locklandschools.org)
Below are updates from our coaches about their programs and their contact information.
Football
We are still actively seeking young men who understand that the classroom comes first. Our philosophy is to create great sons, future fathers and husbands through the game of football. Lack experience? Nervous? Unsure if football is for you? Come out and give our staff a chance to make an impression on you!
Questions? Interest? Contact Coach Erkins - ryan.erkins@locklandschools.org
To kick off the school year, we want to make sure you know that getting into the habit of daily attendance is more important than ever. A student who misses just two to three days of school per month can be chronically absent.
Good attendance helps to:
- Build routines that help reduce stress.
- Make new friends.
- Connect with peers and teachers.
- Engage in learning.
- Gain access to meals.
By working together, we can keep our students in the game and set them up for success! At home, at school and in your community, families and caregivers make a difference in student behavior and can be positive role models for attendance. Please notify your student's school office ASAP if your student will be absent. Please send in documentation - Parent note and/or official note (doctor, court, etc.) Don’t forget! Tardies and early dismissals count; every minute missed is counted against absence hours.
Lockland Annex building (K-3rd grade) - 513-930-2001
Lockland Main campus (4th-12th grade) - 513-563-5000
Find ways to support your child’s attendance here!
Interested in Mental Health care for your child? Lockland is proud to partner with Catalyst Counseling. Speak to your child’s school counselor, teacher, or administrative team to request for your child to be referred to Catalyst Counseling.
Support in Lockland- Valley Interfaith. Check out the programs Valley Interfaith has to offer here.
Do you need Health Insurance?
The goal of The HealthCare Connection’s Outreach and Enrollment program is to assist individuals and families in signing up for the health insurance that is right for them, whether it be Medicaid or a private plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace.
THCC has Certified Application Counselors at Lincoln Heights and Mt. Healthy to help you and these services are free of charge!
To schedule an appointment: Lincoln Heights, call 513-483-3041, or Mt. Healthy, call 513-728-3997
What to bring: Photo identification, Proof of income, and the Social Security numbers for yourself & other members of your household.
Stay in the know! - Emergency Preparedness
Hamilton County EMHSA encourages residents to have multiple ways of receiving alerts and warnings. Alert Hamilton County (Alert HC) is a mass notification system used to notify residents about emergencies and other important information throughout Hamilton County. When registering for Alert HC, users can also create a Smart911 profile, allowing first responders to have quicker access to important information in case of an emergency. Sign up for alerts: www.Smart911.com
Crisis Support
911 should be called if your child is experiencing a medical emergency or a life-threatening mental health crisis. If they are experiencing a non-life threatening mental health crisis:
PIRC
(513) 636-4124
The Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), located within Cincinnati Children’s, is the admission and evaluation center for all psychiatric services, including the Bridge Clinic.
Urgent Care, Best Point Behavioral Health by The Children’s Home
513-527-3040
For children, teens and young adults up to age 21, the urgent care helps those who need immediate social or emotional care not rising to the level of going to the hospital.
Monday-Friday 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Research shows that talking about suicide lowers anxiety, opens up communication, and therefore lowers the risk of an impulsive act.