Lancaster City
Step 10 of 10
Open for Enrollment (Step Descriptions)
What Can My School District Do?

All school districts, regardless of whether they are required by law to allow released time, should implement good policy and be prepared for when a released time program may approach the district. The time to set the policy is before an active program is pressuring the district. Research polices the district can implement to protect teachers' and students' instruction time. Set polices that limit disruptions to students and the ability for proselytization to occur, impacting other students of faith or no faith. A more detailed write-up on school board policies can be read here.

Location
Map
Lancaster, OH 43130 Fairfield County
Signatures 211
Lifewise Website Lifewise Website
District Poverty Rate 15.0% (data source)
Non-White Students 14.3% (data source)
NCES Link NCES District Info
Last Updated October 18, 2025
Enrollment Stats
School Enrollment
2,333 students

All students in grades open to enroll in Lifewise

Lifewise Enrollment
3 students (0.1%)
April 2024
Total students enrolled in Lifewise
School/district enrollment numbers from https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
Lifewise enrollment numbers come from social media, newsletters, press, and public record requests. Contact RPS with enrollment numbers.
School Buildings and Grades
School Grades Period
Gorsuch West Elementary School 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Lunch/Recess w/school option
Medill Elementary School 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Lunch/Recess w/school option
Mt. Pleasant Elementary School 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Lunch/Recess w/school option
Tallmadge Elementary School 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Lunch/Recess w/school option
Tarhe Trails Elementary School 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Lunch/Recess w/school option
State Law and School Board Policy
School District Policy No policy
Policy Notes Lifewise has been active since September 2023 with no policy.
Ohio State Law Schools are required to allow students to be released for religious programs. This does not mean schools do not have the ability to create policies that protect the school's instruction time.
State Law Link https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3313.6022
Law Notes Ohio's legislature recently passed legislation to allow school districts to pass polices and have no limits on the number of hours students can miss for released time. Waiting on the governor's signature.
Lifewise Local Personel Download All Lifewise Personel List
Title Name Email Active
Director Holly Lavender hollylavender@lifewise.org Yes
Director Micah McCoy micahmccoy@lifewise.org Yes
Teacher Charles Black Yes
Teacher Grace Vestre Yes
Teacher Kathryn Cassidy Yes
Teacher Kathy Cassidy Yes
Teacher Loretta Phalen Yes
Teacher Noelle Reif Yes
Teacher Sharon Jacobs Yes
Teacher Tamra Reif Yes
Teacher Tanya Arehart Yes

LifeWise Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
211
September 11, 2023
 
Associated Organizations
Org Type Org Name Address Website
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