Signatures
323
People who signed Lifewise's petition
State Law
Ohio is a
"Shall" state
Active Schools
Lifewise Enrollment
| Location Map | New Lexington, OH 43764 Perry County |
| Lifewise Local Program Website | Link (opens in a new tab) |
| District Poverty Rate | 17.2% (data source) |
| Non-White Students | 3.8% (data source) |
| NCES Link | NCES District Info |
| Last Updated | December 3, 2025 |
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.
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Schools in the District (4)
| School | Grades | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Junction City Elementary School | K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th | |
| New Lexington Elementary School | K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th | |
| New Lexington High School | 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th | |
| New Lexington Middle School | 6th, 7th, 8th | |
State Law and School Board Policy
| School District Policy | Policy Matches state/federal law. |
| Policy Link | https://go.boarddocs.com/oh/newlex/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=C68JH74D3888 |
| Policy Notes | |
| 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. |
Local Personel
Download All Lifewise Personel List
| Title | Name | Active | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | BARBARA BAIL | barbarabail@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Director | Lori Howdyshell | lorihowdyshell@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Teacher | Melissa Pearson | melissapearson@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Teacher | Georgeanne Bethel | Yes | |
| Teacher | Jennie Pyle | jenniepyle@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Teacher | Jon Emory | Yes | |
| Teacher | Jordan Lindsey | jordanlindsey@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Teacher | Karyn Brown | Yes | |
| Teacher | Mary Barry | marybarry@lifewise.org | Yes |
| Teacher | Mary Lang | Yes |
Launch Steps History
Step
Description
Signatures
Date
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
323
January 4, 2025
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
318
November 6, 2024
Step 10
Open for Enrollment
314
November 1, 2022
Enrollment Data
| School Enrollment | Lifewise Enrollment | % | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| No enrollment information | |||
Lifewise enrollment numbers come from social media, newsletters, press, and public record requests. Contact RPS with enrollment numbers.
Associated Organizations
| Org Type | Org Name | Address | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submit churches, businesses and non-profits that support Lifewise. | ||||
