As a charter public school, Lakes International must meet the same requirements as all public schools in the state as well as additional requirements particular to charter schools. This means we administer state tests for core subject areas, including reading and math, just as you would expect in any of the public schools. We also test for proficiency in Spanish.  To meet our more stringent charter goals (written or revised each year with our authorizer) we also test three times per year using  the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments.  These tests give teachers immediate and individual feedback about their students. 

Like all Minnesota public schools, Lakes International offers services to students that qualify for Special Ed. We contract with a licenceed Special Ed instructors on a full-time basis, in compliance with Minnesota law, offering all requisite Special Ed services on site. 

The IB PYP curriculum fosters differentiation and encourages accelerated learning opportunities that adapt well to G&T students including high performers. (In fact, some schools in Canada have chosen the IB PYP for this very reason.) The Spanish-immersion component provides a highly engaging facet for all students. We have assembled a highly capable group of teachers that will place a high priority on developing appropriate instruction approaches for their students.  LILA offers Clases Especiales (Special Classes) for grades 4-6.

The staff directory provides a biographical sketch of each of our staff members. Some of the criteria used to select Lakes International staff include:

Starting with the first week of school, you should receive a weekly newsletter from your child’s teacher, concerning classroom schedules and activities. We also encourage an open flow of communication between teacher and parent, such as e-mail, phone conversations or classroom meetings. Parent-teacher conferences will also be scheduled during the school year after the 1st and 2nd trimesters.

The nature of immersion education makes it difficult for new students to enter the program in later years, say 3rd or 4th grade. Their classmates will be speaking Spanish with considerable proficiency by then; the new students must play catch-up. So, immersion classes rarely increase in pupils once a group starts. For this reason, immersion schools often plan for limited attrition—students moving away or leaving the school—by allowing a slight bump up in enrollment in the early grades.

Tell your child why you’re so excited that s/he will be attending this school. Meet other families and join the PTO. Children adapt amazingly well to new environments (even the ones who start out rather skeptical)!

Translating to "welcome experience," this conference gives parents and students a chance to meet individually with the child’s teacher, get an overview of the curriculum, ask questions, and tell the teacher a little about the child and family. This meeting time will allow the child to meet his/her teacher, thereby removing a large “unknown.” For the school, the bienvenidos conference is a chance to get to know the student, open the lines of communication, let parents know how they can help their children, suggest how parents can help the teacher and school to benefit their children, and describe what events they can expect through the year.

At least one parent/guardian must attend the conference with the child. Both parents are strongly encouraged to attend.

Children whose families do not attend a bienvenidos conference without contacting the school will be removed from the enrollment roster and replaced by children on the waiting list.

Lakes International Students are picked up and dropped off on the same route with the junior/senior high school students, along with the children attending St. Peter’s and the public Montessori school. A shuttle from the junior high school brings students to Lakes International, and delivers them back to the senior high school in the afternoon. This is not a new idea—St. Peter’s Elementary School has successfully contracted busing service with Forest Lake ISD #831 for more than thirty years.

We are very pleased that you have shown interest in Spanish immersion and filled out enrollment materials. Perhaps you filled out registration materials to hold a slot for your child, even before you were firmly committed. We ask that you now make a decision. If you decide not to enroll your child at Lakes International, please let us know immediately so we may confirm another student for this fall.  Go here for more information on enrollment.

Most of our students will be riding Forest Lake school buses. This means that we will be following the Forest Lake Area School District #831 calendar, including the all-day-every-other-day schedule for kindergarten. Kindergarten students will attend Monday, Wednesday and every other Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday.  Check here for updated LILA calendars and lists. 

Although we are currently unable to provide a tuition-free all-day-every-day option, in the Fall of 2009 we do offer Amiguitos. This is a fee-based program which runs alternate to Kindergarten days. Contact the main office at 651.464.0771 for enrollment information.

Like the Forest Lake Area School District, we accept early entrants under certain circumstances. For example, an early entrant must pass a readiness test, which is paid for by you. Sr. Hedlund, the school director, will make the final decision on a case-by-case basis.

Although it’s possible to hold a child back a grade, Sr.. Hedlund prefers to review each request individually. Lakes International will retain a student at a particular grade level only after a meeting with you and the previous school to determine the educational appropriateness of such an action.

LILA, an independent public charter school, opened just three years ago with 177 students in grades K-4. A fifth grade was added for 2005-06 and enrollment increased to 283. Going forward, the school offers Kindergarten through sixth grade and enrollment is projected to eventually hit at or about 550-the size of a typical Minnesota K-6 public school.

What kinds of volunteer opportunities do parents have at the school?

Is the PTO a good group to join?

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What is the LILA foundation?

The LILA foundation is a group organized is a group organized to establish and maintain and endowment to benefit LILA students.  The LILA foundation meets the first Monday of each month. 

Who are language ambassadors?

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