Lakes International Language Academy

Causes: Charter Schools, Education

Mission: Lakes international language academy, a public charter school, serves grades pre-k to 12. Its vision is to deliver a high-caliber education from a global perspective that combines second language acquisition with a proven inquiry-based approach, enhancing individual achievement and building community connections, as reflected by its international baccalaureate philosophy that seeks to develop students as global citizens and active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.

Programs: Language immersion school:the school has completed its thirteenth year of operation, and now serves pre k to grade 12. Enrollment continues to grow along projections, with the most growth at middle and high school levels. Student enrollment totaled 996 in k-12 in may 2017 (including 2 wisconsin students paying out of state tuition), with 832 elementary students (k-6) and 164 secondary students (gr 7-12). The 2016-17 school year marked lila's first year to offer high school grades 9-12 and the school expects to add 100 students/year for the next four years. K-12 enrollment for 2017-18 school year is at 1075. Pre-k enrollment holds at 80 students. In february 2009, the international baccalaureate organization authorized lakes international's elementary campus as an ib world school after a three-year candidacy process, achieving a primary goal of the school since its inception. Authorization only results when a school has built and implemented its ib primary years program curriculum to exacting standards. The school received a successful ib status renewal in 2012. The school is an ib candidate school for its new middle years programme and diploma programme. Progress was made toward academic goals as well. The school offers mandarin chinese immersion and spanish immersion tracks to grade 5. Upper school students have language acquisition as a focus, but the curriculum is not full immersion. Instead it is meant for new language learners as well as immersion students who have been through the lower school program or come to lakes international from another immersion school.

community service programs:all community service programs are fee-based and do not receive state funding. In fall 2013, lila opened a preschool, called kinder prep. The kinder prep curriculum reflects the ib whole-child philosophy and has a rich language component, with teachers speaking chinese, spanish and english to all participants. About 80 preschool students were enrolled for the 2016-17 schoolyear. Explorer club serves as the school's before-and-after school child care program and summer child care program. Explorer club is a for-fee program and served an average 157 children each day during the 2016-17 school year and 74 children/day in summer. The program employees enhance students' exposure to spanish & chinese language and culture, as they conduct their program in spanish, chinese and english. The program is located at the lower school on the main campus and serves grades k-5. The language ambassador program allows college-age young people in spanish- and chinese-speaking countries to come to work in our classrooms as aides for the year, and live with host families. Ski club is a school-sponsored club that gives k-12 students at lila an opportunity to ski at a local hill each thursday from december to february, for a fee. Transportation is via hired bus and lessons are provided to participants. Family participation is encouraged. Archery club similarly is a school-sponsored, schoolwide, for-fee activity. Summer language immersion camp (camp del sol and taiyang xia lingying) meets for 2 weeks each august, bringing participating students back together for a language refresher, fun activities, and orientation to school for grades k-5. Camp dragon welcomes u. S. And chinese students each summer for 1 week of collaborative and cultural learning for secondary students.