North Lakeland School District

About

NLS is known for its excellent academic programs, low ratio of students to staff, unique outdoor education program, and innovative use of instruction.

Story

North Lakeland School (NLS) was established in 1970 as a consolidation of several smaller community schools. Nestled deep in a beautiful woodland setting, surrounded by numerous lakes and streams, our school has a special charm. The five townships (Boulder Junction, part of Land O’Lakes, Manitowish Waters, Presque Isle, and Winchester) we serve comprise the largest geographic elementary school district in the State of Wisconsin.

The 4K through 8th grade school is known for its excellent academic programs, low ratio of students to staff, unique outdoor education program, and innovative use of class configuration and technology. The school prides itself in the quality of care given to each student and upholds a tradition of creating competent and responsible citizens who will become tomorrow's leaders.

North Lakeland's faculty is exceptional. Its teaching staff draws on 250 total years of teaching experience among its nearly 20 certified teaching professionals. Teachers in this school not only care about each student, but they work tirelessly to provide the highest standards in classroom instruction.

The physical setting of the school creates an environment where education and recreation, both in and out of the classroom, can be sustained. The school boasts its own school forest with a marked nature trail and groomed cross-country ski trails. There is also a football field, four tennis courts, an outdoor track, and an outdoor ice rink. During the winter, the physical education (PE) curriculum includes cross-country skiing. The ice rink is also home to the North Lakeland Bucks hockey team (a club sport operated by North Lakeland Ice, Inc.).

The school includes a 60-acre lakefront piece of property which previously had been used by the Department of Natural Resources as a YCC camp. In a unique cooperative effort among the community, school, and the DNR, a lease was created to allow the school the use of the property. A non-profit group made up of members of the community organized and created the North Lakeland Discovery Center. This multi-functional facility provides a gathering place for both children and adults to explore the region's extraordinary natural, cultural and historic resources. It gives the school a permanent site for its extensive outdoor education curriculum, while offering future opportunities for summer school, day camp, and continual cultural and recreational programming.

One of the highlights of North Lakeland's curriculum is its outdoor education program. Six school days are set aside each year for outdoor education. The students are bussed to the camp to participate in curriculum developed for this outdoor experience. The fifth through eighth grade students have the opportunity to overnight at camp. A four-year rotation of topics is used for primary including a focus on pioneers, miners, voyageurs and lumberjacks, along with the application of academics to real-life outdoor experiences. Survival skills, basic canoeing, tenting, and outdoor cooking are included in the outdoor curriculum.

The core curriculum at North Lakeland stresses fundamentals. NLS enhances the core curriculum with special programming for students with special needs. It has an excellent special education department, while also serving the needs of the gifted students.

North Lakeland School District recognizes the importance of providing accelerated learning experiences which allow gifted and talented students opportunities to work at levels that challenge their abilities. Students at all performance levels benefit from classroom differentiation. High performance learners also benefit from a wide variety of enrichment activities designed to meet their needs.

Enrichment activities in the middle school grades focus on the development of critical thinking, analytical skills, interpretive reasoning and problem solving. These have included Scholastic Challenge, Gifted and Talented Lab, Lego League Junior Robotics, Stock Market Simulation, Math 24 Challenge, Mind Magic, the Super Art Trip, the Super Science Trip, Professional Artist’s Workshop and other added activities that address the changing needs of North Lakeland’s high performance and gifted learners.

It should be highlighted that our eighth grade class participates in some unique adventures: Overnight Porcupine Mountains trip, 3-day spring canoe trip, and the end-of-the-year eighth grade class trip. The planning involved is overwhelming, but eighth grade students will agree it's well worth the time and effort.

Students interested in drama, music and art have opportunities to express themselves, and band and choral members participate in Solo and Ensemble competitions and Band and Choir days.

The students have displayed a desire to achieve outside the classroom as well. North Lakeland students have received recognition with a state champion hockey team, a pianist, and a student designed duck stamp, a student peace poster, as well as students competing in forensics, spelling bee, Odyssey of the Mind, and state-level swimming and hockey competitions. All of these opportunities demonstrate some of the outstanding experiences offered at this school, and the dedication of its staff to the education and development of the entire student.

North Lakeland also enjoys a wonderful relationship with its parents and community. Parent volunteers and an active Parent-Teacher Club help the school to thrive. Parents are involved in events like the annual Kornstalk Karvinal fundraiser, as well as a mentoring program that pairs talented students with talented and interested community members. Parents also work behind the scenes helping teachers in the classroom as volunteers, working as chaperones, and generally supporting the excellent work of the staff.

NLS has a Community Education director whose programming is one more way of keeping the community involved in the school, and the school responding to community needs. A variety of programs and classes are coordinated through Community Education, and the school's fitness room is also made available to the public three days a week (morning and afternoon) when school is in session.

North Lakeland remains at the cutting edge of innovation. Innovative curriculum and classroom design allow varied opportunities for meeting individual student needs. NLS is also at the cutting edge in technology with computers and smart-boards in every classroom, an intranet, two computer labs, and a presence on the World Wide Web.

North Lakeland prides itself in the quality of care given to each student. The school and staff know they are helping to build responsible citizens who will be tomorrow's leaders. NLS students advance to the high school and continue to be positive, responsible leaders in that setting also.