About LILA: ● Lakes International Language Academy is a PreK-12 public school educating over 1100 students located in Forest Lake. The school opened in 2004, added grades 7 - 12 in 2015 and 2016. We received IB World School accreditation for the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, and the prestigious Diploma Programme making us one of the few schools in the entire upper Midwest to offer IB from preschool through high school. ● We offer Spanish and Mandarin language immersion in PreK-5 and an immersion continuation program in grades 6 - 12, as well as entry points for non-immersion students in a language rich environment. Teachers are highly involved in developing curriculum and writing materials, as well as decision making at the school. We enjoy high teacher retention, and frequently have a waiting list of students who want to enter our program. Our staff works hard, and has a lot of fun in the process. Facilities: ● We have two beautifully remodeled buildings for Pre-K - 5, including a custom built wing with 14 classrooms, a large gymnasium, and a spacious light-filled media center. We have a plethora of technology and a rich array of print and other media resources. Our upper school building, the Headwaters Campus, is approximately 2 miles from the lower school buildings in a growing part of Forest Lake, near the public library, the Sports Center and the YMCA. Opened in September 2014, the Headwaters Campus was custom built for LILA. LILA Achievements & Awards: ● Earned respectable ratings on the MDE's School Report Card each year of operation, including becoming a Celebration School in December 2015. ● Recognized for our fiscal responsibility from the MDE, receiving the state Finance Award for the past ten years in a row. ● Received multiple grants since inception, totaling nearly 1.5 million dollars.