THE GENERAL ENROLLMENT PROCESS
- Complete and submit an application for each child you wish to enroll prior to January 15, 2012 at 6 p.m.
- On January 15, 2012 at 6 p.m., Lakes International Language
Academy will hold an enrollment lottery to accept students for the
2012-2013 school year (We prefer to receive applications by 4 pm on the
last school day prior to the lottery, in order to better plan and
manage the lottery process.)
- A waiting list will be established using the same lottery process.
- Parents will receive a notice of enrollment or waiting list status via e-mail by January 21 or via postcard within 2 weeks.
- After the enrollment lottery, names will continue to be added to the bottom of the waiting list, in the order they are received.
Online PDF Application
HOW TO SUBMIT: Download a PDF of the application
now or
complete one at the
school’s main office. Complete the form and return to it via mail or in
person to Lakes
International, 246 11th Ave. SE, Forest Lake, MN 55025.
WHEN TO SUBMIT: We’re currently accepting applications for the
12-13 school year, and encourage you to submit your application as
early as possible prior to 6 p.m. on January 15, 2012.
Preference is given to siblings of Lakes International
students. For example, if an older brother is already attending Lakes
International, then his younger sister has preferred acceptance status
for kindergarten. Preference is also given to children of current LILA
teachers. Please note: Applications for siblings and children of
teachers must be received by January 15, 2012 to receive the preferred
acceptance.
No preference is given for residing in the Forest Lake area. Lakes International contracts bus service with Forest Lake Area School District #831, and we can offer transportation to Lakes International students living within the #831 district. Any Minnesota child residing outside the #831 boundary is welcome but will need to arrange transportation. If this is a concern, we highly recommend contacting the Lakes International PTO to learn about car pools.
No preference is given for early application submissions. All applications received by 6 p.m. on January 15 are considered equally. But don’t miss that date!
WHO CAN APPLY?All prospective Lakes International students MUST submit an application, including younger siblings of previously enrolled Lakes International students.
Any child 5 years old on September 1, 2012, and living in Minnesota is welcome to apply for the 2012-13 kindergarten. No Spanish knowledge is expected of kindergarten students. If space is available, students entering grades 1-6 may enroll. However, Spanish proficiency is necessary for immediate accessiblity to academic content in any grade above kindergarten. Please contact the school directly for more information.
GENERAL ENROLLMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSQ. How does enrollment preference work?
A. All 2012-13 kindergarten applicants who have a sibling enrolled
at Lakes International or whose parent is a teacher at LILA will
automatically be accepted, and their names will be excluded from the
random lottery. These are the only factors for enrollment preference,
and are triggered only if applications are received before 6 p.m. on
January 15. Students remaining in the application pool after the
sibling group is accepted will be confirmed using a random lottery
process. When all sections are full, a waiting list will be
established—again, by lottery.
Q. Do I need to submit an application every year?
A. You do not need to re-submit an application for a child already enrolled at Lakes International. However, if your address, phone number or other information changes, please contact the main office to provide an update.
Q. My child is in kindergarten elsewhere now. Can I get her into a class next year?
A. Based on our past attrition rates, it is unlikely that there will be open seats in grade one. If there are, we ask that you please consider that our 2012-13 kindergarten class will be developing Spanish proficiency that would make it unlikely that a 1st-grader without Spanish proficiency could join in 2012-13 and succeed in the Spanish immersion classroom. We're not saying it can't be done, but the experts don't recommend it. Please contact the school directly to inquire.
Q. Can I transfer my child from any other elementary school into your school?
A. Spanish-immersion classes progress rapidly through the language-acquisition process. Research shows that a child without previous immersion instruction may have difficulty succeeding in an established Spanish-immersion classroom. In other words, it's very challenging for the new student to catch up with the class. We're not saying it can't be done, but the experts don't recommend it. Please contact the school directly for more information.
