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Curriculum

A school district's curriculum is at the heart of the educational process. It is the substance and essence of what is being taught. Great efforts are made to ensure that all material taught in our classrooms is appropriate and educationally valuable to our students. 

Our school district has long maintained a curriculum review process through which we research and evaluate new materials and resources, carefully analyzing their impact on student learning and ensuring alignment to state and national standards.

The Minnesota Academic Standards are reviewed at the state level in one content area per year on a 10-year cycle, and the standards committee invites public comment during the review process. Below is the current list of content areas scheduled for standards review. You can visit Minnesota Department of Education's Academic Standards page for links to standards updates for specific content areas.

MDE Standards Review Schedule
2019-2020 English Language Arts
2020-2021 Social Studies
2021-2022 Math
2022-2023 Physical Education
2027-2028 Arts
2028-2029 Science

Literacy

The Forest Lake Area Schools Components of Literacy model outlines the four components of a balanced literacy program. Click on the photo below to see a chart that outlines these important components.

 

Balanced Literacy Framework


Local Literacy Plan
 

Reading is Fundamental

When you put a book into a child’s hands, good things happen! Literacy is embedded in all aspects of learning and builds student success. With a partnership between home and school, your child will become a lifelong reader and writer.

A balanced literacy program, which we provide at Forest Lake Area Schools, ensures that the components of effective instruction are taught through a variety of reading and writing experiences.

Our Philosophy: Forest Lake Area Schools, in partnership with family and community, strive to provide a variety of literacy opportunities through standards-based curriculum and differentiated instruction that will allow students to develop positive attitudes and become effective readers, writers, communicators,
and lifelong learners.

Literacy Standards

FLAS offers a comprehensive reading curriculum. Students learn and practice basics and continue to develop further understanding of the fundamental concepts of literacy.

The standards covered are:

Reading and Literature                                                   

  • Word recognition, analysis and fluency
  • Vocabulary expansion
  • Comprehension
  • Literature

Writing

  • Types of writing
  • Elements of composition
  • Spelling, grammar and usage
  • Handwriting and word processing
  • Research

Speaking, listening, and viewing

  • Effective verbal and non-verbal communication
  • Information analysis of electronic and print media
  • Effective expression of ideas gleaned from print, pictures, audio and video

Summer Reading is Important for All Students

Summer is a great time for students to enhance their skills in literacy. Research indicates that students who do not read during the summer actually experience a loss in their reading ability over the three months. The good news is that children who continue to read throughout the summer not only prevent that loss, they actually make gains in their reading ability. Summer shouldn't mean taking a break from learning, especially when it comes to reading. During the summer, parents and guardians can help children sustain (and even bolster) reading skills, strengthen vocabulary and reinforce the benefits of reading for enjoyment.

The following are a few tips to make summer reading enjoyable for your elementary-age children:

Read aloud together with your child every day. Make it fun by reading outdoors -- on the front steps, patio, at the beach or park. Read to your child and let your child read to you. Take advantage of the rainy days, and snuggle up to read together! Discuss the books with your children!

Set a good example! Keep a variety of reading materials around the house. Turn off the TV and have family reading time (including mom and dad).

Let kids choose what they want to read. On the bottom of this webpage you can find links to lists of suggested titles and authors your child may enjoy. We encourage parents to be involved in book selection, taking into account that books vary in reading and maturity levels.

Check out books on tapes. Listen to these recordings in the car, or turn off the TV and have the family listen to them together at home. You might look for stories or podcasts online.

Take your children to the library regularly. Most libraries sponsor summer reading clubs with easy-to-reach goals for pre-school and school-age children. Check the library calendar for special summer reading activities and events. Libraries also provide age appropriate lists for summer reading.

Suggested Book Titles for Elementary Students

The following links are lists of some suggested books for elementary-age students to read over the summer. These lists were created by the elementary teachers and curriculum coordinators of Forest Lake Area Schools.

Public Libraries in the Forest Lake Area

Our public libraries have a great deal to offer you and your children. Each county library runs its own summer reading program and has a variety of books, tapes and activities to offer. If your children do not have library cards, please take them to the library to get one. Students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult to obtain a card. For more information, please contact any one of the following library locations:
 

Enrichment Opportunities

Classroom teachers work to provide enriched and challenging opportunities within the curriculum as well as collaborate with grade level or department colleagues to plan unique experiences for students in and out of the classroom. Opportunities will vary between individual school buildings. Please contact your local school with questions regarding any of the curricular programs/activities listed below.


Elementary:

  • Differentiated Instruction
  • Extended Curriculum Experiences
  • Technology and Innovation Activities: video production, Google apps, multi-media reviews, exploration of web-based educational sites.

Middle School

  • Middle School Advanced & Accelerated Courses: An offering of accelerated and enriched classes offered to selected students within the areas of math, English, and through our world language program.

High School

  • Over 40 courses offered through which students can potentially earn college credit, including both Advanced Placement (AP) courses and concurrent enrollment courses. 
  • Over 10 industry recognized certifications opportunities in  Agriculture,  Automotive, Business, Family & Consumer Science, and Health Science. 
  • Opportunity to participate in a paid internship, which also earns high school credit. 

Contact your principal for more information.