Like all great endeavors, the Crosslake Public Charter School began as a dream. A group of Crosslake citizens came together to build a school to serve our local families and members of the community. According to Pineandlakes.com the school first served 30 students in grades K-6 in 1999 from Camp Knutson. The school quickly outgrew their facility and moved on to a larger building in 2000. Once again, as the school added more pupils, plans came together to build a brand-new compound across from the campground. Doors opened there in 2013.
Today, the Crosslake Public Charter school serves over 200 in-seat students in grades K-8, and over 60 students attend the online high school. It has been recognized by the Minnesota Department of Education as one of the top 15% of all schools, and one of the top 35 public charter schools in Minnesota. As a school situated in a community that places a premium on the environment and sustaining it, their mission statement closely aligns with priorities of the citizens: “To grow environmentally literate, community impacting learners of excellence.” The D.N.R. has partnered with the school to provide enrichment opportunities for local students.
In addition to the benefits of having a local school here in Crosslake and emphasizing the caretaker aspect of the environment, the school offers very small class sizes compared to most other schools: classes are capped at 19, and each teacher has an aid or assistant to ensure students have the support they need. Amy Ledin, mother of two elementary students who attend the charter school said that there are many reasons she is happy that her children attend there, but most importantly: “Because the classes are so small there is a lot more time for one-on-one academic time.” Mrs. Ledin added: “The school’s unique location allows students to learn outside of the walls of the school too. For example, they went on a field trip to Reed’s Market where they learned about gardening. The school really does a nice job of working to engage kids not just in the classroom but in our community of Crosslake.” What a great addition to our town!
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