We will talk about the most significant school inside the city of Lakeville, Minnesota, that is in high school level and above. This is Lakeville North High School, and we will describe it to you and give some history on it.
Lakeville North High School (LNHS) is a public high school in northern Lakeville, Minnesota. Formerly Lakeville High School, LNHS received its current name when a second, high school, Lakeville South High School, was built. Grades 9-12 attend the school, and its principal is Marne Berkvam.
The school is a member of Minnesota Independent School District 194 (Lakeville Area Public Schools), and is affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). The school is a member of the South Suburban Conference (Minnesota). During the 2009-10 school year, Lakeville North High School was recognized with the Blue-Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.
Lakeville North High School offers 21 advanced placement (A.P.) classes in various subjects including Art History, Calculus, Biology, English Literature, Language Composition, Chemistry, European History, U.S. History, World History, Psychology, Music Theory, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Studio Art, Human Geography, Statistics, Physics, Environmental Science, and American Government. Advanced placement exams are held at the end of the year; students who receive a passing grade earn college credits. They are also weighed on a 5.0 scale.
Students are also given the opportunity to earn college credits and high school credits at the same time if they are a junior or senior in high school through Post-Secondary. This is where students take courses at a nearby, participating college or university; as of 2011 the offered schools included Normandale Community College, Inver Hills Community College, Dakota County Technical College, and the University of Minnesota. The students must meet the admission requirement first to take these courses. In the past, school administrators have raised controversy by stating that the Post-Secondary Education Option (PSEO) was a way for students who operated poorly in traditional academic settings to pursue options in local community colleges, operating in direct contradiction to the State of Minnesota’s PSEO laws. In accordance with school policy, letter grades are not given to students choosing to pursue this option.
Lakeville has done very well in terms of standardized testing and improvement in education and were awarded the Blue-Ribbon School of Excellence in 2009. In 2010 it was ranked at number 769 on Newsweek’s annual list of America’s Best High Schools.
Lakeville North offers a variety of art classes both in the school and online. The school offers:
- Advanced placement art history
- Advanced placement studio art
- Art appreciation online
- Art lab
- Ceramics 1 & 2
- Fine art drawing 1, 2, & 3
- Graphic art & design 1 &2
- Painting 1, 2, & 3
- Photography 1, 2, & 3
- Image design & editing online
Lakeville North Students are able to participate in many extracurricular activities including: Academic Decathlon, American Sign Language, Band, Baking, Best Buddies, Chess Club, Choir, Comic Book Club, Dance Club, Debate, DECA, Drama Club, Environmental Club, Faith Club, Fall Musical, French Club, Individuals Matter, Link Crew, Math League, Mock Trial, One Act Play, Quiz Bowl, SADD, SAGE, Science Olympiad, Spanish Club, Spring Play, Speech, Student Council, Young Democrats, Young Republicans, and Youth in Government.