Lakes International Language Academy

Lakes International Language Academy Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school located in Forest Lake, MN. Give your child the world!

No Tuition K-12 Public Charter School, Spanish and Chinese Immersion, International Baccalaureate, Affordable PreK with Tuition Assistance Programs, Transportation Available from Some Locations We offer Spanish and Mandarin Chinese full immersion combined with the acclaimed International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) curriculum at our Lower School for students in grades K-5. Upp

er School offers the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students in grades 6-10, and the rigorous Diploma Programme (DP) for grades 11-12. Students may also continue immersion courses and/or learn a third language, choosing from Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or French. Upper School students do not need to have second language experience to enroll. An affordable, fee-based, preschool program is available for 3-5 year olds. Kinder Prep Preschool offers a variety of enrollment options including 2-, 3- and 5-day programs. It is housed in our unique Kinder Center building designed exclusively for preschoolers and kindergartners. Kinder Prep exposes our youngest learners to the IB PYP curriculum, as well as Mandarin Chinese and Spanish languages. It is a great way to jumpstart language acquisition, setting students up for success as they transition to Lower School's full immersion program. Since 2004, parents have chosen Lakes International Language Academy to help guide their children toward becoming responsible, caring, informed, curious, and engaged global citizens. LILA students gain the knowledge and good study habits that come from the rigorous International Baccalaureate program as they develop literacy and proficiency in their target language (Spanish or Mandarin Chinese) and English. Along the way, they learn to appreciate the world and its many cultures. Theyโ€™re ready for greater challenges in post-secondary school and beyond. Learn more about LILA at www.MyLILA.org.

08/26/2026

๐ŸŽ‰ LILA Upper School Named a U.S. News Best High School! ๐ŸŽ‰

Weโ€™re excited to share that Lakes International Language Academy Upper School has earned NATIONAL and METRO-AREA recognition in the 2026โ€“2027 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings!

#1,025 in National Rankings
#15 in Minnesota High Schools
#14 in Metro Area High Schools
#195 in Charter High Schools

This recognition places LILA among the nationโ€™s high-performing public high schools and reflects the hard work of our students, educators, and entire LILA community.

Weโ€™re proud that this recognition reflects our commitment to academic excellence, language immersion, global learning, and preparing students for their next journey.

Way to go, Dragons! ๐Ÿ‰

08/24/2026

Mark Your Calendar: August 27 is our Kinder Center and Lower School Open House & Welcome Conference Day! ๐Ÿ‰

Weโ€™re excited to welcome our LILA families back to campus as we get ready to start the new school year!
Kindergarten & Kinder Prep Preschool Open House
๐Ÿ“ Kinder Center Building
๐Ÿ•š 11:00 a.m.โ€“1:00 p.m. OR 4:00โ€“7:00 p.m.

Kindergarten and Kinder Prep Preschool families can visit the classroom, meet the teacher, and help their child feel comfortable and ready for the first day of school. Families may attend either session and should plan to spend about 30 minutes at school.
No sign-up is needed!

๐Ÿ“Œ Please note: This is a date change from previous communications.

________________________________________

Grades 1โ€“5 Welcome Conferences
๐Ÿ“ Lower School Campus
๐Ÿ•š 11:00 a.m.โ€“7:00 p.m.

Welcome Conferences give students and families a chance to connect with their teacher and get ready for a great start to the school year.

๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Sign-up will close on August 26 at noon.
๐Ÿ”— Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/zifhfXw
We canโ€™t wait to see our students and kick off another amazing school year!
GO DRAGONS!

08/21/2026

๐Ÿ‰ Back to School Night at the Upper School!

The Upper School was buzzing with excitement as our Grades 6โ€“12 students and families got a head start on the new school year!

Students walked their schedules, met their teachers, made sure their lockers were ready to go, and picked up technology if needed. Families also had a chance to connect with activity staff, learn more about Bound, and get signed up for sports, music, and other activities.

And, of course, everyone got a little taste of whatโ€™s to come in the cafeteria with samples from our breakfast menu!

It was wonderful to see the halls filled with familiar faces, new students, lots of smiles, and plenty of excitement for the year ahead!

08/20/2026

There was no shortage of excitement, smiles, and hugs as LILA staff from across the district were welcomed back yesterday! ๐Ÿ’™

Staff kicked off the new school year with a continental breakfast, an inspiring opening from Executive Director Nicole Rasmussen, and a meaningful presentation by Ann Mitchell, a LILA grandparent and School Leadership Consultant with the Minnesota Department of Education.

It was the perfect way to come together, reconnect, and get inspired for the year ahead. Weโ€™re ready for a new school year filled with learning, growth, connection, and plenty of exciting moments along the way!

Hereโ€™s to the journey ahead, LILA Dragons! ๐Ÿ‰

๐ŸŒŽ Weโ€™re Looking for a Few More LILA Host Families! We currently have two Language Ambassadors who still need host famili...
08/18/2026

๐ŸŒŽ Weโ€™re Looking for a Few More LILA Host Families!

We currently have two Language Ambassadors who still need host families for the 2026โ€“2027 school year!

Our Language Ambassadors are teachers from around the world who have chosen to come to LILA to gain classroom experience, share their language and culture, and become a valued part of our school community.

๐Ÿก What does hosting look like?
Host families provide a welcoming home, meals, and the opportunity for an ambassador to experience everyday family life in Minnesota. In return, your family gets to build a meaningful connection with someone from another part of the world while bringing an international experience right into your home.

You donโ€™t need to speak another language or have previous hosting experience; you just need the willingness to welcome someone into your family!

Weโ€™d love to find the right LILA families for our two ambassadors who are still waiting to find their home away from home. โค๏ธ

Email [email protected] or complete our Host Family Interest Form:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSf4DSNdfTE.../viewform...

For more information on what it means to be a Language Ambassador, visit:
https://www.mylila.org/get.../host-a-language-ambassador

Help us give these ambassadors a warm LILA welcome! ๐Ÿ‰

08/17/2026

REMINDER:
LILA Upper School Open House is this Thursday, August 20! ๐Ÿ‰

Weโ€™re excited to welcome our Upper School students and families to campus for an afternoon of getting ready for the new school year!

2:00โ€“4:00 p.m.
New to LILA Students & Families, Grades 7โ€“11
______________________________________________

4:00โ€“6:00 p.m.
All Upper School Families, All Grades 6โ€“12
Students and families are invited to stop by, check out classrooms, meet staff, pick up schedules, get lockers, and get ready for the year ahead!
SENIORS in Activity and Athletics:
If you want a banner, pictures will be taken at Open House.
If you are in more than one activity during the school year, you choose which uniform or LILA attire to wear.
No pre-registration is required. Come when you can and take some time to get ready for the new school year!
We canโ€™t wait to see our students back on campus!
GO DRAGONS!

08/13/2026

๐ŸŽ The countdown to the 2026โ€“2027 school year is officially ON, and we kicked things off today with New Staff Orientation!

We were so excited to welcome this incredible group of educators and support staff to campus today!

Whether theyโ€™re brand-new to our campus or familiar faces stepping into exciting new roles, today was all about prepping to build great relationships and make this year awesome for our students.

Drop a welcome message in the comments and help us greet the newest dragon staff members! ๐Ÿ‘‡

08/12/2026

๐Ÿ“ฃ Weโ€™re still in search of a few more amazing team members to join our LILA family for the 2026โ€“2027 school year!

Weโ€™re looking for:

โœจ Basic Skills Paraprofessional โ€” Spanish-Speaking
โœจ Special Education Paraprofessionals โ€” English, Spanish & Mandarin Chinese-Speaking

Paraprofessionals play an important role in our classrooms by working alongside teachers to support students, encourage learning, build confidence, and help every student feel successful and included.

Whether youโ€™re looking to begin a career in education, bring your skills to a supportive school community, or make a difference in studentsโ€™ lives, weโ€™d love to have you become a LILA Dragon! ๐Ÿ‰

๐Ÿ‘‰ Learn more and apply today: https://www.mylila.org/careers

โœจ Ricardo is still looking for a host family! ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ๐ŸกRicardo is excited to begin his year at LILA, but he still needs a welc...
08/06/2026

โœจ Ricardo is still looking for a host family! ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿก

Ricardo is excited to begin his year at LILA, but he still needs a welcoming host family to call home!

After studying abroad in South Korea and traveling throughout Europe, Ricardo is ready for his next adventure by building meaningful connections with our LILA community. He believes life's greatest adventures happen around the dinner table with the people you care about, and he's looking forward to sharing his culture while learning about yours.

Hosting is a rewarding way to make a lifelong connection while giving an international educator a true Minnesota experience.

Could your family be the perfect fit for Ricardo?

Interested? Email [email protected] or complete our Host Family Interest Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf4DSNdfTE.../viewform

Learn more about hosting a Language Ambassador:
https://www.mylila.org/get-involved/host-a-language-ambassador

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post! We'd love to find Ricardo his home away from home! โค๏ธ

Fall sports are almost here!Regular practices for LILA Fall Sports begin Monday, August 17!This fall, students can parti...
08/05/2026

Fall sports are almost here!

Regular practices for LILA Fall Sports begin Monday, August 17!

This fall, students can participate in the following athletics:
โšฝ Boys & Girls Soccer
๐Ÿˆ Football
๐Ÿ Volleyball
๐ŸŠ Girls Swim
๐Ÿƒ Cross Country

Don't forget to register your athlete through Bound before the season begins:
https://www.gobound.com/mn/schools/lakesintla

We can't wait to cheer on our Dragon athletes this season! ๐Ÿ‰

Not interested in athletics? No worries!
LILA offers a variety of clubs and activities that begin once the school year is underway, so there's something for everyone to explore.

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Forest Lake, MN

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