Spring Lake Park School District 16 serves Spring Lake Park, Blaine, and Fridley with three K-3 elementary schools (Woodcrest Elementary, Kenneth Hall Elementary, Park Terrace Elementary), a grades 4-5 elementary school (Westwood Intermediate School), a 6-8 middle school (Westwood Middle School), four-year high school (Spring Lake Park High School), Learning Alternatives area learning center, online distance learning academy, and Lighthouse Program for the highly able student.
With 4,500 students, District 16 is personal is size, extra-large in opportunity. The same is true about the school community.
Schools and Hours
Grades 9-12...............................7:25 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
LA daily hours vary. Call for specifics
Our supportive community approved a February 2006 bond referendum will provide extensive, exciting, even dramatic improvements to all of our schools. Northpoint Elementary, a new K-3 elementary school, will be constructed in Blaine and will open in the fall of 2008. All schools will be renovated and improved, and receive additional classrooms. The high school will be "nearly-new" after receiving its planned improvements. Continual updates will keep everyone posted on the plans, progress, and timelines of the projects that are part of the district's facilities improvement plan.
The high school has a seven-period day. Opportunities in Emergency Health Care students are 17-time world champions. In a national ranking, Physics students had the highest average of any AP class three of the past four years. The math team recently placed 7th in the state and a state tournament entrant 12 years in a row. The number of Advanced Placement opportunities are among the state’s highest. Six were honored in the most recent National Merit Scholarship program.
The middle school offers accelerated mathematics, differentiated English and science, state-of-the-art industrial technology labs, performing arts, band, and family and consumer sciences. Students scored higher than the mean of students from 41 countries in the Third International Mathematics & Science Study. Middle school academic teams were first in the state, 6th in the nation, in a math competition. They were first in the state in the Minnesota Quiz Bowl.
Elementary reading is literature-based and writing is integrated into all subject areas. Language arts skills include reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Basic skills are incorporated into activities that challenge thinking and offer curricular stimulation appropriate to needs, abilities, and interests. Both science and math use a "hands-on" approach. An elementary academic team was first in the nation in the 2003 National Geography Olympiad. They were also first in the state, 8th in the nation, in Knowledge Bowl competition
Three coordinators direct the K-12 gifted and talented program. Students participate in accelerated or enriched courses, advanced placement courses, independent study, mentorships, and college and university option courses.
The Community Services department offers comprehensive school and community programming for all ages.
The school community is vibrant, yet retains a small-town feel. It is home to the National Sports Center, Minnesota Medical Enterprise Park, Medtronic, Onan, Unity Hospital, Anoka County Human Services Center, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Northtown Regional Shopping Center, USA Cup (the largest youth soccer tournament in the world), the 3M Championship on the senior golf tour, and the PGA world-class TPC of the Twin Cities golf course. |