Lakeville North Ranked One of Nation's Best Schools

New Lakeville Area Public Schools superintendent Dr. Lisa Snyder has been impressed with the pride shown by staff, students and community members for their schools since taking the helm of the district in August. Snyder says Lakeville North High School’s recent recognition by Newsweek Magazine as one of the best in the state and country is just one of many reasons that pride shines through.

Lakeville North High School was listed No. 178 nationally in the magazine’s annual rankings that came out in June, and claimed the third-highest ranking of nine Minnesota schools that made the list. Edina (76) and Mahtomedi (158) were the only Minnesota schools listed ahead of Lakeville North.

The magazine uses metrics that factor in graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, college matriculation rates, AP tests taken per graduate, as well as average AP/IB scores and AP courses offered per graduate.

“What really shows is that there are a lot of higher-level classes being offered and that the students who are taking those classes are doing well,” said Snyder. “That’s remarkable. We need to be celebrating those types of achievements.”

Snyder says she has spoken with Lakeville North High School principal Marne Berkvam about the rankings and has been impressed with the school’s efforts to measure their progress.

“That (ranking) is a high distinction,” said Snyder. “I’ve always believed that what gets measured gets done, and one of the things that staff has done is they really started focusing on an action plan to increase their ACT scores.”

Snyder says one small example of that plan in action is the school’s ‘Word of the Day’.

“If you walk those hallways you’ll notice that word of the day,” said Snyder. “It’s featured in the halls and the staff uses it throughout the day to expose the students to a higher-level vocabulary. It’s just one little piece that makes an impact.”

Berkvam, who is beginning her sixth year as the Lakeville North principal, says the entire staff at the high school deserves credit for the recognition.

“It’s really been a concentrated effort,” said Berkvam, “I attribute it to the efforts of the staff first and foremost. It’s (the ranking) exciting. We’re pretty proud of it.”

Berkvam says the staff made a concerted effort to improve the ACT scores at the school which had been hovering in the high 23+ point range.

“We took a look at those scores and said let’s get those over 24,” said Berkvam. “The teachers took a look at the curriculum and really broke it down into standards. I’m happy to report that we improved (the ACT score) to a 24.4. Without the staff making a concerted effort, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish that.”

Berkvam says staff and students are proud of the ranking and that pieces such as the Word of the Day and the ACT Question of the Day, another tool used by teachers, are just some of the ways the staff have engaged students to excel. The ACT test has a heavy emphasis on vocabulary and the test scores are an important component in the magazine’s ranking criteria.

“It’s a legit honor, and one we’re very proud of,” Berkvam said of the ranking. She cited the criteria, which Newsweek changed for their most recent rankings to focus on achievement, and said “it’s good stuff they’re looking at.”

Snyder says the district hopes to model ’s success in other schools in the district.

“To think we have something that’s working well in our district that can be replicated throughout the system is great,” said Snyder. “When you have two high schools, you need to take a look and ensure the same options are available at both. And they are. We have to continue to set goals.”

Snyder says setting those goals is part of the high academic rigor needed in order to prepare students to take what they’ve learned and go out into the world. And based on what she has seen so far in the district, she expects those scores to continue to improve.

Lakeville North is starting the 2011-2012 school year focused on improving their standing even more. For the record, the first Word of the Day is ‘rebuke’.