Two big changes coming to Lakers in 2021-22

At its meeting May 17, the Laker Board of Education approved two big changes for the district for next fall.

First off, the Laker Secondary building will be divided into separate High School and Middle School entities, the way it had been for many years until about 12 years ago. With this move, Scott Miklovic will transition into a dual role of Middle School Principal and Tech Director for the 2021-22 school year. “We have been discussing our junior high student performance, culture, and staffing at the administrative and board level for several months and have concluded that we must do more to meet the specific needs of this group,” said Superintendent Brian Keim. “Scott is well qualified for the (middle school principal) position and excited to take on this new role.”

Lakers also will use this opportunity to formalize a name change to Laker Middle School, which will give the district a chance to draw attention to the new structure and the differences between old junior highs and modern middle school concepts.

“There will still be shared staff and blended classes between buildings, but Laker Middle School will take on an identity of its own that our students and staff can be proud of,” Mr. Keim said.

Mr. Miklovic is very pleased to step into his new role, which will begin in July.

“I am very excited to be awarded this opportunity to be the middle school principal,” he said. “I look forward to working with the students and staff in a different capacity than I already do as the technology director. It will be rewarding to be a part of this new middle school program and to help our middle school students learn and grow into positive young adults. This will be a great adventure and I couldn’t be more thrilled!”

So what is the difference between a junior high and a middle school?

“A junior high typically mirrors a high school in terms of scheduling, course selection, teachers working in isolation, and students fending for themselves as they move from class to class,” Mr. Keim said. “In a middle school, you might see classes scheduled a little differently, have times in the day where teachers can team up and plan student activities or cross-curricular units, or provide times for students to get the help or enrichment that they need. In simpler terms, a middle school is more customized to the needs of that specific age group and more flexible than a traditional junior high.”

The school board also approved the launch of a high school alternative education program for next fall. The program will use virtual classes for core academics and will feature a new apprenticeship model where students 16 and older can take skilled work placements in local businesses and earn a competitive wage and credit at the same time.

“We will start by hiring a director and an assistant to run the program, then add staffing as enrollment increases,” said Mr. Keim. “We will also be looking for a location off campus to base our operations, as successful alternative ed programs say their students favor being in a more professional environment rather than a traditional school setting.”

Mr. Keim said this new program will be for students struggling with credit recovery and for students who want a non-traditional school experience.

“I’ll be working closely with Mr. Good and Mr. Etzel to develop a credit system and graduation guidelines that give students the best chance to graduate with a diploma and a plan for success,” Mr. Keim said.

More information on both of these changes will be shared as more details are formulated.

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