Leadership

Thank you for visiting our website and it is my honor to be the principal of La Academia and Kinder Academy.

Here’s a little background on our school: La Academia is a two-way dual-language immersion school. This means our kids leave us being fluent in both English and Spanish. We teach native English-speaking and native Spanish-speaking students at the same time. We start formal English instruction in kindergarten for 30-40 minutes each day in a 90:10 model and gradually increase English instruction to a 50:50 model in 4th and 5th grade. We provide exceptional, personalized learning and focusing on each child so they can reach their highest potential. After 5th grade, La Academia students can continue working on their language skills in classes taught in Spanish at Chaska Middle School West and (eventually) Chanhassen High School.

We also have Kinder Academy which is a kindergarten program designed for young kindergarten students. It is not an early entrance program, it is a two-year kindergarten program for five-year-olds. If your child has a summer birthday or if you’re not sure your child is ready for school, Kinder Academy is an option. Families commit to the program for two years. If your child is ready for first grade after year one, they “graduate” to first grade. If your child needs more academic or social preparation, they will stay with their teacher in Kinder Academy, learn more challenging content and have more leadership roles in their class.

You will find an exceptional academic program at La Academia & Kinder Academy, including the following:

• Immersion for English and Spanish speakers: Each group of students learns language from the other!
• Personalized learning based in academic standards — learning is student-centered and there is no mystery about what students are learning each day
• After-school classes through Community Ed
• A positive behavior system that reinforces being and doing good: PBIS is Positive Behavior and Instructional Supports framework. Eastern Carver County Schools is the only district in Minnesota to have a district-wide commitment to this framework.
• A balanced literacy approach: Reading is taught with other core literacy skills like comprehension, phonics, vocabulary and more.
• Technology integration, with a robust Media Center and collaboration stations throughout our school. Starting in 3rd grade, students have their own district-issued Chromebook laptop computer. Younger students use age-appropriate devices in their classrooms like iPads and touchscreens.
• Adopted curriculum including Math Expressions, Journeys/ Senderos, & Foss Kits 
• Music, Art, Physical Education, and Band (5th grade only) taught by licensed specialists

I’m grateful to our partnership with our outstanding PTO and Parents in Action groups, which is made up of a committed group of parents. Both of these groups offer strong support by providing additional resources to our classrooms and engaging families in several fun-filled events each year like our Fiesta and other events.

We are proud of our school and would love to show you. Please click on this link to come visit us.