Lake Hills STEM MAGNET Elementary School has an exciting recent history. In January of 2008 the students and staff of Mullen Elementary moved into a brand new, state of the art facility Lake Hills. The central focal part of the new building is a lighthouse-like rotunda. Surrounding the rotunda are rooms used by all classes – the library, the Art room, the Music room and the gym. The main floor houses grades Pre-Kindergarten through Second grades and the auditeria which is a multipurpose room which serves as an auditorium and cafeteria. Grades three through fifth are housed on the lower floor. First through fifth grades each have four classrooms anchored by a central room which is used for small group instruction.

The building has wireless technology. There is a computer lab on each floor housing thirty computers. Additionally, all classrooms have four to six computers and third through fifth grades have eighteen computers in the common central room. Instructional internet programs and research, worksheets, book pages and objects are viewed by students on large screen monitors or interactive Panaboards. An Elmo camera and presenter allows students to share information with their classmates on the “large screen.”

Another milestone for Lake Hills started the 2011-2012 school year. Lake Hills became one of two magnet schools in the Michigan City Area School system. Students from all over the district were able to enroll at Lake Hills for its STEM program. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The Lake Hills grade level teams met the summer of 2011 and subsequently throughout the year to plan curriculum and instruction based on the Indiana Science Standards and integrated with the English/Language Arts, Mathematics and Social Studies Standards. Grade levels teams developed STEM related themes and collated leveled instructional materials to support the STEM program. Teacher and student support for this work was facilitated by the hiring of a STEM Specialist and and Science specialist. Partnerships were also developed with Purdue North Central University, the LaPorte Soil and Water District, the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore, the Master Gardeners, and other community agencies and businesses.

Lake Hills STEM MAGNET Elementary School is a great place for students to prepare for their futures.

Sincerely,

Connie Bachmann

Principal