About Our School

North Lakeland School (NLS) was established in 1970 as a consolidation of several smaller community schools. Nestled deep in a beautiful woodland setting, surrounded by numerous lakes and streams, our school has a special charm. The five townships  that we serve -- Boulder Junction, part of Land O’Lakes, Manitowish Waters, Presque Isle, and Winchester -- comprise the largest geographic elementary school district in the State of Wisconsin.

Our 4K through 8th grade school is known for its excellent academic programs, a low ratio of students to staff, unique outdoor education program, and innovative use of class configuration and technology. The school prides itself in the quality of care given to each student and upholds a tradition of creating competent and responsible citizens who will become tomorrow’s leaders.  Our buck behaviors are: Safe, Kind, Respectful, Responsible, and Attentive.

Our Faculty

North Lakeland’s faculty is exceptional.  Teachers in this school not only care about each student, but they work tirelessly to provide the highest standards in classroom instruction.

Our Location & Facilities

The physical setting of the school creates an environment where education and recreation, both in and out of the classroom, can be sustained. The school boasts its own school forest with marked nature trails, nine-hole disc golf course, and groomed cross-country ski & snowshoe trails. There is also a football field, soccer fields, tennis and pickleball courts, an outdoor track, and an outdoor ice rink.  During the winter, the physical education curriculum includes cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; during the fall, curriculum includes biking on the paved trails adjacent to school. 

The school includes a 60-acre lakefront piece of property which previously had been used by the Department of Natural Resources as a YCC camp. In a unique cooperative effort among the community, school, and the DNR, a lease was created to allow the school the use of the property. A non-profit group made up of members of the community organized and created the North Lakeland Discovery Center. This multi-functional facility provides a gathering place for both children and adults to explore the region’s extraordinary natural, cultural and historic resources. It gives the school a permanent site for its extensive outdoor education curriculum while offering future opportunities for summer school, day camp, and continual cultural and recreational programming.

Our Education Program

One of the highlights of North Lakeland’s curriculum is its outdoor education program. Six school days are set aside each year for three outdoor education sessions. The students participate in a curriculum developed for this outdoor experience. The fifth through eighth grade students have the opportunity to overnight at camp throughout their outdoor education years. A standards-based curriculum is used for primary including a focus on pioneers, miners, voyageurs, and lumberjacks, along with the application of academics to real-life outdoor experiences.  The middle school curriculum focuses on survival skills, basic canoeing, tenting, and outdoor cooking and culminates with two 8th grade adventure trips — backpacking in the fall and canoe trip in the spring.

The core curriculum at North Lakeland stresses fundamentals. NLS enhances the core curriculum with special programming for students with special needs. It has an excellent special education department, while also serving the needs of the gifted students.

North Lakeland School District recognizes the importance of providing learning experiences to students of all levels giving opportunities to challenge their abilities.  Daily resource time allows students at all performance levels benefit from classroom differentiation.

Enrichment activities in the middle school grades focus on the development of critical thinking, analytical skills, interpretive reasoning and problem-solving. These have included the super art trip, writer's workshop, math competition, professional artist’s workshop, and other added activities that address the changing needs of North Lakeland’s high-performance learners.  

Students interested in drama, music, and art have opportunities to express themselves, and band and choral members have participated in solo & ensemble competitions and Lakeland Union High School's band and choir days.

The students have displayed a desire to achieve outside the classroom as well. North Lakeland students have received recognition with state champion youth hockey teams, student-designed duck stamp and peace poster drawings, as well as students competing in the spelling bee, geography bee, and National History Day.  All of these opportunities demonstrate some of the outstanding experiences offered at this school, and the dedication of its staff to the education and development of the entire student.

co-curricular activities

Co-curricular activities traditionally offered at North Lakeland School are:

FALL:  Girls volleyball (6th-8th grades, and skills-based for 5th grade); Boys Cross Country (5th-8th grades)

WINTER: Basketball (6th-8th grades, boys and girls, and skills-based for 5th grade)

SPRING:  Track (6th-8th grades, boys and girls; skills-based for 5th grade)

More information can be obtained by contacting Carl Karaffa, NLS Athletic Director.

Our Community

North Lakeland also enjoys a wonderful relationship with its parents and community. Volunteers help the school thrive by helping teachers in the classroom as volunteers, working as chaperones, and generally supporting the excellent work of the staff.

Special programming is one more way of keeping the community involved in the school.  Check back for news and updates about North Lakeland's Community Education program and the school’s fitness room. 

Our Commitment to Innovation

North Lakeland remains at the cutting edge of innovation. Innovative curriculum and classroom design allow varied opportunities for meeting individual student needs. NLS is also at the cutting edge in technology with Smartboards in every classroom, 1:1 computer initiative, a Fab Lab, and a presence on the World Wide Web.

North Lakeland prides itself in the quality of care given to each student. The school and staff know they are helping to build responsible citizens who will be tomorrow’s leaders. NLS students advance to the high school and continue to be positive, responsible leaders in that setting, also.