Crosslake Celebrates New School

A new year means new school for over 200 students attending the Crosslake Community Charter School. The building was open in time for the new school year, but it wasn’t until this past Saturday that they celebrated the new building.

“To be a part of a community that embraces a building, change, growth, is really exciting,” Lori Scharenbroich, Crosslake Community School Board’s Chair, said.

“Probably the most important part of the story is how the community has been involved with the construction of this building,” Todd Lyscio, Crosslake Community School’s Executive Director, said.

The Lakes Kids Enrichment Foundation was created a few years ago with one goal in mind: to raise enough money to build a new school.

“The fact that the community all stepped in to help makes it such a joyous experience, and we are so grateful,” Christine Davis, Lakes Kids Enrichment Foundation President, said.

The foundation was able to raise almost $2 million in one year, and it was time for a new school in Crosslake. Crosslake previously used three buildings to house all their students, but now, everyone can work together under one roof.

“It’s great to have everyone under one roof,” Lyscio said. “Because a lot of the times, the younger students benefit from having the older kids…and it makes us all feel we are one school rather than disjointed in a number of different places.”

The new building has a solarium to teach students about different methods in which they can grow plants, as well as a full-size gymnasium.

“I have two children here: they love the lunch,” Scharenbroich said. “We finally have a kitchen of our own; we didn’t have that in our old space.”

A donor wall will be built near the entrance to thank everyone who contributed to the building, and there are still some odds and ends the Lakes Foundation is looking to raise money for.

“We need some blinds in the windows because the sun is very bright,” Davis said. “We are looking to do some acoustical work in the gymnasium, a rock wall is on the wish list, and some other things that aren’t maybe needs.”

Hy-Tec Construction was able to build the school in less than a year, and thanks to the Crosslake community, students now have one building they can call home.

The Lakes Foundation owns the building, and they hope that it also gets used for future events in the community.