Lakeville high school leaders spotlight counselor additions, freshmen supports and push for a seventh period

Lakeville Area Schools presented a wide-ranging update on the district’s high school programs on May 27, highlighting new counselor hires, freshman transition programs and proposals to expand scheduling and course access.

Elida Kane, director of secondary teaching and learning, told the board the high school team is focused on ‘‘preparing students for an ever evolving world’’ and described graduation as the district’s ‘‘North Star’’ for instructional planning and student supports.

Kane said the district serves just under 4,000 students across two traditional high schools, Pathways Academy and Lakeville Online Academy, with more than 55 languages spoken among high school students. ‘‘Our teachers see roughly 75 students per day with varying needs and backgrounds,’’ she said, drawing attention to the data the district uses to align staffing and supports.

Nut graf: District leaders argued that recent investments — adding counselors and freshmen support programs — are producing early benefits, but principals urged the board to consider deeper schedule and facility changes to increase course options, delivery of college-credit classes on-campus and to reduce large class sizes.

Principals outlined programs and results Kim Budi, principal at Lakeville North, and Sean Murphy, principal at Lakeville South, described course offerings and student outcomes. Murphy said the district…