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Copper Island Academy describes Finnish-inspired hands-on K-8 model, plans for high school expansion
Summary
Copper Island Academy, a K-8 charter in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, told a House subcommittee it uses Finnish education practices, outdoor learning and hands-on projects and is planning a high-school expansion after steady enrollment growth and rising state performance scores.
Lansing — Copper Island Academy, a charter school in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, presented its Finnish-inspired, hands-on K-8 model to the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on School Aid and the Department of Education on March 4 and said it plans to add a high school pathway.
Matt Laho, instructional coach at Copper Island Academy, told the subcommittee the school opened in 2021 with just under 300 students and now enrolls about 385. "Our mission at Copper Island is that we prepare all students through college, work, and life success through the implementation of highly effective Finnish education practices while embracing traditional American ideals," Laho said.
Nut graf: Copper Island emphasized outdoor breaks, project-based learning and small staff-to-student ratios (15'18 students per staff member), and reported high state performance-index scores that the school said place it among the top 2% of Michigan schools.
Laho highlighted regular outdoor, unstructured play and hands-on projects such as wood carving, gardening and construction tasks to build student resilience and problem-solving skills. He described a planned high-school expansion focused on STEM, skilled trades and opportunities for dual enrollment and middle-college credits.
The school reported academic performance improvements: Copper Island said its Michigan school index score rose from 96.75 to 99.19 and that that level places the school in the state's top 2% by that measure. Laho told the subcommittee the school prioritizes joy in learning and community partnerships to support internships and credentials such as OSHA 10 and CNA where appropriate.
Committee members asked about staffing and schedule. Laho said Copper Island builds collaboration time into the day, maintains staff-student ratios in the mid-teens and schedules common preparation time so teachers can plan and meet.
Ending: Copper Island offered to share further materials on its model and said it is working on plans to develop a high-school program that would include career pathways and college-credit opportunities.
