Litchfield High School
901 Gilman Ave. N. — (320) 693-2424
www.litchfield.k12.mn.us

Litchfield High School offers a wide variety of curricular and co-curricular opportunities for area students. High school students have many elective courses available including Advanced Placement classes in calculus, statistics, biology, mechanical and electrical engineering, and geography. Students can also take up to four years of German or Spanish. The high school enrolls 564 students in grades nine through 12, according to Principal Michael Goodrum.

Other courses help students learn about future schooling and job opportunities, such as the school-to-work program, house construction technology class, and a sales/marketing course accredited with Ridgewater College. Special education and English as a Second Language programs are also available.

There are three computer labs — one Macintosh and two IBM — with 30 computers in each. An additional 30 machines are available in the media center for research purposes.

Co-curricular activities include all the athletic facilities needed for varsity sports such as the hockey arena and tennis courts within a block of the school. The swimming pool, gyms and wrestling room are inside the building. The high school has a strong fine arts program with a number of select choir and band groups. Other extracurricular activities include Knowledge Bowl, speech, drama club and the one-act play.

The 2006-07 school year brought a number of changes to Litchfield High School. A $12.5 million referendum, passed by the Litchfield community in 2004, changed the face of the high school. A new lobby and commons area gives new access to students and the public during community events. Additions to the academic areas include remodeled and modernized science rooms, additional classroom space for general use and specific updates for the special education classrooms. In summer 2007, the pool and locker rooms were remodeled and improved. The high school office is now just inside the main doors, which gives students and visitors direct access to the office. The high school is fully air-conditioned, which helps to create an improved physical environment for student learning.

Litchfield Alternative Learning Program
26 Third St. W. — (320) 693-0633

The Litchfield Alternative Learning Program began in 1996 to serve students struggling in the typical high school environment. The mission of the program is to provide an environment that will help students reach their fullest academic and social potential, thereby enabling them to become productive members of society.

The school enrolls 16 students, who take courses in English, social studies, mathematics, science and physical education/health. The students also have the opportunity to take electives or participate in the independent study program. The school operates under the Litchfield High School. The LALP coordinator is Tim Mackey.

Libre Academy
101 Gorman Ave. S.
(320) 593-1709

Libre Academy is a high school geared toward students who are recovering from chemical dependency. As a sober school, Libre is like any other other school academically, with students studying four core curriculum areas: mathematics, science, English/language arts, social sciences and one elective.

The main difference is that as well as working on class assignments, students are working through chemical dependency. Libre Academy students have been diagnosed by an assessment professional and have successfully completed the primary phase of treatment in a licensed chemical dependency program. When students enter Libre, they are pledging their serious commitment to their recovery.

Litchfield Public Schools took over the management of Libre Academy for the 2007-08 school year. It is now part of the Litchfield Public Schools Alternative Learning Program umbrella, as a second alternative learning program. The school opened in September 2005.

Litchfield Middle School
340 10th St. E. — (320) 693-2441
www.litchfield.k12.mn.us

The Litchfield Middle School has 446 students enrolled in grades six through eight. Classes typically consist of 23 to 28 students.

Media facilities include two full computer labs with Internet access, and a library/media center with 20 additional computers.

The students experience teaming concepts such as team planning, exploratory days, interdisciplinary lessons and an advisory program. The middle school's "pod" format, according to Principal Pat Devine, allows same sections of students to take their core classes — English, mathematics, science and social studies — from the same four core teachers for that grade level. In doing so, the core teachers can provide a prescribed curriculum plan to meet the needs of their select "pod" students.

An initiative that LMS has implemented is the concept of Differentiated Instruction where teachers use a variety of instruction and assessment methods to better fit the needs of students.

Students in each grade also take classes in computer use, art, industrial technology, family and consumer science and physical education.

Reading is an additional course for sixth grade, and health is an added course for seventh- and eighth-graders.

Electives include band and choir, and for eighth-grade students agriculture and introductory Spanish and German. Students have advisory homeroom groups where they meet daily. Almost all athletics offered at the varsity level are available for seventh- and eighth-graders. Other activities include instrumental and vocal music, speech, art club and science club.

Wagner Elementary School
307 Sixth St. E. — (320) 693-2824
www.litchfield.k12.mn.us

Wagner Elementary School serves 267 students in grades four and five. The student-to-teacher ratio is about 22 to one.

The school offers many of the same programs and facilities as Lake Ripley Elementary, such as special education, Title I programs for struggling students and enrichment opportunities.

Classes at Wagner expand on the basic skills taught in the earlier grades and branch off into more diverse subjects in the sciences and social studies, emphasizing more specialized areas.

Students continue to take art, music and physical education classes and computer.

They participate in a number of unique events during the year, including field trips, the spring carnival and a track and field day.

Gregg Zender serves as principal for both Ripley and Wagner schools.

Lake Ripley Elementary School
100 Pleasure Drive W. — (320) 693-2436
www.litchfield.k12.mn.us

Lake Ripley Elementary School enrolls 473 students in grades kindergarten through three. The school offers services such as early childhood education programs, special education and a preschool.

Classes, which usually have about 20 students, focus on teaching children the basic skills and foundations for learning. Emphasis is placed on building students' abilities in reading, math and writing, as well as developing their speaking and comprehension skills. Classes are taught in a way that makes the material more interesting and fun for the students. Different subjects are integrated into the reading, and a hands-on approach is used to solve math problems. Other classes include art, music and physical education. The Litchfield Enhancement Opportunities program provides enrichment for more advanced learners.

The school has a computer lab with Internet access, as well as media facilities in the school library. Each grade puts on a yearly musical program, and there is a spring carnival and student art fair.

Litchfield Public School Board
The Litchfield School District is governed by a six-member board. Three board members are elected every two years during the general election in November. Members are elected to four-year terms. The board meets at 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month in the library meeting room at the Meeker County Family Services Building, 114 Holcombe Ave. N. The district's central office is in the Family Services Building. The telephone number is (320) 693-2444, the Web site is www.litchfield.k12.mn.us.

• Bill Wold, Superintendent
• Terrence Tancabel
• Dan Dollerschell
• Stacey Helstrom
• Brian Park
• Karla Rick
• Donna McGraw

School of St. Philip
225 Third St. E. — (320) 693-6283
www.thechurchofstphilip.org/school

The School of St. Philip is an accredited Catholic school affiliated with St. Philip's parish in Litchfield. The school has seven licensed teachers, three paraprofessionals and a fully licensed principal. There are 92 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Children from all faith traditions are welcome. The School of St. Philip is committed to providing a strong academic curriculum in a faith-filled environment. It has an all-day, every-day kindergarten program that incorporates a strong phonics reading program.

All students study the basic subjects in small classes with many opportunities for individualized participation in projects, performances and enrichment. Students have music and physical education classes twice a week throughout the year and an extra-curricular basketball program. The school includes a large library, and students also make frequent use of the Litchfield Public Library, which is one block away. The school's up-to-date computer lab has Internet access, and students have weekly computer classes, as well as using computers in their classrooms.

The School of St. Philip is a family-centered school that believes parents are the first teachers of their children. Strong communication and cooperation between home and school is key to the community atmosphere at St. Philip's. School life revolves around following the way of Jesus and carrying the values learned into the larger community. There are many opportunities for prayer and liturgy and participation in social concern projects. The school's close proximity to Augustana nursing home gives many chances for inter-generational activities.

Annual tuition at the school is $1,375 for parish members and $1,575 for non-members. For more information about the School of St. Philip, contact Principal Diana McCarney at (320) 693-6283.