Boozhoo Parents, Families, and Community Members!   

 

The 2025-2026 school year marks an exciting time for the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School, its students and staff, and the entire community.  This year we will celebrate 50 years of education at the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School, and we have some exciting celebrations that are in the works to mark the half century of indigenous learning that has taken place.  Please stay tuned for more information on how families and community members can join in the celebration!  

 

This year we will also be undergoing the school accreditation process that is required of all Bureau of Indian Education schools every 5 years.  An accreditation review is a process that schools undergo as a way to ensure that the major components of quality education are being met, to identify areas in need of improvement, and to help formulate long term plans for the future.   The LCO school has successfully maintained accreditation for at least two decades and we are confident that this status will continue long into the future.  

 

The accreditation process is being led by the School Leadership team, a working group composed of program directors, administration, veteran teachers, and student support personnel, and is guided by the COGNIA Accreditation Framework.  Being nationally accredited means that LCO is a legitimate and reputable school, where students can be assured that they are receiving an education that is transferable to college or career.  Accreditation also guarantees that LCO remains eligible for federal and state financial support and that graduates are eligible for federal financial aid and scholarships.  During the accreditation process, the curriculum, instruction and student support services are reviewed, with a heavy focus on data, observation, and stakeholder feedback.  The Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Immersion program is a partner in the review process.   

 

The LCO accreditation review process began last spring with the request for parent feedback via an electronic survey.  This survey will again be available for parents and guardians at the Fall Open House on August 21st.  Additionally, students will be asked to complete surveys when school resumes.  Classroom observations will also be a component of the review process in the early part of the school year.  The accreditation review process will culminate with a virtual school engagement visit on November 13th, 2025, where parents, students and staff will be asked to participate in round table discussion facilitated by the independent reviewer.  After the review is completed, the school will receive a summary report which will assist in continuous improvement on identified goals and objectives until the next review in 2030 takes place.  This report will be shared with the community and will be available on our school website which also has a link to our previous review in 2021.   

 

If you have questions about the review process or would like to volunteer to complete the parent survey or participate in the round table discussion, please contact Jessica Hutchison at jessica.hutchison@lcoosk12.org or 715-634-8924, ext. 1229.