Transition to Middle School

What will 6th grade look like at the middle school?

Just like other middle school students, 6th graders will rotate classes for individual subject areas. Students in 6th grade will be clustered together in one wing of the school and will take most of their classes within that area. Sixth grade class schedules will include:

• English/Literacy (Honors option)

• Math (6th Grade, Pre-Algebra or Algebra)

• Earth Science 

• Social Studies

• Physical Education/Arts (Music/Fine Arts)

• Elective/Gateway Course(s)

Teachers: We anticipate that most of our middle school 6th grade classes will be taught by long-time 6th grade teachers. Teachers will have the opportunity this fall to request the assignment that interests them. This could include staying in their current elementary building in a K-5th grade role, or moving to the middle school and specializing in their preferred subject area.  Final staff assignments will be announced before the end of December.

Getting ready for Middle School

Save the Date! Family information nights

Parents and students of 5th graders can visit the school, learn about our middle school program, ask questions and get prepared for class registration. 

• Jan. 6th, 2025 - Scandia at 6:00 p.m.
• Jan. 6th, 2025 - Lino Lakes at 7:00 p.m.
• Jan. 7th, 2025 - Columbus at 6:00 p.m.
• Jan. 7th, 2025 - Wyoming at 7:00 p.m.
• Jan. 9th, 2025 - Forest Lake at 6:00 p.m. 
• Jan. 9th, 2025 - Linwood at 7:00 p.m.

Class Registration Process

Middle School counselors will visit your child’s classroom during the week of January 20th. Students will take registration materials home to review with their parents before making their selections. 

Starting school at Forest Lake Area Middle School

Our school offers a WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) program that helps students become familiar with the middle school and provides each student with a small group of peers to help get their middle school years off to a strong start. 

In addition, our middle school offers staggered start days that allow new students their own first day of school dedicated to helping them feel at home in the building, walking through their schedule, practicing their locker combination and getting used to being a middle school student. 

We also offer an advisory program that gives students the opportunity to learn the skills for success in middle school and beyond. In September, this program is specifically designed for orientation and helping new students get off to a great start.

Get Ready for Middle School!

Save the Date! Sixth grade concerts and information nights January 14th and 16th

Sixth grade band, orchestra and vocal music students perform in a concert at Forest Lake Area Middle School. After the concert, families and students have the opportunity to tour the school, learn about our middle school program, ask questions and get prepared for class registration. 

Class Registration Process

Middle School counselors will visit your child’s classroom during the week of January 20th. Students will take registration materials home to review with their parents before making their selections. 

Starting school at Forest Lake Area Middle School

Our school offers a WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) program that helps students become familiar with the middle school and provides each student with a small group of peers to help get their middle school years off to a strong start. 

In addition, our middle school offers staggered start days that allow new students their own first day of school dedicated to helping them feel at home in the building, walking through their schedule, practicing their locker combination and getting used to being a middle school student. 

We also offer an advisory program that gives students the opportunity to learn the skills for success in middle school and beyond. In September, this program is specifically designed for orientation and helping new students get off to a great start.

Class sizes will be similar to current 6th grade class sizes. The middle school has enough classroom space to accommodate 6th grade students without increasing average class sizes.

Teachers will be given an opportunity to request a school building and job assignment for next year. It is very likely that many of our 6th grade teachers will move to the middle school, although some may wish to stay at their elementary building at a different grade level. We do not anticipate any teacher layoffs as a result of this shift.

The middle school building was originally built for this approximate number of students. Our middle school staff has reviewed classroom space, elective class spaces, gymnasium space, lunchroom space and many other space considerations and concluded that there is enough space.

Students coming from elementary school will actually have more time in physical education (phy ed) classes, as those are offered every other day at the middle school. Recess is available to students during lunch after they have eaten, either outdoors or in the gym. General physical activity will increase over elementary school as students get up and move from class to class several times per day.

A middle school planning team, including teaching staff, will be working over the next two months to finalize a detailed daily schedule, but the start time of the school day and the end time of the school day will remain the same or similar to what it is now at Forest Lake Area Middle School.

For students who come from elementary Immersion programs, there are immersion classes available at the Middle School in certain subjects.

Yes. Our nutrition services staff will be planning for the additional numbers of students and will ensure that students have enough time to eat.

Principals and district leaders have already begun meeting with transportation officials and Forest Lake Police Department to discuss improving the flow of traffic around the Middle School and High School during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal times. Plans will be finalized well in advance of the 2025-2026 school year.

It does take time to plan, however, preliminary planning work has already begun. Now that the board has taken action, final plans can be developed. Our middle school has already formed a planning team, including teachers and staff, and will be ready with final plans in the next few months.

Students in 6th grade will now have the option of after-school middle school sports, similar to other middle school grades. Middle school sports are managed by Forest Lake Area Schools Community Education and specific sport options and information will be released in time for fall 2025 sports registration.

Our middle school has a very robust program to help students transition from elementary school into middle school. This includes family information and open house nights in January, middle school counselor visits to elementary schools for registration and student information, and a thriving “Where Everybody Belongs” (WEB) leader program where older students help younger students adjust to their new school. This transition program will be provided this year for both incoming 6th and 7th grade students.

We are committed to making this a special year for both our 5th and 6th grade students as they complete their final year of elementary school. This includes making sure that 5th graders have the opportunity to do the big milestone events they’ve been looking forward to. Specifically, there will be a district-wide 5th grade track and field day and also a 6th grade track and field day. Each elementary school also has plans to make sure their 5th grade students have a special year and families will hear more about that from their school principal.