This week, we are excited to profile the extraordinary Shannon Peterson, executive director of Lakes International Language Academy in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
Shannon Peterson has lived and worked all over the world. After getting married, she and her husband moved from the U.S. to Germany and taught at an international school.
“We said we were never going to have kids, but if we did, we wanted them to go to an international school,” Shannon said.
After several years in Germany, they moved to attend graduate school—at the University of Hawai’i. While studying, Shannon was part of a bilingual fellowship program and got to research Hawaiian immersion programs.
“Then, we said if we ever have kids, we’re either going to send them to an international school or an immersion school,” she said.
But after years of living across the globe, Shannon and her husband decided to move back home to Minnesota and start a family.
True to her word, Shannon started researching immersion and international schools in the area. But there weren’t any.
“So, I went to my local district—where I had graduated from, where my dad had retired from, and where my mom was still subbing. And I said to them, ‘Hey, I know how we can bring in a lot more kids to the district—language immersion programs.’”
At first, the district sounded receptive, thinking perhaps a kindergarten pilot program would be the right approach. But after three years of board meetings and task forces, the district school board voted down the idea. They essentially said to Shannon, “This is not the right time for this town. It’s a good idea, but no.”
‘If we built it, I knew they would come’
After the school board’s vote, Shannon and a group of supporters went to a bar. They started planning what to do next, writing notes and ideas on napkins. (Monica White also told CharterFolk that the idea for Elevate Academy in Idaho started on napkins.)
“At that point, I had recruited 60-some families with 100-some kids. We looked into becoming a private school or going to a different district,” Shannon said. “But we realized we needed to become a charter school.”
Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) opened in 2004. They had 177 students.
“Becoming a charter school was so, so painful, but it was the best thing that could have happened to us,” Shannon said. “If we built it, I knew they would come. It’s the only thing in my life I have been able to sell besides things on eBay.”
LILA grew by about 100 students a year for several years in a row. Now, more than two decades later, LILA serves students from preK through 12th grade. It has a 95% graduation rate and most graduates earn a bilingual seal on their diploma. About $2.1 million in scholarships was awarded to LILA class of 2024 graduates. LILA has also earned a slew of awards, including from U.S. News and the Minnesota Department of Education.
‘One size does not fit all’
Starting in preK, LILA students learn in Mandarin and Spanish, while also working on speaking, reading and writing in English. Beginning in kindergarten, students get a full immersion classroom environment in Mandarin or Spanish.
While English instruction continues through fifth grade, the majority of the school day occurs in the student’s target language (Mandarin or Spanish). By the time a student is in high school, they can choose from Mandarin, Spanish or French. If they’ve been a language immersion student consistently, they can continue their studies in their target language or even add a third language if they choose.
LILA is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, meaning they prepare students with a rigorous academic program coupled with developing an international perspective.
“One size does not fit all. I’m just thrilled we’ve been able to offer another option for our students in this community,” Shannon said. “We have a commitment to belonging which is very strongly in favor of inclusivity, regardless of gender, gender expression, ethnicity, religion, whatever. Most of our families come because we offer cool things like language immersion and IB, but some come simply because we’re a welcoming community. And that’s just how we’ve evolved.”
‘Just tell your story’
Even though Shannon has a globally minded approach to her work, she is a dogged advocate for charter schools in her own backyard.
This year, she was honored with the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools Leadership Award, in part for her facilitation of dozens of visits with state legislators.
In announcing the award, the association said, “Shannon has shaped LILA into a thriving, multilingual IB World School for pre-K through high school students. Her bold, student-centered leadership has propelled LILA forward.”
In her charter school advocacy work, Shannon has worked alongside a group led by LILA parents called LILA Advocates. The parents set the meetings and steer the direction. They track legislation, engage regularly with elected officials, and develop their own communications materials. They analyze legislative districts where students and families live, and they organize accordingly.
“Legislators are real people, and they want to hear from you. They want to talk to you. Just tell your story,” Shannon said. “You need to tell your story and why your school is so important for your community.”
Shannon approaches advocacy with an educator’s heart—she leads with graciousness and a desire to teach.
“When they’re elected, they’re an insurance agent or maybe they sell real estate. They aren’t given all the knowledge they need about every aspect of life,” she said. “They need to be educated about other options for kids. And I know a lot of them are not intending to make decisions that harm students in poverty, students of color, students who are learning English, so they just need to be educated. It’s for the kids.”