[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 132 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11185-S11186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Lakeview Elementary 
School, in Lakeville, MN, which will soon receive an Award for 
Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative achievements 
in educating children.
  Lakeview Elementary School is truly a model of educational success, 
and its staff is committed to the success of every child. The school 
has developed an early intervention program to identify children, early 
in their school career, who could have difficulties in reading and to 
provide intensive assistance in both kindergarten and first grade. This 
program has been extremely successful and has served as a model for 
other Lakeville schools and other school districts throughout the 
State.
  Lakeview Elementary challenges all pupils to excel in reading through 
participation in an extensive, out-of-school reading program called 
``Accelerated Reader.'' The AR program encourages children to read more 
and to increase comprehension through computer-based assessments, which 
the

[[Page S11186]]

children take after reading each book. For their efforts, pupils earn 
points, which they can then spend at the AR store twice a year.
  Parents' involvement is another reason for Lakeview Elementary's 
exceptional performance. This fall, 99.6 percent of all parents 
attended their child's conferences. Parents are also very active in 
both the Lakeville Elementary Volunteer Organization and in the Parent 
Advisory Council. Last year, LEVO raised over $17,900 to improve the 
educational program, providing a poetry residency for all pupils, 
funding two assembly presentations, purchasing lap-top computers for 
the children's use, providing funds for transportation for all field 
trips, expanding the number of AR tests available, and funding the new 
art bulletin boards.
  Lakeview Elementary stresses the importance of being a good citizen 
through service projects. Last year, the children adopted an elementary 
school in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and held a 
fundraiser to buy school supplies and coats for the displaced children. 
This service project created a strong bond between the two schools, and 
the children communicated with their counterparts throughout the school 
year. The children also held a fund drive for the Pennies for Patients 
Children's Leukemia Campaign for which they raised more than $2,600.
  Lakeview Elementary School has consistently been ranked a Minnesota 
five-star school over the past few years, recognized for excellence by 
the Minnesota Department of Education.
  Much of the credit for Lakeview Elementary School's success belongs 
to its principal, Terry Lind, and the dedicated teachers. The children 
and staff at Lakeview Elementary School understand that in order to be 
successful a school must go beyond achieving academic success; it must 
also provide a nurturing environment where children can develop the 
knowledge, skills, and attitudes for success throughout life. All of 
the faculty, staff, and pupils at Lakeview Elementary School should be 
very proud of their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Lakeview Elementary School in Lakeville for winning 
the Award for Excellence in Education and for its exceptional 
contributions to education in Minnesota.

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