School briefs: Math and Science Academy to expand into new building

The Math and Science Academy in Woodbury is expanding into a nearby building that will give it more classrooms, which will give some teachers their own classrooms and allow the school to offer classes it currently cannot accommodate.

The grade 7-12 secondary school is leasing a 4,100-square-foot building that previously was used by Michael Frome Academy, an elementary school with an environmental focus.

"We just need more space for what we have," said the Math and Science Academy's director, Paul Simone. "We need more flexibility with classroom space. Our teachers literally move from room to room."

Simone said the school will augment its offerings for upper-level students. It is considering adding College in the Schools classes in American history and other subjects.

Renovation of the building is under way. The Math and Science Academy wants to reconfigure what was largely open space into three classrooms. Simone said he expects a mid-August move into the building.

Language immersion deadline extended The Forest Lake School District is extending indefinitely the enrollment deadline for its new Spanish immersion program that will be located at two of its elementary schools this fall, district officials said.

Already, nearly 60 first-grade students from the Forest Lake district and around the metro area are enrolled in the program for the 2010-11 school year, and more classes may be added before the school year begins.

It is a partial-immersion program in that students receive their primary reading instruction in English rather than in Spanish. In a full-immersion program, primary reading instruction is taught in Spanish.