Lakeside Elementary School

Diversity is not just a holiday to be celebrated in East Grand Rapids. Each of our three elementary schools has incorporated diversity into the daily routine. Teachers carefully choose books that students can identify with. Time is devoted to discussing differences in opinions and perspectives on a range of situations. Individuals are celebrated for their unique and special qualities that they bring to our student body. 

Spanish Program: A Spanish curriculum has been developed for students in grades 1 through 5 and is considered a core academic area. Lessons take place in the classroom for 20 minutes 4 days a week.  Students are not only introduced to the Spanish language but also taught about the Latino culture. 

Our librarian and teachers incorporate diversity through literature and activities within the classroom. We celebrate "diversity days" such as Women's History, Black History Month, and the Chinese New Year to name a few. Our celebration of the life of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is shared with with a school-wide assembly in February. 

In honor of Cinco de Mayo each May, Mariachi bands roam the halls of our elementary schools delighting students with lively music and providing an opportunity to experience, on a small scale, another culture. Other opportunities are incorporated into the classroom environment via individual arrangements with the teacher which has included inviting families to share their histories with the students.

During the week of March 17, Marimbaman David Hall delighted everyone at each of our elementary schools with his marimba music. He was informative, entertaining, engaging and, all in all, a great musician and performer! He played music from Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Gambia, Japan, and the USA. Some students had a chance to accompany him with instruments and students and teachers enjoyed dancing to the marimba tune of the Mexican Hat Dance. ¡ Olé !