Lapua Upper Secondary School
Moving into a brand new school with modern facilities and cutting-edge teaching technology will remain a milestone in the history of Lapuan lukio, Lapua Upper Secondary School (Senior High School). After more than two decades’ wait, the both architecturally and functionally purposeful building is now standing next to Lapua Vocational School to complete the Secondary School Campus of Lapua. The finishing touches to the interior were given in the early spring of 2019. The new school was inaugurated on the 29th of April, 2019.
Lapua Upper Secondary School is situated in Ostrobothnia, Western Finland. The enrolment has been running high, annually exceeding 250 students, one of the highest in the region. The staff consists of a principal (head teacher) and a vice principal, 20-23 subject teachers (many of whom with an area of special additional responsibility), a school secretary, a student counsellor, a designated librarian and a dozen other members of the staff, including IT experts group, a school nurse, a school social worker and a learning support assistant. In addition, there is permanent maintenance and cleaning personnel.
The core curriculum of our school provides all-round education aiming at preparing students for further education, especially at universities and colleges of applied sciences. The prerequisite of graduation is the successful completion of a minimum of 150 credits and passing the national test, Matriculation Examination, organized by the Finnish Matriculation Examination Board each spring and autumn. A student has to write the examination at least in five subjects. Finnish is a mandatory subject for all students
The range of subjects on offer in the curriculum consists of Finnish Language and Literature, Mathematics (basic and advanced syllabus), Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Social Studies/ Civics, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion and Ethics, English, Swedish (intermediate syllabus), German, French, Spanish, PE, Arts, Music and IT & Data Processing. Most of the subjects include both compulsory and optional courses.
The school counsellor is in the key role in guiding and compiling the students’ individual study paths. Versatile professional support is also available for the students with learning difficulties as well as with health and social concerns.
In recent years there have been some major, warmly welcomed changes in conducting the daily school work. Computerized teaching, and digitalisation have been encroaching into the classroom and examination halls. In 2021 the current Basics of High School Curriculum and the Syllabus were enforced by the Ministry of Education.
The academic year is launched in early August and draws to an end for the summer break in early June. It is divided into five periods of six weeks, each of which ending with the final tests and prep classes on the last seven days of the period. There are three longer breaks during the academic year: an autumn break, a Christmas break and a winter holiday break.
Lapua Upper Secondary School has an active Student Board, supervised by one or two energetic representatives of the teaching staff at a time. The members ( numbering from 8 to 12) are elected annually by a general election. The Student Board organizes activities for the students and is also responsible for the school café at parents’ evenings and on other occasions. First and foremost, however, the Student Board’s primary function is to enhance the sense of community and security at school for their part and to promote and safeguard equality in all its forms as well as work for the mental and physical integrity of the students .
Our school also has an established group for international projects and mobility, headed by a designated teacher. Similarly, we have exchange students studying at our school almost annually. The international team is working in collaboration with various local partners, depending on the ongoing project.
The average school year incorporates interesting functions and events, either on a bigger or a smaller scale. There can be lecturers, authors, politicians, alumni, athletes, entrepreneurs, people representing a religious sect or the church, etc. visiting classes or addressing the whole school. There might be a pop-up music group performing during a break or an afternoon spent on the slopes and tracks of Simpsiö.
Furthermore, there are a couple of nationwide traditions in Finnish Upper Secondary Schools, which are also celebrated in Lapua Upper Secondary. “Penkkarit” marks the end of school for the third graders in the spring of their final year. Students wear fancy dresses, organize a hilarious show called “Abikabaree” and finish their special day by climbing onto the back of a lorry and riding around the town throwing sweets at people who have come to witness the merrymaking.
“Vanhojen päivä” is for the second-year students to celebrate their becoming the seniors of the school and gaining the reign from the third-year students, who have left the school the day before. The module in the curriculum called ”Vanhat tanssit” consists of dance instruction and general manners instruction preparing the second-year students for the highlight of their school year. The Ballroom Dance Event is arranged on the day following the third graders’ ”Penkkarit”.
The Ballroom Dance day is full of excitement and elegance.The gym hall of the local sports centre will be packed with enthralled parents, enraptured relatives, friends and locals as well as curious visitors from the neighbouring towns. But there is more to it than that. Prior to the culmination of the day, the Ball, there is a formal lunch served for the students and the members of the staff to enjoy to their hearts full.
The school year culminates in the Graduation Event at which the students who have passed their final tests, the Matriculation Examination, get their “ Ylioppilaslakki”, the white cap, as a token of their perseverance and hard work.The occasion is full of pomp and circumstance, tears of joy and relief, feelings of gratitude and sheer bliss. The graduates of the year are bidding farewell to their school and teachers, spreading their wings for the new horizon.