Is Big Lake Senior High a good school?

Big Lake Senior High ranks 117 th of 480 Minnesota high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Big Lake Senior High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 899 students attended Big Lake Senior High.

What is the racial makeup of Big Lake Senior High?

Students at Big Lake Senior High are 79% White, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% African American, 2% Asian.

What schools feed into Big Lake Senior High?

Big Lake Senior High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Independence Elementary Elementary : Liberty Elementary Middle : Big Lake Middle School

Big Lake Senior High

Summary:

Big Lake Senior High is a public high school located in Big Lake, Minnesota, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 899 students. The school is part of the Big Lake Public School District, which is ranked 228 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Big Lake Senior High has consistently ranked in the top 25-30% of Minnesota high schools over the past decade, with a current ranking of 117 out of 480 schools (top 24%) and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has a relatively diverse student body, with significant percentages of African American (4-5%), Hispanic (6-7%), and multi-racial (5-6%) students. Big Lake Senior High has maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 90.3% to 95.3% over the past 5 years, which are well above the state average. The school's proficiency rates on the MCA-III assessments in math, reading, and science have shown steady improvement over the past few years, often outperforming the district and state averages.

When compared to nearby schools, Big Lake Senior High performs well, particularly in comparison to the virtual school within the same district (Big Lake Online 6-12) and the alternative program in the Monticello district. However, it lags behind the highly-ranked St. Michael-Albertville Senior High in several metrics. The school has also seen a significant increase in the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, from around 12-13% in 2020-2021 to 30.37% in 2022-2023, suggesting potential changes in the socioeconomic makeup of the student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

501 Minnesota Ave
Big Lake, MN 55309-9246

(763) 262-2547

District: Big Lake Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
117^th of 480 Minnesota High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,296

Feeder schools for Big Lake Senior High:

Elementary:	Independence Elementary
	Liberty Elementary
Middle:	Big Lake Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 29.7

Number of students: 899

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.0%

Hispanic:

7.3%

Two or more races:

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 30.4%

See top rated Minnesota high schools

Compare Big Lake Senior High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Big Lake Senior High ranks better than 75.6% of high schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.43. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Big Lake Senior High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79%), Hispanic (7.3%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 30.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Big Lake Senior High is 29.7. (See more...)

Compare Big Lake Senior High employs 30.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Big Lake Senior High is $12,296.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Big Lake Senior High:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Lake Senior High 117^th of 480 Minnesota public high schools. (See Big Lake Senior High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Big Lake Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Big Lake Public School District 228^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Big Lake Senior High?

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Rank History for Big Lake Senior High

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Rank History for all students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	53.52	298^th	433	31.2%
2005	74.45	122^nd	452	73.0%
2006	54.85	264^th	450	41.3%
2007	73.33	136^th	463	70.6%
2008	68.10	178^th	460	61.3%
2010	65.09	216^th	540	60.0%
2011	64.62	235^th	545	56.9%
2012	70.17	177^th	539	67.2%
2013	68.84	166^th	534	68.9%
2014	59.03	234^th	483	51.6%
2015	57.51	248^th	504	50.8%
2016	62.11	217^th	489	55.6%
2017	48.93	302^nd	489	38.2%
2018	70.70	154^th	494	68.8%
2019	62.03	205^th	492	58.3%
2021	70.38	121^st	428	71.7%
2022	71.25	132^nd	472	72.0%
2023	70.89	118^th	476	75.2%
2024	73.43	117^th	480	75.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	20.17	51^st	59	13.6%
2021	51.33	26^th	51	49.0%
2022	46.97	40^th	74	45.9%
2024	38.30	47^th	72	34.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	61.14	63^rd	195	67.7%
2019	30.35	165^th	220	25.0%
2021	16.35	157^th	173	9.2%
2022	49.35	108^th	214	49.5%
2023	37.12	154^th	216	28.7%
2024	60.20	78^th	221	64.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	58.57	160^th	374	57.2%
2019	46.22	208^th	370	43.8%
2021	78.07	33^rd	270	87.8%
2022	46.20	171^st	312	45.2%
2023	62.49	126^th	393	67.9%
2024	79.26	46^th	389	88.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	67.55	133^rd	395	66.3%
2019	64.73	140^th	401	65.1%
2021	67.20	104^th	339	69.3%
2022	64.37	137^th	388	64.7%
2023	64.11	129^th	396	67.4%
2024	65.65	128^th	403	68.2%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	60.84	167^th	398	58.0%
2019	44.36	265^th	411	35.5%
2021	65.35	117^th	351	66.7%
2022	66.88	127^th	403	68.5%
2023	67.11	115^th	398	71.1%
2024	71.17	103^rd	405	74.6%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	85.90	13^th	103	87.4%
2022	65.10	33^rd	102	67.6%
2023	77.16	18^th	98	81.6%
2024	59.23	43^rd	109	60.6%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2022	76.79	20^th	135	85.2%
2023	84.61	14^th	136	89.7%
2024	40.89	82^nd	145	43.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Big Lake Senior High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	60.76	179^th	414	56.8%
2019	49.59	237^th	412	42.5%
2021	59.61	153^rd	364	58.0%
2022	61.68	154^th	401	61.6%
2023	55.22	181^st	398	54.5%
2024	67.84	111^th	402	72.4%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Big Lake Senior High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	473	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	473
1989	472	1	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	477
1990	456	2	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	461
1991	469	4	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	477
1992	503	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	507
1993	591	3	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	597
1994	611	4	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	621
1995	448	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	453
1996	448	1	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	453
1997	505	2	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	512
1998	520	3	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	526
1999	559	2	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	565
2000	557	1	1	5	2	n/a	n/a	566
2001	609	1	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	614
2002	664	2	10	10	5	n/a	n/a	691
2003	664	2	10	10	5	n/a	n/a	691
2004	729	10	10	7	5	n/a	n/a	761
2005	781	12	16	14	5	n/a	n/a	828
2006	815	10	11	12	3	n/a	n/a	851
2007	873	20	13	16	3	n/a	n/a	925
2008	893	25	12	26	3	n/a	n/a	959
2009	911	24	8	29	6	n/a	n/a	978
2010	908	17	12	34	5	n/a	n/a	976
2011	876	21	15	31	6	1	5	955
2012	874	22	14	24	12	0	5	951
2013	861	27	14	37	13	0	5	957
2014	853	28	16	33	13	0	6	949
2015	867	34	15	39	11	0	8	974
2016	844	32	16	36	11	0	12	951
2017	803	26	18	29	8	0	18	902
2018	783	35	20	33	5	0	25	901
2019	768	29	25	37	5	0	25	889
2020	776	32	18	38	3	1	37	905
2021	761	29	23	55	3	1	52	924
2022	711	34	16	61	3	1	50	876
2023	710	42	20	66	5	1	55	899

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Big Lake Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	473	26.8	17.6	8.9
1989	477	29.0	16.4	10.1
1990	461	29.0	15.8	9.1
1991	477	28.6	16.6	10.5
1992	507	30.0	16.9	11.6
1993	597	35.6	16.8	11.4
1994	621	38.6	16.1	11.3
1995	453	30.1	15.0	7.9
1996	453	30.1	15.0	7.9
1997	512	33.7	15.2	7.4
1998	526	n/a	0.0	6.5
1999	565	45.6	12.4	8
2000	566	38.0	14.9	11
2001	614	43.8	14.0	10.6
2002	691	46.3	14.9	14
2003	691	46.3	14.9	14
2004	761	47.3	16.1	18.1
2005	828	43.3	19.1	15
2006	851	42.2	20.2	12.8
2007	925	45.9	20.2	18.4
2008	959	47.0	20.4	21.3
2009	978	43.2	22.6	20.7
2010	976	44.2	22.0	24.2
2011	955	44.4	21.4	25.7
2012	951	45.1	21.0	26.2
2013	957	44.2	21.6	26.1
2014	949	46.3	20.4	25.5
2015	974	47.0	20.7	25.9
2016	951	45.0	21.1	23.6
2017	902	44.1	20.4	18.7
2018	901	44.1	20.4	21.2
2019	889	43.2	20.5	19
2020	905	n/a	n/a	19.2
2021	924	25.7	35.9	12.7
2022	876	25.7	34.0	14.7
2023	899	30.2	29.7	30.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Big Lake Senior High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	473	26.8	17.6	8.9
1989	477	29.0	16.4	10.1
1990	461	29.0	15.8	9.1
1991	477	28.6	16.6	10.5
1992	507	30.0	16.9	11.6
1993	597	35.6	16.8	11.4
1994	621	38.6	16.1	11.3
1995	453	30.1	15.0	7.9
1996	453	30.1	15.0	7.9
1997	512	33.7	15.2	7.4
1998	526	n/a	0.0	6.5
1999	565	45.6	12.4	8
2000	566	38.0	14.9	11
2001	614	43.8	14.0	10.6
2002	691	46.3	14.9	14
2003	691	46.3	14.9	14
2004	761	47.3	16.1	18.1
2005	828	43.3	19.1	15
2006	851	42.2	20.2	12.8
2007	925	45.9	20.2	18.4
2008	959	47.0	20.4	21.3
2009	978	43.2	22.6	20.7
2010	976	44.2	22.0	24.2
2011	955	44.4	21.4	25.7
2012	951	45.1	21.0	26.2
2013	957	44.2	21.6	26.1
2014	949	46.3	20.4	25.5
2015	974	47.0	20.7	25.9
2016	951	45.0	21.1	23.6
2017	902	44.1	20.4	18.7
2018	901	44.1	20.4	21.2
2019	889	43.2	20.5	19
2020	905	n/a	n/a	19.2
2021	924	25.7	35.9	12.7
2022	876	25.7	34.0	14.7
2023	899	30.2	29.7	30.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Big Lake Senior High

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,296

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Lake Senior High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 205^th of 492 High schools	Ranks 118^th of 476 High schools	16.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
10th Grade Reading (Big Lake Senior High)	60	57.2	2.8%
10th Grade Reading (Big Lake Public School District)	60	55.2	4.8%
10th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	60.4	51.7	8.7%
11th Grade Math (Big Lake Senior High)	44.2	45.3	1.1%
11th Grade Math (Big Lake Public School District)	44.2	43	1.2%
11th Grade Math (Minnesota)	45	36	9%
End of Course Science (Big Lake Senior High)	48.9	38.6	10.3%
End of Course Science (Big Lake Public School District)	48.9	36.9	12%
End of Course Science (Minnesota)	54.4	41.8	12.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	889	899	1.1%
African American	29	42	44.8%
American Indian	5	5
Asian	25	20	20%
Hispanic	37	66	78.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	768	710	7.6%
Two or More Races	25	55	120%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	19%	30.4%	11.4%

Schools Near Big Lake Senior High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)			MCA-III Reading (2024)			MCA-III Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 11th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 10th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science End of Course	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
SNW - Big Lake High School Transitions	Public	9-12	501 Minnesota Ave E	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2050	26	0		26.9%	22 (84.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (7.7%)	1 (3.8%)	1 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Big Lake Senior High	Public	9-12	501 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 262-2547	899	30	29.7	30.4%	710 (79.0%)	42 (4.7%)	66 (7.3%)	20 (2.2%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	55 (6.1%)	73.4	117^th of 480 public high schools	75.6%		70.9	118^th of 476 public high schools	75.2%	1		43.5	43.5		57.9	57.9	43.4	43.4	$12,296
Big Lake Online 6-12	Public, Virtual	6-12	501 Minnesota Ave	Big Lake	55309	Sherburne County	Big Lake Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 262-6174	128	0	376.4	35.9%	96 (75.0%)	2 (1.6%)	13 (10.2%)	3 (2.3%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (10.2%)	11.7	427^th of 480 public high schools	11.0%		38.3	321^st of 476 public high schools	32.6%	106	10.0	4.4	8.1	30.0	27.8	26.5	14.3	11.8
882 Online 6-12	Public, Virtual	6-12	302 Washington Street	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	Yes	No	(763) 272-2000	63	0		30.2%	59 (93.7%)	2 (3.2%)	2 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Monticello Alternative Program	Public	9-12	406-7th Street	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-3200	34	3	13.6	70.6%	18 (52.9%)	1 (2.9%)	13 (38.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.9%)								(n/a)									$14,379
Monticello High School - SNW	Public	9-12	5225 School Blvd	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2050	39	5	7.8	28.2%	29 (74.4%)	2 (5.1%)	6 (15.4%)	1 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)								(n/a)
Monticello Senior High	Public	9-12	5225 School Blvd	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Monticello Public School District	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-3000	1,305	62	20.9	28.6%	1,042 (79.8%)	48 (3.7%)	140 (10.7%)	17 (1.3%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (4.1%)	77.4	92^nd of 480 public high schools	80.8%		69.4	132^nd of 476 public high schools	72.3%	40		47.8	47.8		53.4	53.4	51.9	51.9	$14,148
SNW Monti High School EBD Program	Public	9-12	5225 School Blvd	Monticello	55362	Wright County	Sherburne and Northern Wright Speci	No	No	No	No	(763) 272-2050	5	0			4 (80.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Kaleidoscope Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	7525 Kalland Ave NE	Otsego	55301	Wright County	Kaleidoscope Charter School	Yes	No	No	No	(763) 428-1890	96	9	10.2	31.3%	84 (87.5%)	4 (4.2%)	5 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.1%)	50.9	251^st of 480 public high schools	47.7%		64.4	164^th of 476 public high schools	65.5%	87		22.2	22.2		60.0	60.0			$13,952
St. Michael-Albertville Senior High	Public	9-12	5800 Jamison Ave NE	Saint Michael	55376	Wright County	St. Michael-Albertville Schools	No	No	No	No	(763) 497-2192	2,240	87	25.8	16.6%	1,904 (85.0%)	93 (4.2%)	91 (4.1%)	33 (1.5%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	117 (5.2%)	81.2	66^th of 480 public high schools	86.3%		95.5	12^th of 476 public high schools	97.5%	54		58.0	58.0		53.9	53.9	55.0	55.0	$9,372

Big Lake Senior High

Big Lake Senior High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Big Lake Public School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for all students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Special Education students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Female students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Male students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for African American students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Big Lake Senior High

Rank History for White students at Big Lake Senior High

Enrollment information for Big Lake Senior High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Big Lake Senior High

Student/Teacher Ratio Big Lake Senior High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Big Lake Senior High

Impact of COVID-19 on Big Lake Senior High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Big Lake Senior High

Frequently Asked Questions about Big Lake Senior High

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