St. Paul Open School

The St. Paul Open School was established in fall, 1971 as a K-12 option in the St. Paul, Minnesota Public Schools.  The school was created by the district in response to a group of parents, citizens and students which started with about six people and grew to more than 1,000.

The school has evolved in many ways, but remains, as of the 2022-23 school year, a grades 6-12 option in the St. Paul,  Minnesota Public Schools.  It currently is known as the Open World Learning Community.

The school celebrated its 50th anniversary in the 2021-22 school year.  Here’s a video of a celebration of the 50th anniversary, held in August, 2021.   The 50 minute video includes presentations by founding principal Dr. Wayne Jennings, several Open School alumni and others.  Open School alum John Jackson facilitated the program.  The celebration was organized by a committee led  Open School alums Robin Moede and Mina Blyly-Strauss.

Essays in this section were written by Dr. Jennings, people who attended the St. Paul Open School, and others associated with the school.

These essays are designed to inform, encourage and inspire.  They are meant to help explain the impact of a school that truly believed in the importance of an education was simultaneously, extremely personalized and intended to help young people develop skills, abilities and attitudes that would make them constructive, positive citizens of the world.

See all the St. Paul Open School essays posted to our CSC blog.