Partnering Schools
Each of our partnering schools brings unique characteristics to the University of St. Thomas Charter School Authorizing portfolio.
Academia Cesar Chavez opened in 2001 and serves scholars in grades Pre-K-8. The school's mission of providing a quality dual-language education, which prepares critically thinking, socially competent, values-driven and culturally aware bilingual and bi-literate learners, is accomplished through advocacy for Latino culture in an environment that values family and community. In addition, we provide scholars with the opportunity to play a music instrument starting in kindergarten. Scholars of all backgrounds are welcomed into the school.
1801 Lacrosse Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55119
Phone: 651-778-2940
Fax: 651-778-2842
Community of Peace Academy was founded in 1995 and serves students in grades PK-12. The school seeks to be a racially and culturally diverse community of students, parents and staff, dedicated to creating a peaceful environment in which each person is treated with unconditional positive regard and acceptance. To create such an environment, a non-violent perspective is intentionally taught and all members of the community strive to practice a non-violent lifestyle. The school has been named a National School of Character three times (2003, 2014 and 2019), PeaceBuilder Model Site (2005) and National Charter School of the Year (2007). The Community of Peace High School has also been identified as a Bronze Medalist in U.S. News and World Report's "Best High Schools in America" ranking.
471 Magnolia Avenue East
St. Paul, MN 55130
Phone: 651-776-5151
Fax: 651-771-4841
Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School opened its doors in 2011 and serves students in grades K-6. Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School's mission is to support children from culturally and economically diverse backgrounds living in or near St. Paul's East Side through a rigorous and high-impact Montessori program that empowers them to make positive decisions, develop self-discipline and create a true sense of responsibility for themselves and others in their community. The school uses a holistic Montessori curriculum, which helps children develop the physical, cognitive and emotional competence and positive attitude toward learning that is required for school success. Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School is also the first and only AMI recognized public Montessori Charter School in the Midwest, and one of the few in the country.
1611 Ames Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55136
Phone: 651-774-5000
Face to Face Academy serves an at-risk student population in a small, thoughtfully designed school environment. The school outperforms state, district and local school averages in all areas for comparable students and has been named a High Performing Charter School by the Minnesota Department of Education for three of the last four years. The school offers a rigorous curriculum and a system for earning credit that is recognized as a model program for re-engaging high school students. The school's vision of graduating those most at-risk for dropping out of high school by integrating the highest quality of educational and support services is realized in part through its award-winning wilderness and outdoor program, which gives students the opportunity to earn credits and life skills while exploring the natural world.
1165 Arcade Street
St. Paul, MN 55106
Phone: 651-772-5544
Fax: 651-772-5621
Global Academy opened its doors in 2008 and seeks to serve a diverse group of students in grades K-8. The school employs an International Baccalaureate (IB) program and is committed to service in the broader world. Empowered by academic rigor, graduates of Global Academy will be fully prepared for success and leadership in challenging high school programs. The school emphasizes the character traits identified in the IB learner profile, such as being reflective, open-minded and knowledgeable, while also placing value on students' development of technological skills and providing opportunities for second-language acquisition.
3000 5th Street NW
New Brighton, MN 55112
Phone: 763-404-8200
Fax: 763-404-8222
Hiawatha Academies is a 5-site (as of SY2019) network of schools focused on closing the opportunity gap in Minneapolis. The school's college-preparatory program is based on inquiry, intellect and character, in keeping with its mission of empowering scholars with the knowledge, character and leadership skills to graduate from college and serve the common good. The school has been recognized nationally for its gap-closing model and for outperforming local schools serving similar student populations, and several sites have been recognized by the Star Tribune as "Beating the Odds" schools.
1611 East 46th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407
Phone: 612-455-4004
Hmong Open Partnerships in Education (HOPE) Community Academy was founded in 2000 and serves students in grades K-8. HOPE is the first public charter school to focus on the Hmong language and culture in the nation. The school's mission is to provide students with a rigorous academic foundation, focusing on the mastery of fundamental and higher-order thinking skills that prepare them for life-long learning, while instilling in them the finest Hmong and American values. As partners in education, we work alongside our students, their families and our community partners. Together we share our students' academic and cultural successes and challenges. As HOPE Community Academy gradually becomes more culturally diverse, we recognize and honor all students' cultural heritage while in keeping with our mission/vision and charter.
720 Payne Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55130
Phone: 651-796-4500
Fax: 651-927-8481
Metro Deaf School was founded in 1992 and opened its doors to students the following year, making it the second-oldest charter school in the nation. Metro Deaf School (MDS) provides a rigorous, high-quality education to students from across the metro area and parts of Wisconsin, serving over 32 school districts. MDS starts with early childhood education with 2 classrooms serving students age 2-6 and continues to a postsecondary transition program serving students age 18-21. MDS offers support services based on each student's needs including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, ASL specialists, mental health services (social workers, school counselor and psychologist), blind/vision services, and orientation and mobility. Metro Deaf School promotes academic excellence and social wellbeing for Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing students using an ASL/English bilingual approach. Our primary purpose is to empower our students to develop the skills and knowledge to succeed as global citizens.
1125 Energy Park Dr.
St. Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 651-964-1631
Video Phone: 651-964-1630
Fax: 651-222-0939
Northwest Passage High School was established in 1999 under the name Coon Rapids Learning Center. Over its first two decades, the school evolved its mission and educational focus, and today has a vision of developing confident, academically capable students through participation in a small learning community where instructors are lifelong learners who model integrity, responsibility, and respect. The school believes varied projects, field studies, and inquiry-based methods allow students to develop a greater sense of the world by engaging in challenging academics, structured work experience, and service-learning. Students take responsibility for their own educational plans and graduate with the tools to make informed decisions about their future. The St. Thomas authorizing program welcomed Northwest Passage High School to the network in 2022.
11345 Robinson Dr. NW
Coon Rapids, MN 55433
763-862-9223
info@nwphs.org
Performing Institute of Minnesota Arts High School (PiM Arts High School) was founded in 2002 and serves student-artists across the Twin Cities Metro area in grades 9-12. The school's mission "Artistic Excellence and Academic Rigor for Every Learner" sets PiM Arts High School apart as a place where students with an artistic passion can grow as learners, artists and people. PiM's academic program challenges students to think critically and offers students Advanced Placement course options in all academic subject areas. PiM's artistic curriculum offer a depth and breadth of training in dance, film and photography, instrumental and vocal music, musical theatre, theatre, and visual arts. The school offers small class sizes, personalized attention to students and the fullest production and presentation schedule of any 4-year arts high school in Minnesota. Information on the school's numerous performances is available on the school's website.
7255 Flying Cloud Dr.
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Phone: 952-224-1340
Fax: 952-224-2955
Spero Academy's mission is to "provide students with a personalized and adaptive education to grow academically, emotionally and socially." The educational philosophy of Spero Academy is that "every child can learn, grow and succeed when given the opportunity to reach his/her individual potential." While Spero Academy is a K-6 school whose program is primarily designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities, all students, whether on an IEP or not, have individual personalized learning plans. The student-to-teacher ratio is low, and additional support services are available based on the students' needs. Throughout the day, emphasis is placed on learning socioemotional skills, which helps prepare students for their lives outside of school.
2701 California Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
Phone: 612-465-8600
Fax: 612-465-8603
The St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (SPCPA) opened its doors in 2005 and has repeatedly been recognized for its students' superior academic achievement and for the caliber of its arts education program. SPCPA has been recognized as a High-Quality Charter School by MDE and serves grades 9-12. The school lives its mission to provide the highest caliber of academic and artistic education for aspiring pre-professional performing artists in the areas of instrumental and vocal music, theatre, and dance and to fully prepare students for college and conservatory. Teaching staff in all academic subjects are traditionally trained and licensed, and the school's arts departments are headed by a full-time chair, and additionally contracted with working artists for courses relevant to their area of expertise. The school's arts faculty have worked in many of Minnesota's most known and respected venues/companies, including the Minnesota Opera, Guthrie Theater, Illusion Theater, Southern Theater and the Ordway Center.
16 West 5th Street
St. Paul, MN 55102
Phone: 651-290-2225
Twin Cities Academy was founded in 1999 and serves grades 6-12. As a college preparatory middle and high school, Twin Cities Academy is committed to providing opportunities and experiences that will allow our students to be and do their very best, assisting all our students to meet educational goals and begin developing important and lifelong skills. The school has been the recipient of numerous awards, particularly for high academic achievement. The school was one of only a handful statewide to be identified as a Reward School for 6 years in a row, and for several years the high school program was the only Reward High School in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
690 Birmingham Street
St. Paul, MN 55106
Phone: 651-205-4797
Fax: 651-205-4799
Twin Cities German Immersion School was founded in 2005 and serves grades K-8. The school's mission is innovative education of the whole child through German immersion, and in recent years 100% of graduating students have passed reading, listening and speaking standards for German proficiency as measured by the German state's language assessments. The school values intercultural engagement and employs a variety of staff, including interns from German-speaking countries. The Twin Cities German Immersion School has a long track record of strong academic performance and has been recognized as a Reward School by the Minnesota Department of Education.
1031 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55103
Phone: 651-492-7106
Fax: 651-330-2270
Email: info@tcgis.org