A free K-8 public charter school in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood
What makes Northern Lights Different?
Small class sizes, big connections. We have a 20 student cap in Kindergarten classrooms and 25 in 1st-8th grade. With fewer students in a class, teachers can provide more individualized instruction and build stronger relationships with each child.
Learning starts with wonder, not worksheets. We use emergent curriculum, which follows students’ questions, interests, and discoveries. This allows learning to grow through exploration, collaboration, and play rather than one-size-fits-all instruction.
Outside every day, all year. 30 minutes of recess, 60 minutes of Environmental Education. Teachers have flexibility to take learning outdoors on our campus and 120 acres of surrounding Highland Park.
Low tech, high engagement. We are intentional about technology and use it sparingly. Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade do not use devices, and older students use technology only when it meaningfully enhances learning. Students are not assigned personal devices for school. Instead, teachers prioritize hands-on experiences, creativity, collaboration, and real-world learning over screen time.
Two teachers in every classroom. We use a co-teaching model with 2 teachers in each class and typically 1-2 other Education Assistants.
Art, Environmental Education and daily Gym time for all students. We have a dedicated art studio with 1 hour long classes and two environmental education teachers.
Friday Spotlight Performances. Every Friday we gather in the gym to celebrate our school community. Students and staff can take the stage to share a poem, sing a song, juggle, tell jokes with friends, or showcase whatever they dream up. It's a fun way to build confidence, celebrate creativity, and experience both performing and being a supportive audience.
What Parents are Saying
“What I can see in my children, since starting at Northern Lights, is renewed joy in learning.” -Northern Lights Parent
“My kindergartener… learned all of the kids names in his class in two weeks, and his attention span has increased beyond measure.” -Northern Lights Parent
“They are learning empathy and respect for all the people and the world around them. Northern Lights is nurturing the kind of people we need in our world.” -Northern Lights Parent
“He has always said he has stage fright. And then this year, he signed up to perform at Spotlight. Northern Lights is more than just academics, our children are developing life skills and growing before our eyes. -Northern Lights Parent
“I like the library and the playground and I love studio. I also love my teacher Northern Lights is great” -Northern Lights Student
Read more about what parents say…
-
Yes - just a few spaces open in most grades - Act fast!
-
Our school day begins at 8:45 am and ends at 3:35pm.
On Fridays, we have early releases, with our school day officially ending at 2:00pm.
Our teachers use this time to be in collaboration with one another and deepen their own learning. -
Yes! We are pleased to share our bus route with Nova Classical Academy, which allows us to provide bus service to more areas of St. Paul then we could on our own. We bus within the boundaries of St. Paul. Families who live outside of St. Paul are welcome to use the bus from a stop within St. Paul.
-
Before care begins at 7:30 am and after care runs from 3:35-5:30pm. The cost is $7/hour or is free for our families who receive free/reduced lunches. We also offer several after school clubs. Some examples are music class with Music on Grand, Soccer with Soccer Shots, frisbee golf and art and theater classes.
-
YES! Our students go outside for recess everyday as well as for Environmental Ed. Often, many classroom teachers will choose to take learning outdoors as well. School staff reference the wind chill chart when determining the length of time students may be outside, and in which gear, in extreme cold weather. All students have access to a shared rain or snow gear cart if they are missing proper attire.
-
At St. Paul School of Northern Lights, students with special rights are fully included and valued members of the learning community — an approach modeled on Finland's inclusion practices, where all teachers adapt their strategies to support every learner. Rather than pulling students out, we use a full inclusion model, "pushing in" support as often as possible so children stay in the classroom and maintain their sense of belonging. How students show and communicate their learning varies based on individual interest and ability, but expectations stay high for everyone. Through a cooperative relationship between students and teachers, we differentiate instruction and set individual goals, guiding every child to discover their potential. Read more here.
-
Click HERE for a more extensive FAQ list or give us a call at 651-285-4672
