Co-Founders

Shanna Reiners and Anna Wallin started teaching together in 2014 and had a shared passion for high quality education. While working together, they enjoyed learning about and brainstorming the best ways to teach students, learning about latest research in education, and spent time dreaming about the ideal public charter school.

In the summer of 2016 they decided they would start a new charter school in Bemidji to meet the needs of families in the area and to provide Place Based Education opportunities. The process included applying to be authorized by Audubon Center of the North Woods (now called Osprey Wilds), creating a Founding Board of Directors, applications, meetings, interviews, hours upon hours of work, and recieved approval in the Spring of 2018, to open to students in the Fall of 2019.

Not only did the co-founders design the type of learning environment we wanted, but designed our school board model, policies, annual and 5 year projected budgets, administrative model, all paperwork and applications, hiring plans, and more. The COVID 19 pandemic delayed the implementation of some of our visions, but we continue to move forward, implementing the overall mission and vision of the school from our approved charter application.

We have been so fortunate to find amazing and passionate educators to join our school community and continue to grow and welcome more families every year!