Spectrum High School

Elk River High School students can choose from more than 45 college credit courses through Advanced Placement and College in the Schools, with partnerships that include the University of Minnesota, St. Cloud State University, and Pine Tech. Career-focused classes in industrial technology, family and consumer sciences, culinary arts, and business round out our course offerings. Each student belongs to an advisory that meets weekly in small groups, where teachers check academic progress and help with college and career preparation, and each student is issued a Chromebook. AVID supports college readiness across the school, and built-in intervention and enrichment time gives students targeted help or extended learning. Service learning is part of classes, activities, and athletics, adding up to more than 10,000 service hours a year. Our athletic program runs across three seasons, from football, volleyball, and soccer in the fall to hockey, Nordic skiing, gymnastics, and wrestling in winter, and baseball, lacrosse, trap shooting, and boys volleyball in spring.

Heppner's Legacy Homeschool Resources stands as a vital support system for families embarking on the homeschooling journey, particularly in Minnesota and the upper Midwest. With over 35 years of dedicated service, this unique resource center is run by homeschoolers who understand the diverse needs of students, including those with specific learning challenges. The mission is clear: to empower parents and guardians with the tools and resources necessary for a comprehensive education tailored to each child's needs. Heppner's offers an extensive selection of over 10,000 educational items, covering every subject and grade level, from widely recognized curricula to specialized materials that may be harder to find. Families can explore an eclectic mix of resources, including science supplies, educational games, literature, and more. What truly sets Heppner's apart is its commitment to fostering strong community connections through workshops and events designed to support both new and experienced homeschoolers alike. This nurturing environment ensures that every family feels welcomed and equipped to provide a fulfilling educational experience for their children.

Incomplete graduation credits, low academic performance, a school referral, homelessness and limited English proficiency are among the circumstances Minnesota considers for alternative-program enrollment. We use those state criteria at Ivan Sand Community Middle and High School, where students work toward the same graduation requirements as peers in our district and across Minnesota. Our secondary program keeps diploma completion central while offering a different setting for students at risk of falling behind or not graduating. Smaller groups and individual attention give our staff ways to work with learners who need a different approach to school. We attend to personal, social and emotional growth alongside academic work and help students develop their educational goals within this alternative pathway. We also coordinate extended-day, extended-year, after-school and summer learning services throughout the district. Those arrangements create additional opportunities to complete academic work, beyond the regular school schedule. Ivan Sand's vision for an alternative education option in the community has shaped our school since its beginnings as the Elk River Area Learning Center in 1987. We moved into a purpose-built building in 1998 and continue that work through our middle and high school program and the district learning services our team coordinates.