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WHO WE ARE

School for Gifted and Self-Driven Learners

Lighthouse School is a free public school for gifted and advanced learners in grades 2-12. Located on the Spring Lake Park High School campus, Lighthouse welcomes families from across the north metro and Twin Cities. Through personalized, inquiry-based learning, students explore interests, think deeply and build real-world skills as they access advanced classes, including high school and college-level courses, in a supportive community.

Engaged Through Personalized Inquiry

Students explore topics they care about through personalized, inquiry-based learning. Skilled facilitators guide each learner as they ask questions, investigate ideas and learn through meaningful projects.

Learn More about Personalized Inquiry-Based Learning

Students work through an assignment with teacher guidance on iPad

Prepared for their Future

Students challenge themselves with advanced coursework, including high school and college-level learning, while building the academic, career and life skills they need for whatever comes next.

Learn More about Preparation for the Future

A student works on a flexible learning couch during individual time

Known. Valued. Ready to Learn.

Students learn in a community that understands and celebrates the unique strengths, interests and characteristics of gifted learners, helping them feel they belong and can thrive.

Learn more value and belonging

A group of students smile in front of the school entrance with a project

Testimonials

Hear From Our Panthers

The principal of lighthouse smiles in front of the building

We’re a small but mighty community at Lighthouse. We know the students well, we know the families well, and we know each other well. There’s a sense of belonging here. Everyone is always there for each other.

lisa cisewski, lighthouse coordinator

Parent and student look at sheet music near steel drums

Our son found a really open and accepting community of students here. I think it was a big relief for him to walk into a school and be able to learn with other students who learn like him.

johanna rehorst-miller, parent

Two students work on their inquiry project about sea lions

I really like inquiry-based learning because it gives us opportunities to research what we want to learn about and what we're passionate about. And I like that it gives us opportunities to actually make a change in our communities.

Ivy, lighthouse student

A parent sits for an interview about house lighthouse has impacted their two students

Our family chose Lighthouse for our two students in order to provide them with an engaging learning environment that was flexible based on their individual needs.

Sarah knoph, parent

A parent and the student sit on flexible furniture during school

I greatly value that my child has time to work on individual goals, yet also has time to work with peers on new things.

jacqui cary, parent

A student sits in a flexible learning environment with classroom

I’m not the best at writing, but I’m much better at math. If I were in a traditional school, I’d struggle with writing but math would be too easy. Ever since I’ve gone to school here, it’s been a much more enjoyable experience for me being able to learn at the pace that I want to.

lucas, lighthouse student

A parent and student smile at the entrance of Lighthouse

Lighthouse is a place that redefined what public school and learning looked like to us as parents; a place where students with unique qualities and challenges can come to grow and learn and decide who they want to be in this world.

jessica wallerstedt, parent

News & Events

Students in the Machine and Technology Essentials course working on a coding project on computers
New Course Connects Students to the World of Technology 

What’s happening when you tell a robot to move from Point A to Point B? Students in Spring Lake Park High School's new Machine & Technology Essentials class are finding out. While working in Scratch, a beginner's coding software, students are learning how to give a machine instructions to help the robot make its way through a maze. Coding is just one small piece of what students will learn in the new, trimester-long elective for grades 9-12.

Read Story about New Course Connects Students to the World of Technology 
Westwood students walking into the Westwood Intermediate and Middle School building
Keeping Our Schools Safe, Together

Every family wants their child’s school to be a safe, welcoming place to learn. Keeping students and staff safe is a shared responsibility across Spring Lake Park Schools — one that includes prevention, preparation, strong partnerships and knowing how to respond if something unexpected happens. At the beginning of a new school year, we want to share how we work every day to keep our schools safe. Our students, staff and families are a part of that effort. 

Read Story about Keeping Our Schools Safe, Together