Wellstone International High School students will get a taste of life in higher education beginning next month. The high school, which was previously housed downtown in the FAIR School for Arts, is moving a few blocks away to the campus of Minneapolis College.
The new location will allow Wellstone students to access Postsecondary Enrollment Option courses and more seamlessly matriculate to the college, formerly known as Minneapolis Community and Technical College, officials said.
Wellstone, which is a part of the Minneapolis Public Schools system, serves about 150 multilingual and international students aged 17 to 21. More than 50 Wellstone students already attend Minneapolis College each year, said Christopher Rau, the college's vice president of finance and operations.
That is consistent with the school's goal of "providing access to the transformative power of education," Rau said in a statement.
Wellstone International High School Principal Isabel Rodriguez said she's "thrilled" about the move.
"Our students will have access to state-of-the-art equitable resources and spaces and a college-like experience that will open doors and empower and inspire them to reach their goals," she said in a statement.
The high school will be located on the third floor of Minneapolis College's Kopp Hall. Wellstone students will have their own computer lab and can access the college's theater, gym, weight rooms and art rooms when they are not in use by the college.
An open house will be held at the new location Sept. 1.
