EDUCATION

Bemidji Area Schools

Independent School District 31, more commonly known as Bemidji Area Schools, covers approximately 825 square miles, serves roughly 4,600 students and employs 385 teachers, 220 paraprofessionals, 39 secretaries, 42 food service workers, 12 principals and 61 bus drivers.

The district has seven elementary schools, including Gene Dillon Elementary, a clearinghouse for fourth- and fifth-graders here. Beyond those, the district has Bemidji Middle School for grades 6-8 and Bemidji High School for grades 9-12. Lumberjack High School is a school within the high school that helps students who struggle in mainstream classes. The district also has First City School, which serves youth at the Northwestern Minnesota Juvenile Center, and has the Early Intervention Center, Alternative Education Center, and Bemidji Community Education.

The middle and high schools both have Project Lead the Way, a program that teaches pre-engineering to prepare students for success in high-technology fields, while the high school has a growing participation in the Minnesota Innovation Institute, or MI2, a program resulting from a multi-agency collaboration that aims to address manufacturing skills gaps in the region. The middle school also has Gifted-Talented Student Enrichment and the high school has College in the Classroom. Students in both schools also take part in Students First, a mentorship program.

District 31 Administration

Superintendent

Jeremy Olson ..........................................333-3100 ext. 31120

Director of Special Education

Alexis Wilde .............................................333-3100 ext. 31104

Director of Human Resources

Jordan Hickman .....................................333-3100 ext. 31113

Director of Business Services

Krisi Fenner

31125

Director of Curriculum/Admin. Services

Colleen Cardenuto ...............................333-3100

31103

Bemidji Community Education offers programming for all ages. Young children can attend classes through Early Childhood Family Education while elementary, middle and high school students can join Kids & Company, tutoring, youth services and youth sports. Adult enrichment ranges from fitness classes to general interest topics. Community Ed also has aquatics programming, which offers swimming lessons and also has open times for lap swimming and open swimming.

The Indian Education Program is designed to meet the identified educational and cultural needs of American Indian students attending Bemidji Area Schools. Its goal is to assist American Indian students to successfully complete high school and encourage them to seek post-secondary education and training.

Adult Basic Education

Bemidji Area Schools contracts for Adult Basic Education services. ABE is now offered through the Northwest Service Cooperative and its classroom is located within Northwest Technical College.

The core ABE offerings include basic skills enhancement and services for tutoring, obtaining a GED or an adult diploma, and learning English as a second language. A growing area of emphasis is workforce preparation.

Northwest Technical College, Room 220, 333-6670

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays

Bemidji State University

On the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University offers outstanding academic programs in the arts, sciences and professions in a personalized, caring learning atmosphere that is focused on public service, the environment and the global community.

Consistently ranked in the Midwest’s top tier by “U.S News and World Report,” Bemidji State offers a broad range of professional degrees, including business, education, nursing and criminal justice, as well as such hard-to-find majors as aquatic biology, design technology and wilderness management. Many courses are available on campus and online, and BSU’s online program is one of the largest in greater Minnesota.

Small class sizes allow students to build rapport with faculty whose scholarship and practical knowledge lend realworld relevance to their teaching.

With more than 60 undergraduate and 10 graduate programs offered, students can pursue programs that fit their personal needs and interests. Students have numerous opportunities for first-hand experiences in service and global learning, from community-wide service projects to extended educational and cultural excursions abroad.

Numbers

Offices

Northwest Technical College

Northwest Technical College is a college of health care, business, automotive technology, early child education, and building trades. It integrates a rigorous curriculum and applied learning, both on campus and online and through workforce training partnerships.

For decades, students at the college have prepared for successful careers in northern Minnesota and beyond. Students choose their own combination of certificate, diploma and degree programs, with each credential building on the one before it for a seamless, stackable experience. With guidance from faculty and staff advisers, students plan an academic journey to meet their specific goals and adapt to their own unique lives and experiences.

Numbers to know

Colleges, Departments, Integrative Programs

Center for Sustainability Studies; Community and Criminal Justice Studies; Human Performance, Sport and Health; Nursing; Political Science; Psychology; Sociology and Communication Studies; Social Work

Oak Hills Christian College

Founded in 1946, Oak Hills Christian College is located on the shores of Lake Marquette, south of Bemidji. The college offers 26 academic programs which include bachelor degrees, associate degrees, two certificates and four online degrees. All academic programs are conducted within the context of a Christian college community. Oak Hills seeks to serve a broad section of qualified students who profess faith in Christ and who desire a Bible-centered education. To learn more, visit oakhills.edu.

Oak Hills Christian College is part of Oak Hills Fellowship which includes Camp Oak Hills, Center for Indian Ministries and Oak Hills Church Ministries.

People to know – Call 751-8670 for all

Martin Giese ................................................................. P resident

Jeff Wisdom College Dean

Leesa Drury ..................................................... V ice President for Institutional Advancement and Marketing

Brad Spaulding ....................................... D irector of Admissions

Jeremy Anderson Athletic Director

Scott Buchan C amp Oak Hills Director

Jim Hodgson .... D irector of Church and Community Relations oakhills.edu

Heartland Christian Academy

9914 Heartland Circle NW 751-1751 heartlandbemidji.org

Heartland Christian Academy offers a Christ-centered education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Heartland offers personalized, personal attention to its students by keeping small class sizes. Enrollment was 61 in 2022-23 pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

Heartland Christian High School

1600 Oak Hills Road SW 751-1751 heartlandbemidji.org

Heartland Christian Academy offers a Christ-centered education for grades nine through twelve. Heartland offers personalized, personal attention to its students by keeping small class sizes, students in the high school program can dual enroll in online college courses. Enrollment was 1 in 2022-23.

TrekNorth Junior/Senior High

2400 Pine Ridge Ave. NW 444-1888 treknorth.org

TrekNorth Junior & Senior High School is a public charter school that serves around 250 students in grades 6-12. TrekNorth, which offers a college-readiness curriculum in a small class size setting, initially was founded in 2003.

TrekNorth also offers an outdoor adventure program and service-learning program to provide students with wilderness and service opportunities designed to promote leadership and integrity.

TrekNorth is its own public school district, No. 4106. Application details are available on the school’s website.

Schoolcraft Learning Community

8955 Deer School Road NW 444-2102 schoolcraft.org

Schoolcraft Learning Community is a public charter school serving around 200 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The school features small class sizes and utilizes the curricular model of expeditionary learning. Schoolcraft also includes high levels of technology integration and foreign language development that takes place all within a familylike atmosphere. Schoolcraft started in 2000 and has been recognized as a Reward School by the Minnesota Department of Education. Schoolcraft accepts registrations on its website.

Apple Blossom Village

303 Railroad St. SW 766-0640 appleblossomvillage.org

Apple Blossom Village is a small program currently providing kindergarten through third-grade options for homeschool students and operating a private kindergarten program. The program serves around 30 students enrolled for 3 or 4 days per week. Apple Blossom Village nurtures an inner enthusiasm for learning through Waldorf-inspired programs that embrace the whole child, whole family and whole community, according to its director. The school also offers summer day camps.

St. Philip’s School

702 Beltrami Ave. NW 444-4938 stphilipsbemidji.org

Established in 1926, St. Philip’s School, the only Catholic school in the area, serves students in preschool through eighth grade, academically and religiously.

Offering a values-based curriculum, St. Philip’s had 374 Catholic and non-Catholic students in 2022-23.

St. Mark Lutheran School

2220 Anne St. NW 444-3939 stmarksbemidji.org

St. Mark Lutheran School serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The school is part of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod church. It offers a full curriculum, including religion courses and is guided by Pastor Ben Zamzow and Principal Nathan Bitter.

The congregation’s regular offerings support about 90 percent of the educational costs for member children. Nonmember parents pay tuition set each year by the Board of Education.

In 2022-23, 32 students were enrolled at St. Mark.

Voyageurs Expeditionary School

3724 Bemidji Ave. N. 444-3130 voyageursschool.org

Voyageurs Expeditionary School is a free public charter high school serving grades 6-12. VEHS opened in 2003 and currently serves approximately 100 students.

Applications are available online or from the school office.

Aurora Waasakone

Community of Learners

3604 Bemidji Ave. 444-3077 aurorawaasakone.org

Aurora Waasakone Community of Learners is a public charter school that focuses on place-based education, environmental education and interdisciplinary learning.

AWCL opened in 2019 and currently serves 131 students in grades K-8.

Kingdom Builders Christian School

414 Lincoln Ave. SE. 444-5227 kingdombuildersschool.org

Kingdom Builders Christian School opened in 2022 and offers Christ-centered academics and service opportunities to students in grades 4-12.

Grades 4-8 are housed at the former Lincoln Elementary School attached to Mt. Zion Church with grades 9-12 housed at the Valley View Building at Oak Hills Christian College. Enrollment was 24 in 2022-23.

Preschools

The Bemidji area has a variety of options for families seeking a preschool or early-childhood education option. From the Bemidji Area Schools Early Childhood Family Education programming to preschools offered through local churches, there are a range of choices.

Families can learn about child care options and details on licenses at parentaware.org. The Minnesota Department of Human Services leads Parent Aware in coordination with the Minnesota Office of Early Learning.

Bemidji Public Library

509 America Ave. NW 751-3963 krls.org/index.php/bemidji-home-page

The Bemidji Public Library is one of nine branches and a mobile library that composes the Kitchigami Regional Library System. Beyond the library’s collection, materials can also be requested from other regional branches that are delivered to the Bemidji branch several times a week. The library also offers public computers, wireless internet access, a meeting room for public use and comfortable seating for reading and study.

The library, through the KRLS, also lends to its members e-books. Learn more by contacting library personnel.

The Bemidji branch offers a full schedule of programs for people of all ages and interests, including storytime programs for pre-kindergarten children, reading and entertaining programs for school-age children, book discussions for adults, author visits and other informational programs. The monthly program schedule can be found at the library’s website.

The Friends of the Bemidji Public Library support the library through volunteer opportunities and membership. The Friends also operate the Friends Red Door Bookstore, which is housed in the library. It is open to the public and staffed by Friends volunteers.

Library hours

Mon.-Thu.: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri.-Sat.: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed: Sunday

Visit Bemidji

300 Bemidji Ave. N 444-6081 visitbemidji.com

The mission of Visit Bemidji is to promote the Bemidji Area as a tourism, sports, recreation and convention center. The bureau supplies support and materials for local, state and regional groups bringing their tournaments and meetings to Bemidji.

Visit Bemidji is located in the Tourist Information Center next to the Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues.

Greater Bemidji

102 First St. W Suite 101 444-5757 greaterbemidji.com

The mission of Greater Bemidji is to improve the quality of life for Beltrami County citizens by taking the initiative in identifying, encouraging and providing coordinated support to businesses that create quality jobs and improve the economic base of the community.

Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce

Bookstore hours

Tue.: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Wed.: 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thu.: 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Fri.: 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sat.: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

102 First St. W Suite 101 (Mayflower Building) 444-3541 bemidji.org

The mission of the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce is to advocate for the business community by providing leadership, communication and acting as a referral resource. Governed by a board of directors, the Chamber is made up of a number of councils and committees that are guided by the program of work.