WMEP Magnet Schools

As one of 11 school districts participating in the West Metro Education Program, ISD #283-St. Louis Park Public Schools is able to offer two interdistrict magnet schools for its residents to consider - the Interdistrict Downtown School (IDDS) in Downtown Minneapolis, and the Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource (FAIR) School in Crystal. These schools are designed to promote voluntary intercultural, racially integrated education for students. Resident students of ISD #283 are eligible to apply for admission to the schools. Applications for both schools are due Friday, January 16, 2009. Students will be selected through a random lottery, which will be conducted on Friday, January 23, 2009. Lottery results will be mailed to applicants a week or two after the lottery. Transportation is provided to both schools. Both schools provide special education services to students for those services identified on existing Individual Education Plans.

The Interdistrict Downtown School is located in downtown Minneapolis and is a K-12 school that serves over 500 students. It features an interdisciplinary multicultural program enriched by the many educational, corporate, government and arts resources available in downtown Minneapolis. IDDS is accepting applications for all grades K-12 for the 2009-2010 school year. Families are strongly encouraged to visit IDDS before applying. Tours of the school are given weekly on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. Tours can also be arranged by request. The school will also be hosting an Open House for prospective students and families on January 6, 2009, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. For more information about IDDS, call 612.752.7100 or visit their website at www.wmep.k12.mn.us/idds.

WMEP's other magnet school, Fine Arts Interdisciplinary Resource School is located in Crystal and serves nearly 560 students in grades 4-8. It features an emphasis on the fine arts and integrates the arts throughout the curriculum. FAIR is accepting applications for grades 4-8 for the 2009-2010 school year. Tours of the school are given weekly on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. Tours can also be arranged by request. The school will be hosting an Open House for prospective students and families on January 6, 2009, 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (Program is at 5:30 p.m., with tours to follow.) For more information about FAIR School, call 763.971.4500 or visit their website at www.wmep.k12.mn.us/fair.

St. Louis Park Schools residents who would like to apply to either WMEP magnet school may download and print an application form or call 952.928.6070 to receive an application by mail. Check the box next to the name of the school you are applying to and submit the completed application to the address shown on the form by the January 16, 2009, deadline. If applications exceed the number of spots available, a waiting list will be created using the order selected in the random lottery. Applications received after the deadline will be added to the end of the waiting list in the order received.

Non-resident note: If you live in another school district, you need to apply through that district, even if your child is open-enrolled to St. Louis Park Schools.