Update on Plans for New Woodbury Charter School

The new school would be built at the Footprints/Peace of Mind facility off Tamarack Road

Plans for a new charter school in Woodbury continue to move forward. The charter application for Woodbury Leadership Academy should be submitted by the end of the month, said Nikki Robbins, founder of Footprints Academy and Peace of Mind Early Education Center, who is heading up the new school. It would likely open as a school for seventh- and eight-graders, but the application will request a K-12 school to leave the door open for possible expansion in the future, she said. A new addition would be built at the Footprints/Peace of Mind facility off Tamarack Road, and officials have already been in talks with contractors about construction, Robbins said. The community has been “super supportive” of the idea for Woodbury Leadership Academy, …

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Footprints Academy Students Make Sandwiches for the Homeless

The Woodbury school has partnered with Minneapolis Recreation Development for the past three years.

Fewer than 100 Footprints Academy students on Wednesday made 600 sandwiches that a few hours later were given away to the homeless. The Woodbury school for the third year partnered with Minneapolis Recreation Development (MRD), which since 1967 has worked to help the less fortunate. The Footprints curriculum includes “outreach and giving,” said founder Nikki Robbins, and the student council chooses a few charities to work with each year. When it comes to MRD, the students “we’re really excited and interested in his mission.” MRD founder Allan Law, a former teacher, distributes an average of 1,600 sandwiches a night to shelters and homeless people on the street. Footprints students collected coins to pay for the ingredients and raised …

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Plans in the Works for New Woodbury Charter School

From the founder of Footprints Academy, Woodbury Leadership Academy would be for students in seventh and eighth grade.

A new charter school could be coming to Woodbury. Nikki Robins, founder of Footprints Academy and Peace of Mind Early Education Center, said she plans to submit an application for the new school this February. It would be called Woodbury Leadership Academy and be open to students in seventh and eighth grade. She said it could open as soon as the 2014-15 school year. The charter school would be free to attend and funding would be on a per-pupil basis from the state. The authorizer would likely be Volunteers of America, Robbins said. Founding the school would likely require an addition to the existing Footprints/Peace of Mind complex on Tamarack Road, she said. Parents have often asked about adding grades to Footprints, which serves K-6 …

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Woodbury Preschool Hires New Educational Coordinator

Leslie Joslin comes from Knowledge Beginnings to Peace of Mind Early Education Center.

Peace of Mind Early Education Center recently hired Leslie Joslin as its new education coordinator. Joslin, a Woodbury resident since 1998, has more than two decades of experience in the field, most recently at Knowledge Beginnings. “It’s wonderful to have Leslie here and we are looking forward to the boundless possibilities she will bring to our early education center,” Nicole Robbins, founder of Peace of Mind Early Education Center, said in a statement. Joslin told Patch that she appreciates the non-corporate aspect of Peace of Mind and how its teachers can tailor the classroom lesson plans to fit their students’ needs. “The Peace of Mind atmosphere is a wonderful place where we are able to make decisions without going through corporate …

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The ‘Footprints’ Of Woodbury’s History

Students and artists have created mural at Footprints Academy that outlines the city’s history.

A wall in the gym at Footprints Academy in Woodbury will soon be adorned with a large mural depicting the city’s history. The project came together after Footprints founder Nikki Robbins heard about a similar project in Hudson, Wis. From there she brought in Stillwater artist Peg Malanaphy and Kathryn Ho, a member of the city’s Heritage Society, to round out the details. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the city, Robbins said. Students created the artwork for mural, which will consist of seven large footprint-shaped pieces. Malanaphy—owner of Interiors of Stillwater—said the murals use a combination of students’ art that was copied and enlarged, and the work of the painters recreating the students’ pieces.   “I really liked the …

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Photo Gallery: Carnival at Footprints Academy in Woodbury

Families enjoyed a fun-filled day with games, prizes and food.

During its carnival on Saturday, Footprints Academy raised money to benefit the nonprofit organization Legacy Builders of Woodbury.

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Get Out: What to do in Woodbury This Weekend

Woodbury’s weekend entertainment guide to sales, Representatives, family fun and music.

Thursday, the one day Woodbury Patch loves telling you what to do. Mega Garage Sale When: Thursday & Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Where: King of Kings Lutheran Church Why Go: Nothing beats the $5 bag sale on Saturday. Rep. Kieffer’s Third Listening Session When: Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to noon Where: R.H. Stafford Branch Library Why Go: Community members are invited to get updates from Representative Andrea Kieffer (Woodbury, District 56). Price: Free Carnival When: Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.    Where: Footprints Academy Why Go: This community family-friendly event features all the important things in life...fun, food and friends. Scrambled 8K & 2K Family Fun Walk/Run When: Sunday, …

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Five Area Summer Camps

Great ideas for keeping kids busy this summer.

One of the biggest challenges when the kids are out of school is keeping them entertained—enter the invention of summer camp. Getting those squirrley ones away from the video games and TV, out into the great outdoors or learning a new skill is the beauty of camp. We wanted to share of a few of our area favorites. School of Rock, 417 Broadway St., St. Paul Has your kid always wanted to be a rock star? Here’s their chance with one- or two- week camp sessions in Downtown St. Paul, just off Interstate 94.  Your young ones, ages 8-18, can learn guitar, songwriting or form a band and play an actual live show at the School of Rock showcase concert. Camp Lakamaga, 12300 Lakamaga Trail N, Marine on St. Croix For the old-school Girl Scout camp …

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