The First IB/PYP

School in the Midwest

Highland Park Elementary School was authorized in 2003 as an official Primary Years Programme (PYP) school by the International Baccalaureate organization. We were the first school in the Midwest to receive this prestigious designation at the elementary level. The PYP curriculum is based in the liberal arts, has an international focus and encourages a hands-on approach to learning.

Big-World Focus with Small-School Attention

We’re a school of approximately 400 students, located in the beautiful Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul. As a citywide option school, we welcome students from all over the area and we love our diverse community of learners. The size of our school allows us to give students true personal attention while bringing a global perspective to education with the IB-PYP curriculum.

Specialized Learning

All students receive specialized coursework in Chinese, Science and Physical Education. We have a full-time Gifted Services specialist who offers hands-on classroom support for students who need additional challenges in the core subjects of Reading, Writing and Math. We also have a staff member who coordinates Enrichment Activities available to all students, which in any given year may include choir, theater, dancing, Lego League and Lego Robotics, Destination Imagination, special-interest research teams and clubs. As a full-service public school, we also offer English Language Learner support as well as Special Education services for those students who need it.

Active Family Involvement

We’re proud to have an active Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chapter, which supports our school in many ways – including fundraising, sponsoring a variety of events and supporting our curriculum with arts opportunities through residency programs, field trips and classroom activities. In addition, an active Site Council made up of elected parents and staff members helps shape the vision of our school and serves as an advisory board for the school administration.