Shearwater High School

Shearwater High School is a needed school option. It is also a demonstration project for how youth who have disconnected can reengage in school, experience strong academic success, and graduate prepared for self-sufficiency in adulthood. The Shearwater High School model has been planned and benchmarked against the top-ranked charter and alternative school designs across the country. Our founding team took a collection of national working practices and modified them to fit the specific needs and interests of St. Louis City youth, resulting in Shearwater High School’s model. Over the past 18 months we have engaged a large and diverse group of community educators and leaders to vet and further refine this new school design. In addition to launching Shearwater High School, our team founded an umbrella nonprofit organization, Shearwater Education Foundation. This organization works to lead policy and program change through the experience of designing and running Shearwater High School. It also works to support the growth and development of Shearwater High School. Today we have collaborative service relationships with nine area nonprofits, which include the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Teach For America St. Louis, and Youth In Need. Shearwater High School is sponsored by Saint Louis University, it will be researched by faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, and it plans to partner with St. Louis Community College to ease our students' transition into post-secondary education. We believe that there is a responsibility inherent in our work to cultivate a movement that fights for all youth to graduate from high school and experience success in life. This means engaging our students, staff, and the larger community in our efforts.