Lionsgate Academy

Lionsgate Academy
Location
Minnetonka, Minnesota and Shoreview, Minnesota United States
District information
Type	Public Charter School
Grades	7-12
Established	2008
Students and staff
Students	200 (2016-17)
Staff	Over 200
Other information
Website	lionsgateacademy.org

Lionsgate Academy (District 4183) is a Minnesota public charter school which serves grades 7–12. Established in 2008, Lionsgate Academy is open to all students of all abilities; however, their program is inclusively designed to meet the unique needs of students on the autism spectrum. These supports also benefit students without disabilities and those with disabilities other than Autism spectrum disorder. In 2018, a second location opened in Shoreview, Minnesota, to accommodate more families living on the east side of the Twin Cities.

History

Started by Bernadette Groh and Tamara Phillips, who were intrigued with the idea that schools could do a better job of educating students with autism, the first meetings regarding the school's founding were held in July 2006, which launched the school's first board. Following the creation of the mission regarding impacts on both the lives of teenagers with autism during the high school days, as well as an adult, the founders wanted a name that would reflect to their mission as well as their particular needs. The name "Lionsgate Academy" originated from the translation of the founders' children's names, Ari, which translated to 'lion' in Hebrew and Arabic. Soon after, an application to the Board of Education was written and completed by July 2007, with acceptance announced in October 2007. With the announcement of the acceptance, word of the school was spread via. the Star Tribune and other newspapers.

First opening on September 2, 2008, to 70 students in grades 7-10, the school began rapid growth, reaching 151 students by the 2012-13 school year. In 2011, the school saw its first graduating class, which resulted in the formation of the AIM Program, which is a transitions program for students seeking to become more independent in the areas of Independent Living, Employment, and Post-Secondary Education. The AIM program serves students from 18–21 years of age and is located off-site.

For the school's first eight years, it was located at 3420 Nevada Avenue North in Crystal, Minnesota, in a shared building with the local Cornerstone Church. The building, which is now Beacon Academy, was originally Crystal Heights Elementary School before its purchase by the church, making it particularly suitable for Lionsgate Academy. In November 2015, Lionsgate leased a former office building at 5605 Green Circle Drive in Minnetonka, and moved there starting in the 2016-17 school year. Wellington Wealth Management, Inc. owns the building,.

Shoreview Location

At the Ribbon Cutting for the school's Green Circle Drive location in November 2016, Lionsgate announced an expansion on the east side of the Twin Cities. The school, which will initially serve grades 7-10 like Lionsgate when it first opened, opened in the 2018-19 school year. It is located at 599 Cardigan Rd. in Shoreview.

Mission

According to the school's website, their mission is to foster self-determination by providing a transition-focused, personalized learning program for all students, specializing in educating students with autism spectrum disorders. The goal for the graduates of Lionsgate Academy is that they will, to the fullest extent possible, move on to further education or gainful employment, live independently, and have meaningful relationships with others.