DECS opened in the fall of 1997 as a joint effort of Duluth Public School District 709 and the Edison Project. Our founders include former Superintendent Mark Myles and parent Dawn Silvestrini.
When we opened, DECS served 500 students in two locations — grades K-5 at Kenwood School and grades 6-8 in the district administration building. In the fall of 1999, because of increasing demand, the Raleigh building opened in West Duluth to approximately 300 K-5 students. That same year, students in grades 6-8 moved to the former Washburn School to help ensure both more space and green space for the students. In the fall of 2011, DECS opened North Star Academy — combining the K-5 grade population from Kenwood and the 6-8 students from Washburn. At this time, North Star has approximately 1,000 students in grades K-8, and Raleigh has 300 students in grades K-5.
The school maintained a long and positive relationship with the Edison Project until assuming self-management on July 1, 2016. The school now operates as an independent public charter school governed, per Minnesota charter law, by our own Board of Directors made up of parents, community members, and teachers.
We encourage you to take some time to further explore our website and learn more about us.