The Innovation School

07/28/2026

At The Innovation School, we believe learning isn’t about doing more—it’s about making what students do matter.

The 80/20 principle is one way to think about how we prioritize meaningful learning, student ownership, and real-world experiences.

Read more about what the 80/20 Classroom can look like in practice:

If you’ve spent any time in business, you’ve probably heard of the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule. The idea is simple: roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of the inputs. Businesses use it all the time: 20% of customers generate 80% of revenue; 20% of products create 80% of sales; 20% of p...

07/27/2026

We are proud to be featured in the , a collective research project that highlights how schools are innovating across the US. Excited to learn more alongside CRPE, Transcend, and all of the educators in the Canopy!

Check out our profile here: https://canopyschools.org/school/the-innovation-school/

06/26/2026

Honored and proud to be highlighted in the Education Entrepreneurship Lab’s top 80 list of those changing education around the nation!

06/01/2026

Failure isn’t the opposite of learning—it’s part of it.

At The Innovation School, we want students to feel safe taking risks, making mistakes, and trying again. Some of the best learning happens when things don’t work the first time.

Check out our latest article on an idea we care deeply about at The Innovation School: failure IS learning.

Failure isn’t the opposite of learning. Our schools can help students use failure to become resilient, creative, and innovative lifelong learners.

05/30/2026

For anyone attending the North Dakota Personalized Learning Network conference in a few weeks, be sure to check out Kelsy Achtenberg and Sophia Kor’s session, “Centering Students: Actionable Insights from a Modern Classroom.”

We’re excited about all this conference has to offer around personalized learning — something that is truly at the center of what we do every day at The Innovation School. 💡🎉

📅 June 10, 2026
⏰ 3:30–4:20 PM

https://www.ndplnetwork.org/event-details/nd-personalized-learning-institute-26-1

05/22/2026

It was another wonderful year at The Innovation School! Thank you to our amazing community for supporting and being part of such a special place. We hope you all have a fun, relaxing, and memory-filled summer! ☀️

05/21/2026

Today was our annual Arc Expo! This special showcase gives students the opportunity to display projects that highlight what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown throughout the year.

One of the best parts is that each student gets to create and present their project in their own unique way, allowing their personality, interests, and creativity to shine.

From stop motion videos, puppet shows, and a froyo bar to so many other creative ideas, our students truly amazed us today. We are so proud of all the hard work, growth, and confidence they showed!

05/20/2026

We are incredibly grateful to Lead4Change: Student Leadership Program for awarding The Innovation School a $500 grant for our “Community Connectors” project with Good Samaritan Society - Marillac Manor! 💙

Through monthly visits, our students spend time with residents through games, crafts, conversations, and special activities while building meaningful intergenerational connections.

This grant will help us continue and expand the project next year with even more engaging activities and experiences. We are so proud of these students for leading with kindness, compassion, and community spirit!

05/18/2026

At TIS, we participate in the National Math Challenge program. This optional opportunity is available to all students K–8 and focuses on solving challenging word problems that build critical thinking and problem-solving skills in math.

Throughout the year, students can complete 15 different math challenges. Any student who completed at least 12 out of the 15 earned an end-of-year prize…Fizzily - Custom Sodas & Gourmet Popcorn! We are so proud of the students who pushed themselves to take on these extra challenges throughout the year! 🧠➕🎉

05/15/2026

Earlier this week, we celebrated our annual Water Day at McDowell Dam! We grilled hotdogs, played in the sand and water, explored the park, and soaked up the beautiful weather together. These simple traditions always end up becoming some of the best memories. ☀️🌊🌭