It is the changing of the guard at Jennings Community School in south St. Anthony Park.
Krissy Wright on July 1 becomes the school’s new executive director, succeeding Bill Zimniewicz, who is retiring on June 30 after 14 years at the helm.
Wright worked at Academic Arts High School for seven years as a special education teacher and eventually director before leaving the school at the end of the 2016-17 school year. She then worked for a year providing professional development to school teams throughout the country before joining the Jennings team as an advisor.
Wright graduated with a B.A. in psychology from Minnesota State University-Mankato. She then worked for five years with patients at the security hospital in St. Peter, Minn., before returning to school to earn her teaching license in special education at Bemidji State University. While completing her course work for her teaching license, Krissy volunteered at Jennings for a year.
Zimniewicz began his career at Jennings Community School back in 2006 as executive director. He began his career teaching in 1983 at a Native American Alternative School after receiving his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Minnesota and his master’s degree in teacher leadership.
During his career, Bill founded the South St. Paul Area Alternative Learning Center and River Heights Charter School (now known as Academic Arts High School). Bill also has served as president of Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs and has been a longtime advocate for student centered learning and democratic schools.
Jennings Community School, 2455 University Ave. W., is a charter school serving seventh through 12th grade students. It has an approximate 15-to-1 student to teacher ratio and emphasizes individual based instruction.
