LEAP High School is an ALC program in the St. Paul Public Schools district.  The LEAP student body consists of 100% immigrant population and ranges in ages from 15 to 21. Rose Santos is the principal and has held this office since 2004. She has a long history of experience working with ELL students. Under her leadership, LEAP has changed location, student population, graduation requirements, curriculum,mission, resources, and staff, becoming what today is called LEAP High School. To learn more about her click here.

The original location of the school was on the 4th floor of the 494 Sibley Avenue building in Saint Paul.  In August 2003, under Ms. Santos’ leadership, the school was moved to its present location at 631 Albert Street North, where it shared the building with the students and staff from Wilson Middle School.  During the summer of 2004, with the projection of new students arriving to Saint Paul, LEAP was allowed to occupy the entire building and the middle school component was closed.  

The Wilson building was named after the United States President Woodrow Wilson and dates back to 1924.  Originally, this historic building was called Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, and has since changed its name several times. It has been Wilson High School and Wilson Elementary.  It was also Expo Middle School and is now LEAP High School.  Under Federal law, any building named after a president cannot change its name nor may the building be defaced without the consent of the Secretary of the Interior, or an act of Congress.  Because of this, the building will remain known as "the Wilson building" regardless of the different school name involved.  Principal Santos managed the budget wisely over the years, bringing fresh air to an historic building, which is now filled with modern technology in all classrooms, the office, three computer labs, three moble labs, and the beautiful media center.  The Wilson building also has a new, large gymnasium where students not only participate in sports, but also perform in our annual Culture Party.

LEAP High School serves students who are new arrivals to the United States and are not native English speakers. LEAP High School enrolls students in grades 9 through 12, and offers intensive English instruction and content-area classes (math, ELA, science, social studies, art, music, P.E.)  Teachers use adapted curriculum for ELL students, or regular curriculum correlated to the mainstream curriculum taught district wide.  

The overall goal of LEAP is to provide a supportive academic environment so that the immigrant and refugee students can earn a high school diploma.  LEAP follows the St. Paul Public Schools' regulations for requirements and for issuing credit for graduation.