Vitae for Wayne B. Jennings

          WAYNE B. JENNINGS, Ph.D.
1996 Langton Lake Drive
St. Paul, Minnesota 55113 USA
Phone (651) 644-2805 
Cell (651) 633-3252
Email: wayne@designlearn.net

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Won and directed one of the eleven award teams to redesign American education in a nation-wide competition. The design, Community Learning Centers, has been implemented in several schools.

Helped design several experimental schools, Saturn School of Tomorrow, St. Paul Area Learning Center, Children’s Theatre School, Mall of America High School, San Diego Museum School, Minnesota New Country School, EXPO Magnet Middle School and started several other traditional and innovative schools.

Established and directed Open World Learning Community (formerly, St. Paul Open School), a K-12 (originally K-12 now 6-12) research, demonstration school of the St. Paul Public Schools that attracted 10,000 visitors and were described in many articles or books. The school won the Pacesetter Award from the U. S. Office of Education as being educationally effective, cost-effective, and worthy of replication and is now in its 50th year.

As principal helped reverse the negative image and established twelve magnet programs as part of a desegregation plan at Central High School, an inner‑city school for 1,800 students. The school doubled its enrollment in two years.

As assistant director, helped establish The Career Study Center, St. Paul Public Schools in 1969, a prototype alternative program for at-risk students.

Established and directed the Staff Development Department of the St. Paul Public Schools which provided training programs for 130 administrators and 2600 teachers.

Started the following charter schools: Family Learning Center, Jennings Community School, High School for Recording Arts, Museum School, and several others.

Published the ASCD newsletter, the Brain Compatible Learning Networker for 18 years. Coauthor of recent books: 1) Inciting Learning: A Guide to Brain-Compatible Instruction. 2) Bridging the Learning/Assessment Gap: Showcase Learning. Optimizing Learning. 3. School Transformation. And articles, books, and chapters in several books.

Other projects: wrote Five Year Plan for Adult Literacy for St. Paul that culminated in a state-of-the-art adult learning center; member of the Congress funded team for the evaluation of charter schools; delivered over three hundred addresses to workshops, seminars, and conferences; assisted several foundations and the USDE with evaluating proposals.

Established successful businesses: construction; manufacturing canoes; education consulting.

Experience on boards and leadership positions

    • Chair Jennings Community Learning Center (2001-2021)
    • Chair of the International Association for Learning Alternatives (2001-2018)
    • Chair High School for Recording Arts (1997-2017)
    • President of the Education Industry Association (1996-97)
    • President of Minnesota Alliance for the Arts in Education (1996-97)
    • President of The Continuum Center board (1991-1993)
    • President of the National Association for Core Curriculum (1966)
    • President of the Minnesota Association for Core Curriculum (1963-65)
    • President of the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools (1997-99)
    • President of the Mounds View Public Schools’ Board of Education and board member (1968‑71)
    • President of the Lauderdale School PTA (1962)
    • President of St. Paul Administrators’ Forum (1980)
    • President of the Board of Directors, Dolphin Products, Wabasha, MN (1966‑67)
    • President of the Board of Directors, Responses, Inc., Mpls. (1987-89)
    • President of the Public School Incentives Board of Directors (1992-95)
    • Vice President, Minnesota Futurists (1983‑84)
    • Vice president, The Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul (1975‑76)
    • Treasurer, Center for Policy Studies (2006-2012)

Other board positions:

  • The Agency for Instructional Technology, Bloomington, IN (1981-1987)
  • Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (1991-95)
  • Futurics magazine Editorial Board (current)
  • Changing School magazine Editorial Advisory Board, Muncie, IN (1979-89)
  • City Innovation national Advisory Committee, (1989-1998)
  • Transforming Schools Consortium (1988-2001)
  • Brain-Compatible Learning Network Board (1900-2007)
  • Institute for Learning and Teaching (2003-2018)
  • Advisory Committee for the National Association for Core Curriculum (1995-2011)
  • River Heights Charter School (2004-2006)
  • Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (current ex-officio)
  • Minnesota Education Trust (2008-10)

EDUCATION WORK RECORD

  • 1999-2000: Adjunct Professor, Minnesota University at Mankato, MN
  • 1988-2000: Adjunct Professor, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
  • 1987-2000: Chairman, Designs for Learning, Inc., St. Paul, MN
  • 1985-1987: Director of Staff Development, St. Paul Public Schools, St. Paul, MN
  • 1982‑1985: Director of Education, Children’s Theatre Company School, Mpls., MN
  • 1980‑1982: Principal, Central High School, St. Paul, MN
  • 1978‑1980: Principal, Battle Creek Junior High School, St. Paul, MN
  • 1971‑1978: Principal, St. Paul Open School, St. Paul, MN
  • 1970‑1971: Assistant Director, Career Study Center, St. Paul, MN
  • 1967‑1970: Assistant Director, City Center for Learning, St. Paul, MN
  • 1960‑1967: Director of Activities and Teacher, Como Park Junior, St. Paul, MN
  • 1958‑1960: Teacher, Phillips Junior High School, Minneapolis, MN
  • 1952‑1954: Instructor, U. S. Army, Fort Riley, KS
  • 1944-1955: Various: railroad track maintenance, plasterer, construction, manufacturing

EDUCATION

  • Bachelor of Arts as core curriculum teacher, University of Minnesota, 1958.
  • Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction, University of Minnesota, 1961.
  • PhD in education, University of Minnesota, 1968.

AWARDS/HONORS

  • Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: best network newsletter (6 times)
  • Cunningham Award for Educational Leadership
  • Exemplary Contributor to Education lifetime by the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs
  • Jennings Community School (junior/high school) named for him
  • Chapter about Jennings in The Educational Entrepreneur by Leisey and Lavoroni
  • Selected as one of the College of Education, University of Minnesota’s 100 Distinguished Alumni
  • Pioneer award from the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools
  • Listed in the Hall of Fame from Alternative Education Resource Organization)
  • High School for Recording Arts award for lifetime achievement
  • John Dewey Society lifetime achievement award