Athlos Academy Hires Top Executive
Athlos Academy of St. Cloud has hired a leader from a Minneapolis charter school to be its executive director.
Kathy Mortensen, who previously served as executive director and acting superintendent of Minneapolis Academy Charter School will lead Athlos Academy, a tuition-free public charter school, into its first year this fall in St. Cloud. The school, which is under construction at 3701-33rd St. S, initially will serve grades K-6.
Mortensen also has been a public school administrator in Brainerd (2013-14) and Brooklyn Center (2011-13) after working for Paladin Academy Charter School (2006-11) and with the Minnesota Department of Corrections (2001-06). From 1994-2001, she was a teacher and assistant principal in the Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools.
Mortensen earned her education degree from the University of Minnesota, got her master’s degree in special education at Bethel University, earned a sixth-year certificate in educational administration from St. Cloud State University, and got a doctorate of teaching and learning from Argosy University.
Mortensen could not be reached Friday. In a statement, she said Athlos Academy “will serve as a flagship school in Minnesota.” Its educational model is built on pillars of a prepared mind, healthy body and performance character. Students participate in four “scientifically developed” physical activity sessions each week and “performance character” is integrated in the culture of the school.
Athlos Academy’s enrollment period is open through Monday and a lottery will be conducted by March 1 if demand exceeds capacity for the first group of students. Enrollment in 2016-17 is expected to be more than 800 students, according to the school’s charter. The school facility will cover 87,000 square feet on a 13-acre site.
Other Athlos Academy facilities are open or planned in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas and Utah. The schools are affiliated with Athlos Academies, a Boise, Idaho-based management company that sells curriculum to the academies and helps the charter schools build their buildings. The company also assists with staff and student recruitment, teacher training and provides student uniforms and apparel.
The St. Cloud Athlos Academy will be a single-story building with classrooms and indoor athletic facilities with both hardwood court and turf field space. The property also will have outdoor athletic fields for baseball, soccer, lacrosse and football as well as a playground. According to the Idaho Statesman, other schools recently built by Athlos Academies have cost about $20 million each, including furnishings.
Mortensen and her husband, Steve, have two children and four grandchildren.
Construction of the school is expected to be complete by August. The first day of school is scheduled for Sept. 8. The next board meeting for the school is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the St. Cloud Public Library. For more, visitwww.athlosstcloud.org.
