Nawayee is an Ojibwe word that means “the center," and at Center School, we work with students to find their center and find our collective center within the Indian community and in life. Nawayee Center School provides a culturally contextualized learning environment rooted in Indigenous lifeways.

Many students choose Nawayee Center School because they value the small class sizes, close relationships with teachers and administration, the emphasis on indigenous education, and the many field trips and enrichment opportunities we offer. Nawayee Center School inspires a sense of direction within the circle of life, from which students discover personal strength, purpose, and vision. In support of this, we integrate cultural arts, Indigenous languages, and spiritual lifeways into all of our curriculum. High-quality, culturally-specific education services are available to all of our students in small class sizes while also providing students with extracurricular learning opportunities including internships, outdoor learning, and hands-on experiential learning.

Nawayee Center School is open to students in grades 7-12, ages 12-19.  Most of the students we serve are American Indian; however, an education that benefits American Indian students benefits all of our students. Some of our students attend Nawayee Center School because they have experienced problems in the regular public school system, some are considered at-risk under MN Statue 126.22. Nawayee Center School provides a fresh start and re-centering to all of our students as they develop into confident and competent leaders. 

Minneapolis Public School personnel, parents, and community members may refer students to Nawayee Center School & many of our students are self-referred.

​Contact us to schedule an intake meeting & finalize your enrollment:

Main Office Phone: 612-721-1655,