School History
Redding STEM Academy (R-STEM) opened in fall 2015, with the approval of the Redding STEM Academy Charter by the Shasta County Office of Education's Board of Trustees.
Although R-STEM is a unique and distinctly different school, it has roots in another charter school which operated for 15 years in Mountain Gate, at the former Bass School site. This school, called North Woods Discovery School, closed in 2016.
North Woods began as dream of two teachers...Linda Johnson and Lillie Minsart (bottom right). Both were teaching at Project City School (now Grand Oaks) in Gateway Unified School District. Linda and Lillie envisioned a K-8 school utilizing best practices in education and several of their own creative innovations.
While North Woods was an excellent school, there was a desire to build upon its success, and this required a geographical move, as well a shift in curriculum and pedagogy. By moving to the Oasis Campus, and incorporating a new STEM philosophy and curriculum, R-STEM was founded with a new purpose and mission. John Husome, the former principal at North Woods, is the current Principal / Director and author of R-STEM's Charter.
Linda and Lillie have both retired, and only a few of the North Woods' staff remain, but we owe a debt of gratitude to Lillie and Linda for starting North Woods.
