Helping Open Doors find a permanent home has been on our radar for many years.”

District Superintendent Jeff Koenig

Open Doors Academy will soon have a new home, following groundbreaking on a new facility Wednesday, Sept. 23. The board previously voted Aug. 17 to approve a bid for a new building from Heartland Construction of Cadott at a cost not to exceed $307,000. The new building will be 28 by 60 feet and slab on grade, with in-floor heating. The district has been renting next door at 517 North Broadway. The new building will eliminate rental costs.
Established over 10 years ago as an alternative and educational center to help students who needed a more individualized approach to meeting their educational goals to graduation, Open Doors Academy is a place where students who might not do well in a traditional school environment can thrive. Housed for the present at 517 North Broadway and in rented space on Third Avenue before that, the groundbreaking last week will provide a permanent home for Open Doors, with building completion expected next spring.
“Helping Open Doors find a permanent home has been on our radar for many years,” district superintendent Jeff Koenig said. “We are appreciative of those who helped get our school to this point, but are excited for the future possibilities in its new home.”
Over the last 10 years Open Doors has experienced changes in administrative staff, teachers, paraprofessionals, locations, academic content, and negative community image. In addition, Open Doors Academy has also served surrounding districts in their need for credit recovery or GEDO 2. A database was created in 2024-2025 to help track program metrics and student success or failure.
Presently, the Open Doors Academy Supports - grades 8-12 program; Credit Recovery and GEDO 2. The Open Doors program has proven to be successful. Over its lifespan, the Open Doors Academy, grade 11 and 12 program has served 20 plus students each year. In total for the last 10 years approximately 200 students have attended the academy.
Leading the Open Doors Academy have been two outstanding teachers, Judy Gulzynski and Kimm Severson that have met these students where they are and guided them through graduation. The primary goal for the Open Doors Academy is to provide the student with the academic achievements and social skills needed to be successful in their own community.
Students at Open Doors Academy are mainly students of the Stanley-Boyd school district. Student academic needs such as academic materials (chromebooks, textbooks, breakfast and lunch) are supplied and transported to the building from the high school. One of two programs within the district that does not have an onsite coordinator, or assistant principal, administrative/principal duties are provided by the high school principal. When incidents arise and need to be dealt with it may or may not get addressed that same day. In some cases the Stanley or Boyd Police Department can step in and assist.