Spectrum's mission has always been to encourage students in attaining their maxiumum potential through a 3-dimensional strategy. 

Read about the story of Spectrum below. 

• March 10, 2011 Approved Lease with CSPC
• City Approval
• Ground Breaking, 5/20/2011

In September of 2011, Spectrum added the 6 through 8 Grade classes to the school's enrollment. With middle school students joining Spectrum, the school's enrollment climbed to 390 students for the 2011-2012 school year. 

Spectrum is a leader among charter schools in that a strong athletics program is an integral part of the school. Construction on the athletic facility was completed in 2013, and the Spectrum Football team was able to play their first game on the new football/soccer field on September 6, 2013. The athletic complex also includes a football/soccer practice field, a baseball field and a softball field, a high jump pit; and a track. 

Enrollment in the middle school grades continued to expand, prompting the addition of the 6th grade building in 2014.

Spectrum High School opened its new facility, Spectrum High School Grade 6, on September 2, 2014.
The building, which is located just east of the high school building, holds 6th grade students only, creating a unique educational opportunity for students in this area. The building serves approximately 110 sixth grade students and focuses on providing an excellent transition from elementary to the secondary school setting. While attending to the unique needs and developmental characteristics of sixth graders,the program is based on the following principles:

• rigorous instruction balanced with support,
• equipping students to success with college readiness, and
• a commitment to forming relationships and connections. 

Spectrum Sting teams revealed a mascot for the first time: a rugged-looking fellow with a shield
named Sting who was introduced during an event at the school on Monday, Aug. 4, 2014.
Graphic Designer, Mark Haugstad, created the final mascot design, Matt Fahner built much of the
foundation of the designed based on one of Spectrum's football players, Shane Herrlin, who submitted an idea leading to the design.
Spectrum staff members Cindy Wiyninger and Erin Rolf took the paper concept and “made it come
alive" during the summer of 2014. 

Sting is pictured below with Rick Peterson and Vanessta Spark at his first event.

Fall of 2016 began the passing of the torch as Mr. DeBruyn was introduced as the incoming Executive Director.

Mr. DeBruyn brings to Spectrum 27 years of experience in education including nine years in the
classroom and fourteen in administration. His work at the Minnesota Department of Education
and at a Minnesota educational membership organization where he provided technical assistance
to school leaders across the state, trained school boards, and assisted with legislative work, are
also a great asset to Spectrum.

Mr. DeBruyn worked with Vanessta Spark, Spectrum’s initial executive director from its inception in 2005, to transition into the Executive Director role as Ms. Spark moved towards retirement at the end of the 2016-2017 school year.

Spectrum Middle School: Grades 7-8 expanded into its newly-completed location accross from the high school building in July, 2018. Simultaneously, the 6th grade location was retitled Spectrum Middle School: Grade 6. The addition of these locations allows for a unique middle school setting.

The relocation of the middle school grades allowed the high school building to become a more focused high school and college prep environment for grades 9-12. A College and Career Center has been created from classroom space in the building, also opening during the 2018-19 school year.

• Field lights and a press box were installed at the athletic complex in the summer of 2020. The addition of the field lights allows the opportunity for evening games! 
• In summer of 2020, a public hockey rink was built on Spectrum's property for the use of the Elk River community.