School of Education
Dr. Karen Rusthoven
Founder of the Community of Peace Charter School
Rusthoven received her Doctor of Education in 2001 and Masters of Arts in 1982 from the University of St. Thomas. Starting as a public school teacher in St. Paul, and then working in Catholic schools, she always wondered why you could not have a values-based approach in a public school setting. She then took the opportunity to open Community of Peace Charter School in 1995. The U.S. Department of Education selected Community of Peace as one of eight model charter schools out of 1500 in the nation. Rusthoven was named to the Wise People Hall of Fame of the Peace Builders International, and Community of Peace was the only Minnesota school and one of only 27 schools in the nation to be recognized as a peace builder’s site. Her school’s character development program also was recognized as one of 10 National Schools of Character.
