In 1968, students at Monroe High School presented an idea to the Principal for an alternative education program. In October 1969, teachers began helping students attain their goal. Parents, teachers and students soon joined forces. Led by Lew Marks (1932-2010), an English teacher at the school, they presented a proposal for the School Without Walls to the District Superintendent in January 1971. On February 4, 1971, the Board of Education approved the proposal that created the School Without Walls, which opened in September 1971 at 4 Elton Street, sharing space with the Visual Studies Workshop at the time. Subsequent locations included a floor of the building located at 50 West Main Street in and a floor of the building located at 400 Andrews Street, both in the city of Rochester. School Without Walls moved to its present building, the former Sears Automotive building located near Monroe High School, in 1987. The middle school is now located on 111 N. Clinton Avenue in the old tutoring facility.