Construction is underway on a new credit-union branch at Johnson Aerospace & Engineering High on St. Paul's East Side.

The branch is expected to open in November and will be run by students as part of Hiway Federal Credit Union. The operation will be Hiway's first student-run branch and the district's third -- following the opening of St. Paul Federal Credit Union branches at Como Park and Harding high schools.

Hiway President/CEO Dave Boden said in a news release that it was hoped that students who gain hands-on learning experience through Hiway will be "teachers of financial literacy among their peers."

A Hiway administrator also has been presenting financial literacy classes at the school.

Johnson, once home to hockey heroes and a U.S. Supreme Court justice, is now both a community and a magnet school boasting flight simulators, an air traffic control station and high-tech digital tools.

This year, Johnson is piloting later school starts for high school students -- an effort that is producing positive results, district officials say.