diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
index a88acc6ffd..5c8a88d9f7 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_module.py
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 import self_assessment_module
 import open_ended_module
 
-from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
-
 log = logging.getLogger("mitx.courseware")
 
 # Set the default number of max attempts.  Should be 1 for production
@@ -319,7 +317,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         Output: HTML rendered directly via Mako
         """
         context = self.get_context()
-        html = render_to_string('combined_open_ended.html', context)
+        html = self.system.render_template('combined_open_ended.html', context)
         return html
 
     def get_html_base(self):
@@ -369,17 +367,17 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
             self.static_data, instance_state=task_state)
         last_response = task.latest_answer()
         last_score = task.latest_score()
-        last_post_assessment = task.latest_post_assessment()
+        last_post_assessment = task.latest_post_assessment(self.system)
         last_post_feedback = ""
         if task_type == "openended":
-            last_post_assessment = task.latest_post_assessment(short_feedback=False, join_feedback=False)
+            last_post_assessment = task.latest_post_assessment(self.system, short_feedback=False, join_feedback=False)
             if isinstance(last_post_assessment, list):
                 eval_list = []
                 for i in xrange(0, len(last_post_assessment)):
-                    eval_list.append(task.format_feedback_with_evaluation(last_post_assessment[i]))
+                    eval_list.append(task.format_feedback_with_evaluation(self.system, last_post_assessment[i]))
                 last_post_evaluation = "".join(eval_list)
             else:
-                last_post_evaluation = task.format_feedback_with_evaluation(last_post_assessment)
+                last_post_evaluation = task.format_feedback_with_evaluation(self.system, last_post_assessment)
             last_post_assessment = last_post_evaluation
         last_correctness = task.is_last_response_correct()
         max_score = task.max_score()
@@ -442,7 +440,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedModule(XModule):
         self.update_task_states()
         response_dict = self.get_last_response(task_number)
         context = {'results': response_dict['post_assessment'], 'task_number': task_number + 1}
-        html = render_to_string('combined_open_ended_results.html', context)
+        html = self.system.render_template('combined_open_ended_results.html', context)
         return {'html': html, 'success': True}
 
     def handle_ajax(self, dispatch, get):
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
index 0b2ca1ca2c..e4daf11f1d 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/combined_open_ended_rubric.py
@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
-from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 import logging
 from lxml import etree
 
 log=logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-class CombinedOpenEndedRubric:
+class CombinedOpenEndedRubric(object):
 
     @staticmethod
-    def render_rubric(rubric_xml):
+    def render_rubric(rubric_xml, system):
         try:
             rubric_categories = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.extract_rubric_categories(rubric_xml)
-            html = render_to_string('open_ended_rubric.html', {'rubric_categories'  : rubric_categories})
+            html = system.render_template('open_ended_rubric.html', {'rubric_categories'  : rubric_categories})
         except:
             log.exception("Could not parse the rubric.")
             html = rubric_xml
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ class CombinedOpenEndedRubric:
 
         if has_score:
             if scorexml.tag != 'score':
-                raise Exception("[extract_category]: expected score tag, got {0} instead".format(scorexml.tag))
+                raise Exception("[extract_category]mitxmako: expected score tag, got {0} instead".format(scorexml.tag))
 
         for option in optionsxml:
             if option.tag != "option":
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
index 11f96c9848..0eaad34bad 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/open_ended_module.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from capa.util import *
 import openendedchild
 
-from mitxmako.shortcuts import render_to_string
 from numpy import median
 
 from datetime import datetime
@@ -256,7 +255,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         @param system: Modulesystem
         @return: Boolean True (not useful currently)
         """
-        new_score_msg = self._parse_score_msg(score_msg)
+        new_score_msg = self._parse_score_msg(score_msg, system)
         if not new_score_msg['valid']:
             score_msg['feedback'] = 'Invalid grader reply. Please contact the course staff.'
 
@@ -370,7 +369,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
 
         return u"\n".join([feedback_list_part1, feedback_list_part2])
 
-    def _format_feedback(self, response_items):
+    def _format_feedback(self, response_items, system):
         """
         Input:
             Dictionary called feedback.  Must contain keys seen below.
@@ -382,13 +381,13 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         rubric_feedback=""
         feedback = self._convert_longform_feedback_to_html(response_items)
         if response_items['rubric_scores_complete']==True:
-            rubric_feedback = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.render_rubric(response_items['rubric_xml'])
+            rubric_feedback = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.render_rubric(response_items['rubric_xml'], system)
 
         if not response_items['success']:
             return system.render_template("open_ended_error.html",
                 {'errors': feedback})
 
-        feedback_template = render_to_string("open_ended_feedback.html", {
+        feedback_template = system.render_template("open_ended_feedback.html", {
             'grader_type': response_items['grader_type'],
             'score': "{0} / {1}".format(response_items['score'], self.max_score()),
             'feedback': feedback,
@@ -398,7 +397,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         return feedback_template
 
 
-    def _parse_score_msg(self, score_msg, join_feedback=True):
+    def _parse_score_msg(self, score_msg, system, join_feedback=True):
         """
          Grader reply is a JSON-dump of the following dict
            { 'correct': True/False,
@@ -450,7 +449,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
                     'rubric_scores_complete' : score_result['rubric_scores_complete'],
                     'rubric_xml' : score_result['rubric_xml'],
                 }
-                feedback_items.append(self._format_feedback(new_score_result))
+                feedback_items.append(self._format_feedback(new_score_result, system))
             if join_feedback:
                 feedback = "".join(feedback_items)
             else:
@@ -458,7 +457,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
             score = int(median(score_result['score']))
         else:
             #This is for instructor and ML grading
-            feedback = self._format_feedback(score_result)
+            feedback = self._format_feedback(score_result, system)
             score = score_result['score']
 
         self.submission_id = score_result['submission_id']
@@ -466,7 +465,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
 
         return {'valid': True, 'score': score, 'feedback': feedback}
 
-    def latest_post_assessment(self, short_feedback=False, join_feedback=True):
+    def latest_post_assessment(self, system, short_feedback=False, join_feedback=True):
         """
         Gets the latest feedback, parses, and returns
         @param short_feedback: If the long feedback is wanted or not
@@ -475,7 +474,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         if not self.history:
             return ""
 
-        feedback_dict = self._parse_score_msg(self.history[-1].get('post_assessment', ""), join_feedback=join_feedback)
+        feedback_dict = self._parse_score_msg(self.history[-1].get('post_assessment', ""), system, join_feedback=join_feedback)
         if not short_feedback:
             return feedback_dict['feedback'] if feedback_dict['valid'] else ''
         if feedback_dict['valid']:
@@ -483,14 +482,14 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
                 json.loads(self.history[-1].get('post_assessment', "")))
         return short_feedback if feedback_dict['valid'] else ''
 
-    def format_feedback_with_evaluation(self, feedback):
+    def format_feedback_with_evaluation(self, system, feedback):
         """
         Renders a given html feedback into an evaluation template
         @param feedback: HTML feedback
         @return: Rendered html
         """
         context = {'msg': feedback, 'id': "1", 'rows': 50, 'cols': 50}
-        html = render_to_string('open_ended_evaluation.html', context)
+        html = system.render_template('open_ended_evaluation.html', context)
         return html
 
     def handle_ajax(self, dispatch, get, system):
@@ -582,7 +581,7 @@ class OpenEndedModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         if self.state != self.INITIAL:
             latest = self.latest_answer()
             previous_answer = latest if latest is not None else self.initial_display
-            post_assessment = self.latest_post_assessment()
+            post_assessment = self.latest_post_assessment(system)
             score = self.latest_score()
             correct = 'correct' if self.is_submission_correct(score) else 'incorrect'
         else:
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
index 2ba9528237..88fed61c6d 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/openendedchild.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ MAX_ATTEMPTS = 1
 # Overriden by max_score specified in xml.
 MAX_SCORE = 1
 
-class OpenEndedChild():
+class OpenEndedChild(object):
     """
     States:
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ class OpenEndedChild():
             return None
         return self.history[-1].get('score')
 
-    def latest_post_assessment(self):
+    def latest_post_assessment(self, system):
         """None if not available"""
         if not self.history:
             return ""
diff --git a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
index 940b61c557..3d88cb95f6 100644
--- a/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
+++ b/common/lib/xmodule/xmodule/self_assessment_module.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class SelfAssessmentModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
         if self.state == self.INITIAL:
             return ''
 
-        rubric_html  = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.render_rubric(self.rubric)
+        rubric_html  = CombinedOpenEndedRubric.render_rubric(self.rubric, system)
 
         # we'll render it
         context = {'rubric': rubric_html,
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class SelfAssessmentModule(openendedchild.OpenEndedChild):
 
         if self.state == self.DONE:
             # display the previous hint
-            latest = self.latest_post_assessment()
+            latest = self.latest_post_assessment(system)
             hint = latest if latest is not None else ''
         else:
             hint = ''