Minnehaha Academy

I have two students at the Lower School and we have been at MA for five years. First, I will say that the Lower School teachers and specialists are incredible when it comes to generating excitement around reading. Between books clubs, rooms filled with teacher libraries, a very dramatic and exciting book week, and librarians who work very hard to help kiddos find a book that fits them, I am so pleased with the excitement both of my boys have for reading. I would also say the teachers are very in tune with the strengths and weaknesses of each child. My oldest is very intelligent but doesn't like to push himself; he also struggles with attention. His teachers have worked hard to draw him into spaces where he has to challenge himself instead of breeze along. Because of this, he has discovered things about his own abilities he might not have otherwise recognized. My youngest is the opposite...he is highly motivated and his teacher says that her biggest goal for him this year is that he would give himself grace when he doesn't "get things" as quickly as he would like. I would also say that kindness and compassion have been a hallmarks of the teachers each of my children has had. They seem very skilled at balancing challenging students academically while having grace for any struggles.I also love the way the school brings older children into the classroom as buddies for the younger children. Both of my boys have been encouraged by this program. Older children also help lead chapels and assemblies teaching them early leadership skills.I love that children are encouraged to wrestle with hard questions, whether those be related to faith or the wider society. My kids feel safe asking their teachers hard questions, which is huge to me. I truly feel like their teachers are partners with me in raising my children, and I've spent enough time speaking with the teachers that I feel good about their input in my children's lives.I look forward to all of the upcoming opportunities my kids will have as they get older; both the arts and athletic communities here feel very vibrant and there is a lot of community support for those things. We go to most of the school plays and some of the basketball and track events...there are always many other families there to sit and chat with in between events and acts.I'm also impressed that young alumni periodically come back to share their experiences in their field at the lower school. My sons have heard from alumni in ornithology, product design, ministry, and many other fields.I also want to give props to the gym teacher. My oldest is very athletic; my youngest is not. The gym teacher also seems to balance calling kids to a higher space while recognizing differences in individual ability and helping kids focus less on competition with each other and more on "how am I personally improving, even just a little bit, from where I was?" My youngest has even started to inquire about joining the cross country team when he is old enough - not to win, "but just to run with people and get better at running for myself." I think finally I would just say that I really appreciate how faith isn't just a specific class or time of day, but is woven through every aspect of their day. It feels very wholistic and not compartmentalized. I enjoy hearing my kids share their thoughts about God and faith that were sparked by something that happened during the day. It feels very natural and not forced.

Minnehaha has been a great place for my son. He's now in 1st grade, the environment has been a wonderful combination of loving/supportive and also challenging/equipping him to put his mind to work learning to read and enjoy math. In fact, math is now his favorite subject! Furthermore, the social-emotional-spiritual learning is great; he's learning to understand his emotions and being formed to work through conflicts with other students. MA is clearly one of the best private schools in Minnesota and I'm so grateful for the school, teachers, and community!

As a parent and employee at Minnehaha Academy, I cannot say enough good things about this school. Both of my children started attending Minnehaha in preschool and now that they are in middle school and upper elementary grades, I can see how the teachers and their experiences have shaped them into the people they are becoming. My children are excited to go to school each day to see their teachers, connect with friends, and participate in all of the activities that the school provides. My middle schooler participates in a variety of extra-curricular activities - the Leadership Institute, Jazz Band, Theater, and Lego League. Because of these offerings and the welcoming and encouraging environment that the teachers provide he has blossomed in confidence and has many areas of interest that he is curious to explore. My child in elementary school enjoys learning and is encouraged by teachers to do her best. The teachers also do an excellent job of giving her assignments and work that meet her at her level, so she can grow and learn at a pace that works for her. As an employee, I am thrilled to work with colleagues who love what they do and strive to do their best every day. Minnehaha is a blessing for my children and our family.

Minnehaha Academy is outstanding in every way - the academic rigor is top notch, the facilities and campus are beautiful, the integration of faith and learning teaches to the whole child - mind, body, and soul. The teachers are excellent and are masters in their subject areas. We''ve done our research, and in our opinion, there isn't a finer, more well-rounded private school in the Twin Cities. We feel so blessed that our children are able to get an education at such an outstanding school.

Minnehaha Academy is an excellent environment for any student to excel...it has challenging academics taught by teachers who LOVE to teach and want to see students learn the subjects and do well. Students can participate in just about anything - clubs, sports, arts - there are many opportunities to be involved and take on leadership roles. Because it's a smaller school, students don't have to 'specialize'' and can be an athlete AND an artist and try new activities and interests throughout their school years. We are thrilled with the positive impact Minnehaha Academy has had on our three children. They have grown academically, spiritually and become solid young adults.

I have had an amazing experience at Minnehaha! The students are so kind, and because of the small class sizes every grade feels like a family. Teachers have a really personal relationship with students, which helps students have a more personalized learning experience as well. I would highly recommend MA!

I have been at Minnehaha for 10 years (since 1st grade), and absolutely love it here. I would recommend the school in a heartbeat to any prospective student. I have learned more than just academic skills at Minnehaha Academy; I have learned how to be a good teammate, leader, Christian and contributer to the community. Your education at Minnehaha is invaluable and worth every penny.

I'm a current student at Minnehaha Academy and coming to this school has changed my life. The classes and the teachers really help to challenge you to do your very best and sacrifice a lot to help you have fun and succeed while being there. Everyone is very out going and very easy to get along with. I'm so glad I made the descion to Come here!

Minnehaha Academy has given me He opportunity to flourish in all areas of my learning. Through immersing myself into the arts I was also able to keep up with many extracurriculars, sports, and the sciences.

My eight years at Minnehaha Academy have been absolutely amazing. The academics are exceptional, and the teachers are very caring and work with each of us individually. Our new stem lab is the right place for experiments and sending them to space! All of the extracurriculars are superb! The beautiful singers, orchestra, and band have won many awards for the spectacular art and music we've all created. The best part of Minnehaha Academy is the welcoming feeling you receive from our community as you walk through our doors. Everyone has a place here at Minnehaha!

As someone who attended Minnehaha Academy for 14 years, I can say that it truly is a place that is founded upon excellent academics, caring community, and staff/teachers that genuinely care very deeply for each student. They look so holistically at each individual, and constantly strive to develop each student to their maximum potential. This includes giving each student the ability to ask questions and walk their own faith journey, no matter what that looks like. I am grateful for the experience I had at Minnehaha Academy and know that my life would not be the same without it. It prepared me to be successful in college, and now as I pursue my Masters Degree, I am still using the tools that I developed while attending Minnehaha Academy. If you want a place for your child to truly belong, this is it.

In looking at many schools, public and private, including Blake, Breck, SPA and more the thing that made the decision for me is seeing the faces of the kids. At Minnehaha Academy I saw smiles, real ones. While I was already convinced of the quality of academics, seeing happy kids made all the difference.

Last year our son was enrolled for his first year (Pre-K4) at Minnehaha. I expected him to learn a lot, but I did not appreciate in advance how loving and nurturing his teachers and the school would be for him. His classroom was a safe place that he looked forward to each day and never once during the year was he late. He always looked forward to going and can't wait to return again this fall. It was the right place at the right time for him to start his life at Minnehaha Academy. He needed strong teachers that would love him and they did more than I could have ever expected. I am pleased to say that not only is my oldest enrolling in kindergarten this fall, but so is his three year old brother. I am grateful beyond words for the school, their teachers, classmates and parents who have been so warm and welcoming to me and my two boys.

Awesome school that is worth every penny! I''d recommend Minnehaha to anyone for the great community, arts, athletics, and academics! Most of my lifelong friends are from Minnehaha and I learned many valuable life skills!

I had an amazing experience for all of my 10 years at Minnehaha. While I graduated a few years ago, I still see my best friends. Minnehaha gave me life-long friends that most people do not find until they go to college. While a student at Minnehaha I knew that every teacher cared about me and wanted me to succeed. I never once felt judged or unwelcome from any staff member or teacher. Minnehaha prepared me for college. While others were struggling to write their first research paper, I had already completed one my senior year at Minnehaha. While others were trying to pass calculus at a college level, I had passed out of Calc 2. I was able to do these things because of Minnehaha. I truly believe that Minnehaha has made me the person I am, and I would never trade my Minnehaha experience for anything.

My child has been at the school four years. It has been a wonderful experience. Every teacher is unique and brings a love of learning, a love of reading. The teacher student ratios are just right, and the kids are incredibly well behaved.