Email
Print
del.icio.us
digg
FeedEducation: Preparing for the Future
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Photo by Anders Bjorling
(page 1 of 5)
Whether it’s your education or your child’s, you want only the best. We provide a snapshot of some of the top secondary schools and colleges in the area to help you narrow the sometimes mind-boggling search.
Breck School
What is your criteria for accepting applicants? Breck’s admission process is designed so that the school, student applicant and parents become well enough acquainted to decide whether Breck is the appropriate environment for the student. Decisions are made by an admissions committee for each division: Lower School (grades preschool through four), Middle School (grades five through eight) and Upper School (grades nine through 12). Students are admitted on the basis of testing and recommendations, beginning with the Gesell Development Examination for preschool and kindergarten applicants, and continuing with age-appropriate testing for applicants to grades first through 12. Campus tours are scheduled through the Admissions Office (763-381-8200 or admissions@breckschool.org). How is your school distinctive? What makes Breck distinctive is our spirit, our community and dedication to our mission. We are a community of teachers, students and families working together to produce a new generation of critical thinkers, talented performers and responsible citizens. We are a community dedicated not only to our mission, but to seeing that mission in action every day. And we are a community that deeply believes that instilling values is an integral part of a Breck education. Our single campus affords us a consummate opportunity to reinforce those values by encouraging interaction among students of different ages whether that interaction has as its focus academics, socializing or service.
Contact info:
123 Ottawa Ave., N. Minneapolis, MN 55422-5189
763-381-8200 • www.breckschool.org
Hill-Murray School
On average, how many applications do you receive every year? How many students do you accept? Hill-Murray’s high school (grades 9-12) accepts approximately 150 new students each year, with an additional 75 Hill-Murray students continuing in ninth grade from the previous year’s eighth grade class. The middle school (grades 7-8) is limited to 75 students per grade. Each year, Hill-Murray receives approximately 400 applications for admission. Applicants have a wide range of academic abilities and each H-M student is encouraged to reach his or her full potential, and to grow in his or her faith. Minimum criteria for admission include at least a “C” average in elementary school and scores at grade level in a nationally-recognized exam. Character is also considered in the admissions process.You might not know … in its 2007 report, “Rigor at Risk: Reaffirming Quality in the High School Core Curriculum,” the ACT cited Hill-Murray, saying that Hill-Murray has “proven that core courses can be made rigorous and that rigorous content can be effectively taught to students… Your school is clearly a leader in preparing all high school students for postsecondary education.” Hill-Murray is one of only 382 public or private schools nationwide, eight in all of Minnesota, and only two in the twin cities metro area to be cited by the ACT. From year to year, 92-96 percent of Hill-Murray students go on to a college program.
Contact info:
2625 Larpenteur Ave. E., Maplewood, MN 55109
651-777-1376 • www.hill-murray.org
The International School of MN
What is your admissions deadline? The International School of Minnesota has an open enrollment admission policy. As long as students meet the academic criteria, they are accepted throughout the school year. Students are enrolled on a space-available basis.How is your school distinctive? We’re a diverse student body within a close-knit community; we offer rigorous science, math, and humanities courses; we’re a member of the world-wide SABIS® School Network. We also offer world languages, Spanish and French (taught daily by native speakers beginning in preschool), Chinese is offered in the Upper School, sports teams, performing arts, and other extracurricular activities for all levels; 18 potential Advanced Placement Courses; Student Life Organization™ promoting leadership skills and life preparation.
You might not know … we offer an exceptional Extended Day program for students age 3 – fifth grade. The program runs before school starting at 7 a.m. and after school until 6 p.m., during which students can participate in outdoor and indoor play, games, computer lab activities, library time, and a quiet room to do homework. The basic Extended Day program is included at no additional cost. All areas are well supervised by the Extended Day staff. For additional fees, students can choose from a vast selection of activities, clubs, music lessons, and a variety of Extended Day classes.
Contact info:
6385 Beach Rd., Eden Prairie, MN 55344
952-918-1840 • www.ism-sabis.net
Minnetonka Public Schools #276
What is your application deadline? There is no set deadline, however, we’d like to receive applications in early February. We continue to accept open-enrollment students on a rolling admission. How is your school district distinctive? You want an excellent education for your child. So do we. All of us in the Minnetonka Public Schools are committed to helping each student develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and character to thrive in a changing world. We have received national awards and recognition for our academics; and we’re a national leader when it comes to classroom technology. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade use interactive white boards with a surround-sound speaker system that amplifies not only the teacher’s voice, but any multi-media. The real benefit of this is that every student in the class has a front-row seat. The teacher is able to use a regular, calm, classroom voice. Full multi-media and Internet access brings the world into the classroom, whether it’s a field trip to a museum in Washington, DC or a hands-on science demonstration that can be replicated in the classroom. We also have portable laptop labs, increasing the students’ ability to begin writing and editing. Teachers post information to their websites so that parents can see what’s going on in the classroom. We use technology as an accelerator of learning.
Contact info:
952-401-5000 • www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us
