We are expecting our first baby in July and stopped here to check the place out and interview the…read moreowner. It was truly creepy. He was almost completely unable to answer any question about the day care. He just kept telling us to read his brochure. I politely explained that we wanted to get some more information about the staff, activities, meals and so on. He was completely absent. It's almost as though he was deliberately trying to deter us from going there. Conspiracy theory? Maybe so but I can't understand how someone who cares for children can be so detached from what is happening on his business. Also I got the sense that none of the people who care for the children have any training or certification at all. One of the staff was wearing ratty sweatpants with holes in them. When I asked about credentials of the staff the owner was very evasive. He just told me that the staff has "a lot of experience with children". It didn't take long to decide that this place is not going to work. I would regrettably suggest that you not waste your time by stopping in for a visit, because even if you're the least bit particular about who watches your kids, you won't line this place.

My husband and I are expecting our first baby in June. We toured A Child's View today and were less…read morethan impressed. We parked right on Cleveland Ave. right in front of the daycare. There was a woman in the window, looking over 3 toddler aged children. I thought she would've come open the door for me but didn't. I walked up to the door and turned the handle, and was able to let myself right in. First red flag. You should not be operating a daycare where you are able to open the front door to a room full of toddlers as you so please. We walked inside and waited for someone to come to us, someone finally popped her head around the corner as she was chasing a half naked child, and told us the infant room was in a different building (house) behind the one we were in. We walked through the house to the next one and were greeted by another woman. I told her we were there for a meeting with Jim and she brought us through the house to go upstairs to meet him. He wasn't there. He showed up about 2 minutes later. He brought us upstairs and said, "what questions do you have?" One of the questions I asked was how often they sanitize toys, he said, "everyone's been healthy so it depends." I asked what their policy was on sick kids, again I got an answer of "it depends." Then I asked what their security was like, to which he replied "passive". I said I walked right in the front door on Cleveland and he goes, "well yeah, but not to the infant house." It doesn't seem anyone there is credentialed whatsoever, there is absolutely no security, the infant "kitchen" was filthy, it stunk, which is to be expected when you have a bunch of dirty diapers around, but it was less than tolerable. They have no sort of communication process with the parents, other than writing notes to parents at the end of the day/week and no cameras in the "facility" either. Jim was very willy nilly about everything I'd asked, I asked if he had a packet of info he could send me home with, he didn't, and it seemed to have very little structure. I would absolutely not bring my child here.

Attending a concert at this fine school I was deeply impressed with a tour and explanation of the…read moreprograms and achievements of this institution. In a beautiful setting in a scenic St Paul neighborhood there is a large parking lot with school next to the church. I have relations that attend this place and they are thriving. The music program, which I saw, is very professional providing a great variety of different music genres which surprised me. A jazzed up version of the Sesame Street theme would have Ella Fitzgerald beaming.

This church and school is tucked away on a side street in the heart of the Highland Park area in…read moreSaint Paul. They offer reconciliation before each daily mass , which is offered twice a day Monday through Friday. They have a vibrant community and plenty of activities for all age groups. If you are new to the area, this is a great community with lots of opportunities to meet good hearted people!

The Best school ever I went to the school a couple years ago and all of the teachers are nice and…read moreall of the students are nice especially the science teacher EDDIE F

Used to be a great school. Always near the top in test scores, great teachers, wonderful community…read moreinvolvement. But this year a new sheriff rode into town. She's a first time principal and seems to feel a need to make her mark on a school that was superb before she arrived. First thing she did was to ban the annual dance because student's feelings might get hurt. We've been having the dance for years and I seriously doubt that anyone's feeling have gotten hurt. That's more a junior high and high school thing. Next she banned high fives and handshaking, again because people might get hurt. When I was in school we had classes in etiquette that included shaking hands, but I guess she feels she knows what's best for our children. Lately, she has removed the door between a busy hallway and the girls bathroom because of an act of vandalism. Apparently she feels that exposing a couple of hundred girls to the eyes of any passerby when they're in the bathroom is an appropriate punishment for an act of vandalism by one student. Group punishment rarely works - can only work if the group knows who the offender is - and should never be used to shame and embarrass children about using the bathroom. When asked about her decision she replied that she wasn't punishing anyone, she just removed the door. Looking for a great school? You're a few years too late for this one.

Very mid... This…read moreschool is very meh. The education is good but but all of the people there seem wacky. Not a huge fan of the crowd at CDH. They are very loud and cliquey. A lot of gossip and drama happens and it's a lot. But that's with any high school you go to.

We came here to help deliver meals on wheels on thanksgiving day…read more I think I would have loved being a HS student here. All stone and old unlike my mid 60's faux ranch style HS...

Great staff! My son was new there this year and all of the teachers and students were so nice and…read morewelcoming! His teachers are all great and the free breakfast in the morning is a bonus!

I adore The Little School! My son has been going here for about 1.5 years, first in the older…read moretoddler room and now in the preschool. My 7 month old also just started in the infant room. The teachers here - and owner Erin! - are absolutely the warmest, kindest, and most genuine people. I'm constantly amazed at the creativity they put into each day for the kids: from building forts, to the dramatic play station, to themed crafts and working on letters and counting, they do such a wonderful job at providing an environment that is fun and safe. And the ratios! You truly can't beat them. The fact that there are only 3 (!) babies in their infant room and 4 toddlers in each group (younger and older) is something you just don't see anywhere else. I also love the parents here, several of whom have become "real life" friends! It's such a joy hearing all the stories of his day from my preschooler, it's obvious how much he loves his teachers and this school. Highly, highly, highly recommend!

The Little School came highly recommended from a close family member who had her two children…read moreattend. It seemed to be fate that there happened to be an opening that came up when my daughter turned two and a half, just in time to start the preschool program. The philosophy and teaching methods that this school bases itself upon are far superior from absolutely every other preschool that we looked in to. The staff consistently maintains an overall higher level of expectation for these kids. Which was so impressive to me because at such an impressionable age these young kids are being held accountable for themselves. They take such pride in the work that they accomplish either by themselves or in a group. They are respectful of not only the boundaries of their peers, but more importantly of themselves. As a result they are rewarded by having more freedom in their choices. From science lessons, to music class, yoga, art classes, dramatic play (my daughters fave!), weekly sharing day, to hearing what creative game they made up that day while playing outside. The amazing staff, conferences & daily progress reports, the ever so anticipated Halloween party, and sincerely wonderful families and parents, I could go on forever. Overall the three years at The Little School was a tremendously positive experience for our whole family. We now have a first grader who is reading at a fourth grade level with impressive comprehension skills. As well as going above and beyond her schools curriculum in math and science. I'm so proud of her, and I attribute so much of her early successes to her time at The Little School.

Minnehaha Academy is a traditional college preparatory school that offers pre-K to grade 12…read moreeducation. MA has two beautiful campuses on the bluffs of the Mississippi River with spacious grounds, with about 12 acres each. MA, like many east coast prep schools, was founded by Protestants from Europe. Opening in 1913, the school is affiliated with the Covenant Church (a historic branch the Lutheran Church that is now a separate denomination). MA has a strong commitment to faith with weekly chapel services and taking a traditional approach to teaching religion by having specific religious classes and bringing the topic of religion into other classes as well. This is done with other subjects as well, since many of the humanities and sciences overlap--for example you could have a discussion in history class about science or literature; in this way the student is able to understand the whole story from multiple angles and gain a deeper understanding of the world. The schools commitment to academics is extraordinary, boasting one of the best AP programs in the state, and if the class doesn't have an AP test then the school offers alternatives such as the College in the Schools program where students take a class from the University of Minnesota from one of their teachers and earn college credit. The school has also partnered with various scientific institutions to send a project to the International Space Station each year, joining only two other high schools in the nation that have this honor. The language department is also very excellent offering French, Latin, Spanish and Chinese; all of which start out at high school levels (open to middle school students) and go through college levels. The teachers are highly educated and care very deeply about the students and for many, remain mentors throughout their time at the Academy and their future. Most of the teachers hold masters or doctorate degrees in their area of study. The community of students is kind and caring for each other, and many long lasting friendships are formed. The school also has excellent food and offers breakfast and lunch. MA has a head and sous chef who create healthy and delicious meals and snacks for the students. Breakfast generally has cereal, scones, sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, bacon, et cetera. Lunch offers a salad bar, made to order options, homemade soups and various options including fresh carved pork, turkey, pastas and chicken. The chefs are friendly and take student suggestions seriously and work hard to make the best food possible. The school is also very devoted to the arts and has a entire fine arts center that includes a woodshop, dark room, art room, pottery studio, band room, orchestra room, private practice rooms, art gallery, scene shop, costume shop, concert hall/theater. The school features several performance ensembles including a Concert Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, String Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, Men's Choir, Women's Chorale, Concert Choir and Madrigal singers. Each ensemble has earned top marks at state. The Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Concert Choir go on tour, alternating year to year. The tour locations have included: Prague, Slovakia, Salzburg, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Washington D.C., Chicago among other locations. In the year the ensembles are on break from the tour, they put on variety shows: the bands perform the pops concert and the choirs perform a medieval dinner. The school puts on three plays: musical, play and student run show; each has one various state and sometimes national awards. The school also has top notch athletic facilities including separate soccer and football fields, a full size ice arena, two full size gyms, wrestling room and a weight room. MA's athletic teams have won a combined 4 state championships in the past decade alone and provide very supportive C, JV, and Varsity teams. The school also has many organizations and academic teams. The Debate team, which I captained during my time is one of the state's best, being the only school to have a pair of debaters go to the varsity finals back to back (my partner and I), bringing home a state championship and a 2nd place trophy. The school also offers clubs centering around the environment, music, literature, journalism and writing. The school newspaper and yearbook have won various national awards for journalism, photography, layout, overall achievement, etc. MA really helps students achieve and builds a strong foundation for college through curriculum, advanced academics, supportive staff, and graduation requirements that are similar to most colleges. Many of the students attend private 4 year institutions including St. Olaf, Carlton, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Boston College, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, Northwestern and more. Minnehaha Academy has nurtured the minds of some of Minnesota's best students. MA goes farther than the other prep schools in Minnesota: it truly is the place where youth meet truth.

From the owner: The original incorporation from 1905 stated: "The purpose of this institution shall be to furnish…read moreyoung men and women with the essential elements of a liberal education, and to foster the development of character under the personal influence of Christian teachers." On Monday, Sept. 15, 1913, Minnehaha Academy welcomed its first class of high school students. Grades 7 and 8 were added in 1972. In 1981, the land for the South Campus was purchased and a chapel was erected. By 1982, the Lower School served students in Grades 1 through 5. Kindergarten was added in 1985 and preschool in 1995. Students graduate from Minnehaha Academy prepared to excel in any number of fields. Some of our alumni include inventors, a Supreme Court Justice, Authors, War Veterans, an Olympian, Musicians, and many others in notable careers.

Just graduated from here and decided to check out the reviews of my high school on Yelp. In…read moreresponse to Rebecca's review, I would like to say that it's not just you who are frustrated with the tight security here at SPA, as we call it (not STP), but also some of the, as you call them, "privilege", "ego massaged", kids as well. Why? Because the tight security also provides difficulties for us to use our very own school resources...as silly as it sounds. Another crazy thing about the tightness of the security here at SPA was how the school administration spent millions of dollars on security camera upgrades while teachers remained underpaid. However, you must also consider the fact that the school is a PRIVATE school funded by parents money, which they spend $38,030 for each of their "offspring" for each school year. I didn't hear anything about the school benefiting from Highland Park's tax dollars. Furthermore, I must stop Rebecca on her line: "The fence's ugliness is an apt visual representation of the slice of attendees that I get to see each school day: entitled parents or their entitled teenage children speeding through our neighborhood, running stop signs in their BMWs and Audis and recklessly endangering other people in their desperate hurry to wait in the long drop-off line." First, not everyone drives in a "german-made cocoon" as some students here come from middle-class families who simply found enough financial aid to send their kids here. Second, especially during the Chantal days, being on time was more of a necessity rather than an option as the school required all students to be not a minute late to class. Also, who wouldn't try to squeeze your commuting time by speeding if it means you can enjoy more sleep and have a filling breakfast before going to school, it's not like we look forward to attending it. Hence, Rebecca, your oversimplification of what the school community is in your review is what triggered me to write this review. Yes, there are a lot of things that the school could change, and yes, I do believe its tight security is making it look more like a prison than a nursery for "tomorrow's leaders." But still, there are people in it who are not "rich", "ego massaged", and purposefully"endangering others with their German made cocoons" and SPA doesn't have to be engaged with the community given that it's a private school (private property), in fact, your hostile review about my school is what is driving it to be less engaged in the community! In any case, that is my perspective as a former SPA student.

I attended SPA from 7th grade through high school graduation, and I would not recommend this school…read moreto anyone. Yes, the academics are strong, but they are nowhere near enough to outweigh the serious problems with the administration and the school's priorities. Throughout my time there, I watched the administration repeatedly fail to live up to the values it constantly preached. One of the most chilling examples of this was when a group of boys made a list of girls they wanted to roofie. The school's response was simply detention for one boy. The administration also implemented a new re-enrollment policy that was incredibly money-driven and extremely draconian. When a parent publicly criticized the school and this policy, the family's youngest son was expelled was punishment. The older son was told that if he spoke publicly about the situation, he would not be allowed to graduate. Whether you agree with the parent's criticism or not, that kind of response sends a chilling message to families who dare to question the administration. Even on a basic operational level, SPA consistently fell short despite charging enormous tuition. Students pay tens of thousands of dollars to attend this school, yet the technology support is shockingly poor. Near graduation, I brought my fully functional school-issued laptop to the tech office for what should have been a simple repair of replacing a few missing screws. When I got it back, the trackpad no longer worked properly, the stylus was missing, and the battery could barely hold a charge. I returned it so they could fix the problems they had created. Instead, they returned my laptop completely wiped and still having major issues with the trackpad. SPA knew I was a graduating senior. They knew that seniors are instructed to download everything from their school Google accounts (emails, documents, photos, bookmarks, Google Classroom files, etc.) before those accounts are permanently deleted after graduation. I had done exactly that, and all of my downloaded files were saved on the laptop. Without asking me, warning me, or obtaining my permission, they erased the entire computer. In one careless decision, I lost six years of work. Poems and essays I intended to submit to competitions were gone. School projects were gone. Important emails were gone. My only copies of my senior photos were gone. Everything I had painstakingly downloaded before graduation disappeared because of a repair that should have involved replacing a few screws. I sent in a working computer with a minor hardware issue. I got back a laptop that still had a faulty trackpad, had been completely erased, and had caused me to lose six years of irreplaceable work. What makes this even more frustrating is that I am far from the only student who has had experiences like this. I know many others who have had similarly disappointing interactions with the school's technology department and administration. SPA has built an impressive public image, and it certainly excels academically. But image is not the same as integrity. In my experience, the administration often failed to practice the values it demanded from students. The school is overpriced, overhyped, and far more concerned with protecting its reputation than taking accountability when it fails its students. There is a reason SPA has begun receiving increased public scrutiny, including reporting by the Star Tribune. In my experience, the issues people are beginning to discuss are not isolated incidents, they reflect deeper problems with the culture and leadership of the school. If I could go back, I would not choose SPA again. Please, I beg of you, do yourself a favor and do not attend this school yourself or send your children here.