My daughter has attended the preschool program since it first opened, nearly 2 years ago (fall…read more2016). Since this is our youngest child, we've had experience with many other care settings to compare this to. Between Montessori schools and in home daycares, this has been the highest quality we've seen. This is a fantastic program & we have been impressed by the level of care by the teachers. Students develop strong bonds with their teachers and peers. Dramatic play is encouraged & there's a lot of opportunity for outdoor play. As educators, we have been impressed with the depth of the lesson plans. Each Sunday, we receive a very detailed lesson plan for what will be covered in the upcoming week. The thought put into this plan shows in the amount the children learn. Stop by and visit!

Do not send your kids here..... they have no idea what they are doing and has a high ratio of…read moreteachers to students. LADC is money motivated. It is not the teachers fault. They have good intentions but the head of the company janet has to many kids per teacher that they are stressed, over worked and I'm sure under paid. Seriously think twice. I picked my kid up early once and they were listening to a book on tape. I'm so upset my kid had to go through this horrible experience.

Our one year old son attends here and we could not be any happier! The staff are all great and…read morehours are very flexible. Top notch!

From the owner: Linkage ChildCare Center offers Language Immersion Spanish curriculum helping children understand…read morea new language and their own. We are committed to providing a nurturing, educational and safe "home away from home" environment for children. We look forward to the opportunity of serving your family!

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.

Our daughter attends the toddler program here and we couldn't be happier. The school has been…read moreamazing for her developmentally; she is learning more than we ever expected her to at such a young age. From the administrators to the teachers to the custodial staff, everyone here is a gem. Incredibly kind, patient, and dedicated. We love attending the events the school holds, which are often for fun but also very often to service the community. We really align with the ethos of both the teaching practices and worldview of Sunny Hollow. A small but important fact: there's a surprising amount of diversity in my daughter's classroom, especially considering the neighborhood. It's been great seeing that and I hope that stays true as she grows into the older classrooms. Something to note: Sunny Hollow is very much a school and not a daycare, even for toddlers. There's a specific ten minute window for drop offs in the morning, and the after school program is from 3:30 to 4:30. They have a specific curriculum for the kids that they stick to. We personally love this, because it's definitely helped our daughter develop beyond what's expected of a two-year-old, and it's actually really nice that we see her as going to school, not going to daycare. A big thing that's been a massive plus: they spearhead toilet training from the get go. A couple months after our oldest daughter started at Sunny Hollow, our second daughter was born. We were (and are) so swamped in trying to take care of two very young kids, we barely did anything with toilet training. Our daughter, because of her guidance at school, started wanting to go on the potty at home all by herself. We're still in the midst of training, but it's been more or less painless. Our youngest daughter is only four months old but we already put in her application to go to Sunny Hollow. So happy to be a part of their community!

From the owner: Sunny Hollow Montessori serves children ages 16 months to 8th grade. Our broad range of educational…read moreexperiences supports and nurtures the intellectual, emotional, and social well being of the child. Sunny Hollow Montessori is a school where you and your child will thrive. We offer: -authentic Montessori education -beautiful and engaging classrooms -exceptional teachers and staff -a strong parent community -a lovely setting along the Mississippi River

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.