Caution: This review contains sensitive material. Please skip to the end if it makes you…read moreuncomfortable. I don't really want to sully positive reviews here for negativity, but I was bullied at this school during my time as a student here. Not only from the students (two of whom I was in a toxic friendship with), but the PARAs, teachers and adults who should have known better. I was a disabled student with several family members that died during my junior and senior years, and I was yelled at for crying in class and for having panic attacks that were out of my control, causing increased mental breakdowns throughout the day. This school also has a history of racism and prejudice as a whole, and I had an unpleasant encounter with some students saying homophobic things to another student only to act like it was all a big joke, some other students in my class were joking about prison r*pe and genuinely thought it was funny, and my Mexcian peers were treated horribly by a staff member who I won't name solely because they were Mexican, and another PARA was so islamaphobic to another staff member that they made them cry. The only saving grace were the positive staff members who made my experience worthwhile, namely the receptionist, who I still have yet to call to thank her, my case manager, my writing teachers, and my science teachers. Still, I was afraid to report the toxic friendships I had with the two students I knew here due to the trauma I sustained. The way they treated me was no way to treat a student who experienced several deaths in the family. I would advise against sending your students here, but given the positive reviews others left based on their happy experiences, I would advise you make this decision for yourself and take caution if your child claims their teacher is out to get them because at Hopkins High, that claim may very well be true.

Sigh.....I really didn't want to write this but i was left with no choice. This is from a concerned…read moreparent who believes in justice. I put my kid in this school thinking that my kid was safe. My kids leave home with a tail and ears which we are happy that they express themselves by zirrrrrr and it identify as a dog. Pulls it's tail and calls it mean names not acceptable. It was threatened to be run over and the teacher told it that it would never be layed in its life. the teachers are normalizing the bully.

We have been a part of Davinci for 8 years and have so many wonderful things to say about the…read moreschool. I love the community and involvement with other families. I love the diversity of students and staff, it makes everyone feel included, loved and heard! I could go on and on about all the reasons I love this school!

As a staff member, I feel it's important to share an honest perspective on the current state of…read moreDavinci Academy. Unfortunately, my experience has been overwhelmingly negative due to poor leadership, lack of professionalism, and an unsafe school environment. Leadership & Administration: Principal Emily Eggers is extremely unprofessional and frequently yells at staff. She has publicly called staff "backstabbers" for communicating concerns to district-level administrators and often labels teachers as unprofessional without ever observing their classrooms. It's also concerning that she has minimal in-person classroom experience, having only taught in an online setting before becoming principal. The new Dean of Students contributes to the toxic atmosphere. He seems to enjoy the authority that comes with his position but speaks negatively about teachers behind their backs, which damages morale and trust among staff. The administrative team as a whole is often absent from the building -- they're typically on site only about 50% of the time -- leaving little accountability or visible leadership. Teaching & Instruction: Instructional leadership is outdated and resistant to change. The ELA lead teacher refuses to adapt teaching methods or differentiate instruction for students with varying needs. The math department has turned over completely for the second year in a row. Last year's teachers were all fired, and the new hires this year are struggling just as much. It's extremely concerning that the school can't seem to retain qualified math teachers year after year. Several teachers are not fully licensed in their assigned subject areas. The RTI teacher, PE teacher, and tech teacher lack proper certifications, and only one of the special education teachers is fully licensed. This creates a serious problem in ensuring quality instruction and legal compliance. School Environment & Student Behavior: Student behavior is a major issue. There is frequent fighting, constant swearing, and open use of racial slurs like the N-word. These incidents are rarely handled appropriately or effectively. The administration tends to ignore or downplay discipline problems, which makes the environment unsafe for both staff and students. Overall Culture: The culture of the school is toxic, unprofessional, and unstable. Staff turnover is high, morale is extremely low, and there is very little support for teachers. Leadership fails to model professionalism or create a safe and supportive atmosphere for learning. At this point, I would not recommend Davinci Academy especially the middle school to potential staff, students, or families. Until there is a complete overhaul of leadership and a serious focus on student behavior and staff support, this school will continue to struggle.

My son recently attended MPA for a week long summer camp program called Camp Invention. The campus…read moreis very easy to get around, grounds are well kept, and there's plenty of parking. I recently found out this is the old Hill High school grounds but the buildings have definitely been modernized. The camp was awesome with the exception that there was a water leak on campus and camp closed early on one of the days (at 11am). Otherwise the camp counselors were all very engaging, and friendly including Rudy Ford who heads up the entire program. My kiddo absolutely adored the curriculum and projects they were worked on. He was so sad when camp was over on Friday afternoon so we'll definitely look into it again next year.

MPA was an amazing school to learn and grow up in. I was thoroughly prepared to be successful in…read morecollege and felt I had a huge advantage over other college students directly because of the experiences I was afforded at MPA. I am a Mexican American female and felt MPA was delighted to embrace my culture and encouraged me to embrace all of the things that made me an individual.

People researching schools in our district will wonder how I could give a 4 star review to a…read moreschool that chronically ranks low? It's simple: A. This is yelp and it is based off experience. I have the opportunity to be a community partner with Zanewood and have seen the school from the inside this past few months. B. They have a staff and leadership team that care deeply for the school in fact some staff feel called if not compelled to make a difference. I have also met the new principle who came from Obama Elementary in St Paul and she is going to see this school live up to my ranking. 3. I have seen the degree the volunteer services goes to endure kids have the resources necessary to succeed in life and school and have seen a desire to get parents more involved in the school body. 4. Lastly, Brooklyn Park is a cool city with a gritty vibe and embodies everything that is awesome about diversity. There are several great schools in Brooklyn Park and Zanewood is one that pulls from the largest area and represents a student body that has significant needs. The kids here are artistic, dream big dreams and have amazing possibilities. All you need to do is team up and volunteer! This Steam school is on the rise!

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.

Whoa! What a great elementary school. The teacher and staff are attentive and supportive. Found…read morethem to really make a different. My daughter is already reading 5th grade books in kindergarten! Cannot say enough good things!