Overview of Minneapolis

Public Schools

Minneapolis Public Schools promises an inspirational education experience in a safe, welcoming environment for all diverse learners to acquire the tools and skills necessary to confidently engage in the global community. This is the largest school district in Minnesota, as it serves the largest city in the state. The teachers are dedicated, passionate and committed to closing the achievement gap and raising the bar for all students. MPS provides the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, College in the Schools (CIS), Career and Technical Education, advanced World Language programs, and Advanced Placement (AP) coursework to support students’ educational growth. The staff is ready and eager to help families find the right school for their child. They offer popular magnet programs and community schools. Every family has an option to select the school that best meets their needs. This district services 43 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 9 high schools.

A local elementary school in Calhoun-Isles is Bryn Mawr Elementary. Bryn Mawr Elementary is a sincere and diverse learning community. They take pleasure in making individualized learning and academic superiority the top priority. At Bryn Mawr, the emphasis is on academic thoroughness with high expectations for all students. Each child obtains an irreplaceable, quality education in a nurturing environment. Helping children grow and learn is the main passion at this school.

Jenny Lind Elementary School is a community school in the Lind-Bohanon-Camden neighborhood. They provide a variety of programs that include: Daytime Pre-K, English as a Second Language, Hmong Native Language Literacy, Gifted and Talented/Catalyst, Special Education, Media/Technology, and Area Learning Center/Community Education After-School Programs.

Each student at Hiawatha is a distinctive and significant participant of the community and their school. The teachers and staff understand the individuality and work hard to acknowledge and cultivate the many steps of a child’s developmental growth. The entire school takes an active interest in the personal and academic progress happening every day in the school.

Hennepin Elementary School is persistently devoted to student accomplishment. They understand that all students can and must attain success. Their expectations are high, and their yearning for success is passionate and assertive. The school uses clear and distinct procedures to define success. They continuously discover new approaches to increase efficiency and the school never embraces educational trends or philosophies that do not work. They know that high and efficient levels of support must match high expectations.

Bethune Community School is committed to high achievement for every child using strategies that include integrating the arts and technology into the curriculum. Students learn in a positive, orderly and safe climate that builds a strong sense of community. Students from every culture and background work together in a respectful environment that fosters self-confidence and understanding of others. The school recognizes the importance of family and community partnerships and is dedicated to being a support center for the neighborhood.

The local elementary school is Hale Elementary. Hale is a sincere and diverse learning community. They take pleasure in making individualized learning and academic superiority the top priority. At Hale, the emphasis is on academic thoroughness with high expectations for all students. Each child obtains an irreplaceable, and quality education in a nurturing environment. Helping children grow and learn is the main passion at this school.

Waite Park Community School is the local elementary school. The school is dedicated to assisting their students to attain superiority in academics by providing stimulating programs for Pre-K through 5th-grade students. At Waite Park, the mission is to aid students in meeting academic goals in the areas of Math, Language Arts, Science, and Technology. The staff is dedicated to delivering a thoughtful and inspiring atmosphere, with clear rules as well as penalties for breaking them. They will actively participate with students in learning, exemplify positive and responsible behavior, and encourage students to read for pleasure as well as learning.

A local middle school is Olson Middle School. The mission is to create a school culture that instills in the students the intellectual, social and personal habits of mind necessary for college and career success. Their ultimate goal is to be a model urban school on the North side of Minneapolis and a school with transformative power for the students’ futures.

Another local middle school, and perhaps one of the better middle schools in the district, is Anwatin Middle School. Anwatin has been an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School since 2010.  Anwatin’s mission is to develop young people to become principled, open-minded, inquiring members of a global community, and students should expect to learn. About 30% of the students are enrolled in the Spanish Dual Immersion program. Students take social studies classes in Spanish, as well as advanced Spanish language arts, where they read and examine literature in Spanish. The rest of immersion students’ classes are in English, taken with the other 70% of the school population. This leads to many new friendships with their peers. Spanish immersion students also are combined with the after-school programs of athletics, band, and choir.

Sanford Middle School is the middle school that services the Longfellow community. A wonderful environment for students grades 6-8 of all ability levels, Sanford Middle School strives to promote excellence inside and outside of the classroom. The school is known for its gifted and talented programs, extensive after-school programming, and its focus on encouraging students to have a global perspective. Every student is required to take either Arabic, Spanish, or Ojibwe language classes during their time at Sanford Middle School. Additionally, students in 7th grade get to go on an overnight trip to an environmental center while students in 8th grade go on an international trip. Sanford makes an effort to prepare students for high school and college level courses by offering rigorous coursework, technology in the classrooms, and by fostering strong friendships among the students. With student “teams” that stick together throughout their entire middle school experience, students develop close friendships while engaging in an active and challenging, learning environment.

The primary mission of Field Community Middle School is to make sure that all students learn.  To this end, they are dedicated to providing opportunities for all of their students to reach their highest academic, social, emotional, physical, and creative potential. Field Community Middle School provides plenty of extracurricular activities for students in order that they remain occupied by developing emotionally, physically, and socially.

St. Anthony Middle School (SAMS) is a school that is committed to providing students with amazing learning experiences in a caring environment. Their goal is to assist students while they begin to grow their academic opportunities and creativity while strengthening their critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. The middle school provides a strong academic background while still offering students a variety of elective courses. Enhanced learning opportunities, extracurricular activities, and clubs are highly valued by SAMS students. Some of these programs include athletics, speech, student council, academic teams, and drama.

Southwest High School, located within the Calhoun-Isles Community, is a school that is focused on the arts as well as academics. The school strives to meet each student’s needs and prepare them the best they can for post-secondary education. They offer IB, AP, and CIV courses as well as other programs that help students progress their futures.

At the local high school of Edison High School, students have the opportunity graduate with the skills necessary to excel in their post-secondary aspirations. Through innovation and personal empowerment, the Edison community partners with students by igniting a passion for lifelong learning, instilling the ideals of international mindedness, and leading their students to succeed at Edison and beyond.

With around 2,000 students, South High School is dedicated to instructing each of their students in becoming dependable lifelong learners. This means that the students are provided opportunities to achieve academic distinction, unite with positive peer groups and establish the groundwork for a favorable future. The school staff works towards this goal everyday with eagerness, and they strive towards maintaining a positive school culture and climate that promotes a sense of self-respect, respect for others and respect of the surrounding school environment and community with integrity. All students can graduate with post-secondary aspirations, which is in all likelihood a reality given the high graduation rate.

Roosevelt High School is proud of its rich tradition of excellence in providing stimulating academic and technical courses essential for success in life, including success in college. The IB program comprises of freshman and sophomore students and a separate IB program for juniors and seniors. RHS has an onsite bilingual system of support for native Somali and Spanish learners through the English as a Second Language services.  

Minneapolis offers more in-depth information about their schools on their website here:

If you have any questions regarding the schools in Minneapolis, or if you would like to sell or buy a house in the area, please feel free to give www.DavidOlsonRealEstate.com  a call at 952.204.7950.