1119 Cherokee Ave
West Saint Paul, MN 55118

In our experience, the administration is unfriendly, lacks compassion, and does not adequately support students and staff. Within our neighborhood, we know of four families, including ours, who found it necessary to remove their child from Heritage to enroll in another school during the last several years. The administration and the district should take a closer look at the cultural problems inherent in this school. I would also suggest the district reevaluate its choice to use a middle school format for 5th grade. This seems rare and early for many children. Why not start the first year at Heritage with an elementary school structure to ease the transition?

As the parent of 3 students that attended and were active in this school, who all went on to college and major professions, I can honestly say that the facility support and learning environment was excellent. It is not perfect, but community involvement and investment in the school is outstanding. We ourselves have sponsored 10 major scholarships in commitment to graduates of this school and have supported AP, music, and PSEO programs.

We moved from another district to attend this school, and it was well worth it. Our child is thriving in kindergarten. The kindergarten teacher is fantastic and provides weekly updates about classroom activities. The school curriculum is centered on kindness and emotional health, which in turn creates a stable, supportive, environment for children to learn. The class size is small, so all the kids get enough individualized attention. The kids are reading, writing, and even creating their own stories! A counselor gives regular lessons on feelings, eg “what is empathy”. There are many other supportive services for specific student needs. (For example, one mom shared with me that she is very pleased with the many services her kid receives to address autism.). The students get lots of time outside to enjoy the beautiful wooded playground. My child’s classroom is small but diverse—economically, linguistically, and racially. We have received lots of support from other families who have been in the district a while and know how things operate. I have found all staff, most notably the principal and our child’s classroom teacher, to be extremely responsive. They answer all of my questions quickly and thoroughly. The school uses a restorative Justice model to address misbehavior—although it is rarely needed. Most importantly, our child is happy and secure. She wants to go to school every day. She comes home excited to share what she has learned. She is truly thriving, and we are so grateful to all the staff at Somerset.