Horace Mann School

Ultimately I removed my children from this school. If you have a child with an IEP this is not the school for them. Unable to follow state guidelines when it comes to IEP’s. Repeatedly had to be on top of the special ed department to get documentation within specific timeframes. Answers to my children’s IEP’s not being followed were always “we are short staffed”.

My kids each went here for pre-K through 5th grade. All the teachers were solid, and many were absolutely wonderful. It's a great community, drawing kids from the neighborhood and also from across the city, which makes it a much more diverse school than its own immediate neighborhood. So kids get to know classmates from a range of races, religions, social classes, and family types. It's been a great home to my kids.

As a parent and employee at Minnehaha Academy, I cannot say enough good things about this school. Both of my children started attending Minnehaha in preschool and now that they are in middle school and upper elementary grades, I can see how the teachers and their experiences have shaped them into the people they are becoming. My children are excited to go to school each day to see their teachers, connect with friends, and participate in all of the activities that the school provides. My middle schooler participates in a variety of extra-curricular activities - the Leadership Institute, Jazz Band, Theater, and Lego League. Because of these offerings and the welcoming and encouraging environment that the teachers provide he has blossomed in confidence and has many areas of interest that he is curious to explore. My child in elementary school enjoys learning and is encouraged by teachers to do her best. The teachers also do an excellent job of giving her assignments and work that meet her at her level, so she can grow and learn at a pace that works for her. As an employee, I am thrilled to work with colleagues who love what they do and strive to do their best every day. Minnehaha is a blessing for my children and our family.

We've been at Sunny Hollow since first grade and are now in 4th. It has been such a great fit for us. First, Montessori works for us. The multi-year classrooms allow kiddos to both stay younger for longer and have a chance to practice being a leader in the classroom. In some typical single grade level classroom, this might turn into a jockeying for social position, but in a multi-age classroom, what I see is children learning that leaders help pull others up to the top of the mountain, not push them off. Our child needs and thrives when autonomous with the right level of support--and that's what Montessori provides. He can choose which works he's pursuing and on which topics. Some parents I talk to think this means he's just doing what he wants all day and isn't being taught. That's not what is happening AT ALL, but he thinks it is, and that's why it works. What it really means is that he's learning critical lessons by pursuing his own curiosity, creating a lifelong learner who is curious, interested, and full of initiative. While Sunny Hollow may not have the full resources to support students with significant learning needs, our reluctant reader received the 1:1 explicit instruction he needed to move from not reading to reading well above grade level in less than one year. It was amazing to watch. Kudos to their Science of Reading trained instructor who works directly with the students who need her. I could write so much more:* I love that it's small* I love the community; the other families are people I want to hang out with* I love that they emphasize the outdoors, and even base some of their curriculum on their Mississippi River location* I love that it goes all the way to 8th grade* I love that they offer summer camps, so my kiddo (who thrives when his schedule is predictable) can have a single through line all year long* I love my kiddo's friends--they are thoughtful, respectful, and politeMontessori isn't for every kid. And Sunny Hollow isn't for every family. BUT if it is for you, you'll love it. And your kiddo will thrive.