South Campus
The summer months breeze by way too quickly. The class lists are completed along with the class schedules for the 08-09 school year. The renovation to the South Campus is coming along and is looking beautiful. Two years of construction is almost complete. I walk the halls, and I have to remind myself that this is Minnehaha Academy, my school.
Along with the class lists and schedules, preparations are being made for the MAPT (Minnehaha Academy Parents Together) Kick-off meeting on August. MAPT is a wonderful opportunity for MA parents to get to know one another and to become involved in the school. The new family orientation will be held on August 21st. This gives new families to our community a chance to meet one another and to meet with the Principal who will answer questions and assist with the transition into a new school.
I am excited to announce the addition of Minnehaha Tots, a parent child class for children ages 16 to 36 months. As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher. Minnehaha Academy now offers a fun, creative, and professionally led interactive program to assist you with your parenting.
- Enhance your child’s development with one-on-one learning activities.
- Meet with other parents and Minnehaha’s licensed early childhood teacher in small, friendly groups of eight to ten.
- You and your child will participate in activities together involving guided play, music, art, creative movement, and storytelling.
- You will see your child’s self-esteem grow as those first friendships are built.
- You will receive many ideas for activities you and your child can do at home.
“First Steps” (16 to 24 months)
Tuesdays 9:00am – 10:00am
“Tremendous Twos” (24 to 36 months)
Thursdays 9:00am – 10:00am
9 weeks of one-hour sessions $150
Classes begin Tuesday, September 23
For more information and to register, call (612) 728-7758
I look forward to the new school year. We have so much to share from the new facility to the numerous opportunities for children and their parents. I look forward to hearing the sounds and feeling energy of children back in the halls!
Charice Deegan, Lower School Principal - South Campus
deegan@MinnehahaAcademy.net
Bloomington Campus
PreKindergarten Class
I am excited to announce that we are starting a preschool at the Bloomington Campus beginning fall 2008. This academic preschool will be full time for 4-year-olds. Preschoolers will have the same school day as our students in grades K-5: 8:50 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Fun ‘N Friends will be available after school. We may be able to offer FNF before school if needed. Children need to be age 4 by September 1 to enroll in this preschool. Preschool children will have French, music, PE, art, computer and library in addition to their classroom time. They will have daily rest time and separate recess time. We hope to provide lunches through Bloomington Public Schools as we do for our older students.
Service Learning
Bloomington students are always enthusiastic about serving others. The RACERS, our student leadership group, recently joined their South Campus counterparts at Feed My Starving Children. The first graders collected hats and mittens for the Children’s Home Society. Third grade is currently conducting a book drive for an inner city elementary school. With the snow finally gone, several classes picked-up trash all around the campus and church. We are fortunate to be able to answer Christ’s call to serve others in so many ways.
Off-Campus Learning
Field trips are an integral part of the learning experience for our students. As a smaller campus, we are often able to take all the students to special events. All grades have attended the Minnesota Orchestra this year and most were able to tour the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The third grade went to a wonderful center in Edina called “The Works” where their science unit on simple machines was enriched by making catapults. Fourth-grade teacher Bob Noble took the fourth and fifth grades to Lakewood Cemetery where many Minnesota historical figures are buried. Each student prepared and presented a short report at the gravesite of his/her assigned person and put a flag by the marker. The entire school was able to attend fitness seminars and a Minnesota Twins baseball game at the Metrodome in April. Our French teacher, Andrea Reinsmoen, took a group of students to the Concordia Language Village for a weekend of French fun and food.
Test Scores
Our students consistently score well on the standardized tests we administer: the Cognitive Abilities Test (4th grade), the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (3rd and 5th grades), and the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (3rd and 5th grades). This year our 4th graders’ composite percentile rank on the CogAT was 80% with over one-fourth of the class scoring in the 90th percentile. The SDRT results in 3rd grade showed 60% of the students reading two grade levels above; the 5th grade had three students reading at the high school level and three more reading at the 8th grade level. The Iowa Test results were equally impressive with 90% of third grade and 100% of fifth grade scoring above 85% in the national percentile rankings. The average ACT score for Minnehaha 2008 graduates who have attended the Bloomington Campus was 27.7 – tying the highest average in Minnesota.
Carey Erkel, Lower School Principal - Bloomington Campus
erkel-carey@MinnehahaAcademy.net
