I am currently enrolled in the automotive maintenance and light repair and think it's awesome…read more Great instructors great class environment.

Our exchange student went here this last year, so everything you're about to read is coming from…read moresomeone who did not actually attend the school. The school seems completely unorganized and chaotic. They attempt to be a school of the 21st century, but they fail miserably. There is little to no printed information given to students about anything. Everything is handled via these dumb iPads the taxpayers wasted their money on, but sometimes they don't work. As parents, we just felt out of the loop, as everything the teachers do happens on these iPads. The school schedule changes from day to day, with classes starting at one time on a Monday or Tuesday, and then starting at a completely different time on any other day. The students are given chunks of free time and are expected to manage that time like they were "in a career setting," but they mostly just wonder the halls and play games and text on these iPads. They have WAY too much free time at this school. They have things like "academic support" and "RAMP." I couldn't tell you the first thing about "RAMP" other than it's sponsored by the U of M and it's some kind of mandatory college prep thing that helps walk your kid through applying for schools and loans. (Which to a foreign exchange student is completely useless.) I can tell you that if it were my child attending that school, I would have some serious problems with the way things seem to work there. I know schools have changed since I graduated in 99, but this place is an absolute mess.

Of course I am partial because I live in this town... But this is a beautiful high school. I am so…read morehappy that my children have the opportunity to attend high school here. The facilities are fantastic. And the academic selections are far better than what I had in high school.

Attended a college basketball game here. It was extremely confusing finding here the gym even was…read moreas it's not labeled. turned into the wrong parking lots a few times trying to find it. The doors to get in were also confusing as I was cutting through the players crossing from the locker rooms. The gym itself is pretty small. The floor was extremely slippery as well. The players were sliding and falling all over the place. Not sure if the one person working the door was a staff or volunteer but they were extremely slow at getting people in. Waited a couple minutes for them to count out $15 in change (as it was $5 to get in). Also some people weren't aware it was cash only so that caused some hold up. Also once inside it doesn't have clear signage letting you know where the bathrooms are (upstairs).

First the good... I…read moreearned my bachelor's degree via a distance learning program that fit into my full-time work schedule. After moving to Minneapolis, and being temporarily unemployed, I started looking for a college that offered a paralegal program with a reputable program and flexible night classes. Inver Hills had it. The paralegal program is taught by practicing attorneys, public defenders, etc. I feel like I am getting real-life experience and these instructors know their stuff! The campus is conveniently located, easy to navigate and the people working there are helpful and easily accessible. Besides the flexible schedule and easy certificate requirements (for paralegal), they are CHEAP. But, you get what you pay for, which leads me to the critique... I've worked with many corporate and private attorneys in my career and none of them were deliberately vague, inconsistent or careless. If you are working in a law firm or a corporation an attorney knows they are the ones ultimately liable if something goes wrong as the result of their lack of instruction, in this college setting however, some instructors grade on a whim because it's only the student's grade that suffers. Some instructors thrive on "gotcha" teaching, casually mentioning something in class then later severely deducting points by saying, "I said so..." Sometimes it was said, sometimes it wasn't (I think they get confused as to what they say from one class to the next). And it doesn't matter if every student backs you up that a particular instruction was never given. Some instructors don't grade thoroughly or consistently. Half a class might have points deducted for using proper punctuation simply because the instructor personally doesn't like it, regardless of MLA or Strunk & White standards. Be prepared to find the other half of students had the same issue over-looked. I chose to go to school to learn and be INSTRUCTED and not to have instructors play mind games with me. Finally, be careful if you are using financial aid, they are extremely disorganized. I was using financial aid when I was informed I was going to be dropped because of a balance from the previous semester. Waiting 6+ months to tell me my financial aid for that year had run out is beyond ridiculous. Telling me 2 days into the next semester? How can you take an institution seriously? Then I was told because I qualified for financial aid for the current year I could use the refund amount to pay off the previous semester and that I wouldn't be dropped from classes. By the end of the week, guess what happened? Yup, dropped. I also wasn't notified of that, I had to figure it out on my own. But they did give me a 12-hour window to pay the balance and get re-enrolled. So generous. I can't decide if I want to re-enroll or if I've been jerked around enough by this school and finish this certificate elsewhere. Ugh...they're just so CHEAP.

it could've been better the election was okay just some specific staff I got bullied an there…read morewasn't much action taken overall average school

I did NOT appreciate that 0-15 month olds and 16-3 year olds have SCREENS here. That's not only NOT…read moreMontessori but also NOT good for Brain development. I pulled my child out and now am staying home with my kiddo full time. Reading "Better Late than Early" book convinced me that my toddler does not need preschool. We cut down our expenses so we can live on one income. Mommy or daddy, stay home with your child. Letting someone else raise them psychologically DAMAGES them. I dot recommend this center at all mostly due to the use of SCREENS.

I toured here and spoke with a friend who toured here as well... owner very nice BUT 1) you can't…read morejust pop-in to check on your child with a code (someone has to let you in) 2) owner husband works there on his computer in main room with all the kids, didn't say hi during tour 3) they sell you on upstairs and put younger kids/babies together in one basement room 4) toddlers were all in highchairs and some crying when I visited (nothing on trays) made me wonder how often they are all put in highchairs and just sit there inbetween meals 5) workers in basement didn't say hi to me or my child 6) wasn't shown a kitchen/fridge for preparing meals (not sure if they have) 7) fenced play area is tiny so only fun place is public park with pond behind business

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.

My son started at Sandcastle when he was three months old and now he's on his way to Kindergarten…read morethis fall. It's hard to have someone look after your kids while you work, but I always felt he learned so much and was treated with love, respect and kindness--it put my mind at ease from the very first day. I'd recommend Sandcastle to anyone--they've been around for over 25 years for a reason!

I love this school for my son! It was a little rough letting him go at 8 months to their daycare…read morearea and to be honest they where a little unorganized and not the best visual experience in the basement but it was worth it. He moved up to the second level with the preschoolers and my son and i just LOVE his teachers! He has had the same three teachers for about a year now and jumps into their arms every morning. They are amazing. The food they serve isn't the best, just like grade school would I guess, no organic meals or anything but you can bring your own food for them if you can afford it. They have fun side classes and my son brings home the sweetest stuff that he's worked on. My son comes home with great knowledge and the teachers communicate to me everything each day. Their facebook page is also pretty great.