MPA was an amazing school to learn and grow up in. I was thoroughly prepared to be successful in college and felt I had a huge advantage over other college students directly because of the experiences I was afforded at MPA. I am a Mexican American female and felt MPA was delighted to embrace my culture and encouraged me to embrace all of the things that made me an individual. read more

My two sons were in the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) system for all of elementary school and most of middle school. Then the pandemic, and MPS re-drew its attendance boundaries which would have forced them to go to different schools, and the bottom dropped out. We looked at MPA because we know families whose children have attended, and we also are friends with two of the faculty. MPA has been a beautiful gift to my two sons for their high school years: Outstanding teachers. Emphasis on a safe & supportive school culture. Excellent arts -- music, visual art, drama. Rigorous academics and high standards. Room for individuality and creativity. Our older son is in his first year of college now and is thriving. Thank you, MPA! read more

My girls have loved their time so far at MPA. The school seems to be a good fit for our family. If you are looking for an open-minded, culturally diverse, academics-focused private school, MPA is a great choice! read more

This school ruined my childhood. I was in 5th grade when I broke my leg. I would fall from the slippery cafeteria floor and no one would help me up, even when I was forced to carry my lunch tray with my crutches. read more

We can't say enough good stuff about this school!! Our daughter has been attending MPA for the past 6 years. She is challenged academically while being supported socially and emotionally to become the best version of herself. We are grateful for the community that creates an environment of inclusivity and enrichment. She loves her school and the experiences MPA creates for learning and fun! read more

This is by far the worst school in this state whether private or public. The teachers do not care about the students at all - I observed teachers on their cellphones during class, ignoring children's requests for water, and yelling at a child for falling and crying because he was hurt. This was in the pre-K room, which is their feeder program so it's them putting their best foot forward. MPA has a one size fits all and the teachers are not willing to be creative or thoughtful in working with children at all. They think all students and parents should be grateful to be at MPA regardless of the quality of education or treatment they get. This school is also in a very high crime area - there was a shooting right across the street. Look elsewhere. read more

We're a new family to the MPA and the school has exceeded all of our expectations. Here are some reasons why; the head of the school greets each child every day, classroom sizes are small, academics that apply to the real world, bright classrooms, committed staff, a well-rounded curriculum, and newer facilities. I would give more stars if that was an option. read more

MPA is a pretty traditional school with a compartmentalized curriculum, which was fine I guess, but when I went there ('13-'17), there was no sense of community and lots of the kids were pretty clique obsessed, entitled, elitist and snotty. They just weren't very welcoming when you were new to a club or activity, and if I tried to be helpful, kids never said thank you-they would actually make fun of me under their breath. The actual schooling is ok and some of the teachers cared so I did ok academically (not great though since I now have to take 2 remedial classes in college), but lots of the kids that go there can be pretty mean and act really privileged. read more

My family moved around a few times when I was a kid so I attended 5 schools between 5th grade and 12th grade. So believe me when I say that in my experience with schools, both public and private, Mounds Park is by far the worst school I've been to. Where to begin. For starts, the teaching staff was totally incompetent, and the administration was useless. My teachers for the most part were entirely vapid. They operate under a cookie cutter teaching style. I've been a public school with 5,000+ students where teachers were more personable. They may as well saved money and not had an admin staff at all, the results would have been the same. The student body can pretty much be described as some of the most unfriendly, snobbiest, elitist, and pretentious people you will come across. And some of them, I suppose are good people. Some of them are straight up bullies (even though I don't like that term and wish there was a better word). There is a lot of bullying that goes (went) on there. The problem is that the administration just looks the other way. When both me and my parents complained to the admin about harassment issues from other students one of the admin members, who by the way is a total lightweight with zero competence, just basically said to deal with it, and try to ignore it. What a stiff. I'm not gonna give names, but he's currently the director of the upper school after the last one was totally throw out like a dog because he had poor ratings. Again, the teachers were not good. One history teacher was actually pretty good but she is still totally overrated and very melodramatic. This place caused me a lot of heartache while I was there and I felt completely lost. The student resources there are not helpful. The college guidance process is a complete waste. One of the middle school teachers, is a complete creep who makes highly inappropriate comments to students. A previous reviewer said that "trying something new and failing, or realizing it's not for you is ok at MPA." Totally false. Pretty much the opposite is true, I'll leave it at that. Honestly this school was so terrible on so many levels. None of this is hyperbole. This is just bluntly stating my experience. It's very hard to be yourself in an environment like this where everyone is so judgmental. The great irony is that a small private school like MPA is suppose to be welcoming to all kinds of people. The opposite is true. You will only be accepted if you meet a certain criteria first. Once you meet that criteria then you can do much more, but if you don't have the basics, you will never be welcomed. It's only friendly to those on the inside. My experiences with public schools is so much better. With all that said, I understand that they went through some pretty sweeping staff and admin changes during the past couple years and perhaps now things are different. That, and since I was there most of the people that would have been through upper school now are gone or almost on their way out. That leaves a lot of potential. But given that the terrible administrator is now the upper school director, it's likely things are still very poor. I would seriously reconsider sending your child to this school. I certainly would never send mine here nor would I wish someone else's children go here, even my worst enemies. read more

I am the mother of a 10th grader who has attended Mounds Park Academy since pre-K. Now in our family's 12th year at MPA, I can strongly recommend this incredible school where the teachers, students and parents collaborate to create a thriving learning environment, support the children's dreams, inspire students to think about how they can impact their world, and teach children through creative, hands on learning (I think the term is "experiential learning"). From the early years my daughter, and all students, have been supported to explore public speaking, engage in respectful dialog and debate (so important these days!) and trying new activities - in addition to taking advantage of the rich curriculum. In addition, the school size and faculty support have permitted my daughter to have played sports, participate in the winter play and spring musical, and participate in speech and debate - while taking AP and advanced courses and playing in the chamber orchestra and singing in several choirs. The school also has an optional Certificate Program in the Upper School for students to elect an additional concentration in Fine Arts, STEM or World Studies. Perhaps the most telling aspect is the fact that my daughter looks forward every morning to going to school, and to returning in the fall - after the summer vacation. She adores her teachers, has a diverse group of friends and loves learning. I just wish MPA was around when I as a student! read more

I was fortunate enough to attend MPA for eight years, from fifth grade through upper school, and I truly believe that it laid a foundation for success in both college and life. At MPA, teachers know and care about who you are as a student and as a person. I arrived at college with the confidence to introduce myself to my professors and build meaningful and lasting partnerships with them. The academic experience at MPA is exceptional and is supported by the sheer volume of opportunities available to students because of MPA's small class sizes. I played three sports, was a member of several student groups, and consistently felt encouraged to try, fail, learn, and grow. Every day. If you want your child to be challenged academically, encouraged to think outside of the box, and have the freedom to try new things ... this is the school for your family. read more

I was fortunate to have gained my elementary - high school education at MPA and after graduating several years ago, I look back on my experience with exceptional gratitude and appreciation. The exposure at a young age to theatre, arts, literature, creative development was exceptional and has provided me with a fantastically well rounded perception. This, overall, provided me with a smooth transition to a top 50 university, created a foundation for continually development and intrigue. I saw this school grow, every changing, while pushing the envelope to further develop and nurture it's students. I strongly recommend considering MPA. read more