Hopkins, Minnetonka or Westonka schools? (Minneapolis, Bloomington: middle-class, homes, to buy)

[sven123]

Does anyone have any good feedback on the schools in Hopkins, Minnetonka or Westonka? We have two daughters who have not started school yet but we want to be in the right district for them when they do.

We're familiar with all three areas themselves but are looking for someone who has good insight into how these schools compare ... not just test score wise but what the environment is like (culture, opportunities, activities, teachers, etc.).

We have heard tons of good things about Hopkins schools. Are they really any "better" than the other two?

Would greatly appreciate any input. Thanks much.

[golfgal]

I would say that none of these schools are better then the other. That is the nice thing about the Twin Cities suburban schools, they are all pretty dang good. I don't know that you can say any of the suburban schools are THE right school. They all have their different strengths and weaknesses. Most people end up picking their schools for proximity to work and activities their kids are into. If you have a strong football player, Eden Prairie is the place to go. If you have a kid that is really into band, Rosemount is the obvious choice. Since your kids aren't in school yet you won't know these things but any of these districts you listed are good.

[TCtraveler]

I agree with Golfgal. All 3 schools are good. Hopkins has a nice balance of academics, music/art/drama and sports. Minnetonka is a little further outside of the city and Mound-Westonka is even further out. Money is prevalent in all three districts so expect to see nice cars in the high school parking lots and designer handbags on the girls arms in the hallways. I believe there's more cultural diversity in the Hopkins district than in Mtka or M-W but I could be wrong.

[kuan]

Hopkins has a mix of income levels that I'm not sure the other two districts have. The downside is Hopkins has one huge high school.

[TonkaPro]

All 3 schools are very good. Kuan is right about the different income levels in Hopkins and TCTraveler is right about the diversity. I have one daughter that just graduated from Minnetonka High School and is on her way to UMD. My other daughter is a sophmore at MHS so my views may be a bit pro Minnetonka. The school has fantastic sports programs and academically is rated one of the best schools in the nation.

[michael1969]

My family and I are thinking about relocating from Long Island,NY to Minnesota. We have visited relatives and absolutely love it. My one question is what are the better elementary schools. I have a 7 year old that is stating 2nd grade here, and a 3 year old that is still in nursery school. I heard that Hennipen has the best schools, and that Edina is one of the nicer areas. Our relatives live in Eden Prarie and I would rather live there (I think the homes are nicer and newer). Can someone please advise.

Thanks

[sven123]

Originally Posted by TonkaPro

All 3 schools are very good. Kuan is right about the different income levels in Hopkins and TCTraveler is right about the diversity. I have one daughter that just graduated from Minnetonka High School and is on her way to UMD. My other daughter is a sophmore at MHS so my views may be a bit pro Minnetonka. The school has fantastic sports programs and academically is rated one of the best schools in the nation.

So...both you and your daughters were/are satisfied? Is it generally considered a positive and encouraging environment for all students ... or is it even more "rich vs. middle-class" than the average school?

One more thing: we've heard tons about Hopkins schools' award-winning reputation but are unable to find anyone who can provide clear and concise examples of why it deserves such a sterling reputation any more than Minnetonka or Westonka. The test scores of these two schools and others are as good or better.

Does Hopkins really do anything differently or is it just hype?

[golfgal]

There are a lot of different ratings for schools out there and they all base their information on different criteria. Money magazine puts out a list of the 'best' high schools in the US each year but their ONLY criteria is how many students take the ACT test. Well, many schools use the ACT as their standardized test so all or most of their kids take the test so that make them a 'top' school but it doesn't take into consideration how many kids pass the test, what their scores are, etc. so take these kinds of things with a grain of salt.

One thing with the Minnesota schools, especially the twin cities suburban schools is Hopkins may score a 98 on one survey and Minnetonka will score a 97.9 on the same survey so Hopkins is a 'better' school. The reality is that there is a negligible difference between the academics of most of the suburban schools. Going to Minnetonka vs Hopkins isn't going to make any difference academically for your child. The atmosphere of the school might impact your child but until you know what will fit best for a student you can't really determine if Hopkins is better then Minnetonka.

I think you are putting too much effort into this now. Your children are very young and a LOT can happen over the next 10+ years when your children are in high school. Who knows, by then Hopkins and Minnetonka could be the worst schools in the metro (I doubt it but possible if they end up with bad administrators).

[Brrrman4755]

To digress, we will be moving to Minnesota in 2008. We are two degreed professionals.

What are the commute times into Minneapolis and Minnetonka from Hopkins or Burnsville?

Our children are grown. Do you have any suggestions as to which area of Hopkins or Burnsville would be best for us to buy a home?

Thanx...

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Brrrman4755

To digress, we will be moving to Minnesota in 2008. We are two degreed professionals.

What are the commute times into Minneapolis and Minnetonka from Hopkins or Burnsville?

Minnetonka is just to the west of Hopkins (they're adjacent to each other), while Minneapolis is roughly 8-10 miles to the east on the other side of St. Louis Park and Burnsville is on the other side of Eden Prairie and Bloomington from all three and south of the Minnesota River.