St Cloud Area Schools (Minneapolis, St. Cloud: homes, neighborhoods, school district)

[AJSandCO]

Hello. We are seriously considering a move to the St. Cloud area from the western suburbs of Minneapolis for a great job opportunity and have 3 kids (age 6, 4, and 1) and need information about the schools. We are in a Spanish immersion program and LOVE IT, but the only option in St. Cloud is in Clear Lake. We have looked at homes in the St. Augusta/South St. Cloud area and have found a few neighborhoods that we are interested in. Our problem is we have heard a lot of negatives about the St Cloud school district and so many rave reviews of Sartell, and are fearful that 15 years down the line (when our kids will be in high school) there will be an even bigger difference in the quality of education between the two. We would love to hear from those who have recent knowledge of both schools!

Thank you!

[golfgal]

I don't know that the St. Cloud schools are all that bad. There are some issues at some of the schools but overall they are fine. I would probably put them in the same "ranking" as the Anoka schools in the metro, similar make up of students. Sartell schools are excellent though, up there with the best metro schools easily. It's a community very much like Mahtomedi if you are familiar with that area. I don't know anything about the Spanish immersion program though.

The Albany schools would also be worth a look. They have very good schools, especially for the size town. A lot of professors from the colleges live out that way. It's a cute town too.

With all the colleges in the area, there are probably a lot of opportunities for your children to continue with their Spanish, just not in an immersion setting if that is an option.

The Catholic school system in St. Cloud is also very good, including St. Cloud Cathedral but you also have the option of St. John's Prep school, which is an outstanding school, probably the best in the state so if they go through the elementary immersion program and things change for middle school, you can enroll them in one of the private schools.

[jimmyjam1]

Originally Posted by AJSandCO

Hello. We are seriously considering a move to the St. Cloud area from the western suburbs of Minneapolis for a great job opportunity and have 3 kids (age 6, 4, and 1) and need information about the schools. We are in a Spanish immersion program and LOVE IT, but the only option in St. Cloud is in Clear Lake. We have looked at homes in the St. Augusta/South St. Cloud area and have found a few neighborhoods that we are interested in. Our problem is we have heard a lot of negatives about the St Cloud school district and so many rave reviews of Sartell, and are fearful that 15 years down the line (when our kids will be in high school) there will be an even bigger difference in the quality of education between the two. We would love to hear from those who have recent knowledge of both schools!

Thank you!

I'm not a fan of SC public high schools, but I don't think they're that bad. I see you've looked into Sartell, but you could open enroll to Sauk Rapids. Or as Golfgal said, Albany has very good pubic schools. But my first choice would be SC Cathedral.

St Augusta and S.SC have some great neighborhoods with beautiful homes.