Aquila Elementary School

Our three children have all attended Aquila Primary and we absolutely LOVE it. The teachers are outstanding and the special ed services are great! I have bragged to parents of kids from other districts how lucky we feel to have our kids at Aquila, and I highly recommend it to people moving into the area. It is welcoming, cheery and most importantly, our kids look forward to going to school every day.
—Submitted by a parent

To the previous parent...African Americans care a great deal about their kids education as well as the next person. I am constantly at my daughters school volunteering, reading to children, chaperoning and staying involved. The teachers still fail to give me critical information to help my child at home. It is my opinion if I want to give this school 1 star.
—Submitted by a parent

We love Aquila. The previous poor scored review ignors so many elements of a good education it is difficult to respond. The teachers are all outstanding. Regardless of the childs skin color, economic background or family makeup, children can excell in school when they have a supportive, loving enviroment. At Aquila, they have that, even if they do not have it at home. When parents fail to support their children, the job of the teachers is made more difficult by at least ten fold. Yet, the Aquila staff works hard to overcome this obsticle for the small minority of students who have no support at home. With a change in leadership, I see greatness returning to Aquila soon. Strong leadership, outstanding teachers and wonderful support staff lead to a loving, caring, learning-rich experience for the children. Aquila is well on its way to being the best educational environment for all children.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are great. They are willing to go the extra mile to make sure the kids are getting the help they need. All the staff there are friendly and take the time to get to know the kids by name.
—Submitted by a parent

Aquila Primary Center is the 'hidden gem' of the St. Louis Park school system. The highest quality teachers, finest administrative staff and extras like on-site music and language classes make Aquila our choice.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so glad I chose this neighborhood to move to! I think the school is great and my son Sean couldn't have a better teacher than Mrs. Patel. She is a delight!
—Submitted by Tina Webb, a parent

Aquila is one of the few bright spots in the SLP school district. The principal and his staff are top tier professionals. They're given, unfairly so, all the Title 1 kids in the district and they still do a phenomenal job of educating everyone. I have nothing but great things to say about Aquila
—Submitted by a parent

This school shows fabulous leadership with increased test scores over the last five years, in spite of an increase in low-income students. The principal has been able to target the students who need additional help and does a great job of focusing the teachers on more effective ways to teach the subject matter. This school only gets better and better!
—Submitted by Marge P, a parent

I have been extremely impressed with Aquila and my son's teacher. He loves school and I am so happy that we stayed in St. Louis Park.
—Submitted by a parent

Aquila is an awesome school! The staff is amazingly talented, many have their masters. The staff feels that it is a true partnership between the teachers and the parents to educate the whole child. There are many extras at Aquila, Bravo, Picture Person, Art Classes, sports and more. The gym teacher is the best in the metro. All the teachers are looking out for the best in each child and taking them from that point forward. Aquila allows children to grow, learn, build confidence and develop. It is also becoming an International Baccalaureate school and will offer 90 minutes of spanish in the fall. Thanks to the outstanding leadership from the Principal Aquila is an awesome neighborhood school!
—Submitted by a parent

The high caliber, dedicated staff and the focus on each individual student make Aquila Primary Center an exemplary school. During the course of the year, staff show their dedication and strong desire for every child to achieve at Aquila by their daily interactions, big and small. Whether it be a small group working with a specialist, multi grade groups working together on a project, or during an all school assembly where kids and staff applaud the talents of fellow students, staff are constantly planning and creating meaningful learning experiences. The principal, Mr. Robert Metz, often tells parents, We meet each student where they are at and go from there. I have found this mantra to be one of the driving forces that makes Aquila Primary Center a great place for all kids to learn and grow. Staff diligently prescribe and develop instruction that best suits each child.
—Submitted by Joanne, a parent

Aquila is a great school that offered me opportunities creatively and educationally. I learned to appreciate everyone and gain perspectives outside the normally 'sterile' educational environments offered by other schools. Every student should feel lucky to be able to attend such an outstanding school.
—Submitted by a former student

The principal and staff are outstanding. We have raised four children who we open enrolled to Aquila and Cedar Manor. Our children have gained life long friends with terrific children/families. I overall experience was wonderful. The schools fully prepared our children for some of the finest colleges in the country and they were happy and safe at Aqula and Cedar Manor.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is into her second year at Aquila. There is a community feeling she really likes. Homework is organized but not overwhelming. There are several fundraisers, but no more than anywhere else. We were located in a better funded school district before, but did not necessarily get a better education. At Aquila there are experienced teachers who recognized my daughter's strengths.
—Submitted by T B, a parent

They say they have a zero tollerance for bullying, but what they don't tell you is they don't allow tattling. Also the teachers and staff are true bullys of the school. They are not protecting the children, and they are very disrespectful to the children. I am very disappointed in this school and hope someone really takes a stand here. I think the principal needs to stand up to these teachers and change things. He seems like a good principal but he has no control over his staff.
—Submitted by a parent

I was not very happy with this school at all. The teacher clearly had no idea what she was doing and gave no support for our daughter who needed ESL classes, maybe due to lack of experience. She seemed disorganized and working without a plan. Unless you asked specifically ( incl parent teacher day) there wasn't any information on anything. No homework at all and an overall not so high standard. Too many fundraisers,too. No activities offered. Other teachers didn't seem to bother about recess incidents,either. I am glad we moved.
—Submitted by a parent

Both my children have been cared for, safe and well educated at SLP high school. Their teachers are the best. My daughter graduated with honors and had no problem with college. She was active in sports, the (award winning) school paper, and social activities. My son is a junior and enrolled in the International Bacalaurate program. He enjoys the academic challenges, extra curricular activities, and the social life of the school. I rate it as one of the best schools in Minnesota.
—Submitted by Bruce Richardson, a parent

Not a supportive school for certain racial groups. No advocacy for children against improper teachers. No parental support for problems within the school caused by teachers.
—Submitted by a parent