Breck School

123 OTTAWA AVE N

Minneapolis, MN 55422

14 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by student on May 17, 2024

I hate this school for several reasons, I recently had a health issue that resulted in me having frequent doctor's appointments and missing a significant amount of class. Although most of the teachers have been great (particularly in english and arts), there was no path to success after my injury. After asking the administration for a path back to my original grades, I was given very little. I was told to "change my expectations" on multiple occasions and assorted nonsense along that path. On a different note, the sciences are so awful at this school that it made me change my career path. After 9th grade physics, I gave up on trying to progress based on how difficult teachers were. My parents still pushed me however and I ended up taking both biology and chemistry this year. After a struggle to be placed in those classes, neither teacher helped me until I got the school learning coach involved. The students are god awful too. I was bullied for being depressed about my situation.
Submitted by parent on October 16, 2023

Do not come to Breck for Upper School only. They do not do a good job of assimilating new students. Policies are rigid and grading is all over the map. Facilities are excellent, but the culture of the school is problematic on many levels. There are better options.
Submitted by parent on October 12, 2023

Lots of teachers joined during the last few years, without much quality control. Many of them are simply bad. Some of them barely have a degree in community college. Some make tons of mistakes in their classes and handouts and are very good at confusing students. The school principal needs to be replaced. If you are on financial aid and in lower school, most likely you will be assigned a relatively weak teacher. If your kids are gifted, then most likely they will be treated like a headache instead of a treasure. It is not worth the tuition you pay. We want to move out.
Submitted by other on April 16, 2019

Equally disturbing is the lack of generational heterogeneity on The Breck School Board. There are plenty of viable Board candidates amongst the high-accomplished, enthusiastic young Breck alumni who are generationally in touch with the vast majority of parents of current Breck students. Alternatively, the Breck Board needs to look no further than its remarkable Head of Upper School. Granting an impactful voice on the Board that is representative or, at the very least, inclusive of these alternative generational viewpoints is critical to the future success of the school.The self-serving, hollow manner in which The Breck School is endeavoring to address its diversity and inclusion shortcomings is indeed concerning. The school and its students would be far better served by meaningful, substantive action rather than public relations posturing. Search committees should be formed to identify, recruit, and hire indigenous faculty, educators of color, conservatives, and others holding distinctive viewpoints. Those experiencing intolerance, discrimination, or who are under-represented in the Breck community should have a responsive and accommodating support network that emboldens, rather than deters, them to share their experiences and marginality, and the Board should actively seek to generationally diversify its composition. The Breck School has a long and extensive track record of success. However, as the award-winning author Jim Collins writes in his well-researched and cogent analysis, How the Mighty Fall, hubris from success is often the first sign of the demise of once great organizations.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2017

Haughty wannabes. Blake is far better academically and socially.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2015

This story is a few years old, but one of the college counselors drove several hours (out of state) to make an appeal on behalf of a student who had been on the waiting list at a small liberal arts college. That's so far above and beyond, but I've seen teachers "go there" for kids on a regular basis. There's a lot of wealth at the school, but wealth does not equal undue influence. This is a school that told the Boy Scouts it would no longer sponsor a chapter because of its homophobia, and the school is on the right side of inclusiveness. There are plenty of chances for positive parental involvement and the school is proactive when dealing with social and academic issues to the extent that it is appropriate. We looked at several other private schools and made the right choice. All schools have issues and imperfections; Breck deals with its issues rather than wishing them away or pretending they don't exist.
Submitted by other on November 13, 2014

I have seen their academic work flow in their Elementary, Middle, and High schools. They have a few teachers and students whom are rather rude, but they do manage to bring out children's talents and skills. They have many nice facilities, and few students are really two-faced (I have met a few and talked to some of the students about it). It really is a nice school to send your child to as I have visited it and my grandkids love it. One is a Harvard Graduate and the other is a middle school child.
Submitted by other on December 14, 2013

I am currently a sophomore at Breck and have been attending the school since kindergarten. I absolutely love Breck and it's become like a second home to me. All of the students are very nice and the teachers are fabulous. The academics are rigorous, but fantastic, so with enough variety of courses to suit the various student needs. Our arts are amazing, and our sports teams do very well for a smaller school. The campus (P-12 on the same campus) is beautiful, especially the new Upper School. Breck has a real since of community, whether you've been at Breck since preschool or came in 10th grade.
Submitted by other on May 16, 2013

I'm a Freshman at Breck, and I honestly LOVE it here! The bad reviews are kind of surprising to me, because a lot of them aren't true. For one, saying that lower and middle schoolers don't learn anything? That's a lie, I've been going to Breck since 2nd grade, and I've learned WAY more than I would at any other school. The people here are great - everyone is super nice and Breck is like a big family. It's one of those schools where you find yourself walking to class with a different person every day. My teachers are great...although the Science department could use some work...but as far as English and History go, I've had some of the best teachers! I'm seriously looking forward to spending the rest of my high school career here - I can't see myself anywhere else.
Submitted by other on May 13, 2013

After digging deeper and asking a lot of questions it be came very clear that Breck has a terrible lower and middle school curriculum. I would NOT consider sending my child to Breck for lower or middle school. Their lower school and middle school students have a lot of fun, but learn very little! Be sure to ask them to share their test scores if you choose to consider sending your child to Breck for lower or middle school.
Submitted by other on April 21, 2013

I have gone to Breck since preschool and truly love it here. The social stuff can be a bit hard and the curriculum is challenging, but for a student who adjusts well to change it is a great fit. The teachers are caring and really support each individual student. On top of that, the leadership and class opportunities are incredible. I would definitely recommend this school.
Submitted by other on September 15, 2012

This is not a school you would want to go to above the age of ten. After lower school, there is no point in going to Breck anymore. Four years ago, Breck lost a wonderful headmaster, and has completely redone the administrative system for the worse. Please, if you are debating whether to go to Breck, Blake, or any other independent school, pick another choice. Breck is not worth what your student will go through.
Submitted by other on June 07, 2012

This school is good in the education aspect, because they let you miss one class you don't like. For example, I do not like history, so I can take three years of history instead of four, or someone could miss a year of a language. The people are nice, unless you are on their bad side and can attack you verbally, or behind your back.
Submitted by parent on March 04, 2012

We have had our child here for several years. While the cost is something to look twice at, we wouldn't have done it any other way. There's something to be said about how much these children are learning at such a young age...so many different lang. being taught at the P-K level, how many events there are to get family involved, sports, a beautiful, safe place for the children to learn... We're excited for the years to come for all our children..