Sandburg Middle School in Golden Valley, Minnesota

“This is my son's second year at SMS. At a teacher's recommendation my son applied for the IBMYP program at SMS and neither one of us have looked back since. It has been a wonderful experience. I don't understand the negative posts on here. The teachers definitely care about the success of the students. The staff communication with the parents is excellent. The curriculum has been quite challenging for my son, yet he was a high honors student in the IBMYP program last year and we expect the same this year. The school is exceptionally clean and well-maintained. Tom Henderlite (principal) is amazing. Due to budget cuts the school will be closing at the end of this year and my son will be attending RMS. However, I have been so thoroughly impressed with the district that we do not have any anxiety over the transition for next school year.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Im a seventh grader at sandburg middle school, and i am in the ibmyp program. I think that sandburg is a very good school, its teachers are willing to help you and they always pay attention to your needs. The ibmyp program is very good for kids like me who want to get a little more out of our education. Overall i think sandburg middle is a very good school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“If you love your child, you won't send them here. Trust me on this I went here. The teachers are as careless if not more careless than the kids that go there. The majority of the kids for example don't care about their future at all. They don't turn in their homework, & they fail. Every single class, every single quarter. Now part of the blame is on them, they should work harder, but in order for one to do so they have to feel that they are worth it, to feel that they can do anything with their lives. & with their home lifestyles sadly, & without the encouragement of the school, they can't. There is racism at this school by teachers, I have seen it. The teachers don't care if their students to well or not. I would write more but its telling me to keep it short.”
This review was posted by a student.

“I too think the school is exceptional. The leadership is amazing, has great follow-through, is fair and professional. The teachers really care about the kids. The IB program at this school wins lots of awards in education and brings out the very best in kids and teachers. Its director is apparently well-respected nationally and internationally and now the school is going toward being 100% IB instead of only a program for a group of kids who apply. The school is clean and cared for by all. While the school is quite diverse, the kids seem to feel really good about themselves and others. My son (and before that, my daughter) said he wouldn't go anywhere else, and we live in another middle school's attendance area! We love it here.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Wow. Totally opposite experience also with a son with ADHD. The IBMYP program is an amazing educational experience with caring and thought provoking teachers. The staff at the school provide fabulous leadership and example.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son has attended Sandburg Middle School for the past two years. He has ADHD, a learning disability making it difficult for him to stay on task and hand assignments in on time. The schools solution to this has been to write up referrals and discipline him by making him miss class further with in school detentions. I have asked for some evaluation and am disturbed that the answer I received was that we are too late in the school year to do so. The communication of this disciplinary action has been almost non-existant and it is frustrating as a parent to not know what is going on, as communication is key. I do understand that they have many other students but repeatedly hear that the teaching staff does not have time to communicate these because of thier class load.”
This review was posted by a parent.