Minnetonka High School

Minnetonka High School, or MHS (locally referred to as Tonka), is a four-year public high school located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, United States, a western suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The school enrolls about 3,540 students,[4] and offers four interchangeable academic curricula: International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, Honors, and G (general). Newsweek ranked the school at #123 in their list of America's Top High Schools.[5] Minnetonka High School is currently rated #4 in public high schools in Minnesota by Niche.[6]

For other uses, see Minnetonka (disambiguation).
Minnetonka High School; MHS
Location
Minnetonka
,
Minnesota

United States
Coordinates44.9090907°N 93.5112960°W / 44.9090907; -93.5112960[1]
Information
TypePublic
Establishedc. 1952
PrincipalJeff Erickson
Enrollment3,200 (2022–2023)[3]
Color(s)Royal blue and White
  
MascotSkipper
Websitewww.minnetonkaschools.org/schools/high-school/mhs

Minnetonka High School is the only high school within Minnetonka School District, whose enrollment area comprises western Minnetonka, northern Chanhassen, Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Woodland, northern Victoria, and northern Eden Prairie; an area known as "South Lake Minnetonka," or simply "Minnetonka." Additionally, students come from all over the western suburbs due to open enrollment.

Demographics

Minnetonka High School has the second largest enrollment of any high school in Minnesota, behind neighboring Lake Conference rival Wayzata High School. As of 2017, it has a student population of 3,444 that is 0.5% Native American 4.8% Hispanic, 3.7% black, 6.5% Asian, and 80.2% white.[7] Minnetonka School District's catchment area has a population of 53,000 and is characterized as a bedroom community. It is predominantly white with a strong Scandinavian influence,[8] and is considered one of the most affluent areas in the state.[9] Since the 2000s, Minnetonka has actively tried to recruit a more diverse student body through advertising and participation in The Choice Is Yours program to serve inner regions of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Academics

Minnetonka High School has been shown to fare well in standardized test results and many metrics of school rank and quality. It is one of the few schools in the state to concurrently run Advanced Placement classes and the IB Diploma Programme. The school also offers Honors and G (general) classes which, unlike AP and IB, do not have curricula mediated by an external governing entity, and are meant to be less demanding.

It is identified as a "National School of Excellence" by the U.S. Department of Education, and has been given a "Five Star" rating by the Minnesota Department of Education. According to No Child Left Behind Minnetonka High School made Adequate Yearly Progress in 2006.

Specialty programs

VANTAGE

VANTAGE Professional Studies is a program offered by Minnetonka High School offering a businesslike environment for students. Minnetonka High School's VANTAGE is a magnet program which is ranked sixth in the country for developing students with strong business and entrepreneurial leadership skills. Students go off campus for part of their school day and have class in an office building. Students are expected to act and dress professionally. Students are provided with projects with local and Fortune 500 companies. They are also provided with mentors who work in a field related to their class. Currently (2022–23) there are nine course "strands" that are being offered:

  • Global Business
  • Business Analytics
  • Design and Marketing
  • Digital Journalism
  • Health Sciences
  • Public Policy
  • Global Sustainability[10]
  • User Experience (UX) Design
  • Vantage Education

Tonka Online

Minnetonka High School also offers some of its courses through Tonka Online. It is available to all students in the state of Minnesota. Currently (2016–17), There are 28 courses offered. The classes are delivered through Schoology, Minnetonka's CMS. Fees are charged for students who are taking them as extra courses or over the summer.[11]

Minnetonka Research

Minnetonka Research offers students the opportunity to learn through scientific research. The school built a "cutting-edge", negative-pressure, wet lab to allow students to research topics that are important to them. Alike VANTAGE, Minnetonka Research provides its students with mentors who are industry leaders in their field of study.[12] In addition to this, many of the students in Minnetonka research compete in the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair, [13] and many of go on to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair(ISEF).

MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM, a state-of-the-art Technology Education program, is Minnetonka High School’s newest specialty program. It allows students to explore careers with hands on training in Construction Systems, Manufacturing, Design, and Transportation. The program began during the 2020-21 school year, providing a trade school experience without leaving the campus. MOMENTUM also partners with local businesses, to teach about their fields.[14]

Writing Center

Minnetonka also offers a writing center to allow all students a place to receive assistance on their work. It is located in the commons. The writing center is staffed by two English teachers and 30 trained student writing coaches. The program is funded by the Minnetonka Public Schools Foundation's Endowment.[15]

Athletics

Minnetonka High School is part of the Lake Conference in the Minnesota State High School League. The school mascot is a Skipper.

State Championships
SeasonSportNumber of ChampionshipsYear
FallTennis, Girls41974, 1975, 2021, 2022 [16]
Soccer, Girls32001, 2013, 2018
Cross Country Running, Girls41981, 1982, 1991, 2004
Volleyball, Girls11976
Football12004
Marching Band12016
Swimming and Diving, Girls41975, 1976, 2012, 2021
WinterAlpine Skiing, Boys61996, 1998, 2000, 2012, 2017, 2018
Alpine Skiing, Girls51987, 1993, 2011, 2013, 2014
Wrestling11974
Hockey, Girls32011, 2012, 2013
Hockey, Boys22018, 2023
Swimming and Diving, Boys111978, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2011, 2017, 2018
Basketball, Boys31965, 1998, 2008
Basketball, Girls12016
Cheerleading, Girls24
SpringTennis, Boys31974, 2016, 2017 [17][18]
Softball, Girls21999, 2000
Lacrosse, Boys12009
Track and Field, Boys21976, 2012
Track and Field, Girls81983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1992, 2013, 2014, 2018
Rugby union, Boys32004, 2005, 2018
Adapted Bowling32006, 2007, 2008
Total92

Notable alumni

Feeder schools
  • Elementary School
    • Clear Springs Elementary
    • Deephaven Elementary School
    • Excelsior Elementary School
    • Groveland Elementary
    • Minnewashta Elementary School
    • Scenic Heights Elementary
  • Middle School
    • Minnetonka Middle School East
    • Minnetonka Middle School West

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Minnetonka High School
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Minnetonka High School
  3. "MINNETONKA SENIOR HIGH" (PDF). Minnetonka Public Schools. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  4. "Minnetonka High School Profile".
  5. "America's Top High Schools 2016". Newsweek. 11 August 2016.
  6. 2020 Best Public High Schools in Minnesota
  7. "Minnetonka Senior High School Students".
  8. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/2743252
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2011-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "VANTAGE Advanced Professional Studies".
  11. "Tonka Online".
  12. "Minnetonka Research".
  13. Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair
  14. "Minnetonka High adding auto shop as part of trades program expansion".
  15. "Minnetonka High School Writing Center | Minnetonka Public Schools". Minnetonka Public Schools.
  16. "Minnetonka captures Class AA Girls Tennis crown | News | MSHSL".
  17. "Minnetonka wins first boys' tennis state title since 1974". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved 2016-12-12.
  18. Paulsen, Jim. "Minnetonka repeats as Class 2A boys' tennis champions". Star Tribune. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  19. Giles, Kevin (January 12, 2001). "Nancy Parsons, actress best known for her role in the 'Porky's' movies". Star Tribune. Minnesota, Minneapolis. p. 31. Retrieved May 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Tom Staggs". Archived from the original on 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  21. "Jake Gardiner". hockeyDB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  22. "Beau Allen". Wisconsin Badgers. University of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on April 17, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  23. "With job on the line, Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm to meet with top Republican on Friday". Twin Cities. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-12-09.
  24. Riemenschneider, Chris (2019-11-10). "Hüsker Dü and Replacements sound tech, Garage D'Or operator Terry Katzman dies". Star Tribune. Minneapolis-St. Paul. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
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