"Our family has had a very positive and wonderful experience in this program. It is also our first introduction to Minnetonka Schools and Minnesota public schools. We were excited and anxious because we knew the great reputation the district has and this was the first public school experience for our children.
We have twin kindergarteners and [their teacher] is a fabulous educator. She is detail oriented and her weekly layout, plans, support documents, and source availability are incredible and impeccable. I am amazed by the work she is doing on a daily basis and how she is able to lead and guide a large group of kinders in an online environment. She makes it easy for the students to become independent and easy for parents to help their learners. She is always so upbeat and excited to talk to the students and engage with them. My twins love her class and can't wait to log in and see what she has planned. She's made our whole family fans of her wiggle breaks and stories!
Our oldest is in third grade. Our son had only been in a small, private Montessori school previously, and we were most concerned about his transition into public education in a new state. We've had a lot of questions and it has been a learning process for him in adjusting to the different learning/teaching strategies and the expectations. I really appreciate the amount of time and effort that [his teacher] has put into aiding his transition as well as ours. I am constantly impressed by the quick responses we receive in addition to all of the typical teacher duties that are expected. Mrs. Heaney responds quickly to concerns, questions, and needs to meet. She has made a learning environment that our son feels comfortable and confident in. He's learned about the different backgrounds and cultures of his classmates through their morning meetings. Something we appreciate her encouraging is being helpful to someone each day, choosing to make a positive impact on someone's day, and hard work being important in the face of talent (I know I didn't write that exactly right, but the sentiment is there). I also received a message that she's making a connection for our son to participate in an Independent project - which is so important and crucial to continued engagement.
Communications from both grades have been more than I could have expected. Responses are fast, throughout the day, overnight, on weekends, and during holidays. Definitely faster than I could have imagined during a working school day. I am impressed by the adaptability of your educators and their ability to reach their students in this program."
- Jo Lynn Knotts, Tonka Online Parent