Upper School Igniting the Brilliance in Students

Groves Academy’s Upper School sparks confidence by bolstering executive functioning and building academic success. We help prepare your student for a life of self-advocacy and empowerment. Our school challenges students with engaging content and helps them understand their unique learning profiles. Students further benefit from small class sizes that typically provide an 8-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Groves Academy Ignites the Confidence of Students Who Have ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Learning Disabilities

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The Path to Admission

Groves Academy lights the path for students to experience positive, lasting change. We help them reach their full potential for lasting success in school and beyond. Take the first step by connecting with our admissions team.

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A Curriculum That Sparks Their Thinking

We form all classes by aligning our students’ ages and ability levels. This creates an equal opportunity for learning and development that allows all students to shine their brightest. Academically, students will complete a core curriculum of reading, writing, math, science, executive function skills, and a variety of elective offerings.

For those students who plan to continue their education after graduation, Groves Academy offers guidance on taking the ACT and Accuplacer and helps students explore post-secondary options.

Curriculum

Executive function relates to a student’s skills in terms of thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self-control, working memory, time management, and organization. Our executive function courses provide a new lens for viewing academic challenges and removing the stigma. We continually develop and refine new content to augment these courses. Doing so extends the scope to address the needs of students at all levels of our Upper School.
- 9th Grade: Transition – Learning How to Do School/Training the Student Brain
- 10th Grade: Self-Discovery – Finding Your Why
- 11th Grade: Leadership – Setting the Course and Leading the Way
- 12th Grade: Legacy – What Comes Next and What We Leave Behind
Students will read a wide variety of selections from various genres; poetry, short stories, nonfiction, dramas, novels, spoken and visual texts. They will engage in activities that promote active and close reading. In the study of writing, students will use a variety of strategies, including those in The Writing Revolution: Strategies for Effective Writing Instruction^® by Judith Hochman, to create written texts for multiple purposes; to inform, to persuade, to describe, etc. Students will also practice public speaking when making informal and formal presentations.
Placement is determined by teacher recommendation and student skill level. Consumer Math is available to students in 12th grade only. All other classes are available to students in 9th–12th grade, provided they have met the prerequisite.
- Singapore Math^®
- Pre-Algebra
- Algebra 1
- Algebra 2
- Formal Geometry
- Pre-Calculus
- Trigonometry and Functions
- Statistics
- Consumer Math
The social studies courses emphasize the development of critical thinking skills, allowing students the opportunity to analyze how the past affects us now and into the future. Study skills are emphasized as tools that reinforce and support learning. These include note taking, reading and analyzing relevant texts, interpreting visual information, finding credible reference materials, and test preparation.
- American History (9th grade)
- World History and Geography (10th grade)
- Government and Economics (11th grade)
- Sociology (12th grade)
Our science courses develop a student’s scientific process skills. These include analyzing, manipulating, hypothesizing, sequencing, graphing, cause/effect, interpreting data, and drawing conclusions. Students also experience applying information to their daily lives. They also develop the interdisciplinary skills of learning how to read scientific material. Writing skills, study skills, cooperative learning skills, and the use of scientific resources are developed and reinforced.
- Physical Science (9th grade)
- Biology (10th grade)
- Environmental Science (11th and 12th grades)
- Environmental Science Concepts (11th and 12th grades)
- Chemistry (11th and 12th grades)
- Physics (Prerequisite: Algebra II and permission of the instructor)
These courses start with basic skills with the alphabet and numbers and progress on to conversational vocabulary. It explores different cultures of the Spanish-speaking world, including those of Spain and Mexico as well as other Central American and South American countries.
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Physical Education
- Health
- Art
- Home Science
- Technology
- Theater
- Music

A Light on the Horizon for Parents and Students

Empower your student today

Students with learning differences harness a superpower in how they approach the world. With this “superpower” comes challenges. The world at large isn’t built to support how their brains process information. Groves Academy helps students learn, decipher, and understand information on their terms.

Groves Academy illuminates a path to learning that gives your student greater confidence in and out of the classroom. We keep parents/guardians informed with multiple meetings each academic year, so you’re connected to their journey. You’ll see struggles transform into successes as your student’s academic brilliance is given a chance to shine.

“At Groves they don’t just understand my learning disability, they understand my abilities.”

– Groves Academy Student

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Groves Academy Admissions Team

Frank Brutejcek

Admissions Coordinator

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Aurie Dyer

Admissions & Financial Aid Coordinator

Aurie graduated with a degree in Elementary Education from Gustavus Adolphus College. From there, she went right into the non-profit world to be a K-1st grade teacher for an extended school day program in St Louis Park, MN. After spending seven years as a teacher, Aurie took on a more administrative role within the same organization. Now having joined GLO, she continues to work with families as a part of the admissions team at Groves Academy. Aurie loves to travel and will never turn down a chance to go somewhere. Aurie also enjoys cross stitching and reading to relax. Email: [email protected] Email Aurie Dyer

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Teri Greenstein

Family Navigator

Education & Experience: Teri attended St. Catherine University, where she received her K-6 teaching certification, then a Master's Degree from Hamline University in Literacy Education. She recently completed a 20-year teaching career in the Robbinsdale school district where she was a classroom teacher and intervention specialist. Her passion is for students and their families and helping them to have the optimal educational experience wherever they are. Hobbies: Teri loves to read, spend time with family and friends, and travel. Get In Touch

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Amy Hinrichs

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Education & Experience: Amy's previous background consists of a BS in English Education followed by a MA in English with an emphasis in pedagogy and creative writing. She has experience teaching secondary and collegiate level students and then transitioned into a 1:1 educational setting that served students with language gaps and/or learning disabilities where students and their families gripped her heart. Hobbies: Outside of work, Amy can be found hiking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, or playing tennis with family and friends. She also loves creative writing, reading, and playing with her young, energetic husky. Get In Touch

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Erica Sutton

Director of Admissions

Education & Experience: Erica Graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in Elementary Education. Before coming to GLO she spent almost 14 years with Huntington Learning Center. At the beginning of her Huntington career she taught children with a wide variety of learning challenges. Later in her time at Huntington she served as a Managing and Center Director where she interpreted student's assessment results in order to build and implement individualized remediation plans while concurrently guiding and partnering with the student's parents and school teachers to ensure maximum academic gains were made. When first coming to GLO she served as The Learning Center Admissions Coordinator before joining the admissions team in April of 2021. Hobbies: Erica grew up in the Chicago suburbs but has been a proud Minnesotan since 2007. She lives in St. Louis Park with her husband Paul, son Ben (4 years old), and a very spoiled cat named Scully. Erica is a loyal Iowa Hawkeyes football and Twins baseball fan. Erica also really enjoys attending concerts and theatre events whenever life allows. Get In Touch

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Sarah's Success Story

After graduating from Groves Academy, Sarah attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls where she graduated with a double major in Marketing Communications and Screen & Stage Arts (video production). Since 2018 Sarah has worked as a Digital Shopper Marketing Specialist with a team to implement digital campaigns at United and Natural Foods Incorporated.

Upper School Igniting the Brilliance in Students

The Path to Admission

Important Information

Upper School

Photos

A Curriculum That Sparks Their Thinking

Curriculum

A Light on the Horizon for Parents and Students

Empower your student today

Talk to Our Admissions Team

Parent Information

Student Information

Groves Academy Admissions Team

Sarah's Success Story

As we approach the end of 2024, we invite you to include Groves in your year-end giving.