(WNN) Woodbury – Math and Science Academy (MSA) is gearing up to expand as plans move along to build a new facility for Grades 6-12. In January, the Woodbury City Council approved MSA’s plans to build a new 123,000 square foot building at the corner of Mile Drive and Bailey Road. The facility will include many buildings of classrooms and outdoor athletic facilities.
Woodbury based MSA recently completed 25 years. In 2024, US News named MSA as the top High School in Minnesota. There is a wait list for students waiting to enroll in MSA.
Starting Fall 2026, for the first time MSA will offer K-5 school. The new grades will be at the current location of its 6-12 grade facility just off Radio Drive near the Woodbury YMCA.
In conversation with Kate Hinton, Executive Director, MSA.
“Our students here are doing quite well,” says Kate Hinton, “Starting with elementary school will prevent gaps in learning. Our students who are here, the younger they are, the better they do academically.”
MSA accepts students via a lottery. The application period for each year opens the previous Fall. So for the 2026-27 school year, applications will open in Fall 2025. Applications received prior to February 1 will be eligible for the lottery. “The demand is strong for our K-5 enrollment. Data tells us that about 650 students are interested in joining MSA. Currently we are looking to enroll 350 students. We can go up to 450 elementary school students eventually.”
Hinton explains that, “Elementary is new for us. We want it to be as phenomenal as our secondary. So we want to have it small enough that we can really make sure that those young people get exactly what they need.”
Historically, MSA is big in Middle School compared to High School. Since Hinton joined MSA as the High School principal in July 2021 she has focused on retaining those High School students.
This school started as a small school 25 years ago. But the demand is high. This year the senior class has 82 students. Their biggest group yet. It is expected to be 120 next year.
“We do attract high-performing kids. But because we are a lottery, kids come in at all different ability levels. By the time they graduate the achievement gaps are closed. Students are all doing really well. But sometimes it takes some time. And that’s part of the reason why we are excited about starting with elementary. Because we really are looking forward to preventing gaps as opposed to fixing gaps.”
Occasionally students leave MSA between 8th and 9th grades. She says “We are aware of that. We want to focus on the fact that MSA has a strong High School program. We offer activities, athletics, Homecoming dances, and a real high school experience. Academics are key but the other experiences are important too. This is where they prepare to be adults. This is where they learn their passions are. When they leave here we want to give them the opportunity to do whatever they would like to do.
We currently have 720 enrolled. The new building for secondary for students in grades 6-12 will hold 1,525 students. So it will be bigger. But we are really dedicated to keeping our small class sizes. Right now our average class sizes are 20.5. It is important to us to keep that in the low 20s range because that’s something the district school can’t offer. This would even go all the way to 12th grade. Some classes like Band do have bigger class sizes. This year, there is a shift in science standards. So chemistry classes were slightly bigger.”
Along with new enrollment for K-5, as usual MSA will also be taking some new students for the 6th grade
What is the secret of MSA’s success?
According to Hinton, families from other parts of the Twin Cities are willing to relocate from suburbs like Shakopee and Apple Valley if their child is accepted in the MSA lottery.
The families of kids enrolled in MSA have high expectations from the students and the school. They expect their kids to do well. The kids are aware of that too. Because of that there are fewer issues with discipline. The teachers can concentrate on teaching the curriculum.
Hinton explains, “To the parents it is not acceptable if a student is talking back to the teacher or talking out of turn or engaging in what, as a career educator, I know it’s just kind of typical middle school behavior, right? It’s nothing to really be that concerned about. We just want to correct it. But the parent is like, no, no. They’ve got to stay on top of it. Because the parents support their kids and the school, the kids know they have to do well too.”
The school has high expectations from its staff. Teachers meet students that may need extra help. They are always talking about what value they can provide.
Hinton explained, “We do not have a lot of kids who are falling behind. A large number of the students meet expectations. When you have a large number that are already meeting the standard or exceeding the standard, we need to make sure that they are getting something from every class. And so I think that that’s one of the things that attracts parents to our school because they know that their student will not just sit in a class learning things that they already know. The required content will be taught, but they will have the opportunity to take it to the next level. So when you have that whole group of the three, all working together, the students are going to do well.”
Hinton is appreciative of the support from Mayor Burt and the City of Woodbury as well as from ISD 833. “We are happy that this new location is also centrally located in our district. ISD 833 provides transportation for all our students living within ISD 833. Car pooling, drop off by parents or driving to school are other options. The MSA Robotics team practices with the East Ridge High School Robotics team.”
MSA is holding Community Info Sessions for its new plans. The next one is on February 12.
“We are going to be looking for what they would like in school leadership. We will be preparing in advance. We will hire our elementary principal a year before elementary school starts, so that they can really focus on building an excellent elementary program and selecting their staff. So we want to be really well prepared.”
In an earlier Focus Session parents gave feedback on the curriculum and instruction/learning experience.
Funding for the expansion
Hinton explained that as it is a charter school, MSA will use their lease aid to fund the new building. “However, that will not be enough. We will have to use some funding from our operations budget to make the bond payments.”
MSA will issue a bond to fund the new building. “There are a number of institutional buyers interested in buying our bonds. Hilltop Securities and RW Baird are in charge of taking the bonds to the market. We are planning on selling $55 million in bonds.”
PREVIOUS COVERGAE: New Math and Science Academy Campus Approved
