Academics

Lower School Students working together
We are a community of high-achieving, motivated students and faculty focused on intellectual inquiry, engagement, and bridging educational research with classroom practice. 

At Breck, the learning journey each student takes at Breck is carefully charted into a curriculum that guides instruction and student learning. Students embrace challenges, take risks, and grow through persistence and discovery.

With a student to teacher ratio of 8:1, our interactive and inclusive classrooms foster vibrant discussions where students confidently share their perspectives, ask thoughtful questions, and learn from both their teachers and one another. Offering more than 330 courses in grades 5-12, our independent school provides unparalleled opportunities for academic exploration across all disciplines. Guided by dedicated educators, Breck students dive deeply into subjects ranging from advanced scientific research to global studies and literary analysis. As a top college preparatory school in Minnesota, we are committed to preparing each student to live a life of intellectual curiosity, self-knowledge, and social responsibility.

Explore the Academic Departments

English

We take our collective love for the written word seriously in the English department at Breck

History

The Social Studies/History Department endeavors to instill a love of the social sciences and to develop in all students the skills of the social scientist through their work in grades P-12. 

Mathematics

The mathematics department upholds Breck’s Mission and Values by preparing our students to meet the mathematical demands of college, professional, and civic life; by providing a variety of courses and accommodations to address the diverse talents and interests of our students; and by pursuing appropriate opportunities to engage the community and to foster a sense of social responsibility.  

Performing Arts

The Performing Arts Department puts the Breck mission into action by providing students the opportunity for self-expression, creativity, social interaction, collaboration and self-discipline.

Physical Education

The Breck Physical Education Department develops physically-educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead healthy lives. Through a variety of experiences in physical education, project adventure, and health classes, we inspire students to enjoy physical activity, develop self-awareness, improve self-esteem, and gain an appreciation of individual differences.

Religion

Our program ensures each student is religiously literate, possessing a basic understanding of beliefs, practices, texts, rituals, and stories from multiple religious traditions.

Science

The Breck science department fosters curiosity about the natural world, encourages learning through inquiry, and develops critical thinking at all ages.

Visual Arts

The Visual Art Department at Breck is studio based in the best sense of the word – the artist studio being core to what makes our program so vital. Artists teach what they know, love, practice, and what rouses their own curiosity. Students engage as artists in beautiful spaces filled with Master Art references from around the world, visually compelling props, and vibrant student art.

World Languages

Breck's World Languages department offers entry-level programs all the way through expanded opportunities to improve language fluency, guided grammar and vocabulary expansion embedded in the curriculum, increased sophistication of communication and writing, and global perspective development.

At Breck, each week, each month, each term, each year brings new opportunities to reimagine, reinvent, and reanimate learning—both for our students, and for our school.