Boarding

Where is the School Located?

Totino-Grace is located in a quiet neighborhood of Minneapolis! Nearby is the city of St. Paul and these two cities are known collectively as the Twin Cities. The campus is conveniently located just 16 KM from downtown Minneapolis and 25 KM from downtown St. Paul. This gives students two cities for the price of one. Bus routes that run to both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul are within a few blocks of the campus.

Why Attend School in the Twin Cities?

Location, location, location. We think there is no better place to live than Minneapolis and we aren't the only ones. Every year the Twin Cities is highly ranked as one of the best place to live in the U.S. Click HERE to read about the ranking. The Twin Cities gets high marks for many reasons:

Considered the U.S. Midwest cultural capital with 30 theater venues, 10 dance companies, and 60 museums
Home to the Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the U.S. with unbeatable savings due to no tax on clothing and shoes
Home to more Fortune 500 companies per capita than any other state in the U.S.
Short distance to the Mayo Clinic, considered the best hospital in the world and a destination for health care for many world leaders
Offers more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined with almost 15,000 lakes
Offers a four season climate
Lots of green space, parks, and clean air
Minneapolis has the number one ranked park system in the U.S., with St. Paul coming in 3rd. Click HERE to read the article
Easy access to places like Target, local malls, restaurants, the airport, etc.

Why Boarding School?

Boarding schools provide a unique chance to develop skills needed for college
Students are stimulated intellectually in ways they never were before in their schools surrounded by an extraordinary community of learners
Participate in one (or more!) of TG's awesome clubs, athletic teams, performing arts groups, etc.
Create life-long friendships and experience cultural diversity with students from all over the U.S. and the world
Smaller class sizes and more support than public schools
Fewer distractions, allowing students to keep up with the school's academic standards
Go on exciting field trips/travel opportunities

Why Choose 5-Day Boarding?

More family time dedicated to enjoying each other, not for school related stress like homework or getting to and from extracurricular activities
No wasted time on commuting to and from school; students will have more time to focus on homework and study time, allowing them to excel in their classes and participate in one of TG's many after school activities
Study hours during the week are supervised by faculty
Students will have the opportunity to get a taste of "independence" to prepare them for seven day boarding in college, allowing them to begin to assume more personal responsibility
Despite the feeling of independence, students' days are still structured from the moment they wake up until lights out; our Boarding Residence Director lives on site in the secure building connected to the school
Totino-Grace's boarding residence is a home away from home; students eat meals together, socialize, study, and are supported in whatever they need
There are many options to get to the Twin Cities: car, train, bus, etc. We recommend looking at https://www.metrotransit.org/ for different routes if you didn't want to drive your child all the way into the city!

Testimonials

Maite and Esteve from Spain wanted to share with you their experience about sending their daughter to Totino-Grace to live in the boarding residence center her freshman year of high school.

Outside of the family, the values that your child receives at school will be what influences them the most as they become an adult; that's why the choice of the school your children go to is so important. If you add to that the fact that at a very young age they leave home and will be under the supervision of other people you don't know, that decision is even greater, almost vital. This is how we felt when choosing TG. We did not know the school or the people in charge of the residence center, but from the first moment, their treatment, professionalism, responsibility, and affection convinced us.

Now, after our 14-year-old daughter has lived an exceptional year in her life at TG, we can guarantee that we could not have made a better choice. Our daughter has felt like being apart of a big family; they have always helped her and she has received love and attention, just like us in our hard work of managing having her away from us.

In addition, we highly appreciate the school's Catholic values, which help students to grow in their faith and to be better humans in solidarity, love, and humility.

"My time here at TG has been something truly amazing. I have made so many wonderful memories here at this school. Made some amazing friends. I’m sad that my time is almost up. It is crazy how fast time really flies. TG has been like a second home to me. I’m grateful for all the wonderful teachers and staff members that have been kind to me here at TG. They have helped make me a better person. I’m grateful for everything TG has done me. I’m grateful that I got four amazing years here at Totino-Grace. The community has just been so good to me. TG will always have a special place in my heart." - 2021 Graduate

"We want to say thank you again for all of your help with getting Charlie situated, not only at Totino-Grace, but in the Boarding Residence Center. The experience has exceeded all expectations. He has felt part of the Totino-Grace community since the first day... and living in the dorm is a huge part of his success. I can't say enough good things about Totino-Grace! Our son has made such wonderful friends in the dorm and with staff that we are sure he will be back visiting them often. I also know that he will miss the good meals!" - Past Parent

Dorm Virtual Tour

Boarding Residence Center Amenities

Entertainment/recreation area includes ping pong table, pool table, foosball table, big screen tv, piano, video games, etc.
Enclosed courtyard
Study spaces
Comfortable accommodations
Home-cooked meals provided
Family-style dining for dinner
Laundry facilities (free use)
Secure entry
Indoor access to high school classes
Wireless connections for Internet
Access to fitness center
Weekend activities and excursions
College visits - the boarding staff takes residents to tour colleges, such as the University of St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, etc.

Room Details

Student rooms have some basic items that every student needs for safety and comfort and the ability to function within a residential community.

Single occupancy until rooms are filled
- After, double occupancy (two girls or two boys per room) starting first with volunteers, and then by grade (9th first, then 10th, etc.)
- Boys and girls are always kept separate
Furnishings include: standard, twin size lofted bed and mattress, desk, chair, closet, dresser, window blinds/shades, waste basket

Financial Responsibility, Tuition, & Fees, Health Insurance

Totino-Grace High School assumes that international students and their families will take responsibility for financing their educations. Tuition is the same for international students as domestic! See fees listed below. We highly recommend students establish a U.S. bank account with a debit/credit card so that they can pay other costs directly and be able to access cash for incidental expenses.

Fees:
Tuition: $16,450
Enrollment Fee: $1,000 (re-enrollment drops to $300). This is refundable if a student is denied their F1 visa.
Technology Fee: $400 (students issued an Apple MacBook Air Laptop)
Room & Board (7-day): $20,000 (on-campus dormitory)
Room & Board (5-day): $14,500 (on-campus dormitory Monday thru Friday)
Room & Board Deposit: $2,000

If you are interested in international student financial aid, click HERE to fill out the application.

Click HERE to view our specific international scholarship for first-time international students to Totino-Grace. International students are also invited to apply for our Rachel Woell Inspiration Scholarship and our Four Pillars Scholarship if they meet the application deadline.

Room & Board fees include:

Transportation to/from airport to school at the beginning and end of the school year
A safe, on-campus dormitory with supervisory adult residential staff
Breakfast and dinner in the dormitory
School counselors for academic advising, college-prep, etc.
Arrangement of weekend activities
Bi-weekly trips to Target or other stores for personal needs, and much more!

International Student Insurance

Totino-Grace requires that all Students residing in the dormitory have medical insurance coverage through StudentSecure Insurance through Tokio Marine HCC to ensure that each student has sufficient medical insurance coverage. The policy levels that are accepted by Totino-Grace are: Elite, Select, or Budget. Parents must enroll the Student in International Student Health Insurance through StudentSecure prior to the Student’s arrival to the United States and send proof of insurance to Shanna Peterson. To find out more, click HERE.

U.S. Citizens Living Abroad

If you are a U.S. citizen but living internationally, you may want to consider Patriot Plus for health insurance.

U.S. Citizens in the U.S.

If you are a U.S. citizen and currently living domestically, we are happy to take your current health insurance. We recommend making sure the plan covers MN clinics.

A Day in the Life of a TG Boarding Student

A Day in the Life
A typical Totino-Grace student ranges from a local individual living their life in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis or St. Paul, to a student from elsewhere in the U.S., to an international student who is here for a world-class education.

School day:
7:30-8:00 a.m. Breakfast
7:30-8:15 a.m. Before school activities (clubs, organizations, study groups, etc.)
8:15 a.m. Bell for homeroom
2:45 p.m. Classes are dismissed and after school activities begin. Totino-Grace offers many co-curricular activities to students: athletics, instrumental or vocal groups, clubs, drama, service.
5:30 p.m. Evening meal in the boarding residence
7:30-9 p.m. Required study hours for students who need extra support
10:30 p.m. Lights out, students are required to be in their rooms and settling in for sleep (11 p.m. on weekends)

Weekends:
On the weekend, students are provided with transportation to shop and explore the Twin Cities. Resident managers also organize excursions and activities for residents.

Spring Break Trips

Handbook and Important Dates

Meet the Boarding Residence Center Staff

Joe Lemmer
Dorm Director
joe.lemmer@totinograce.org

Joe spent the 2020-2021 school year as chef, cooking wonderful meals for the residents. For the 2021-22 school year, Joe transitioned to a live-in resident assistant. Now, Joe steps into the roll of Dorm Director for the 2022-23 school year.

Joe said, "For three and a half years after high school, I was the University of St. Thomas in the college seminary studying to be a Catholic priest. After reaching the halfway point and earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 2020, I was unsure if I wanted to continue with it and stepped out of the program. I started working at the TG Residence Center as a chef for a year, then became a resident assistant. I’m struck by how unexpected this path has been as I prepare to take on my third role here at the Residence Center!

As I step into the director position one of my primary goals is to develop a relationship with each of you to ensure you are confident of your child’s wellbeing. The only way the dorm can succeed is if your child is safe, healthy, and supported personally, emotionally, and academically. I want you to know me so that you are ensured that this is the case. I look forward to
meeting each of you!"

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