Prospective Families

Built in 1976, Apple Valley High School is located in the city of Apple Valley, Minnesota, a suburb 15 miles south of Minneapolis/St. Paul. A member of the prestigious South Suburban Conference, Apple Valley has an over 1,700 student enrollment.

The Apple Valley High School community is committed to challenge all individuals to realize their potential as learners by providing high quality and diverse opportunities for intellectual, emotional, aesthetic, and physical growth.

We offer 300 required and elective courses that allows students a vast choice of challenging opportunities and experiences. It emphasizes educational excellence and innovation with a focus on mastering basic skills as a foundation for further study. Over 125 staff members are committed to curricular/co-curricular programs that prepare students for the future while instilling an appreciation of the history from which their opportunities were born.

Comprehensive Curriculum

Apple Valley High School offers over 300 required and elective courses and emphasizes educational excellence and innovation with a focus on mastering basic skills as a foundation for further study. Staff are committed to curricular and co-curricular programs that prepare students for the future. This provides students a vast choice of challenging opportunities and experiences.

STEM Pathway and Project Lead the Way Programs

The District 196 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) pathway includes Cedar Park Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) School, Valley Middle School of STEM, and Apple Valley High School. We are the only District 196 high school that is a certified Project Lead the Way (PLTW) site and offers a fabrication lab and multimedia MakerSpace available to all students.

STEM education has become increasingly popular as parents and policymakers realize the critical role it plays in enabling the United States to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace. In 2014 District 196 received a 2.99 million federal grant from the Department of Labor to transform Apple Valley High School into a school with a dedicated science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focus over four years.

Awards and Recognition

• One of America’s Top High Schools 2016 - Newsweek Magazine
• Blue Ribbon School of Excellence - U.S. Department of Education
• Award for Excellence in Content Rich Arts - National Endowment of the Arts
• “140 Best High Schools” in the U.S. - Redbook magazine
• Twelve Schools That Succeed - Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation
• “One of Eight Best High School Athletic Programs” in the U.S. - Scholastic Coach and Athletic Journal
• “Minnesota Model Music School” - Minnesota Music Educators Association
• “Grammy Signature School” - National Academy of Recording Arts and Science
• Speech and Debate National “School of Excellence” Award (Top 5 in Nation)
• Emmy Award for EaglEye - National Academy of Arts & Sciences (Upper Midwest Chapter)