Though it was just a regular Friday, September 28, 2018 was a big day for the Benilde-St. Margaret’s community. Twin Cities Best of Business 2018 ranked BSM as the number one private school in the whole state, beating out other private school rivals: The Blake School (second place) and Breck School (third place).

Annually, the Twin Cities Best of Business magazine open polls for Readers’ Choice Award, where viewers and subscribers alike vote for different things they believe should be recognized in the respective categories. “It’s a reader’s choice award, so people who read the magazine vote for a private school. We got, in the category of Education and the subcategory of Private School, first place,” BSM Principal Dr. Susan Skinner said.

Though receiving the award is an exciting honor for the Benilde-St. Margaret’s community; it wasn’t fully unexpected. “It doesn’t surprise me. I know we have a special things going on here. It is a great spot for students from a wide range of backgrounds… It is right in line with where we want to be,” BSM President Dr. Adam Ehrmantraut said.

In their “Best of Business” article, Twin Cities Business described BSM as: “A Catholic, co-ed college preparatory school in St. Louis Park, Benilde-St. Margaret has long been a favorite pick for its academic excellence and focus on educating servant-leaders.”

This simple statement highlights some of the elements that make BSM proud. “Our continued excellence in academics with innovative programs––like engineering and our service learning projects––is what makes BSM so special,” Alumni Relations Director & Community Events Mary-Fran O’Keefe said.  

Beyond that, BSM believes that it provides a very strong sense of community that is special in the way that it provides big-school extracurricular options, while still being a faith-based community. “Kids come from all over the place and feel like they can find their place here and create their place here at BSM,” Ehrmantraut said.

With over 1,200 students, the large number of extracurriculars and academically rigorous courses give every student a chance to find where they belong. “[BSM prides itself on being] a large community that has all the programs and extracurriculars and small enough to be a family,” O’Keefe said.

Though not specifically mentioned in the article, Ehrmantraut believes that the students, along with the teachers and staff, are what really makes BSM stand out compared to other Catholic and private schools. “We are just loaded with people who are mission driven, talented educators and that is what makes it go,” Ehrmantraut said.

BSM’s recognition by the Twin Cities Business reveals how strong BSM its academics, leadership, and the depth of community. “Once you are a part of the BSM community, you’re in for the long haul,” Dr. Ehrmantraut said.