Choosing a private school
Feb 01, 2019 03:05PM ● By Today's Family
As a parent you want to provide the best for your child, especially when it comes to their education. Choosing the right school is an important decision. We are lucky to have so many exceptional academic institutions right here in northeast Ohio. Private schools can be a great option for your child. If choosing a private school is in your future, consider the following factors to find the right school for your child.
List your educational priorities before you start looking at schools. Think about what is most important to you in a private school. For example if academics is more important than religion, but religion is more important than extracurricular activities, then have academics be number one on your list, religion number two and extracurricular activities number three.
Find out about safety practices. In today's world safety is a huge concern. You will want to know how secure the facility is as well as what precautions are in place to keep danger away from your child and how well the teachers are prepared to handle the kids if a crisis situation should arise.
Understand the philosophy or theology of the school. If you are sending your child to a religious school you want to be sure the faith being taught is in harmony with the faith you want for your child. The same is true if you are sending your child to a school that operates around any basic philosophy. It is important to choose a school where your child will be taught things that reinforce and will be reinforced by what you are teaching in your home.
Inquire about opportunities available for parental involvement. If you are a parent with an interest in being involved in your child's school you will want to find out about the opportunities available. There may be afterschool activities that need adult supervision or classroom teachers that need room parents to assist with classroom activities.
What is the tuition, how is it paid and are there scholarships? Find out not only the cost of tuition, but also other costs such as money needed for trips or special projects. A private education is a huge investment, but most private schools are willing to cater to the needs of solid prospective students. Many private schools willingly arrange payment plans. Also check to see if your child is eligible for any scholarships or financial aid that may be available.
Talk with various members of the private school community. Getting an insider's perspective on the school can be very helpful. Selecting the right private school can be a hard task, but with input from others it can be easier.
Visit prospective schools. While it is a good idea to narrow down your list by visiting the websites of the schools you are interested in, you will want to visit each prospective school in person to get a feel for the environment and talk to administrators.
Choosing the right private school will take some time, but doing your homework first will result in a great experience for you and your child.
List your educational priorities before you start looking at schools. Think about what is most important to you in a private school. For example if academics is more important than religion, but religion is more important than extracurricular activities, then have academics be number one on your list, religion number two and extracurricular activities number three.
Find out about safety practices. In today's world safety is a huge concern. You will want to know how secure the facility is as well as what precautions are in place to keep danger away from your child and how well the teachers are prepared to handle the kids if a crisis situation should arise.
Understand the philosophy or theology of the school. If you are sending your child to a religious school you want to be sure the faith being taught is in harmony with the faith you want for your child. The same is true if you are sending your child to a school that operates around any basic philosophy. It is important to choose a school where your child will be taught things that reinforce and will be reinforced by what you are teaching in your home.
Inquire about opportunities available for parental involvement. If you are a parent with an interest in being involved in your child's school you will want to find out about the opportunities available. There may be afterschool activities that need adult supervision or classroom teachers that need room parents to assist with classroom activities.
What is the tuition, how is it paid and are there scholarships? Find out not only the cost of tuition, but also other costs such as money needed for trips or special projects. A private education is a huge investment, but most private schools are willing to cater to the needs of solid prospective students. Many private schools willingly arrange payment plans. Also check to see if your child is eligible for any scholarships or financial aid that may be available.
Talk with various members of the private school community. Getting an insider's perspective on the school can be very helpful. Selecting the right private school can be a hard task, but with input from others it can be easier.
Visit prospective schools. While it is a good idea to narrow down your list by visiting the websites of the schools you are interested in, you will want to visit each prospective school in person to get a feel for the environment and talk to administrators.
Choosing the right private school will take some time, but doing your homework first will result in a great experience for you and your child.