As parents, we are responsible for guiding our children through the biggest transitions in their lives. Realistically transitions happen all the time in big and small ways, but some of the most significant transitions that our children go through happen around their education. The first time you send your child to preschool, their first day of kindergarten, when they start a new school, and eventually their high school graduation. One of the most challenging transitions in the list above is the transition into middle school. We all know that the years from sixth through eighth grade can be difficult for many kids. They are growing up, exploring their feelings, experiencing the roller coaster of hormones, and establishing themselves as individuals in the world.

There’s not much we can do to smooth some of those transitional issues. Everyone goes through these times of growth, and it’s a critical developmental stage. However, your power as parents is to provide your children with the best environment to experience these transitions.

Choosing a school for your child can be a huge stressor on parents. Do you go with the flow and send your children to the local public school, try your luck at the charter school lottery, or send your child to a private school? There are many reasons people make the school choices that they do. Today we’ll discuss why families choose to send their children to middle school at St. Barnabas.

Intimate Learning Community

Ultimately, the purpose of any educational institution is to educate. As your children traverse the complicated emotional and social transitions that occur during this time of our lives, they are also attending school to learn. Imagine how difficult it is for teachers in the public school environment to balance the social, emotional, and academic needs of all of their students at once. At St. Barnabas, our intimate community ensures that students’ needs are met on all fronts.

Continuity Of Experience

One of the reasons that families choose St. Barnabas in 6th grade is because they’ve already established themselves as part of our community. If your children have attended our school for any number of years, you may find it comforting to maintain continuity. When life feels complicated, there’s something nice about being in a place that feels familiar and safe, where you know the campus and are surrounded by familiar faces.

A Safe Environment

Unfortunately, it isn’t difficult to find news stories of incidents happening at middle schools in Volusia County and around the country. Stories of students getting in fights, bringing weapons to school, or getting involved in illegal activities. Of course, this is not to say that all schools and their students are dangerous. But it does raise concern for many parents looking for a safe school environment for their children. St. Barnabas may be the right option if you want to send your kids to a school where they’re less likely to be exposed to things like that. Because we prioritize a faith-based learning environment and have a small community, we can keep our campus safe in a way that some of our peer schools cannot.

We watch parents think through the important decision of where they will send their child to middle school each year. For some, the choice is simple, while others need to weigh more information before making a choice. However, if you land in that spectrum, know there is a place for your child here at St. Barnabas Episcopal School. Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about joining our community.