Parents have a lot to juggle when it comes to setting their kids up for a happy and prosperous future. One of the things that often rises to the top of their lists of concerns is choosing the right school for them to attend. You might think the big worry would be about where they’d attend high school and college, but parents these days know that getting kids on the right educational track begins very early on.
Getting your kids into a good kindergarten program can be a launch pad for their future. The right program can help create a solid academic and spiritual foundation. A truly great kindergarten program helps students become well-rounded in many facets of their development.
St. Barnabas Episcopal School is known county-wide for its excellent faith-based education and extensive extracurricular offerings. Our doors are open to students through 8th grade, but kindergarten is one of our hidden gems. Here are some things to consider when deciding which school is right for your children next year.
1. Strong Academic and Spiritual Foundation
Your child will get an education no matter which school you enroll them in. However, some schools have a reputation for developing excellent students. St Barnabas is one of them. A strong academic program is the bulk of what we provide here. It’s our mission to educate students who move on to have successful careers in high school, college, and professionally.
But what undergirds everything we do is our commitment to spiritual education. At St. Barnabas, Christian faith is woven through each child’s school day, not just in the chapel but in the classroom too. It’s our goal to educate well-rounded, spiritually mature students. We take kindergarten seriously as the first stage in a lifetime of educational milestones.
2. Class Sizes and Teacher Qualifications
When we hear from past parents and students about their fond experiences at St. Barnabas, one of the most common things they share is how small classes positively impacted their education. At St. Barnabas School, we hire some of the top teachers in our area, and one of the ways we empower them is by giving them manageable classes where they can tend to the educational needs of each student.
In large classes, someone is always slipping through the cracks. The top students get bored because their work isn’t challenging them. The struggling students fall behind because they don’t get the support they need. This problem plagues schools with big classes. In our school, however, teachers have the capacity to anticipate and address the needs of their students. If quality kindergarten education is important to you, we highly recommend a school that has smaller class sizes.
3. The School’s Community and Values
Every community has its personality, and you’ll be able to tell as soon as you walk on our campus that ours is supportive, inclusive, and family-oriented. It’s very important for us to foster a sense of belonging with our students. Maintaining small classes and focusing on faith-based education add to our sense of community. In addition to those things, we’re proud of how parents, alumni, and members of the DeLand community contribute to the familial environment we’ve developed. Our values run through everything we do at St. Barnabas, and that’s something you should consider as you decide which school is best for you. What are your values, and should your kids attend a school that supports them?
4. See It to Believe It
The number one way to determine if a school is right for your family is to show up and see it firsthand. At St. Barnabas, we offer campus tours and opportunities to meet with staff. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about our academic program, extracurricular activities, and how our school integrates faith into daily learning. Before you decide for yourself, we’d love to help you schedule a visit.
You may be thinking it’s early to start thinking about the future. Your child is only 5 years old. But the reality is our classes fill up quickly, and the easiest way to reserve a spot for your child is to start them early. Once your child has a spot on our roster, they’re guaranteed a spot through 8th grade. We highly recommend that parents contact us early to learn about our K4 program, which takes place the year before kindergarten and is just as unique as every other grade level.
Choosing a school for your kids is an important stage in parenthood. We understand and respect your desire to take the decision very seriously. A great private school pairs a stellar academic program and spiritual education, is committed to smaller classes, shares your family values, and gives you good feelings when you visit campus.
If joining the St. Barnabas community is of interest to you and your family, contact our office to schedule a tour. We recommend you do so early enough to plan for your child’s kindergarten year. We hope to see your family on campus soon!
