Congratulations! You’ve reached the exciting time in your life when your kids are heading off to school. All the hard work you put into raising them, from infants to toddlers, has paid off. And now, here you are, stuck with the next big question. Where should you send them to school? Parents these days understand how important education is and how choosing the right school today can create a domino effect that provides benefits for years to come. But where do you even start?
You first need to determine whether or not your family is looking for public or private education. Once you make that choice, the decisions after will all fall into place. If you are in the process of wading through this choice, here are some factors you should consider.
1. Faith Is The Foundation Of Many Private Schools
One of the primary reasons many families choose private education is that they want their children’s education to be faith-based. There are non-religious private schools, but the majority (especially here in our community) are Christian. We start with this point because it’s central to the education we provide at St. Barnabas. Faith is not a supplement to our curriculum. It’s woven throughout our days. If faith is deeply important to your family, private education is the only place you’ll find a classroom environment that caters to your belief. Conversely, parents who feel strongly against faith-based educational systems should consider other options for their children.
2. Small Classrooms Create A More Intimate Learning Environment
If there’s anything we can say about education, it’s that there are as many types of learners as there are children. Some kids thrive in large classroom settings, and some do well in homeschooling or online learning environments. Still, from our many decades of experience running a school here in Volusia County, it’s evident that there is no better environment to teach children than the small classrooms offered in private schools.
In public schools, it’s common to find bored, high-achieving students learning alongside students needing more attention to grasp the topics. Teachers in these oversized classrooms are stuck choosing between finding new challenges for bored students and meeting the needs of those who need their help. Private education has mastered the balance of these two groups. When teachers have fewer students to manage, they’re left with more time and resources to meet each person’s individual needs in the class. If an educational environment tailored to the children in the room sounds ideal, you’d love private education.
3. Education Should Be Well-Rounded
Academic growth is central to what we do at St. Barnabas. However, educating children goes beyond having the best educational environment around (which we do). Where public school systems are slashing arts programs for more testing preparation, private schools are leaning into extracurricular activities that create well-rounded students. When it comes to a commitment to the arts and sports, we have the best programs around. In fact, we offer more athletics opportunities than any other school in the county. Extracurricular activities are essential for kids to blow off steam, move their bodies, and express themselves. They also teach students resilience, teamwork, and communication skills. We all know that the traits of a confident and competent person go beyond what you know academically. Those other skills make a person stand out in job interviews and the boardroom.
No matter what educational choice you make for your children, it’s safe to say they’ll be just fine by virtue of the fact that you’ve taken the time to read this article and consider your choices carefully. If you read this and feel like private school is essential for your family, give our office a call.
