Choosing a school is about more than academics. The school your child attends will not only be the place where they learn to think, but also the place where they build community, develop social skills, and explore their unique gifts. Most parents understand this, which is why they spend plenty of time touring schools and considering all of their options. Lately, more and more families are coming to the same conclusion: a private Christian school is the best fit for their child’s elementary education.

So why has Christian education become so popular? At St. Barnabas, we’ve had the opportunity to talk to countless families – some newly enrolled, and others who have been with us for years. The following are some of the top benefits they mention as their reasons for choosing a Christian elementary school.

1. Individualized Attention

At a private elementary school like St. Barnabas, class sizes are typically smaller. This means that each student will receive more individualized attention from their teachers. Questions are answered more quickly and in a more personalized way. Lesson plans can be tailored to students’ particular interests and strengths rather than being overly standardized.

With smaller classes, teachers become more like mentors to our students. And the mentor-mentee relationship doesn’t end with the school year. If your child’s kindergarten teacher passes them in the hall as a second-grader, you can bet they’ll still remember them and be cheering them on.

2. Character Development

At St. Barnabas, we emphasize character development from day one. Through our involvement in the local community, students have opportunities to give back, help others, and put their Christian faith into action. Last year, our volunteers collectively gave over 10,000 hours to the local community! We also have a strong athletics program. Our student athletes learn to work together, support one another, and face adversity with strength and hope.

Weekly chapel services are another activity that sets private schools like ours apart. This time of worship is uniquely tailored to our students’ interests and experiences, giving them insights into God’s presence in their lives and the plans that He has for them. The character lessons learned in chapel can be applied throughout your child’s life, whether on the playground, in the classroom, or at home with their family.

3. Academic Rigor

Academics are about so much more than memorizing and regurgitating information. At least, they should be. At St. Barnabas, we challenge our students through hands-on activities that emphasize critical thinking and the application of knowledge to real-world scenarios. In Science class, we conduct real experiments. In Literature, we read excerpts from history, solidifying those real-world connections.

St. Barnabas has a STREAM-based curriculum, with end-of-unit projects that help students understand the connections between math, science, and the arts. Students also attend weekly music, physical education, library, art, Christian education, and Spanish classes. We strongly believe that each and every student has unique, God-given talents just waiting to be discovered, and our diverse but rigorous curriculum is designed to foster and support these talents throughout their educational journey.

4. Strong Communication

When your student becomes part of the community at St. Barnabas, so do you as their parents. We take pride in communicating clearly and regularly with our students’ parents. You can keep up with the latest through the Parent Portal on our website. Plus, our teachers are always happy to schedule an individual chat any time you have questions about your child’s performance or social well-being. Our small class sizes help make this possible, of course.

5. Values-Based Environment

Increasingly, it seems, families are looking for schools that share their values. And Christian values are absolutely the name of the game at St. Barnabas. There’s a comfort that comes with knowing that the educators your child spends their days with are passing on the same values that you live by at home.

Values are so important at St. Barnabas that we use them as our tagline: Faith. Virtue. Excellence.

We make each of these values a priority by:

• Integrating our Faith into classroom subjects, attending weekly chapel services together, and celebrating each of our God-given talents.
• Demonstrating our Virtue through good sportsmanship, fair leadership, and volunteer work within our community.
• Understanding that Excellence comes by making the most of the skills that God has given us, and by supporting one another in our unique academic and faith journeys.

At St. Barnabas, our goal is to give each student the very best chance to develop mentally, socially, and spiritually. Does a faith-based education sound like a good fit for your family? If so, contact us to schedule a tour or to learn more about the academics, values, and extracurricular activities at our private Christian school. We’d love to meet you and your family.