The
BEST
Private School for Your Child
Private schools offer affordable and outstanding education for kids of all economic classes . Here are some tips to find the right one .
BY OLYA FESSARD
YOU HAVE YOUR REASONS FOR THINKING ABOUT sending your child to a private school . Maybe your child has special needs that you feel the public school system cannot provide . Perhaps you ’ re less than satisfied with the academic achievements or the safety records of the public schools where you live . Maybe you attended private school , and you want your children to enjoy the same experience .
No matter what the reasons are that you ’ ve decided to enroll your child into private school , the fact remains that deciding which school to send your child to is a tough decision . With so many schools from which to choose , the matter of selecting a school is not simple by any standards .
First you need to identify and prioritize your needs . After you ’ ve narrowed your list , you ’ ll want to set up school visits and interviews . Deciding on that final school can be very much a two-way street between your family and the private school . After interviews with the schools , you ’ ll need to revise your school list again , so that you can make that final decision as offers to enroll your child come in . We urge you to keep notes throughout to avoid confusion .
Step I :
Identify Your Needs
It ’ s important to work out your child ’ s needs and your family ’ s needs before you ever set foot onto a private school ’ s campus . Why ?
Because comparing most private schools can be like comparing apples to oranges . They offer such different strengths that it doesn ’ t make sense to compare them in a vacuum . You need to consider instead which school is the best fit for you . An analogy would be that it makes more sense to figure out what you need a new car for before you step onto the car lot . Otherwise , you might end up with a beautiful car but it may not be practical for your current needs . While discussing your requirements , segregate every requirement on the basis of practical , desired , and extra curricular elements as follows :
Practical requirements
These needs must be met . No matter how wonderful a private school may be in other aspects , if it cannot meet your practical requirements , then you must rule that school out as a possibility . Consider :
• How far must the child travel back and forth to school ? Will there be a need for transportation or does the school provide transportation ?
• Is there a need for before- or after-school care and at what cost ?
• Does your child have any physical , emotional , linguistic , or learning needs that require special attention ?
• Does the school fit within your budget or will it be too difficult ?
• Must you have certain components in place at a private school before you ’ ll consider it ? For example , do you want a specific religion to be a part of your child ’ s education ?
With practical elements , you ’ ll usually find that they rule out schools pretty quickly for you . After you work through your practical elements , use them as a filter to come up with schools that would at least work on a practical level for your family .
Desired requirements
It ’ s important that you keep these desired requirements “ front and center ” so you don ’ t get swayed by other aspects of a private school . After you ’ ve ruled out any practical requirements , this is how you ’ ll truly know which schools are in your short-list . For desired elements , consider :
• Is college preparation a priority ? Some parents look for science curriculum and some want a top music program .
• Are modern school facilities important to you ?
• Does your child need small school environment , or a large school ?
• Do you want a school with several
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