Articles

By: Kate Copsey
Beaconcast.com
Published on: 02/04/08

Opting for a private school for your child is an investment in their future. Picking the wrong school is not just an expensive mistake, but it can also result in unnecessary stress and frustration for the child.

Traditionally, the model for private education was geared to educational prowess and college entry. Only the academically bright child was admitted and the price was steep. The day started at 7:30 or 8 in the morning, and finished at 3:30 or 4 in the afternoon — no exceptions. And, as was the case in public schools, how they operated was as inflexible as their hours.

Those who needed something that the traditional public and private schools could not offer had only one option and that was to home school. Increasingly though, the private educational options for a child has broadened to include flexible schedules and programs adapted to the specific needs of the student.

When choosing a school for your child, Bridget Eaton-Partalis, president of Eaton Academy, says that “parents should consider the following: academic content, Is the school the right setting for social and emotional development of your child?, enrichment offered and financial cost.” The weight given to these considerations will be different for each family.

Academic Content
For traditional private high schools, such as Blessed Trinity High School, the academics are strong, and borderline B/C-grade students will not be accepted. Elementary schools are less concerned with academics for the youngest students accepted, but they frequently do not have the facilities to support failing students in later years.

Curriculum at the grade school level is relatively consistent whether you look at Christian schools, Catholic Schools or any other private school, but there are some differences in the method of teaching that does occur. Some, like Alpharetta Christian School, use the Beka system to teach phonics, and the High Meadows School uses the International Baccalaureate syllabus as its’ base. St. Francis puts the emphasis on writing and they teach three language arts classes each day to get a firm grounding in reading, grammar and creative writing. Headmaster Drew Buccellato thinks “writing is a process.” He says students “need to write and they need to read to see other styles.”