How To Pick The Right Private School For Your Child
As summer fast approaches, parents across the country are making final preparations to send their children to school in the Fall, some for the very first time. Selecting a private school can be challenging, as each institution offers unique opportunities and teaching approaches. There are large and small private schools, single-gender environments, non-denominational, and religiously affiliated schools to choose from. To make the best possible decision for your child, it is important to understand your goals in pursuing a private school education.
Before you make the final decision, you may want to prioritize some factors over others; each will add value to your process.
Academic Track Record
Visit several private schools and you will begin to get a picture of each school's academic quality and rigor. An academic program with proven results should be a priority. Knowing where each school sends their graduates is one of the ways to measure the results. It is important to understand the academic environment your son or daughter will enter.
Private School Teacher Engagement
What is the student/faculty ratio at the school? What are average class sizes? Are teachers regularly available before school and during meaningful timeframes during the day? Are the teachers regularly present at student events? The answers to these questions can often be the tipping point on whether or not to send your child to a smaller private school.
Holistic Development
Does the private school you are considering offer a broad range of well-developed activities? School-related activities are not only an important part of a child’s development, but they can also be a significant factor in later school years as they begin admissions to high schools and to colleges. Strong programs in athletics or the arts can have a major impact on the development of your child as a student, as well as significantly impact his or her ability to express his or herself and learn to play as a part of a team.
Commitment To Diversity
Exposure to diverse backgrounds and opinions will be a critical success factor in your child’s future. What is the ethnic mix of the school? And, importantly, are students of color truly integrated into the school community? Another important factor is the socio-economic diversity at the school. Where there is diversity of all types, students get an opportunity to learn about those unlike themselves, preparing them for life in our global society.
Berkeley Hall School is a private, independent, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens.
It is our goal for you to understand and embrace the value of a Berkeley Hall education.
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Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.