Choosing Among Private Schools – Are You Asking the 12 Questions Many Parents Neglect to Ask?
My husband and I recently chose a private school for our child in Boulder County, Colorado. Looking back, we really didn’t ask all the questions we could have, to understand which private school would give our child the best school experience and the best foundation for a life of learning. Fortunately, now that we understand more about the private schools, we still feel great about our decision. If we had it to do all over again, we’d choose the same school! Not everyone, however, is so fortunate. So, I’ve put together a list of the top questions parents don’t ask! Here are some questions that can be very important, yet not everyone thinks of them when choosing a private school. As you read these questions, there may be some you would like to add to your own list of questions to ask the schools.
1. Does your school teach academics at the expense of the arts, physical development and foreign language classes? Most parents agree that academic achievement is important for success in today’s world. However, for us, a complete education includes music, drama, art, physical activity, and foreign languages. Does a school have to limit their curriculum to the “Three R’s” to support academic achievement? Fortunately, the answer is “No.” You don’t have to settle for a limited academics-only curriculum to produce high college entrance exam scores. In fact, there is evidence that certain well-rounded approaches create better results than mainstream schools, as measured by future academic achievement.