Wake Living (WL): What are the benefits of a private-school education?
Doreen Kelly, Ravenscroft: An independent-school education can provide an appropriately challenging curriculum taught with passion by a nurturing and knowledgeable faculty. An independent school like Ravenscroft is a community of learners who value the journey as much as the outcome. Students, teachers, parents, staff, and alumni enjoy meaningful and supportive relationships with each other, as well as with the greater community.
Kevin J. Lockerbie, St. David’s School: Many schools aim to offer a measured balance between academic rigor and character education, but the proper balance can be achieved only if the school employs teachers who can inspire. If a teacher can ignite in his or her students a genuine love of learning — as well as an understanding of the great truths of life — then those students have the potential to achieve a form of greatness, not only for themselves but for others who will benefit from their intellect, abilities, and example.
Michael S. Bailey, St. Timothy’s School: While it can differ from school to school, typically independent schools put less focus on standardized test scores, allowing schools to be creative in their approach to education and design programs to meet the needs of the target student population.
Mike Woods, Wake Christian Academy (WCA): Private schools serve the community by having a unique mission. For instance, our mission allows us to serve those who have the same educational and spiritual philosophy: to partner with the home and church to provide a Christ-centered education. This simply is not available in the public sector.
Dwight Ausley, Raleigh Christian Academy (RCA): Generally speaking, most private schools offer a smaller ratio of students to teachers. This enables teachers to offer more attention to students. Teachers also understand the significant sacrifice that parents make in sending their students to a private school, and in turn feel a greater accountability in making sure parents receive a return on their investment.
Jason D. Curtis, Cardinal Gibbons High School: Our parents cite the fact that we provide a Catholic-centered education. Families value the partnership we have with them in the formation of their children, and find that our school’s integration of faith, academics, leadership, and service closely parallels their own experience and goals.
WL: What are the biggest challenges parents face as they relate to their children’s education, and how do you recommend overcoming these challenges?
Ravenscroft: All parents want their children to be good, happy and successful, but the key is to put these in an order that best meets each family’s values. Parents should seek an educational institution that exposes children to their own values.
St. David’s: Financial challenges are a huge issue. With skyrocketing tuition costs at independent schools, it is becoming more difficult for parents to afford what private schools have to offer. Parents should make the decision early if they’re going to pass on the public-school option. Once they decide to apply, they should inquire about the school’s financial aid program.
St. Timothy’s: One challenge parents face is to make sure that the goals of the school are aligned with the talents and needs of the child. Financial considerations also are important. Is the school affordable for the family? If not, are scholarship funds or financial aid available to offset costs?
WCA: The decision of with whom a family partners for their child’s education can cause great stress upon a family, but the simple solution requires time. Parents should review the educational philosophy and curriculum of several types of schools and determine the ones that appear to be consistent with their family’s philosophy of education. They should call to schedule a formal visit during a school day, and should bring their child along. The process will be a great investment in their child’s education.
RCA: One of the biggest challenges facing parents is choosing a school that is right for their child. It is vital that parents thoroughly research all prospective choices and find the school that most closely reflects their family’s value system, as well as one that is affordable. This also is a huge challenge today, with the current economy.
Cardinal Gibbons: Students can change dramatically — particularly during high school years — and parents often find it difficult to make a school decision for their child’s current and future needs. It’s important for parents to choose a school that offers a diverse array of academic programs and co-curricular offerings.
WL: What should parents do to become more involved in their children’s education?
Ravenscroft: It’s important for parents to recognize that they are the primary educators of their child, and that they set the foundation for an important partnership with their child’s school. The best thing they can do is support the mission of the school and be willing to be a positive partner in that relationship. At Ravenscroft, we depend heavily on parent and grandparent volunteers, both in the classroom and at special events. We also provide information to parents about classroom and on-campus activities so they can fully participate.
St. David’s: Private education is a partnership. Read with your kids. Talk about current events at the dinner table. Support your children as they find and develop their respective passions. Encourage them to participate. Communication is key. We invite parents to communicate regularly with faculty and staff to ensure that students are reinforcing at home what they learn at school.
St. Timothy’s: Education is a collaborative effort between the home and school. Parents should attend conferences and back-to-school nights to become more aware of each teacher’s expectations, and should provide support to teachers to reinforce skills taught at school. They also should attend school-sponsored parent education sessions, talk about school with their children, and be willing to allow children to fail or fall short if it’s due to their own neglect of or attitude toward work. Do not do the work for them; being a helicopter parent can be detrimental to a child’s academic, social and emotional development. If a child falls short, discuss the cause, offer guidance and set guidelines on how to avoid failure in the future. In other words, help the child learn from his or her mistakes.
WCA: The key is responsibility. Parents must not abdicate their parental rights to the school, but should partner with the school to educate their child. They should see the school as assisting — not replacing — them in teaching and training their child. The responsibility of the parent is to participate: review homework, read to or with their child, help them with organizational skills, volunteer at school, or provide encouraging words.
RCA: Parents should communicate often with teachers and administrators. Stopping by after school simply to see how things are going is beneficial. Parents should monitor assignments, review upcoming projects and assist with studying as needed. Most parents today have little knowledge of what their children are studying in school. It takes time, but a little time on a nightly basis will benefit the student as well as the parent.
Cardinal Gibbons: At the high school level, a parent’s educational role changes quickly as children gain more independence, both academically and socially. Instead of doing homework together, a parent is called on to offer more context-to-classroom learning by discussing current events, applying theories to their professional lives and encouraging their child to think independently.
WL: What should parents do to get their children more excited about school?
Ravenscroft: Parents should model their own excitement about learning to their children. Learn to do something new together so that your child can watch you struggle — possibly even fail — and then succeed. The educational journey is all about discovering your passion and learning to share that passion with the world. It’s important to allow children to explore, try new things and be allowed to fail in order to build stamina.
St. David’s: Encourage your kids at an early age to try a number of activities. Don’t force them or limit them; help them find a passion for something. To achieve excellence in any discipline, parents should encourage their children to work hard toward accomplishing a specific goal. It takes discipline and hard work to be successful, but more important, it takes joy and passion. Help them find success at something, and they’ll be able to translate that success in the classroom.
St. Timothy’s: Parents should be as involved as possible in the parents’ associations of the school. These groups offer volunteer opportunities that can include helping with various activities in the classroom, field trips, or special school or classroom functions. They also should encourage their children to attend social activities and athletic events, as well as participate with other students in school-sponsored community service projects. Parents themselves should make an effort to attend performances, athletic competitions and other events in which their children are participating.
WCA: Our children get excited about what we get excited about. This might seem like a simple concept, but the truth is that when parents place a high value on something, their children generally will follow suit. The attitude parents take toward making education fun and learning creative is a great step. Participating with children by going with them to the library and choosing a topic to study will generate enthusiasm for learning.
RCA: If parents take an interest in their children’s school, athletics or extracurricular activities, then most will see their children take more of an interest in school. Parents can volunteer for school activities; many schools hire lay parents to help with coaching. This provides a wonderful opportunity for parents to be involved with their children and strengthen their relationships.
Cardinal Gibbons: If parents encourage their children to take the risk of trying out for a play or spend extra time on a service project, then they might develop a life-long passion. We encourage students to participate in a variety of activities and support their peers by attending events.
Danielle Jackson is editor of Wake Living, Fifteen501 and TriadLiving magazine.
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