Fall 2019

YOUR CHILD,
YOUR CHOICE.
[ A GUIDE TO FINDING THE RIGHT SCHOOL ]
You don't have to suffer from
decision paralysis to understand
how overwhelming
looking for a school can be.
These decisions affect your family and
their future so you must plan carefully.
Before starting your search, think about
what you want a school to do for your
child. A school should inspire academic
excellence and high achievement, engage
students and spark their desire to learn,
and foster the growth and development
of the whole child. Look for a school
that will make this educational experience
the most rewarding for you and
your family.
As you go through the selection process,
make notes about what is important
to you as you consider your choices.
Remember to remain objective and try
to avoid common patterns of thinking
that can lead to biases. Don't only rely
on standardized test scores and rankings.
Try to look at the whole picture,
curriculum, programs, and teachers to
ensure the best fit for your family.
YOUR CHILD'S NEEDS
What are your child's needs? What is
their learning style? Start by making
a list of your child’s strengths and areas
of opportunities. This allows you
to determine what kind of academic,
social, and emotional environment
they need to succeed. Ask your child
for their input. Knowing what they are
passionate about can help you find a
program that will keep them motivated
in a challenging and demanding environment.
MAKE YOUR WISH LIST
Make a list of the five most important
things for your family. This list may
include things such as location, budget,
curriculum, athletics, before or
aftercare, philosophies, religious affiliations,
teaching approaches, safety
policy, or single-sex education. Whatever
is most important for your family,
write it down. Take a good look at this
list and realize that you may not find a
continued on page 7
"Many parents have a long checklist and they expect to find a school that has everything on their list. I tell
them that looking for a school is like looking for a spouse, job, or the perfect home—it’s a compromise or tradeoff.
No school will have everything that’s on your list. If you get 75% to 80% of what’s on your list, you’re doing
great. What do you do about the other 20% or 25% that’s on your list? These things you can often find outside
of school, through after-school programs, travel, volunteer opportunities, or elsewhere."
4 l PRIVATE SCHOOLS GUIDE / 2019
"
—Janyce Lastman, Education Consultant, The Tutor Group