The Importance of Visiting Private Schools

This time of year, you may be considering private schools for your child’s continued education. There are so many options out there, but it’s important not to go by brand name only. Just because a school is well-known, doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your child. Many parents get caught up in applying to the most competitive schools because they believe that’s the best way to set their child up for a successful future. However, you may be placing your child in a position in which they feel way over their head, and they may end up struggling to keep up with the other students.

There are so many excellent private schools in Massachusetts, and there’s one out there that will allow your child to grow into a successful learner. You need to seek out a wide variety of options that allow your child to feel that they will be safe, supported, and comfortable. Any private school will push your child academically, so there’s no need to worry about that. Instead, focus on the other elements of what the school has to offer to find the best fit for your child’s specific needs.

Now is the time to visit private schools, because only by physically placing yourself and your child in the school’s environment will you be able to truly know if this may be where your child will thrive. When you visit schools, here are some things to consider:

• What is the ambiance of the school? How do the adults interact with children?
• How does the school accommodate different learning styles as well as students with special needs? How does this school support students with academic, social or emotional difficulties?
• What is their teaching methodology? Do teachers work by themselves with students in small groups or do they work in teams to teach larger groups?
• How does this school encourage and monitor students’ progress toward meeting academic standards?
• How does this school use technology to support teaching and learning?
• While visiting, parents can look for student work on the walls and in display areas, including writing samples and other evidence of literacy projects and artwork. Displays that feature work samples of the students allow parents to see beyond test scores and decide what the children are learning and how they are learning.
• Parents can ask about faculty turnover. 10-20 % turnover will occur in most schools due to retirements and people moving on, but telltale signs of potential problems would be a high rate of turnover (40% or higher). A school that treats its faculty well will have a low turnover rate.
• What professional development opportunities do teachers have? In what ways do teachers collaborate?
• Look at the school’s facilities and infrastructure. Basic features that a school must have include a well-equipped library with a good collection of books and periodicals, a separate lunchroom, auditorium or large classroom for meetings and presentations, and adequate physical education facilities.
• How often are textbooks and classroom materials reviewed and updated? Is the library/media center well-equipped and organized? Can children regularly check out books and use the center’s resources?
• How does the school communicate with parents? How does this school inform parents of school information and activities?
• How many applicants are typically received for how many open seats? Another way to ask this is: what percentage of the applicant pool are offered enrollment? The higher the ratio, the more competitive enrollment will be at that school. This should help you decide how many schools you’ll need to apply to in order to get a spot for your child the upcoming year.
• What is their application policy? What selection criteria do they use? To which colleges were last year’s graduates accepted?
• What is their student attrition like? This should give you a good idea of how happy other families were with this school.
• What are some of the school’s greatest accomplishments? What are some of the biggest challenges this school faces?
• How does the school determine student placement in classes? How does the school guide and prepare students for academic decisions that define their options in high school and beyond?

The importance of visiting private schools is a great one when considering your child’s future academic success.