"Trust in the Lord with your whole heart and lean not on your own understanding..." - Proverbs 3:5
 No parent wants to watch their children struggle, especially not in school. And for some, the academic rigor of private school takes some getting used to. But regardless of why your child is struggling in private school, there are many ways that you can support them and encourage them toward success.
 Your kids are back in school and life has returned to a sense of normalcy after a long and busy summer. And while getting back into a routine is often a welcome change, your routine also ushers in all the old familiar stressors of the busy school year. The best way to ready your family for the big year ahead of you is to set out with intention.
 The word school evokes different feelings in different people. You may have one child who thrives in school an another who struggles to find motivation in the classroom. In larger public schools your unmotivated student can easily fall through the cracks. But in private education students of all types are seen and supported within the same classroom.
 Many families who end up sending their children to private schools know fairly early on that private education is a priority for them. Perhaps they themselves were educated in a private school setting or they are looking for a school that shares their same values. Either way, for some of these families the cost of private school may sometimes feel like a hindrance to providing their children the level of education they want.
 American families spend billions of dollars each year shopping for school supplies. From proper clothing and shoes to pens, pencils, and paper, there are a lot of items that your children need to be prepared for their next year of school. And after a summer of entertaining children at home, you may have some difficulty finding extra cash for back to school shopping.
 Over the last few years the State of Florida has seen a lot of conflict between teachers and school boards regarding pay, hours worked, and classroom size. For these reasons and others, there are more and more teachers who want to work in a private school. Private schools have many well-researched benefits for students, but the benefits for teachers are part of the fabric that makes the public school community so desirable.
“I am so glad I went to St. Barnabas!” says former student, Laura Schwanebeck. “Every single teacher I had at St. Barnabas made learning fun and fostered my desire to learn.” Schwanebeck graduated from SBES in 2006 after attending from fourth to eighth grade. Laura notes that she has always had this passion for learning, and continues to love learning new things every day. In the past twelve years, she has certainly proven this to be true.
 As our 16th President Abraham Lincoln is quoted to have said, “a capacity, and taste, for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.” The ability to read is the cornerstone of a good childhood education. While no one may ask whether or not you can do long division, reading is a requirement if you want to attend college. It is also necessary for most jobs, and leads to a more fulfilling life.
 Meet our two new teachers and be impressed by their educational histories and accolades. SBES welcomes Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Lally to our school family with thankfulness for their gifts and enthusiasm for promoting excellence in our students.
 Private education is a financial investment that some families aren’t sure about making. And while there is plenty of data to show the academic and future employment benefits of enrolling your children in private school, there are so many valuable benefits, the proof of which is often anecdotal. We talk a lot about the benefits of private education to the student, but we believe the benefits extend out to the entire family.
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