Access to quality education is a tenet of American culture. In every town in our country, there are public schools open to any and every child. But another great thing about our education system is that families can opt into private education should they choose. The freedom to make that choice means that families can ensure their children attend the right school to meet their individual needs. For millions of families around the country, and countless within our own community, private education is a clear choice.

There are lots of great reasons that families choose to get into homeschooling and just as many reasons they may choose to get out of it. And once you’ve made the difficult decision to enter homeschooling journey how do you know what to do next? There are plenty of different schooling options from private or public school, charter schools, and even online schooling. But which option makes your child’s transition out of homeschooling the most successful? 

A high-quality education is a vitally important factor in your children's future success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the more education one has the higher their earning potential is in adulthood. Those are powerful statistics, and one of the many reasons that we promote the value of education. But private education likes to take this a step further. We’re not only interested in creating smart, successful adults, but in guiding our students to become responsible citizens. 

Eventually, many parents come to the conclusion that switching their kids to private school is the right decision, but when is the best time to make the move? In many cases, you’ve made the choice from early on in their education and your student is able to ease right through beginning at kindergarten and on through the eighth grade. But, not all families come to private education in that manner. 

The United States has a long-standing commitment to providing public education to students no matter their income or social status. But even in a world where free education is available to all, many families still choose to pay to enroll their children in private education. Sometimes parents make that choice to honor tradition or to gain them access to a perceived elite group, but most parents choose private schools because of the quality of education provided. Data shows that students from all socioeconomic strata who attend private schools fare better in college and are more likely to earn a four-year degree. 

Every single year the world around us is changing and becoming far more technological. Consider this: the iPhone was only invented in 2007, and now nearly half of all cell phone users in the United States have iPhones. Chances are your children even have cell phones, laptops, tablets, video game consoles, and the list goes on and on. It’s doubtful that this trend will reverse itself, so if you’re not already on the technology train it’s high time to hop aboard. But how is tech impacting children’s education? There are a lot of things to consider on the subject. 

At St. Barnabas we are deeply proud of our reputation for providing high quality and engaging education for our students. Our goal is to prepare them for their academic future, and we are very successful at that. But just as much as your child’s academic learning is a priority, so too is their character development. From kindergarten through eighth grade, we weave character and spiritual development into the curriculum and see the huge benefits it has for our students. 

Where once online learning was a tool used primarily by colleges and universities, it’s now showing up in primary and secondary schools all over the country. The State of Florida even offers free access to an online curriculum called Florida Virtual School for all students (elementary through high school) in the state. And while online learning is not nearly as common as traditional schooling, there are plenty of parents who opt to enroll their children in this option. But how does online learning fit in with private education? 

We don’t have to tell you that all people learn and grow differently than one another. You can see that in the lives of your children and how they have developed. Your daughter may have learned to speak more quickly and easily, while your son became more physically coordinated at a younger age. You see examples in your own life, observing your spouse or coworkers struggle to understand or execute certain tasks that seem pretty simple to you.

Any person who decides on a career in teaching is in it for more than fame and glory. Teaching - shaping the minds and hearts of young people - is a calling, and you have to be all in to take on that job. At St. Barnabas School we are proud to have a team of incredible, dedicated teachers who add not only to the lives of our students but to the vibrancy of our community. But why would a teacher choose to join a private school faculty when they could teach elsewhere?