First and foremost, if faith is central to your life and the life of your family, consider a private school that shares the same religious and spiritual values that you do. Your children spend a lot of time at school and it is a great opportunity to continue to weave lessons of faith and virtue into their lives. Even if you don’t have a specific religious affiliation, but you want your child to grow up with values like kindness and generosity, you’ll find that these values are heavily focused on in Christian, private education.
Importance of Play
There is a great deal of research that speaks to the importance of play for the mental and emotional development of your children. Play is a stress reducer and a great opportunity for your children to learn important skills like sharing and conflict resolution. With more and more focus on testing in public schools, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of play that children are allotted during the regular school day. Consider play when choosing the right school for your children.
Community Engagement and Activism
When living in a small community like DeLand there are lots of opportunities for families to support local charities, engage with local issues, and learn about civic and community engagement. Placing your children in a school that is actively engaged in the local community will enhance your child’s awareness of important issues and provide key community service opportunities that will serve them as they begin applying to colleges.
Creative Arts and Music
Along with play and physical education, the creative arts and music have been stripped from many public schools in exchange for more test preparation. When choosing the right school for your children consider arts education. While your child may grow up to be a scientist or an accountant, research shows that arts and music education enhance their learning in other subjects. Additionally, people who study music and art at a young age develop confidence and poise which benefit them greatly in adult life.
When selecting the right school for your children it’s important to consider many different factors, from the rigor of their core academic classes to the other values and skills that he or she will encounter during the school year. Call our Admissions Office to learn more of the benefits of private education.