How to Write a Cover Letter

Updated May 25, 2021

When you apply for a position at a private school, you need to use a slightly different approach than you would use if you were applying for a sales job somewhere.

Applying for a job at a private school is a little different from posting your resume on Monster.com, which is what you would do if you were seeking a position in the business world. In the K-12 private school employment market, you present your application materials in the format and manner set forth on each individual school's website. In other words, you customize every application you submit. One size does not fit all. Each application requires an original cover letter, not one which you have used on another application. In case you think that this detail doesn't matter, remember that dozens of other applicants, i.e., your competitors for the position, will have followed specific application instructions to the letter. And that is as it should be. Don't question a school's application instructions. Do as it asks. Of course, when you have questions, do not hesitate to call the school and ask for clarification. Most of the time schools will be happy to help.

This video shows you how to write a four-sentence cover letter.

Let's take a look behind the scenes. I screened applications and interviewed candidates for almost two decades. My company did not specify a format for applying. It used Monster.com to find candidates who seemed to have the qualifications and experience which we were seeking. But I was always amazed, and sometimes shocked, by the resumes and the occasional

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Applications - The Parent's Statement

Updated November 30, 2021

by Robert Kennedy

Part of most school's admissions package is something called the Parent's Statement. We take a look at this document and offer advice on how to complete it.

I wrote this article and its companion article Applications - The Candidate's Statement to explain how to understand and complete these important forms. The problem with these parts of the application is that they require you and your child to express your thoughts in your own words. You won't be able to check any boxes to select from prepared answers. You will have to write out responses to the school's questions in any way you choose.

David Petersam of Admissions Consultants offers some tips in the following video. While he targets colleges admissions, the advice is quite sound for private high school admissions.

Many schools require a statement from the applicant's parents. After all, you probably know your child better than anybody. The school also wants to know what your concerns and educational objectives are. The goal here is to make sure that everybody's expectations are the same. For example, if you want your son to play on a varsity hockey team and the school offers limited hockey time, you need to deal with that before you decide to send your son to that school. Perhaps your daughter finds math challenging. You will want to point that out so that the school can discuss how it might deal with that concern.

The following questions posed by McCallie School and The Hun School are fairly typical of what you will encounter as you prepare

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Roman Catholic Boarding Schools

Updated November 30, 2021

by Robert Kennedy

These Roman Catholic boarding schools offer good value, great educations and a faith-based community experience.

Educating the young has been a mission of the Roman Catholic Church for as long as anybody can remember. While curricula and teaching methods have changed dramatically over the years, one thing is immutable: these schools do a great job educating their students as evidenced by the very high percentage of their graduates who go on to colleges and universities all over the country, indeed, around the world. With many other boarding schools charging $55,000-65,000 for their services, these boarding schools offer good value as such things go. A couple of schools are single sex schools. The rest are co-educational institutions.

Roman Catholic orders such as the Jesuits or Salesians which specialize in teaching run many of these schools. The standards are high. Most schools have uniform or dress codes. Core values are also taught together with plenty of instruction in the Catholic faith. These Catholic schools produce graduates whose solid spiritual and academic foundations anchor them for advancement in later life.

Check out the profiles of these schools. Many of them also take day students, so if you live in the area, you can have the best of both worlds.

Canterbury School, New Milford, CT
Grades 9-12
350 students
Coed

"The Canterbury experience is a rich one for both boarding and day students, and the community is made more diverse by students from around the globe. Through an active community service program our students and faculty are constantly involved in serving others outside the Canterbury community."

Chaminade

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Free Schools

Updated February 26, 2020

by Robert Kennedy

There are but a few free private schools in the United States. Most of them were founded by visionary, community-minded individuals who believed that children from working class and poor families should have the same educational advantages as children from families with money.

There are only a handful of free private schools in the United States. Most of them were founded many years ago by visionary, community-minded individuals who believed that children from working class and poor families should have the same educational advantages as children from families with money. The impact these schools have had on society is enormous. The benefits to thousands of students and their families are priceless.

As you read about these schools and watch the videos, remember that all of these schools believe very emphatically that an education does not consist solely of academics. Each of these schools understands that a child needs nurturing and counselling so that he can make the most of the opportunities before him. These schools expect the child's family to be involved. His education is a partnership of three: home, school and student. That's what it takes to provide the solid foundation a child needs in order to succeed in his adult life.

De Marillac Academy, San Francisco, is an example of the very best sort of educational initiative sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. Established by Daughters of Charity and De La Salle Christian Brothers the school provides tuition free schooling for middle school age children in one of San Francisco's poorest neighborhoods. More about the mission of the Academy here.

The key to De Marillac's ability to accomplish its mission is the Academy's

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Do You Know....?

Updated May 04, 2021

by Robert Kennedy

If you know the answers to all these questions, you probably teach or work in a private school. Be that as it may, these questions contain links with the answers.

Do you know....? If you know the answers to all these questions, you probably teach or work in a private school. Be that as it may, these questions contain links with the answers. Test your knowledge. Dispel some urban legends about private schools. Do you know....?

the five things critics love to hate about private schools?
that private schools have become quite diverse?
that not every Montessori school is the real thing?
that there are free private schools?
that private school may be free if you make less than $75,000?
that 8th graders in 1895 had to take a final exam like this?
how to evaluate a private school?
how to avoid common mistakes during your admissions interview?
how to pay for private school?
how to find a private school job?
what the research says about single-sex education?
what private school teachers make?
what is being taught in private schools?
what the difference is between an independent and a private school?
when to apply to private school?
where to find scholarships?
when you should consider a special needs school?
where you can use cellphones and iPods in school?
which school is best for your child?
which school is the most expensive?
which school Malia and Sasha Obama are attending in Washington?
why there is no ranking of private schools?
why you should send your child to a private school versus a public school?
why small classes are better than large ones?
why AP courses are worth

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