Private School Review Blog

The nation got a new Suicide Hotline on July 16, 2022. All somebody has to do is dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Source: 988 * Suicide and Crisis Lifeline*

Before we discuss suicide in more detail, please print out the logo above and pin it to your kitchen noticeboard. Then, tell your children what 988 is and what it is used for, so they can help somebody in need the same way they do by knowing how and when to call 911.

This video explains how the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline number works.

Suicide: The Subject Nobody Wants To Talk About

Suicide knows no age limits. It is shocking and tragic no matter how or when it occurs. It scatters guilt widely as the friends and loved ones of the deceased wonder what they could have done to prevent somebody from taking her life. What subtle warning signs did

We see the never-ending reporting about school shootings. They occur in places we may have visited. We may even have friends and relatives whose lives have been impacted by this violence that seems endemic in our society. But that could never happen in our children's school, or could it?

Safety is at the top of the list of concerns for parents and students. Harassment, bullying, and COVID are all still concerns, but shootings have unnerved people in every age group and walk of life. It seems as though no public place is safe anymore.

Preparing for emergencies is an ongoing process—even if a school (public or nonpublic) is at a high state of readiness for an emergency, there will still be a need for continued security, safety, and emergency management. Source: REMSTA (Readiness & Emergency Management for Schools)

Prevention

Preventing incidents from happening requires action from you and your children's school. You are partners in keeping young people safe.

The Parent's Obligation

• Understand the measures your school has put in place to prevent incidents from occurring.
• Discuss these measures regularly with your children.
• Teach your children to be situationally aware.
• Keep your lines of communication open and relaxed, so your children will tell you about anything and everything.
• Keep your phone charged with the school's emergency alert application configured to notify you anytime.
• Monitor your local weather conditions as emergencies can include severe storms, tornadoes, and flash floods.
• Teach your children how to call 911 for help.
• Teach your children how to alert

Deciding whether a private school is the right fit for your child comes with plenty of questions. How much does it cost? What benefits do private schools offer? How do financial aid and scholarships work? Parents deserve clear and reliable answers, and that’s exactly what this article provides. Whether you’re new to private education or looking for deeper insights, this FAQ guide will equip you with the knowledge you need.

One of our parental prerogatives is to worry about our children.

• That's because your child never came with an instruction manual.
• As a result, you have had to learn so many things about parenting simply by being a parent.
• No matter, worry is part of the parental landscape.
• If you are considering sending your child off to a private school, your worries will be pretty specific.
• Probably along the lines of the following questions.

*Many parents find the concept of sending a child to boarding school upsetting; a child's adolescence is such a distinctively affective period that entrusting it to others seems wrong. Yet boarding schools prosper, successors to institutions dating to medieval times. Source:* *Forbes.com*

Will my child be safe?

Private schools take your child's safety very seriously.

• Contractually a private school functions in loco parentis.
• This is a legal way of stating that the school acts in the place of the parent.
• When it comes to supervision of its students, the school looks after every student including

In this imaginary conversation based on actual questions I have answered over the years, a parent who is thinking about sending her four-year-old to a private school asks me various questions.

Why would I want to send my child to a private school?

We had several requirements when looking at private schools for our daughters. Small class size was a major requirement. The other was academic content. Our eldest daughter was one of the first students in a newly-opened parochial school. Her class had 12 students, which afforded her plenty of individual attention. The entire school population was less than 100 students.

We also were concerned about what she would be taught. She read above her grade level, enjoyed reading, and drawing. There were no video games, tablets, or cellphones to distract her in those days. Her teachers never held her back academically or intellectually. On the contrary, they built a strong foundation that strengthened learning in the primary grades.

What grade? Primary? High school?

Our daughters went to PK private schools. It was a happy experience for them and us because the schools were small and well-run. Then both girls had a few years in public schools in rural Northwestern Connecticut. We quickly discovered that those schools had terrific, experienced teachers with limited academic curricula. Consequently, we decided to send both girls off to boarding school. Their age difference of five years afforded us some relief from paying two tuition bills. And we weren't constantly driving them

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Welcoming new students is one of the most important components of marketing your school. First impressions shape not only student satisfaction but also retention, parent advocacy, and long-term enrollment growth. Financial costs and school comparisons remain key considerations for families, but increasingly, the quality of the transition experience plays a decisive role.

According to recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics, private school families are placing greater emphasis on communication, personalization, and student support than in previous years. Schools that create a structured and engaging welcome process are better positioned to build trust early and strengthen their reputation.

Things You Should Consider and Compare

Depending on where families live, local schooling options can compare to private schools in several ways. Nearby schools may offer strong academics and extracurricular opportunities. However, the onboarding and community experience often differentiates private schools.

If you are evaluating how your school presents itself to new families, compare these important considerations:

• Attention to students - smaller class sizes help teachers engage every student in the classroom.
• Quality of faculty - many private school teachers hold advanced degrees in their subject areas.
• Quality of resources - facilities, libraries, arts programs, and athletics are often significant differentiators.
• Challenging academics - students are encouraged to question and engage deeply with material.
• Broad and diverse offerings - AP courses, specialized programs, and extracurriculars remain central.
• College counseling - strong advising programs continue to be a major value point.