Homeschool or Private School?

One of the main reasons many of us parents look at private schools is because we want our children to receive a religious education. I define a religious education for the purposes of this article as an education which adheres more or less to the religious beliefs which we hold dear. In other words if you are Roman Catholic, you will want to think seriously about educating your child in a Roman Catholic school.

It has been several years since I examined the data on religious schools in the National Center for Education Statistics Private School Universe Survey. This survey covers academic year 2011-2012. So I was fascinated to see that out of the 30,000 private schools in the United States approximately 21,000 were described as religiously-oriented schools. About 9,000 schools were what we call non-sectarian or not affiliated with any specific religion. By comparison there were approximately 99,000 public schools in the 2011-2012 academic year. That would mean that private K-12 schools are educating approximately 30% of school-age children.

Let's review the 25 religious categories which the Private Universe Survey documents.

Roman Catholic: The Roman Catholic Church has always taken its educational mission seriously. As a result about 7,000 K-12 schools educate 1.9 million students. Catholic schools include parochial schools which are largely K-8 schools and diocesan high schools. These schools are mostly organized and administered at the local and regional level. Add to this mix hundreds of schools which were established by

Add things up, and you’ll quickly find the answer – math is crucial both in academics and the real world.

To progress through high school to college and beyond, you better make sure your math skills are strong enough to face the gauntlet of exams, SATs, and more. Mathematics opens up career opportunities and helps students develop critical problem-solving skills that they can use for the rest of their lives.

We spoke with some experts in mathematics and learning to get some quick tips on improving your math skills. “Math is used in almost all parts of our lives, from sciences and computers to music and art,” states Tanya Mitchell, the Vice President of Research and Development for brain training company LearningRx. Tanya says that math struggles often relate to weak cognitive skills, not genetics, gender, age, or study habits. Students can uncover their weaknesses and conquer math by following these strategies and following personal training programs.

1. Write out your work.

It may be basic, but writing out your work is an essential rule to doing great math. Alison Dillard, Owner, is a huge proponent of “show your work.” “Writing out your work will help you take complicated questions and break them down into logical pieces and steps. This will cut down on careless errors, which will improve your test scores and grades. Being able to write down step-by-step how to solve a question will inherently increase your understanding of it.” Good old-fashioned pencil

Why Did You Select That School?

The decision to enroll a child in a private school is deeply personal, influenced by factors like educational philosophy, faculty expertise, and individual student needs. Some parents seek rigorous academics, while others prioritize arts programs or small class sizes. But beyond rankings and reputations, what truly matters when making this choice? By exploring the motivations behind different families’ school selections, you can gain a clearer picture of what’s most important for your own child’s success.

One of the first things a parent says when she speaks to me about private schools is something along the lines of "I want my son to go to such and such a school." When I diplomatically ask why she is interested in that specific school, the answer is usually, "because I heard it is a really good school."

• That is a starting point in determining which school your child should attend.
• However, there is much more to the process than merely expressing an interest in a school because you heard it was a good one.

So, why don't you and I work our way through that initial consultation? Hopefully, it will help you refine your private school search process. Ideally, it will help you find a school that meets your requirements as well as what your child needs to flourish and be happy.

What kind of school are you looking for?

Understanding what you are really looking

Some school administrators understand social media's power as part of their marketing strategy. Others think it is merely an adjunct to their other marketing tools. Still, others think they know how to use social media and have no clue how to use it effectively. This short article is aimed squarely at small to medium-sized private schools which cannot afford marketing staff and expensive marketing programs. My observations and suggestions are rooted in many years of observing how small to medium-sized private schools manage their marketing. Some do very well. Others don't seem to understand how to manage it.

Successful marketing at any level requires persistence and consistency. Professionals know that. Indeed that is what you are buying when you hire a professional marketing firm to design your website or handle your social media strategy. With this as our backdrop, let's explore a couple of low-cost yet effective ways in which we can make your YouTube Channel more effective.

Control it

My training and education as a classical musician and technology professional have taught me to be a control freak. I would never have dreamed of letting my choirs wander all over the place musically. I knew how I wanted a piece of music to sound. I controlled all aspects of my choristers' performance to produce the desired result. That is what you have to do with your school's YouTube channel. You will receive much free advice as you begin to post your videos. "We need a video for