Approximately 5.7 million students out of the 56.4 million students in the United States were projected to attend private schools in Fall 2020. If you’re looking to send your child to a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, you want to be sure that the school you choose will support your child’s social and emotional development and provide them with a comfortable learning environment where they can succeed. The middle school years are especially difficult for students, which means it’s incredibly important to find a school that will assist your child throughout the process academically, socially, and emotionally.
With the right school, this transition period between elementary and high school can be the perfect opportunity for your child to develop lifelong skills, a love for learning, and the ability to advocate for themselves. In this brief article, we’ll review a few questions you should ask yourself when choosing the best Clearwater private school for your child.
Related: Why Middle School Students Benefit From A Private Education
This question encompasses everything the private middle school does when it comes to academics, including the standards, curriculum, instructional strategies, and college readiness. At Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, this comes in the form of our high school prep program, complete with our algebra preparation curriculum, our study skills division, and our writing prep program — all of which serve to provide our students with the foundational skills and academic confidence they need to succeed in high school and beyond. Each of our students benefits from daily structured homework assistance and tutoring time as well as accelerated writing instruction.
You’ll also want to get an idea of how your child’s school aligns their educational programs, classes, and units with their strategically designed curriculum. Lakeside Christian School uses data-driven instruction, which means that your child receives an entirely customized educational plan that will work to either propel them forward or eliminate academic gaps.
This question refers to the environment or culture of the school in which learning takes place and includes a number of factors, such as class size, the emotional and physical safety provided to students, involvement with the local community, administration, and diversity. You want to know that the private middle school you’ve chosen is capable of handling disruptive behavioral incidents, bullying, and other threats to your child’s education. This means finding an environment where your child can be accepted, valued, and supported by their teachers and peers.
At Lakeside Christian School, we provide a safe place for your child to learn and demonstrate the biblical principles of loving God by fostering warm and respectful relationships among our staff members and between staff members and students. We’re constantly seeking to give back and strengthen our relationship with the community that God has given us, and we believe in providing a healthy environment where your child can feel accepted by their community.
Related: Social Benefits Of A Small School Environment
Private middle schools do much more than develop the academic abilities of their students; they also provide extensive opportunities for students to pursue their passions, broaden their horizons, and showcase their skills. You’ll want your student to be exposed to a wide variety of these opportunities for development, including athletic programs, fine arts programs, and extracurricular activities. Lakeside Christian School offers a number of athletic programs to this end, including junior high football, volleyball, cross county, cheerleading, softball, and more.
Learn more about the top Clearwater private school and the importance of choosing the best private middle school for your child by talking with an administrator from Lakeside Christian School.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
If you’re considering sending your child to a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, you’re probably wondering how you can narrow down your list of three or four schools to the private school that best suits your child. While you can certainly conduct your fair share of research through reading the school catalog or magazine, visiting their Facebook page, browsing their website, or watching promotional videos, you’re going to get the greatest amount of information from a visit or tour of the school. This is where you’ll be able to witness the teachers in action, get a feel for the community, speak to students, get a clear look at the campus, and ask some important questions. In this article, we’ve compiled three factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not you should tour your child’s potential private school.
Related: 3 Benefits of Touring Private Schools Before Enrollment
It’s no secret that class size and student-to-teacher ratios can drastically affect the quality of your child’s education. What’s great about many private schools is that while public school class sizes tend to range from 25 to 30 students, most private schools tend to keep their class sizes closer to an average of 10 to 15 students. For example, the students at Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater private school, benefit from a highly-focused, small school setting that allows students to engage with their teachers on a more personal level.
Taking a tour of the school is a great opportunity to get insight into what the class size and student-to-teacher ratio is like for current classes, whether they endorse individualized learning, or if teaching assistants are being utilized. Especially for larger classes, it may be worth asking how they foster a sense of community within the classroom and the school as a whole.
While many private schools accept students from a number of different academic backgrounds, some may prefer students with a specific focus in a subject area, such as math or the arts. Private schools also may tend to lean towards students that can become active members of the student body through extracurricular activities, such as athletics and theater. During your tour of the school, you ask what kind of students the school is currently looking for, what kind of academic interest do they typically have, and what interests or goals do they pursue outside of academics. It’s best to send your child to school in which they can blend seamlessly with the student body, academically and socially, rather than have to try and adjust their academic focus or goals for the purpose of fitting in.
Related: 4 Important Questions to Ask During a Private School Tour
Private school curriculum is established by the individual school rather than the state, which means private schools are permitted to shape their curriculum around the lessons and values that they deem most important. Some focus on promoting skills to help students succeed after high school, while others promote spiritual and cognitive growth through the incorporation of biblical lessons. During a school tour, you’ll be given the opportunity to get a greater understanding of the school’s curricular approach and how it aligns with your child’s learning style.
Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, prepares our students for college and career with aligned curriculum. This means that all assessments, lessons, and textbooks are matched to meet the standards, and the student’s knowledge is able to build on itself naturally as they go along. To decide the best curriculum for your child, it’s important to conduct the necessary research, tour the school, and consider your child’s unique needs and learning style.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater private school, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Step Up For Students is a state-approved nonprofit scholarship funding organization that provides five different types of scholarships for Florida school children in need. The goal of these scholarships is to assist lower-income families with providing their children with the most appropriate learning options. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) can both be used towards private school tuition and fees.
More than 1,784 private schools throughout the State of Florida participate in the scholarship, and qualifying families are free to choose the school they feel will work best for their child. If you’re searching for a private school that participates in Step Up For Students in Clearwater, FL, look no further than Lakeside Christian School. We accept all students from the local Clearwater area whose parents qualify for the scholarship and provide them with the process, program, and tools necessary to accelerate their learning far beyond the normal pace of mainstream education.
Related: What is the #1 Step Up for Students Participating School in Clearwater, FL?
Part of why Lakeside Christian School is so proud to participate in the Step Up For Students scholarship program is because it allows our school to meet the intent of our mission and purpose statements: to fully equip our students for life by providing a high-quality education. We apply the highest standards upon our faculty and staff and constantly seek to improve our professional skills so that we may better educate students of differing educational abilities and backgrounds.
When your child graduates from Lakeside Christian School, you can be confident that they will be:
Related: Additional Benefits to Enrolling in Step Up For Students Participating Schools in Clearwater, FL
Lakeside Christian School, one of the Step Up For Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, divides elementary, middle, and high school into three divisions: the Accelerated Learning Division, the Rigorous Academic Division, and the College Prep Division. Each of these divisions is accompanied by unique, accelerated learning programs designed to provide students with college and career readiness. Whether you’re interested in making sure your elementary school student develops into a competent reader or looking to ensure that your high school student has the skills necessary to succeed in college, Lakeside Christian School is the place for you. If you’re interested in learning more about how we challenge all of our students to achieve their academic and personal goals, give us a call.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the Step Up For Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
The power of an effective teacher is something all of us have experienced at least once in our lifetime. In fact, you’ve likely had a number of teachers who inspired you, genuinely cared about your education, and pushed you towards achieving your personal and academic goals. Years of research on the subject have shown that effective teachers not only change the way students feel about school but directly impact student achievement.
At Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater private school, we believe in employing teachers who demonstrate all of the qualities that both parents and students wish to see in an effective teacher. These are the educators who hold high expectations for their students, themselves, and their classroom as a whole.
Related: Effective Educators
First and foremost, we believe that it is of the utmost importance for a middle school teacher to connect with their students. This positive relationship will be the deciding factor in whether or not your student feels comfortable in the classroom and is likely to actively participate in class. Without a solid relationship between the students and the teacher built on respect and trust, no quality learning will occur within the classroom.
Teachers that are passionate about teaching and regularly express this enthusiasm in how they perform their job are more likely to inspire students to be excited about what they are learning. The more motivated a teacher is about their job and the subject area they’re covering, the more students are going to strive towards achieving their academic goals.
Related: Superb Teachers Showcase These 3 Qualities
The number one thing effective middle school teachers do to improve their teaching is to incorporate the feedback they receive from students into their lessons. By learning what activities and methods of delivery work best for their students, teachers get better at designing lesson plans that engage their students to participate and retain the information they have learned.
Finally, we believe that an effective middle school teacher is accommodating to the needs of their students. This means they understand the strengths and weaknesses of each student and encourage their success in the classroom by making the appropriate adaptations or modifications to the instruction or classroom activities.
When you send your student to Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, you can be rest assured knowing that all of our teachers have all of these qualities and more. We only employ professional Christian educators who desire to give every student the solid education they deserve.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, the best private middle school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
The transition between elementary and middle school is a complex process for all stakeholders involved, including students and parents alike. Young adolescents are propelled into a new environment while they are changing mentally and physically. Having a mentor for your middle school student helps provide support during this process and enhances their academic success.
At Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, we believe in providing our students with mentors with whom they can form a relationship built on honesty and trust. Students deserve an advocate who they can turn to with any problems they may be facing academically or otherwise. Many of our teachers serve in either the Lakeside Community Chapel youth group or the church’s Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed (AWANA) program, where students can attend and have the opportunity to be mentored by one of their teachers. Read below about how a mentoring relationship can benefit your middle school student.
Related: Why Middle School Students Benefit From a Private Education
Middle school students with mentors are more likely to engage in the process of self-reflection in which they can assess their current strengths and weaknesses and areas of their life they need to devote more time to. One of our students, Heather, expressed the following during Mentoring Month about her experience as a mentee:
“Meeting with Kayla on a regular basis has allowed for her help keeping me accountable on things that I need to work on in my life. Her mentoring has also provided a wonderful relationship between us where I know I can go to her with anything and she would be more than willing to provide godly advice.”
Accountability, as Heather discussed, is one of the most important aspects of mentoring as students meet with their mentors to set personalized short- and long-term goals and strategies to achieve these goals. The set of skills involved in assessing their progress and strategizing how they will achieve their goals are the same skills necessary for success later in their academic career in high school and college.
Related: Why Maintaining Your Child’s GPA in Middle School Is Vital to Their Development
On a broader scope of behavior benefits, middle school students are more likely to experience a myriad of social-emotional development benefits when they regularly meet with a mentor:
In addition to higher rates of school attendance, research has found that mentored students are fifty-two percent more likely to stay in school and also complete more homework assignments than students without mentors. This is due to the fact that mentors help to combat many of the barriers to academic achievement, such as insufficient academic preparation and chronic absenteeism. Instead, mentors bolster the success of students’ development by providing access to a number of support systems located within the community as well as the skills necessary for the development of non-cognitive skills like perseverance and teamwork.
If you are concerned about your child’s transition between elementary and middle school, it’s time to invest their future. As one of the best private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, we are committed to making the transition process as seamless as possible by providing resources such as mentorship and small class sizes.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the best private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Contrary to popular belief, people from all income levels can enjoy the benefits of private school. In fact, there are thousands of young students in private schools that come from middle-to-low income households. You might be wondering how these students and their families can afford the cost of private school, which, according to Private School Review, costs “approximately $8,878 per year.” The answer is simple. There is plenty of help out there for those who take the time to explore options for funding assistance.
One of the best routes to getting into the private school system is through scholarships. For example, Lakeside Christian School accepts several Step Up For Students scholarships, like the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship. However, this is far from the only way to support your child’s education. There are an abundance of privately sponsored contests to help children get additional funding for tuition, supplies, and other essentials. Below, we have listed four different contests for your gifted youth to apply to. If you want to transition your child to a Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL, contact Lakeside Christian School to schedule a tour.
Held by the Nicodemus Wilderness Project, this project is officially recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They have been holding this competition for over two decades, inspiring young children to be more involved in cleaning and maintaining the purity of the world around them. Find more information about the initiative here.
Open to all ages, this competition held by Blue Mountain Arts is a great way for your child to express themselves creatively for a chance to win a prize. There is no age restriction, and contestants can enter as often as they want to try to win the $350 first prize (or the $200 second prize or $100 third prize). Contests are encouraged to submit an original poem about “real emotions and feelings.”
One Earth Film Festival holds this annual competition, which features separate categories for elementary and middle school students.. They pick one of the preselected themes and make a short video about them in order to win up to 400 dollars in prize money and grants and to be featured in the festival.
Like the earlier contest held by Blue Mountain, this contest’s name is indicative of its rules. Children from middle schools are asked to carefully ponder a quote from Judge Jackson during the infamous trial of defeated Nazi leaders at Nuremberg and ask a series of philisophical questions. There can only be one 500 word (or less) essay per entrant. Winners can receive up to 250 dollars.
As you can see, every child can enter a contest best suited to their skills and knowledge, from the aspiring poetto to the young filmmaker or historian and everywhere in between. Here at Lakeside Christian School, we pride ourselves in supporting all students, no matter what their passions are. If you’re looking for the best quality education in Clearwater, look no further!
If you would like to learn more about Christian middle schools in Clearwater, FL, like Lakeside Christian School, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
The decision to send your child to a private school will have an incredible and long-lasting impact on their education and future. All that’s left is to pick a school. Should be easy, right? Not exactly.
There are 101 private schools in Pinellas County, each offering their own unique take on education and many of which are in the City of Clearwater. Narrowing this down to a single choice will be no easy task for parents. In this brief article, we’re going to help you narrow down your options until you’re left with only the private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, that are right for your child.
Narrowing down your school choices will be easy once you decide what type of school you want your child to attend. As stated in an article published by the Tampa Bay Times, “The choices include religious schools, independent and secular schools, and schools for students with disabilities or special needs in every grade level. Some are a combination of all of the above.” You will need to carefully consider your child’s needs and decide which program is right for them. We encourage you to research all available options and to visit schools when possible. At Lakeside Christian School, we love hearing from new families and are always happy to give a tour of our private middle school in Clearwater, FL.
You’ll also need to take into account your child’s age and grade level when looking at private schools in the greater Clearwater region. A number of outstanding schools, such as the many private high schools in the area, only serve certain grades. At Lakeside Christian School, we teach kindergarten classes all the way up to 12th-grade courses. If you are struggling to find a school that will welcome your middle schooler and guide them through the remainder of their school years, consider a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, that teaches grades K-12.
We might be a little bit biased here, but we think that Lakeside Christian School is the best private middle school in Clearwater, FL. But don’t take our word for it. We encourage you to peruse through the list of top Clearwater private schools put together by Private School Review. You’ll find that we have a sterling five-star rating and place among the top 20 percent of private schools in all of Florida. We are accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and we welcome families to compare our school to others until they find the choice that’s right for them. If you are looking to narrow down your choices of private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, look no further than Lakeside Christian School.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Students entering middle school will experience an assortment of social, spiritual, and academic challenges at a time when they are still figuring out who they are and whom they are going to be. Whether public or private, the school your child attends will be crucial for determining how well they navigate these situations. In this article, we discuss why private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, are the clear choice for parents who want the best for their teen and preteen children.
To say that middle school is socially challenging for students would be an understatement. As Psychology Today puts it: “At least during the first year or two of middle school, most students go through times of feeling socially insecure and emotionally vulnerable.” They may experience a whirlwind of emotions, including self-doubt, embarrassment, loneliness, jealousy, and anger.
It is during this delicate time that your child will become more independent as they distance themselves from childhood. At Lakeside Christian School, a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, we take these challenges seriously and strive to provide students with the tools they need to successfully navigate situations like these and come into their own as strong, capable leaders.
Middle schools lay the groundwork for whom children will become. Academics must focus on college-readiness during this time. Remember, it’s never too early to prepare students for the coursework and subjects they will be studying in high school and beyond. By the time other schools address preparation gaps in high school, it’s already too late. Students who fall behind are far less likely to be prepared later in life, which is why we use the following college and career readiness checklist to eliminate preparation gaps:
If you fear that your child is falling behind, schedule a tour at our private middle school in Clearwater, FL.
Smaller class sizes are one of the most well-known advantages that private schools have over public schools. It’s true; public schools can’t compete when it comes to the individualized attention that our private school teachers can give. As mentioned above, your child will be facing an assortment of social challenges. A private school can provide them with the guidance they need to develop into a fully functioning adult.
At Lakeside Christian School, our team of effective educators can instill in your growing child the lessons they need to thrive. Small class sizes allow them to address students as individuals, not as a crowd, and data-driven instruction allows teachers to highlight problem areas and spotlight accomplishments that would have gone unnoticed in a public school setting. Feel free to contact us and discover how your middle schooler can become a Lakeside Christian School Lion.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the best private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
In this two-part article, we are discussing data compiled by national education organizations regarding the high rate of success of private schools at preparing students for college criteria. Although a high school education is extremely important, college readiness actually begins well before high school. The most critical years for learning development are from Kindergarten through 8th Grade.
At Lakeside Christian School, we provide educational programs for elementary school, middle school, and high school. If you are interested in learning more about how your children can achieve academic excellence at a Christian elementary school in Clearwater, FL, please contact a school representative today.
As we discussed in the first part of this article, there are several benefits to enrolling your children in a private school setting including:
There’s also statistical evidence that showcases that a private school curriculum can help students prepare and excel at standardized testing.
There are a number of recent studies that support that private school students either meet or exceed the benchmark scores for several important standardized tests. In a 2016 study of the College Board’s SAT assessment, private school students greatly surpassed the national mean score for the most common collegiate standardized test. Similarly, according to data compiled by American College Testing (ACT), private school students performed exceptionally well in their 2012 assessment. If you are interested in learning more about these studies or reviewing other studies related to private school success rates, please visit the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) website.
Whether it’s a better academic learning environment, improved student/teacher ratio, more challenging curriculum, daily tutoring opportunities, or other excellent resources to cultivate your child’s academic preparation, Lakeside Christian School is committed to providing students with the opportunity to achieve academic excellence.
If you would like to learn more about a prestigious Clearwater, FL, Christian school, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Several studies within the last decade support the fact that students that attend private schools are more prepared to take on college coursework. Furthermore, they are more likely to graduate with a four-year degree. In this two-part article, we will discuss relevant data compiled from several studies on this topic. We will also discuss many of the benefits of enrolling your children in one of the best private schools in Clearwater, FL.
At Lakeside Christian School, we offer a highly comprehensive college preparation program that provides elementary, middle school, and high school students with core academic preparation, daily tutoring sessions, homework assistance, and small class sizes that focus on the individual needs of each and every student.
There are several reasons to enroll your child in a private school that benefit both your child and your family as a whole. Not only will private school students receive a first-class education, but studies also support that their parents are generally more satisfied with private school facilities, teachers, and overall standards.
According to data compiled by a 2012 study performed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), private school parents reportedly give high marks in the following areas:
Some studies show that private school students are more likely to obtain a high school diploma, attend a four-year college, and earn a bachelor’s degree. According to data compiled by NCES over a two-year period that began in 2002, 97.2 percent of religious high school sophomores went on to graduate in the summer of 2004 compared to 84.1 percent of public high school sophomores. Similarly, 76.2 percent of these religious high school sophomores were in their second year of college in 2006; whereas, 40.5 percent of public high school students were attending college in the study.
Although the above data was compiled from a study over a decade ago, as we will discuss in the next part of this article, many recent studies released by the SAT and ACT support the idea that private schools meet or surpass benchmark expectations for these standardized tests and better prepare students for their college coursework.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater private school, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Are you ready to join the Lakeside Christian School community? Contact us, and schedule a tour today.
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