Adjusting to life in college is difficult for many students and families. From a new campus to new classmates and professors, there are many changes that must be prepared for. The good news is, that there are many ways that parents can help their child prepare no matter their age.
The team at Lakeside Christian School, one of the best private schools in Clearwater, Fl, our team has over 40 years of experience in building on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others, as well as preparing students for life in college and beyond.
To learn three steps parents can take to help their children prepare for college today from the team at Lakeside Christian School, read on.
It’s never too early to start thinking about your child’s life in college. Whether they’re in high school or elementary school, getting a head start on planning for college can only help them feel more prepared and confident when the time comes.
Before visiting college and university campuses in your area, be sure to talk to your child about their academic and career goals. While these goals will likely change before and during college, it can provide a general idea of what kind of schools to look into. For example, if your child is interested in math and science, their college options may look different from a child interested in performing arts.
Once you have a basic idea of what your child is interested in pursuing, touring college campuses can provide valuable insight into programs, course offerings, and student life. Parents can often speak directly with college administrators and student leaders, and witness firsthand what college may look like for their child. Children can also find inspiration when touring college campuses and get a better understanding of how to achieve their goals.
When researching a Clearwater private school for children, many parents find it difficult to navigate the many options that may be available. But, it’s important to find a school that will not only provide your child with the highest quality education but also life skill development and financial assistance when needed.
At Lakeside Christina School, our team is dedicated to improving measurable academic outcomes for all learners. This is done through consistent application and integration of research-based best practices into our educational product and learning environment.
As one of the Step Up for Students participating schools in Clearwater, Fl, we also offer financial assistance in the form of four separate funds for lower to middle-income families, victims of bullying or violence, and students with special needs and unique abilities. This scholarship helps Lakes Christian School provide individualized attention to students that might be facing more hurdles than the typical public school student.
A crucial step in preparing your child for college is conducting thorough research on private schools and scholarships in your area that may be able to aid in their growth.
An often overlooked component of preparing for college is extracurricular activities. When reviewing applications, colleges want to see more than just good grades. Admissions officers are looking for students who are well-rounded, passionate, and able to juggle multiple responsibilities.
Athletics are some of the most popular extracurricular activities for students to participate in. Through sports like cross country, basketball, baseball, cheerleading, soccer, and more, students can learn skills like commitment, unity, responsibility, discipline, respect, and integrity.
You may also consider investing in extracurricular activities like art classes, volunteering opportunities, and leadership clubs. These provide children with the necessary skills and experiences that will help them become the more balanced person that is prepared for college.
At Lakeside Christian School, we know how important college is for many students and parents. We also know that each child has unique goals and needs. By tailoring our approach for each student and providing scholarships like Step Up for Students in Clearwater, Fl, parents can feel confident in knowing that their children are prepared for college.
To learn more about our unique programs, complete our contact request form or call us at (727) 239-7808 to schedule a tour today.
If your child is starting kindergarten soon, you may be facing a difficult and confusing choice of whether they should enroll in a public or private school. However, those two aren’t always the only two options, as charter schools may also be a factor in your search. Choosing the right school system and school for your child is crucial in setting them up for long term success, and with so many options you might be feeling a bit confused about where to start and what the differences are between each type of school.
In this brief article, the team at our Clearwater, FL Christian school, Lakeside Christian School, has shared some insights into the differences between public, private, and charter schools and how to know which is right for your unique child.
A charter school is defined by the state of Florida as:
“…public schools that operate under a performance contract, or a “charter” which frees them from many regulations created for traditional public schools while holding them accountable for academic and financial results. The charter contract between the charter school governing board and the sponsor details the school’s mission, program, goals, students served, methods of assessment and ways to measure success.”
In other words, a charter school is a public school that is operating under the oversight of a governing board rather than the local school board. This sounds similar to private schools because of the oversight of a more localized board of directors, but there are still many of the same standards as a regular public school.
Charter schools were created to give greater school choice to parents in the state of Florida, and there are certainly good aspects of a charter school. For example, a charter school may have slightly smaller class sizes because students must apply for admission and because charter schools have the ability to target specific age levels. Furthermore, parents may be invited to have a greater level of involvement at a charter school. However, because charter schools operate under different rules than regular public schools, there is a greater lack of regulation and the promise of being in a highly graded school may not be a reality.
Also of note: Charter schools may have a specific focus. For example, the charter school may serve at-risk students, or offer a specialized curriculum or core academic program, provide early intervention programs, or serve exceptional education students. This is different from private schools in Clearwater, FL that take a more holistic approach to learning.
Another important thing to note is that charter schools are not the same as magnet schools. Magnet schools are public schools with a particular theme or academic focus, such as mathematics, science, technology, business, or performing arts.
Private schools differ from public schools and charter schools because they are not publicly funded and can therefore govern themselves for the most part. For example, Christian schools in Clearwater, FL can control their class sizes and are exempt from the laws separating church and education.
For a more technical definition, the state of Florida’s Department of Education states:
“A private school is defined in Section 1002.01(2), Florida Statutes, as “an individual, association, co-partnership, or corporation or department, division, or section of such organizations, that designates itself as an educational center that includes kindergarten or a higher grade” and is below the college level.”
Private schools can focus on a specific area, for example they may be limited to elementary, middle, or high school. However, in many cases, private schools are able to accommodate all grade levels, giving students the opportunity to learn in the same environment for their whole education. This can be beneficial for establishing close relationships with friends and teachers while also fostering growth.
Now that we’ve discussed the definitions of private and charter schools, we can dive into what makes these options so different. Of course, all schools have the needs of students at their core and as the anchor for their values, but there are some major differences.
For example, public schools often run into major problems with budget cuts and running short-staffed. They may rely on a revolving door of teachers and substitutes who don’t know the school very well. Additionally, public schools often fall victim to large class sizes which can hold students back from the individual attention they need to learn.
Additionally, charter schools may face the same budgetary restrictions. However, unlike public schools, they are less likely to run into issues dealing with rules passed down by the superintendent.
Private schools stand out because they are not subject to the whims of politics and are able to dedicate themselves to the education of their students. Class sizes can be significantly smaller and the pool of substitute teachers comes from well known and fully vetted staff.
Now is the big question: should my child go to public, charter, or private school? It all depends on the student and their individual needs.
In many cases, parents do not believe private school is a choice due to the cost of tuition, however, there are several scholarships made available through the state of Florida to help empower parents with more choices. A Clearwater private school does not have to be out of reach just because of finances.
Many parents choose a private school for the aspect of stability, community, and a more personalized and individualized education. Although your child may thrive in public schools or charter schools, they’ll have access to faith-based learning and top-notch college prep in a private school.
Lakeside Christian School wants to help you make the right decision for your family. With over 40 years of experience and a diverse student body of children who participate both in virtual learning and/or an in-person setting, Lakeside Christian School is built on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others. This care is demonstrated through the warm, respectful relationships among staff and between staff and students, and uses a tailored approach to your child’s education. 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, a Clearwater, FL Christian school, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
If you believe that a private school education is out of reach for your family, you may be surprised to learn that thousands of Florida families each year are awarded scholarships amounting to millions of dollars. One of the main scholarships that provides this funding is in the form of the Step Up For Students Scholarship. This scholarship provides an average of $7000 per year to students in K-12 for a variety of needs. But what if you don’t qualify for the Step Up scholarship? Are you simply out of luck for help paying for an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL?
Our team at Lakeside Christian School, one of the premier private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL, has shared the requirements for the Step Up scholarship, as well as a few options for your family if you are considering applying for private school but are denied the Step Up for Students scholarship.
The Step Up for Students scholarship is a collection of scholarships from the state of Florida with differing requirements. Formerly known simply as the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, this program began in 1988 to help empower low-income students and their families to have more of a choice in their education. The overall goal of the Step Up for Students scholarship is to allow parents the opportunity to take their children to participating private schools if they felt they were not being served well in their local public and/or charter schools. The Step Up for Students scholarship program targets students who tend to have the most limited options for improving the quality of their education.
A few of the requirements for this collection of scholarships include:
The Income-Based Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship: A child may be eligible for an FTC scholarship for any of the following reasons:
Gardiner Scholarship: This scholarship is for children with special needs and unique abilities. Students between the ages of 3 and 22 who have yet to complete the 12th grade may qualify for the Gardiner scholarship. Your child may qualify for the Gardiner scholarship if they have:
Your child may also qualify if they are hospital or homebound. Please click here for the full list of qualifying disabilities, impairments, and requirements.
Reading Scholarship: This scholarship helps students that are struggling with reading who:
All students, no matter their background or abilities, are entitled to a private education at Step Up for Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, including Lakeside Christian School.
If you don’t qualify for the Step Up for Students scholarship, you still may qualify for other scholarship opportunities. Lakeside Christian School provides over $250,000 in scholarships to qualified families each year, and many of these scholarships are not solely directed to Step Up for Students.
Lakeside Christian School is committed to granting scholarships to families in need, which is why we created the FACTS scholarship. This scholarship is generously provided by our donors and helps those who are not recipients of Step Up for Students in Clearwater, FL.
If you don’t qualify for the scholarships above, you may still be able to use the FACTS program. This in-house scholarship is designed to create more affordable tuition for low-income families and is available to new families who have decided that Lakeside Christian School is right for them. Financial aid is available to all qualifying families through a process called FACTS. FACTS is an online financial aid assessment program.
For over 30 years, our school ministry has been blessed with the income required to meet budgets. Our desire is not to have to turn away any student due to finances, which is why we started offering the FACTS scholarship and LCS scholarship. In the past few years, we have substantially increased our tuition subsidy budgets to provide aid through reduced tuition so that families can enroll their students at Lakeside Christian School at a cost they can afford.
Our team is proud to offer a variety of scholarship options, tuition assistance, and payment plans to help make quality education affordable for every family. Speak to a member of our team to learn how the FACTS scholarship option can help you.
With over 40 years of experience and a diverse student body of children from various socioeconomic backgrounds, Lakeside Christian School is built on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others. This care is demonstrated through the warm, respectful relationships among staff and between staff and students, and uses a tailored approach to your child’s education. 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, an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Although it is anticipated that students between the ages of 5 and 12 will soon be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, schools are still coping with day-to-day challenges and changes, and navigating the best way to keep students safe. Add in the fact that many public schools are caught in a tug-of-war with the state for funding and mask mandates, and it creates a perfect storm of stress for educators and parents alike. With that in mind, many parents are still considering changes to their original education plan, looking for the best educational experience available during and after the pandemic.
In this brief article, the team at our Clearwater, FL Christian school has shared a few tips to help you understand your child’s educational options and explains why it’s never too late to change to a private school like Lakeside Christian School.
Virtual learning has been a staple at many schools navigating COVID outbreaks. Certainly during 2020, virtual learning proved it’s worth. Yet the public school system hasn’t prioritized keeping virtual learning as an option for medically vulnerable students or for those who prefer the independence of virtual learning.
Virtual learning has many of the same benefits as in-person learning, but it sometimes has a bad reputation because there is a stigma that, if given the opportunity for flexibility, students won’t actually commit to learning. However, that stigma is largely unfounded because your child will still be part of the class and as such will receive individualized attention and have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in group activities and discussions. Where virtual learning actually differs is in both the social aspects and the ability to take more personal responsibility regarding one’s own schedule.
During virtual learning at a Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL, your child will still be expected to participate in classroom activities via live video sessions and message boards. They will also still receive assignments and homework just as though they have attended in-person. But, unlike classes that take place in-person, your child may have more of an opportunity to learn at their own pace at various times of the day when they feel they may be more motivated for particular subjects.
If you have a child who you believe will thrive in a virtual environment, you can connect with the school virtually as well to learn more and schedule a tour. You may find it helpful to attend a virtual open house, visit the school’s website, or tune in to a virtual information session. If this is a return “visit” to find out more about a particular area of the school, such as extracurriculars, curriculum, or the specifics of a college prep program, then a private Zoom call may be more appropriate.
If your child learns best in an in-person environment, that shouldn’t have to stop just because of COVID. The key here is choice. Being able to choose between in-person or virtual instruction and not being at the whim of a school district can make your COVID-19 plans less nerve-wracking.
If you are considering in-person learning for your child, here are some examples of the types of questions you may want to ask a potential school, as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Of course, COVID precautions aren’t the only thing you should ask about. Extracurricular activities and learning opportunities outside of the classroom can be just as important to your student’s in-person learning and educational experience as lesson plans. You may want to ask a private middle school in Clearwater, FL what types of activities students can expect to participate in on a regular basis.
There seems to be the idea that you can’t, or shouldn’t change your child’s school once the academic year has begun. However, that’s not always the case. If your child is struggling in a traditional public school because of the impacts of COVID-19, you have the option to switch to one of the private Christian schools in Clearwater, FL.
With over 40 years of experience and a diverse student body of children who participate both in virtual learning and/or an in-person setting, Lakeside Christian School is built on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others. This care is demonstrated through the warm, respectful relationships among staff and between staff and students, and uses a tailored approach to your child’s education. We also have set forth clear guidelines that will take the guesswork out of the way that we handle COVID-19 outbreaks to mitigate future disruption. 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, a Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Back-to-school season is in full swing. When it comes to preparing your high schooler for the new school year, you might find yourself facing a much different season than when your child was entering elementary or middle school grades. Supporting your high schooler takes a different level of patience and thoughtfulness.
As your teens work through their first-day jitters, consider these tips from our team of teachers and advisors here at Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater, FL Christian school, to help prepare your family for a successful school year.
As you enter the new school year, it’s possible that your teen is already planning their extra-curricular activities. While they may be thinking about picking up where they left off the prior school year, you should also consider using back-to-school season to start the conversation about which volunteer opportunities they might be interested in participating in.
Volunteering has a number of benefits. To start, volunteering can help center your teen and teach them about life outside of school and family. It can help them learn about the needs of others and how they can help.
Beyond those benefits, volunteering can help your teen figure out what they enjoy doing in life, and can help them on their road to a future career. Plus, if your student is considering applying for college scholarships, volunteering can help them meet criteria and requirements for these types of financial aid. Volunteering can also boost your child’s college applications. But, you want to make sure you don’t wait too long to begin thinking about these volunteer opportunities, instead using back-to-school season to help your teen plot their course and budget their after school schedule.
Just as you can use the back-to-school season to encourage your teen to start volunteering, high school is an important time to start thinking about college, trade schools, or other educational or career paths. As a student of a private high school in Clearwater, FL, your teen will have access to guidance counselors who can discuss all of their options, starting during back-to-school season.
For parents of incoming freshman or sophomores, this might seem a little premature. After all, how can a student just entering high school plan their future? However, it is never too early to encourage your child to think forward, considering electives they may want to take and extra curriculars they may want to participate in during the coming school year to help them figure out what path to take, be it college, a trade school, or going straight into the workforce.
Entering high school can be stressful. Especially if your child is an incoming freshman, you might find back-to-school season to be an especially anxiety-inducing time. To help combat the rise in stress levels, teach your child how to practice mindfulness. You may find this helpful for yourself as well, as parenting a high schooler can become stressful.
To practice mindfulness, simply do your everyday activities but focus on the five senses. For example, encourage your child to practice mindfulness while brushing their teeth. To practice mindfulness while teeth brushing, focus on only the task at hand — as thoughts enter your mind, let them go. Think about the taste of the toothpaste, the feeling of the brush against each tooth, and even the smell of the toothpaste. The goal is to remain in the moment as much as possible. Of course, getting your teen to take your advice might be difficult, but it can help them prepare and focus on their day as they go back to school while minimizing their stress levels.
As the school year begins, take time to review your child’s class schedule with them. This is an important step, especially if your child is an incoming freshman, as the course load may be slightly different and more challenging.
You’ll notice a major difference in this step when attending a private school vs. a public school. Your child will not need to change schools between elementary and middle, or middle and high school, as they would in a public school setting. Therefore their stress level may be lower and their course load more tailored to their needs and the way that they learn.
If you have any concerns or questions about your child’s class schedule, make sure to speak with an advisor as soon as possible to make sure that you can make necessary adjustments or changes.
Preparing for back-to-school season requires thinking beyond the back-to-school season. This means that you should take some time to think beyond the clothes and backpack needed, or even the school schedule, volunteer activities, extra curriculars, and college plans. Instead, think about how you, as a parent, can get involved during the school year and help your child’s year go well. For example, you can join parents’ committees and give your input to the school.
If your high schooler is preparing for back-o-school season or you’re considering switching to Christian high schools in Clearwater, FL, the most important way to support your child is to give them a voice in the process. Help them understand the best way they learn and whether a private education will be a more supportive environment for them.
With over 40 years of experience and a diverse student body of children from families of all socioeconomic backgrounds and income levels, Lakeside Christian School is built on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others. This care is demonstrated through the warm, respectful relationships among staff and between staff and students, and uses a tailored approach to your child’s education. 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, the best private school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Recently, the State of Florida announced the passage of HB 7045 through the Florida House of Representatives (79-36 vote) and Florida State Senate (25-14 vote) which makes changes to a few private school scholarship programs. It is now ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis for a final signature. These changes are one step closer to expanding the private school voucher program in a major way for parents, and giving greater opportunities for school choice to families.
If you are hoping to understand how these changes might affect your family, Lakeside Christian School, a Christian private school in Clearwater, FL, shares some of the biggest impacts in this brief article. These changes apply to both private high schools in Clearwater, FL as well as private middle and elementary schools.
In a nutshell, House Bill 7045 is all about expanding school choice. According to the Florida Senate, the bill includes:
“School Choice; Revises student eligibility requirements under Family Empowerment Scholarship program to include students with disabilities; revises provisions related to calculation of maximum amount of scholarship funds granted to a student with disabilities; revises provisions related to funding and payment of scholarships awarded under program; providing requirements for use of funds under program; revising program administration obligations; repeals Gardiner Scholarship Program; provides for future repeal of John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program; providing certain students with disabilities are eligible for enrollment in transition-to-work programs; revising amount of eligible contributions used for administrative expenses by an eligible nonprofit scholarship-funding organization under Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.”
You can read House Bill 7045 in its entirety here. Let’s break down what these changes actually look like:
Many private schools offer discounted tuition for active-duty military members, however in some cases they may have qualified for tuition assistance. However, with the passage of HB 7045, more military members would have access to private school vouchers. With this bill, all active-duty military members will automatically be eligible for a state scholarship for private schools through either the Step Up for Students program or the Family Empowerment Program.
However, families must submit an application before June 4th for a 100% award.
Another major expansion to scholarships due to HB7045 comes for families who have adopted a child from the foster care system. These families will now automatically qualify for a scholarship voucher.
The deadline for families to apply for this scholarship voucher is also June 4.
The biggest change coming as a result of HB 7045 is the consolidation of the Gardiner and McKay scholarship programs, which serve students with family needs. These would be combined with the Step Up or Family Empowerment Scholarship program, which are currently in place to serve a broad population of low-to-middle-income families.
It should be noted that currently the McKay and Step Up scholarships do not cover 100% of tuition costs.
Currently, the McKay scholarship is available to all students currently in the Florida Public School system who have a qualified IEP or 504 plan for specific learning issues. The Step Up scholarship is available to all Florida residents with students in grades K-12 whose families meet specific income requirements.
However, with the combination of these scholarships, there will also be a change to the financial eligibility. HB 7045 will increase the maximum income eligibility to receive vouchers to 375% of the federal poverty level. For example, that would mean that a family for 4 making around $100,000 per year would qualify.
Further, all families who currently have a child with either the Gardiner or the McKay Scholarships will automatically receive a Step Up or Family Empowerment Scholarship for their other students, regardless of the family income. Meaning that if the family has one child in the school on a scholarship, that child’s siblings will qualify.
At this time, the bill does not appear to address any changes to the FACTS scholarship. The FACTS scholarship is available to all parents who desire that their student attend Lakeside Christian School. This is an income-based scholarship designed to help create more affordable tuition.
For many families, scholarship programs are the key to unlocking your child’s full potential at a private school in Clearwater, FL. These scholarships are just a few of the many options that families who want to provide their children with a private education can explore. Remember, the deadline to apply for some of these scholarships is June 4th.
While public schools offer a myriad of positive benefits, many families are taking time post-Covid to explore what is best for their individual child.
With over 40 years of experience and a diverse student body of children from families of all socioeconomic backgrounds and income levels, Lakeside Christian School is built on the biblical principles of loving God and loving others. This care is demonstrated through the warm, respectful relationships among staff and between staff and students, and uses a tailored approach to your child’s education. 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, a private school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
It’s no secret that the private school admissions process can be an exciting but demanding process for parents and their children. From deciding on the best school for your child to making sure you’re following the application instructions to a T, it’s easy to see why many parents become frustrated with getting their child into private school. Fortunately, helping your child receive the high-quality education they deserve doesn’t have to be such a daunting experience.
In fact, it can actually be easy when you follow the tips laid out in this article. Below, we go over four of the most common mistakes made by parents when applying to private school. For more information regarding the admissions process, don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our staff at Lakeside Christian School — the best private school in Clearwater, FL.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Private School Admissions Process
By far, one of the most common mistakes made by parents when applying to private school is waiting until the last minute to get to work on their application. Ideally, the private school selection process should begin in the summer or fall of the year before your child will actually attend the school. That way, by the end of the summer, you’ll have identified the schools you’re interested in applying to and have the time necessary to begin arranging tours. Never assume that the school you’re applying to is going to follow the standardized timelines, as all schools have different admissions timelines. Some will be at the end of December or in early January, while others may be as late as April or March. It may be beneficial to create a calendar to help you organize your private school search process.
You wouldn’t buy a house sight unseen, so why would you let your child go to a school that you haven’t visited in person? Touring a private school prior to enrollment is an unparalleled opportunity for you and your student to get to know the staff, see what life in the classroom is like, check out the facilities, and learn about scholarship opportunities. For instance, you know that your child needs to be comfortable learning in the facilities provided by the private school you select. During a tour, you’ll be able to see first-hand what proactive measures are in place to create interactive learning spaces that catch your child’s interest and encourage them to embrace learning. To schedule a tour with a Clearwater private school, give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or submit our contact form.
Related: 3 Benefits Of Touring Private Schools Before Enrollment
Most parents acknowledge that it would be silly to only apply to one college if you are aiming at one of the most selective schools in the country, but they don’t carry that attitude over to the private school application process. It’s important to make sure that you’re being realistic at all times. Many of the top private schools in your area will have a competitive admission cycle and only accept a small percentage of the applicants who apply. As such, it’s always a good idea to have a top choice and at least one or two backup schools, just in case.
Last but certainly not least, one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make during the private school admissions process is failing to inquire about financial aid. Many parents assume that their financial situation or the price point of the school precludes them from getting financial aid. Fortunately, the exact opposite is usually the case.
Let’s take Lakeside Christian School, the best private school in Clearwater, FL, for example. We offer a wide variety of funding options, including Step Up For Students, McKay scholarships, and the FACTS scholarship. In fact, each year, we provide over $250,000 in scholarships to qualified families. For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to Jim Jensen, Administrator, at (727) 261-0937.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the best private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
If you have been thinking about sending your child to private school, you may think a private education could be the key to getting your child into the university of their choice, or perhaps your child’s academic and emotional needs just aren’t being fulfilled by their current school. At what age is it appropriate to send your child to private school?
Do you wait until a natural break, like the end of fifth grade and the start of sixth, so that your child enjoys a seamless transition? Or do you opt to transfer your child from the public to the private school system at the start of high school to better focus on university preparation? Do you feel as if the “right” moment to make the transition may never come at the rate your child is progressing?
To help you make the best decision for you and your family, we’ve prepared a list of key factors that go into the question, “When’s the best time for my child to begin private school?” For one of the best private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL, that values high-quality education, college preparation, and a caring Christian environment for your child, choose Lakeside Christian School.
Related: Should You Enroll Your Child In Private School? Consider These 3 Advantages
The first and arguably one of the most important factors to take into consideration when deciding whether it may be time to send your child to private school is the quality of public schools in your area. Public and private school administrators and educators all do their best to create an excellent learning environment for your child; however, some schools simply don’t live up to the challenge. There’s sure to be at least one reason why you may be considering a private school rather than your area’s public school offerings, so make a list of those reasons. Is it because of safety, your religion, or the quality of educators at your child’s school? What is lacking in your child’s current public school that you’re looking to obtain in a private school?
Once you have your list, you can make the decision as to whether or not making the transition to private school needs to come earlier rather than later. For example, if your child is struggling in their current educational environment, not receiving the help they need, or falling behind their peers, there’s no time to waste in getting him or her into a private school. If your child is excelling or the quality of education they’re currently receiving at their public school meets your expectations for the time being, it might make more sense to wait until a natural transition period.
Before you send your child off to school, whether it’s a public or a private school, you need to consider all of the ways that the staff, other students, and educational environment may impact your child. The way that educators interact with your child and encourage interactions between the children are bound to affect the development of your child in more than a few important ways. Below, we outline a few different areas of child development that your child’s school can have an impact upon:
Children have different educational needs at various points throughout their development; however, the most critical years for your child are almost always going to be in primary school. This is where they’re going to develop critical thinking and social skills, learn to interpret complex concepts, and nourish good learning habits. If you want to guide your child through this phase of development with ease and better prepare them for the road ahead of them, you’re going to want to send them to a Clearwater private school.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the best private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
Did you know that research indicates that students at risk of dropping out of school can be identified as early as sixth grade? In fact, research indicates that sixth-graders who display even one of the off-track indicators, such as a failing grade in mathematics or an unsatisfactory behavior mark in a core course, have only a 15 to 25 percent chance of graduating on time. This means, among other things, that middle school should be recognized as a critical transition period for your child from an academic and social-emotional standpoint.
In this brief article, we’ll review why middle school is so important for the development of your child in terms of academic achievement, emotional growth, and more. If you’re looking for a private middle school in Clearwater, FL, that will foster academic excellence, integrity, and empathy in your child, choose Lakeside Christian School.
Related: Choosing The Best Private Middle School
Early adolescence has long since been recognized as a critical stage for an individual’s development and learning, with positive effects lasting long into adulthood. However, recent research studies have identified adolescence as a second critical window for brain development as well. Changes in students’ bodies and brains during this period affect how they will learn for the rest of their lives.
What this means is that, during middle school, students must enjoy a wide variety of engaging and rigorous learning opportunities, or they may face restricted brain development down the line. The more students engage in these types of learning experiences, such as solving complex problems or connecting information learned in school with their own experiences, the more their brain cells will grow. These rich learning experiences should always connect academic learning to the student’s personal interests, prior knowledge, past experiences, and current events to capitalize on their increased ability to retain personally relevant information.
Related: Why Maintaining Your Child’s GPA in Middle School Is Vital to Their Development
Research findings consistently indicate that adolescents who can identify at least one positive role model in their lives have higher grades and self-esteem than those who cannot, particularly when the adolescent knows their role model on a personal level. In addition to these benefits, positive role models have also been shown to decrease adolescents’ risk for harmful behaviors, such as sexual intercourse, violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and more. Unfortunately, only one-fourth of students report having a positive adult role model in their lives, either having no one to look up to or having to look up to someone making negative choices in their life.
As such, middle schools need to be places where students can be exposed to positive role models, whether it’s educators, administration, parent volunteers, or business and community leaders. At Lakeside Christian School, one of the private middle schools in Clearwater, FL, for example, each and every one of our educators is involved in teaching Bible studies and/or participating somewhere within the ministry in Christian education, and they are ACSI Certified. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate academic gaps, propel their students forward, and serve as a positive role model in the lives of their students.
Related: The Benefits of Mentorship in Middle School
Last but not least, middle schoolers need learning environments that will ignite their curiosity and empower them to be active participants in their school and community. Rather than listening to lectures or just doing worksheets, they should be performing hands-on activities that ensure they stay excited and enthusiastic about learning. This means stepping away from the middle school classrooms that emulate high school classrooms, elementary classrooms, or some haphazard combination. What these students will benefit most from is a place that has been specifically designed for their unique physical, social, emotional, and academic needs. For more information on the only private middle school in Clearwater, FL, that can meet your child’s developmental needs, contact Lakeside Christian School.
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.
As the pandemic continues on, more and more families are seeking out schools that are fully in-person rather than remote. In many cases, this means switching from public to private schools, despite the additional cost. Take, for example, the millions of parents working at 9-5 jobs. When their local public schools went online in the spring, managing their child’s school day meant they would not be able to go to work without additional help or some type of child care. Now, between a combination of public schools operating under hybrid instructional models and those which have transitioned to full-time remote learning, parents are panicking as to how they’re going to make it through the end of the school year. More often than not, these are the parents who don’t have the luxury of hiring a private tutor for their child to ensure they stay on track amid all this certainty. They need their children in school, rather than at home.
The solution: more than 22 percent of respondents with K-12 students in a study conducted by the University of Southern California said they would change schools for the upcoming school year. In this brief article, we’ll review just a few of the key benefits of sending your child to an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, for the 2021-2022 school year over a public elementary school.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, elementary schools across the country have implemented a number of safety precautions, including limiting class sizes, staggering schedules, and cleaning surfaces often. However, these safety precautions can only go so far, given the 2.7 million students enrolled in only 4,517 Florida public schools. In contrast, many of the best private schools in Clearwater, FL, are at a competitive advantage over these schools due to their small classes and large classroom spaces that make social distancing much easier. If that alone wasn’t convincing, many private schools have also received endowments to upgrade air filtration systems, set up tented classrooms, and revamp nurses’ offices.
A study released this week by American management consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimates that the shift to remote school back in the spring set white students back by one to three months and students of color back by three to five months. Not only did these students begin the academic year behind, but now experts fear that these losses will escalate as the pandemic persists into the next school year. What we’re going to be looking at, essentially, is a lost generation of students.
To mitigate this education gap, parents need to consider how they’re going to provide remediation to their children at a time when school districts are struggling to pay for their basic needs like teachers’ salaries. The answer just may be sending your child to an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, like Lakeside Christian School. Our Mastery Learning Division is proud to provide all students in grades K to 5 with the solid academic foundation in math and language arts that they need to be prepared for success in secondary grades.
If this year has proved anything, it’s that we can’t predict the future. Now more than ever, you want to have confidence in the fact that your child is going to be ready for anything these next couple of years could throw at them. This means you need to send your student to one of the best private schools in Clearwater, FL, that incorporates an academically rigorous curriculum with real-world skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. For example, the faculty and staff at Lakeside Christian School help to personally shape each of their students into purpose-driven leaders that are prepared to shape their world for good.
If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.
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