Running Your School: How To Survive The Pandemic

Parents turn to private K-12 education for all kinds of reasons, from overall quality of curricula and individualized teaching strategies to location and religious affiliation. Now they may be adding another motivation to the list: overcrowded classrooms and public school bus rides just seem more dangerous in the age of coronavirus.

If you’re home-schooling your kids right now, the day they return to classes may seem like a distant dream. (How’s your blood pressure?) But September will come—with or without online classes. Chances are you’re making decisions right now that will affect at least a year of your child’s future. Chief among them may be how you will continue to finance your child’s private school education.

In 2020, the average cost of K-12 private school tuition reached $11,012. Depending on where you live and whether you have elementary-, middle-, or high school-age kids, your mileage may vary. But across the country, student loan debt has been increasing steadily along with the rising cost of education. K-12 loans aren’t subsidized by the federal government like higher-education loans. Still, many parents clearly believe that private school education is worth the investment. The question moms and dads should be asking themselves is, “How can I be sure I’m investing wisely?”

School Stability

The global coronavirus pandemic has injected uncertainty into every sector of the economy. That’s true at the micro-level, as many parents join the fast-expanding ranks of unemployed workers. It’s also true for private schools,

The COVID-19 closed schools nationwide in the spring of 2020. One day schools were open. The next day they were closed indefinitely as state governors issues stay at home orders. Then schools scrambled to replace familiar face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning. Sports and extracurricular activities became distant memories. Plans for summer school and camps went out the window. Graduations, end of year traditions such as school plays and assemblies are virtual occasions in 2020. It's all so different, so scary, and so unsettling. Yet, you and I know that life must go on.

Dr. Reinhold Niehbur's Serenity Prayer comes to mind as a spiritual anchor for these troubled times:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.

I cite this prayer because it expresses the attitude each of us must bring to bear on the situation which faces us in our daily lives. Our children's education is a critical concern. That's why we elected to send our kids to private school in the first place. However, this COVID-19 virus is controlling everything. And it will continue to do so indefinitely until we have vaccines to protect us.

This short video displays The Serenity Prayer.

With that in mind, here are five things you need to do when you are a parent with children

Life-changing events dot history's pages. Wars, hurricanes, tornados, terrorist attacks - the list goes on and on. Just when we thought that we couldn't imagine anything worse, in early 2020 along came the COVID-19 pandemic. It has brought our economy and our lives to a screeching halt. Will life ever be the same?

Now, if you are thinking about private school for your child in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, you should exercise even more due diligence than you usually would. After all, sending your child to private school is a major expense for most families.

Note: The information that follows does not constitute financial or legal advice. Always consult your financial advisor and attorney when making any significant expenditure.

How private schools operate

Most private schools have one major revenue stream, namely, tuition fees. If that revenue stream is compromised, the school's ability to survive will be doubtful. Essentially, if a school cannot fill its available seats, its financial future will be bleak. It will be on life support before much longer and may have to cease operations. Sadly, most schools have had to cancel their summer sessions. Summer sessions have traditionally been reliable revenue producers for schools. Some schools have rented out their facilities during the summer to outside organizations such as computer camps or soccer camps. That revenue stream may not always be available.

The other factor to consider is that the pandemic may require schools to remain closed into the

In this fictional conversation, a job seeker and I chat about looking for employment in a private school.

Credentials

Q. Do I need to have a teaching certificate to teach in a private school?

A. Not necessarily. It depends on the school. Some schools will employ you without a teaching certificate with the requirement that you obtain one within a stated time frame, typically a year.

Q. Do I need an education degree to teach in a private school?

A. Most private schools value degrees in a subject. For example, if you are presenting yourself as an English teacher, they will look for a bachelor's degree with a major in American or English Language and Literature. The teaching skills and methodology which you could learn if you did an education degree will be useful; however, most private schools will require you to teach in their own proprietary way. After all, that's why parents are sending their children to private school.

Q. Do I need to have a master's degree or a doctorate?

A. Your resume will stand out from the others when you offer a master's degree or terminal degree. Once again, schools understand that a highly-credentialed faculty is a powerful asset when it comes to marketing what they do. If you have started work on your master's or doctorate, be sure to indicate that on your resume. Discuss your further education plans at the interview.

Q. Will schools ask for a curriculum vitae?

A. Some will. Some