School Life

I realize that many students probably won't read this article, mainly because I haven't published it on TikTok or Instagram. So, this is for all the parents, grandparents, and family friends out there who know a young person heading off to private school. Use these talking points to guide your conversations with that young person when the opportunity presents itself. If you went to private school, have fun embellishing these talking points with your own experiences. After all, you know what you're talking about. Gossip and misinformation about what goes on at private school abound. But you know the truth. You are credible, even if you attended private school thirty years ago.

Participate! Prticipate! Participate!

One of the best things about private school is that there are many things to do. Did you notice that I commanded you to participate three times? That's because a private school offers a balanced approach to your education. You have three very full plates! Academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities. And you can't avoid any of them. They are all compulsory. Each part of your private school education is kind of like one of those enormous buffets you see set out for brunch. You can't eat it all. But you can eat what you want. That's essentially the way things work at private school. Academics are pretty much set in stone, although you will make some choices in your high school years. As far as athletics and extracurricular activities are concerned, you

If you are new to the school where your child has just been accepted, you may think that the school functions like a well-oiled machine with little help from outside. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your help and support as a parent are essential and, indeed, expected. Let's look at some ways in which we parents can contribute time, talent and treasure to our children's schools.

1. Support your school financially.

Depending on where you live and what your schedule is like, supporting the school financially may be all that you can do. If you have the means to make a significant gift, then contact the development office to see how best to use your munificence. Leadership gifts are critical to any school's fund-raising success. In any case, give what you can. Gifts from parents are an important source of funding for most private schools.

2. Be a class parent.

Primary schools, in particular, will appreciate help with all sorts of things. You will be worth your weight in gold if you are the kind of parent who simply does what she is asked to do faithfully and without interfering with the teacher or children. Communicating with the other parents and getting them organized to do whatever the class needs to be done is part of the role of the ideal class parent. Chaperoning field trips and walks might also be part of your volunteer work. Class parents are especially important these days because so many

It's a big step sending your darling off to private school. She will probably survive the transition just fine. But how about you? Will you be able to restrain yourself and avoid being an over-protective parent? Are you going to hover nearby like a helicopter? Let's look at how to make that huge adjustment to not having our little darling at home where we knew where she was and what she was up to. Here is how to cope with private school at four distinct grade levels. Here is your private school survival guide.

Preschool

When you send your baby off to preschool or nursery school, you will go through all kinds of angst. Being concerned is particularly true when your first or only child leaves the nest. However, you can offset much of your anxiety by selecting your preschool or nursery school carefully. The best schools will always be hard to get into. Places at popular schools will be limited. But once the school has accepted her, then determine how you can be helpful without getting in the way. Most schools will welcome your assistance with everything from class activities to fundraising. Don't wait to be asked. Don't be shy about telling the school that you have experience working in development or marketing or whatever field you offer. Stay involved as a team player rather than as the leader which you are probably accustomed to being. The school will appreciate that display of modesty.

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Is your grandchild going away to private school? Perhaps you are wondering how you can fit into his new life away from home. You have always enjoyed watching him grow up. You've gone on trips and vacations together. Just because he's away at school doesn't mean you can't be close. After all, this is the 21st century when it's easy to stay connected.

Let's look at some of the special things a grandparent can do to stay connected with a beloved grandchild who's off at school.

Email

It's kind of old-fashioned these days, but email is still a pleasant way of keeping in touch. If you are in the least bit literary, it will be good for him to receive nicely crafted emails with news and gossip from back home. It is important for him to hear and reflect on your opinions about issues and events. Email handles that kind of communication extremely well.

by Sean MacEntee

Just read your missives carefully before you hit the send button. Remember: you are not there to explain what you mean. So don't be cryptic. He's got plenty to do without wondering what's going on back home. It's also simply bad form to give him bad news in an email. Do that over the phone or

How can extracurricular activities possibly be important? After all, aren't they extras? Unfortunately, in these tough economic times, that is very often the case in public schools where all too often local education leaders view extracurricular activities as extras. As they have faced declining tax revenues, public schools have had to make some drastic cuts in their budgets. School boards have a hard time justifying cutting the number of teachers. They run up against the same problem with course offerings. So, school boards and administrators look for programs which they can eliminate or, at least, reduce expenditures. Accordingly, they decide to cut the extras. In the public school world, those extras include extracurricular activities such as a band or orchestra, as well as clubs and other activities.

On the other hand, for private schools, extracurricular activities are an integral part of the school's offerings. Solid academics, a variety of athletic programs and an assortment of extracurricular activities are essentials in private schools. Most private schools believe that you cannot educate a child solely by teaching her academic subjects. While math, science and all the other subjects are an important part of her schooling, there is much more to education than just academics. That's where sports and extracurricular activities come in. They allow your child to grow. They stimulate her with new ideas and new ways of thinking. They give her a sense of accomplishment and build her confidence. They teach tolerance and encourage teamwork. These