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What Makes a Private School "The Best Private School"

What makes a private school “the best” private school? Choosing the best private school for their children may be one of the most important decisions parents can make. Not only is it a choice that may shape your children’s futures, but it is also a large monetary investment. How can you choose the right school and do so confidently?

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The “best” private school is not simply the one with the most extravagant campus nor is it necessarily the most costly school available. It isn’t specifically the school with the longest list of achievements nor the school with the most amount of accolades (though these are, of course, important). Truly, it is the school that consistently supports students in a well-rounded way. It’s where students are supported academically, socially, emotionally, and morally while partnering hand in hand with families to help children continuously thrive in a safe environment. Some defining qualities include: strong academics, individualized attention, a positive school culture, top-notch teachers, impactful extracurriculars, and a clear mission that shapes every decision.

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Strong Academics with Real Support

One of the top priorities parents should look for when looking for a great private school for their family is a strong commitment to academic excellence. Teachers help build curiosity, grow critical thinking, encourage problem-solving techniques, and help develop a lifelong love of learning in their students. Schools should offer challenging coursework, a broad curriculum, and teachers who know how to stretch students without overwhelming them. The best schools go a step further in preparing their students for college and preparatory testing as well as everyday class testing in a way that doesn’t leave a student feeling left behind.

Top schools pair rigor and the appropriate grit with proper student support. By offering smaller class sizes, private schools often present the opportunity for teachers to notice when students are excelling, struggling, or ready for a new challenge. This individualized attention can make a major difference in a student’s confidence and progress as academic excellence is never part of a one-size-fits-all format.

 MP109942-3Teachers Who Are Invested

The top private schools hire the best educators for their community. These educators are not only qualified, but they are passionate, collaborative, and they are committed to continuously improving upon the given curriculum. These educators are often going through ongoing professional development and training to meet the growing demands of the new generations of students coming in. They embrace the mentality that they are not just instructors, but they are mentors and guides to their students.

Schools like Mount Paran Christian School have weekly mandatory professional development for their academic staff on Wednesday mornings before school that helps further their knowledge as teachers. With the mission of each student being “Known and Loved,” MPCS teachers create classroom environments where each student feels known, encouraged, and supported in their academic needs. They understand that academic success is tied to relationships and these teachers work hard to earn their students’ trust while also caring deeply about their well-being.

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Character and Whole-Child Development

Understanding that education is more about achieving the highest grades, schools should help shape character, grow good habits, offer strong leadership opportunities, and instill a strong sense of purpose. Students should feel that they are learning in a safe environment where they can be themselves without judgement while also being supported in their growth. By emphasizing kindness, integrity, responsibility, service and resilience, students learn that these traits matter just as much as academic success. This kind of environment sets excellent private schools apart from schools that solely focus on academic performance.

Broad Extracurricular Opportunities

Every growing student is in a season of discovery as they explore their likes and dislikes in pursuing opportunities that help them grow as individuals. When a school has a broad extracurricular offering that extends beyond textbooks, students are able to grow in a way that reaches further than what generic class offerings provide. Expanding on athletics, arts, clubs, service projects, special interest programs and having various leadership opportunities may help students discover who they are and what they love. These experiences enable growth in discipline, creativity, and executive functioning.

It is important to find a school that offers more than just a basic selection of extracurriculars. Schools like MPCS see added courses as a part of a complete education. With an expanded list of offerings and required participation in athletics, arts, and servant leadership, graduates from MPCS are able to learn skills that will be beneficial to their students’ entire lives. These expanded offerings give opportunities that help build and connect students and families with the entire school community. This strengthens engagement and retention as shown in their long list of graduates, also known as “Lifers” who spend their entire primary school career from preschool to senior year at one school.

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Strong Leadership and a Clear Mission

Leadership matters in all schools because it sets the tone for where the school is headed in the near future. Strong administrators help create a culture of trust, consistency, and excellence. Good leadership communicates well with its school community and families. They support their teachers and listen to what can be improved upon. They help keep the school environment aligned with its goals. By having a focused and intentional administration that understands the clear purpose of the school, the entire school community benefits.

A clear mission is not just written on a website or a brochure, but emanates in every aspect of the school through everyday decisions, classroom practices, hiring procedures, active and thought-out communication, and long-term planning. Top schools know who they are, what they value, and where they are going.

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Partnering with Family and Home

Schools that partner with families and home life in raising children in a safe academic environment is key to a top notch school. Parents should feel informed, respected, and included in the academic advancement of their children. By offering conferences, volunteer opportunities, community events, parents feel a part of the process in their children’s educational journey. Allowing them to be able to communicate with administration to understand the best ways to support their children’s education is important to helping families feel as though they are essential partners in this journey. When home and school can be aligned, trust is created which provides stability for students and strength for the whole school community.

Ultimately, the best private school is not the one with the biggest reputation alone. It is the one that fits a child’s needs, supports their growth, and reflects the values a family wants reinforced. A school can be academically strong, beautifully organized, and highly respected, but if it does not nurture the whole child, it is not truly the best fit.

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What to Look for When Searching for the Best Private School 

- Accreditation and reputation
- Robust exploratories
- Strong electives
- Clubs — academic, artistic, leadership centered, etc.
- Top notch facilities
- Advanced curriculum and strong academics
- Small class sizes
- Qualified, caring teachers
- Safe and nurturing environment
- Student support services
- Extracurricular activities
- Clear communication with parents
- School culture and values
- College and life preparation
- Tuition and financial aid options

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A great example of a school that is excelling in the Private School sector is Mount Paran Christian School. With its own preschool program and transitional kindergarten program, students range from Preschool age 3 - grade 12. Excelled learning called Encore is offered in lower school which is further supported with advanced classes in middle school as well as honors and AP classes in high school. Also offering directed studies instruction to students with learning differences, the academic offerings are well-rounded. Top athletic facilities are available to all student athletes including sports medicine courses and summer weight training courses. MPCS also offers half-day and full-day summer camp options. They have won the “Best Private School” in Best of Cobb eight years in a row as well as “Best Preschool” for seven consecutive years. With after school care offering for students all the way through middle school, MPCS truly embraces a partnership with family and home in providing a safe well-rounded education and environment for their school community.

Why choose a Christian Private School?

Many parents go back and forth as to whether or not they want religious affiliation blended in with their children’s education. Often, the families that choose a Christian private school are because they want an education that combines strong academics with faith, character development, and a supportive community. These are families who also want like minded individuals as companions for their children. Christian schools often emphasize values such as respect, integrity, compassion, and responsibility, while also offering smaller class sizes and more individual attention.

The best private schools combine excellence with care. They challenge students, support families, and build communities where children can flourish. When those qualities come together, a private school becomes more than a place to learn — it becomes a place to grow.

 

This article was written by Diana La who is the Assistant Director of Communications at Mount Paran Christian School.
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Providing academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment, Mount Paran Christian School unites with home and church to prepare servant-leaders to honor God, love others, and walk in Truth.