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Picking a Private School in Lake Norman | 07-12-2007

Reprinted from Lake Norman Navigator by Amanda Young

When Carol Krug decided to move her son from a public school into a private one, she found the process to be more difficult than she expected.

There are many options in the lake area and schools are growing and opening each year.

"It's one of those things, if you don't do a lot of investigating yourself, you won't know," Krug said.

Her son, now in third grade, is happy at his new private school.   But Krug continues to get questions from parents asking how she went about her search.

The reality is there's no one right answer.

Mary Lynne Calhoun, dean of the College of Education at UNC Charlotte, said one of the best measures of how a school will work for a child is sitting in on a class.

She recommends that parents not just take a tour, but attend a class at the same grade level their child would be entering and ask themselves "Can I see my child succeeding in this environment?"

Overall, Calhoun says private schools and public schools have pretty similar patterns of achievement.  But what private schools may offer are special qualities, like religious education.

"You really have to look at the individual school," Calhoun said.  "Private schools, by definition, are no better or worse."

Since private schools do not have to stick to the same standards as public schools, research is vital.  One of the most important things to check is that teachers are licensed.

Then, take into consideration what curriculum may work best for a child:  self-directed or teacher directed.  And in higher grades, if the child is specifically interested in a certain career path, say science, consider how many higher level science courses exist.

If all this seems overwhelming, Calhoun said parents shouldn't put too much pressure on themselves.

"There is no one perfect school for everyone and I would also say parents can very often make any school work well for their child with careful attention," she said.

If considering a private education does seem like an option, here is some information to help you get started:  (Click on the link below for the full article that includes detailed information about private schools in the Lake Norman area).

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