Evaluating and Selecting a Private School

You have finally decided to enroll your child in an Orlando private school. The number of private schools has escalated recently, especially in the Orange County area. How do you choose the best school?  For starters, visit the school and discuss their educational philosophy to determine if their ideals match your family’s. How does their teaching differ from another school’s methodology? Do they have a school nurse or a librarian? What sports do they promote? Do they offer foreign languages? Some schools offer traditional nine-month schedules while others provide year-round school with longer breaks between semesters. Knowing one may be more advantageous to your own schedule and that may tip the scale.

  • Teachers and Curriculum: Teachers and the curriculum are vitally important. Ask whether the teachers are board certified or what their highest level of education must be in order to instruct at that school. How often do teachers meet to discuss teaching strategies? Ask to look at the curriculum for your child’s grade level, and ask how often homework is assigned and how long it should take for students to complete homework every evening.
  • Grading Policy: An important aspect of any school is its grading policy. Are grades issued for homework? How much of the grade is dependent on formal assessments rather than projects or portfolios? Many Orlando private schools realize that employees at most businesses do not work independently of each other; working in teams gives faster, more accurate results. This philosophy has been adopted into private schools, giving students the chance to hone their team building skills as they work through tasks together rather than completing tests separately.
  • Is English Your Families 2nd Language? Students in other countries are required from an early age to learn a second language.  Private schools often hire bilingual teachers to expose even the youngest elementary students to a second language and culture. If your family or child speaks English as a second language, what accommodations can the school give to meet your needs?

Once all these questions and ideas are addressed, choosing an Orlando private school should be much less difficult. Learn more about Lake Forrest Preparatory School by browsing through our website. We welcome your call at 407-331-5144 and we will help in any way we can.

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