I could actually write a book. Who is their hero? Each year, more families are considering private schools for their children and competition for top private schools in the greater Seattle area has become increasingly fierce. From teacher recommendations to the acceptance letter, we'll explore some of the most crucial aspects of applying to private school. Classic Movies With Racial Stereotypes, 12 Underrated Family Movies for the Festive Season. Many private schools, though not all, have dedicated, passionate, and well-trained teachers. Has your child ever had an educational evaluation? It’s that time of year again: the busy admissions season for private and independent K–12 schools. Code of Alabama 1975 §16-40-1. This means that you are going to have to do more than throw in a few SAT words … But it goes hand-in-hand with solid standardized test scores and GPAs for robust applications. For example, if you want your son to play on a varsity hockey team and the school offers limited hockey time, you need to deal with that before you decide to send your son to that school. "Jon used to struggle with math, but we found this wonderful tutor who showed Jon how to work math problems logically. Since so much is riding on the Parent's Statement, do the following: Then set aside 30-45 minutes to enter the information online or to write it out in your neatest penmanship. From what activities does your child derive self-confidence? Are charter schools private schools? Private School Choice Programs: School Application Processing The following documents should be used by schools to process applications for the Private School Choice Programs (PSCP). What role do you play in your child’s education? A maker? To give your child the best chance of success, it's important to be intentional and thoughtful about your child’s application. During the entire process, applicants and their parents often wonder what admissions committees are actually looking for. Use a parent statement, student essays and an extracurricular activity profile to let the reader in: Who is your child? "Rich has just taken up riding. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Many private schools are seeing an increase in applications and enrollment as some parents look for alternatives to remote learning. Get the best of ParentMap delivered right to your inbox. We welcome any additional comments you may wish to make. Admissions Test Preparation: 2 Strategies, How To Improve Your SSAT Quantitative Score. One of the biggest mistakes I've seen families make in preparing their child’s applications for admission is to treat the information they submit as separate data points. Visit us in person when touring Gainesville. The following questions posed by McCallie School and The Hun School are fairly typical of what you will encounter as you prepare your applications. There is much to organize in the application process. Shore School's boat shed is one of the schools Toffee users can say they have attended in the app, presumably to cater to keen rowers. Application process and requirements are further described in the Fact Sheet: Establishing a Private School (PDF, 82 KB). Effective storytelling alone won’t necessarily put your child over the top if they aren't already a competitive candidate. Their siblings? Be careful with the last section which asks you to make any additional comments which you feel may be helpful. An in depth look at private schools, including history, a comparison to public education, and a glimpse of what's being taught. We've laughed, we've cried, we've slept through many☺ A good application essay should be concise, personal and memorable. I wrote this article and its companion article Applications - The Candidate's Statement to explain how to understand and complete these important forms. Private School Scholarship Application Form is the document used in the application of a Scholarship Program offered by an institution. If so, please explain the circumstances and send us a copy of the written evaluation. Your statement will create an impression of you and your family. How do these insights connect with other information you are submitting about your child and your family? Please allow at least two (2) weeks to process your request. Further information about new school applications may be found on the Initial Private School Applications webpage. @privateschool. What the school really wants to know is that any medical issues have been dealt with. These requirements all add up, expecting a significant amount of time and efforts on your and your child’s end. The telephone number for the Division is (850) 245-6052. Please list any relatives who have attended The Hun School (name, class, relationship). Learn about the benefits of attending private school, to both students and parents. Their reasons for wanting to know your child has much to do with getting the fit right, both for your child and the school. Part of most school's admissions package is something called the Parent's Statement. Use this link to access the records request for your private school application: Bellevue School District Records Request for Private School Applications; The Bellevue School District Records Department will upload the student records to the BSD Ravenna account. Focus on the positive. The pandemic sending many wealthy New York families to the suburbs, and now private schools outside of the city are seeing a surge in applications, suggesting the flight might be permanent. I will add editorial comments to try to give you some insight into what the school might be looking for. The problem with these parts of the application is that they require you and your child to express your thoughts in your own words. Good writing is a process; it doesn’t happen overnight. Choose three to five themes that best capture core identities of your child. There is a wide range of schools to apply to, and it's hard for the first-time applicant to know how to manage the process. They're interested in forming a diverse and well-rounded student body that delves beyond students’ test scores and grades. The Private School Choice Programs (Choice) include the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP), the Racine Parental Choice Program (RPCP) and the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program or statewide program (WPCP). Once again each school will ask for a snapshot of your child in your own words. The online application (coming soon) is for both new and renewing schools. Here is a breakdown of each section of the application and how to complete it: The goal here is to make sure that everybody's expectations are the same. Soojung Smith is a family education coach, author, CEO and board advisor, and former Microsoft marketing executive. Each essay question has a specific word count you can’t exceed, so be mindful of how you will use precious real estate to convey main messages for differentiation. Learn more about when and how to apply, why the deadlines are important and what to do when your child is accepted. Always be realistic and honest. ATTENTION A. Step 1: Establish a Private School. As you can readily see from these two examples, the schools are assembling a composite picture of your child via written applications and statements, an interview and academic testing. APPLICATIONS. Private schools, but not church schools, must provide a physical education program that conforms to the program outlined by the Alabama Department of Education. Private schools are approved by the State Board of Education annually. The biggest mistake students make when writing an essay is that they forget who their audience is. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your child's private school application. Questions? He really enjoys it which is why we decided to apply to your school." Write the name and address of the school and also write your name and address. If the system permits you to submit, your application will be considered, regardless of the time/date stamped on your application. We explain why. It was set up to seek the well being of all Private school teachers across the length and breadth of Ghana and also promote sanity, unity, and enforce standards for school […] The 38 applications include 21 requests seeking licenses for operating private kindergartens and schools of British curriculum, 11 applications for American curriculum schools, … Allow the reader to feel your unconditional love and involvement with your son's upbringing through the years. You will have to write out responses to the school's questions in any way you choose. New private schools must submit an initial approval application. To request an application for a registered, accredited or heritage language school, submit requests to edc.privateschools@gov.ab.ca. Typically, families apply for three to five schools and, depending upon schools under consideration, you may end up with writing not only a common set of essays but also other unique ones they require from applicants and their families. Fortunately, schools in the metro Atlanta area have parents’ needs in mind. Think about how you and others see your child. First Choice Letters And Personal Letters of Recommendation, Applications - Principal/Head/Counselor Recommendation Form, 13 Can't Miss Tips to Get Into Your Dream School, 5 Admissions Tips for International Students, 5 Challenges To Getting Your Child Into Private School, Admissions Checklist For Private School Applicants, International Students: The New Visa Regulations And You, A Parent’s Guide to Private School Entrance Exams. Be prepared to go through three rounds of drafts of parent and student essays to get to final “quality” ones you and your student feel proud of. The following tips will ensure that you will compose a great essay. (Please comment on social characteristics: e.g., self-reliance, sense of humor, ability to mix, shyness, assertiveness, etc.). You can lend help to your child, but they need to provide original and thoughtful answers in their portion of the applications as well as during interviews. The 2020/2021 Gateway to Prep Schools application is now available. There is a season for everything, including private school application deadlines. Applicants and their parents must tour schools, go on interviews, take admissions tests, and fill out applications. You as parents? Rather than painting a complete picture of their student, parent and student essays often read like a student activity form. How to Write an Application Letter for School. Some answers here. Admissions to Private School: A-Z puts all the information you need to navigate the private school admissions process in one convenient place. Don’t forget to mention your contact number and email id. Describe your child as an individual, explaining briefly what you believe are his or her strengths, weaknesses, goals, and aspirations. If so, please explain. 17 Take-Home Craft and Cookery Kits for Puget Sound Families, The Pornographic Perils of Virtual Schooling, Why You Should Try Gameschooling With Your Kids, 3 Tips for Writing Your Child's Private School Application Essay, Finding Your Village: Virtual Parenting Support Groups for Seattle-Area Families, How New Parents Can Create Calm in the Chaos, Nature Has a Remedy for All That Ails You, How Hormonal Fluctuations Could Be Impacting Your Mental Health, 8 Vegetarian Recipes for Kids Who Don’t Like Veggies, Awesome Recycling Programs Every Family Should Know About, Tons of Activity Sheets to Keep Your Preschooler Busy, The New Parenting Trends That Are Here to Stay, Dear Reader: Let’s Make Things Better, Together, How to Talk to Young Children About Race and Racism, Watch Out! If you have an educational consultant, be sure to discuss and review this part of the application with him. Whether you are just beginning or have been through this before, you will find help and advice to guide you. Please discuss your primary reason for considering a new school for your child. Updated May 27, 2019. You will want to point that out so that the school can discuss how it might deal with that concern. What are your child’s strengths and weaknesses? Why Should I Send My Child to Your School? Schools can tell if a parent writes student essays and even go so far as to collect writing samples. If there are health issues, discuss them candidly but with bold strokes. Whether you are just beginning the process of choosing a private school or several months into it, make sure that you keep these five 'must haves' front and center in your thinking. Include any particular concerns of which the school should be aware: e.g., Has your child experienced any difficult challenges or personal setbacks in recent years? However, most schools (that aren't sixth forms) accept scholarship applications closer to the first day of the school year. There is no need to delve into clinical details. Creative? You want that impression to be the best one possible. What are your expectations of The Hun School? Do Your Child's SSAT or ISEE Scores Really Matter? In a typical interview for fifth grade and above, the student applicant meets one-on-one with a member of the admissions staff to discuss the student's interests and experiences. Learn more about when and how to apply, why the deadlines are important and what to do when your child is accepted. Remember that admission committees are interested in learning about your child and what your family can offer, and how you will contribute to their schools and school communities. Good luck! High standardized test (SSAT and ISEE) scores and GPAs alone, unfortunately, don’t guarantee a spot at these coveted schools. Soojung supports parents with challenging issues such as private school vs. public school, private school admissions, and students’ executive functioning skills and their public speaking competencies. Has your child had any psychological or educational testing? In most cases, the application process will collide with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and vacations. Please make any additional comments about your child which you feel may be helpful to us. Find out about the training and credentials of a school’s teachers. Mature? Many schools require a statement from the applicant's parents. High standardized test (SSAT and ISEE) scores and GPAs alone, unfortunately, don’t guarantee a spot at these coveted schools. Make sure you write parent essays while your child writes their student essays. 3) You cannot edit a form once submitted. Is there a particular story(ies) that helps to describe your child and your family best? Use your child’s essential qualities, be it their achievements, unique experiences, activities or interests to make the connection to these themes.