EDUCATION MATTERS—SANFORD SCHOOL'S PRIVATE SCHOOL BLOG

The COVID-19 pandemic presented many questions for the futures of institutions and individuals alike. For independent schools in the summer of 2020, questions surfaced about how to safely reopen during the pandemic, what safety procedures to implement, and how to manage the additional labor needed to make reopening a reality.

Individuals, too, were plunged into uncertainty. In particular, college seniors graduating in 2020 found their plans drastically altered as a result of the pandemic. For those looking to enter the workforce, employers delayed or revoked job offers to recent graduates. Other graduates hoping to pursue advanced degrees were forced to relocate as many universities closed their campuses for the 2020-2021 school year. My own plans were no exception. The Fulbright Fellowship I was planning to begin the summer after graduating was postponed and postponed again before finally being cancelled due to the pandemic.

Winter Break is a great time to cuddle up with your kids and do some reading! Below we have a list of holiday reads for young children that celebrate holiday traditions from all over the world. Use these books to revisit holidays that you know and love or to learn about a new celebration.

At Sanford, we understand that private school tuition costs may cause families to not consider this educational opportunity. This video offers a brief, clear explanation of how tuition assistance works at Sanford School. We approach tuition assistance in a personalized way —if your child is the right fit for our school, we want to help make a Sanford education affordable. Check out the video. You can't afford to miss it!

The college search process can seem daunting even in the best of times. This year, there are even more questions and unknowns for parents, as well as for admissions officers and college counselors. With an open mind and a degree of patience, you can still navigate this milestone with your students.

Here are six tips to guide you through the college process:

The relationship between home and school is pivotal to the success of your child. As parent-teacher conferences are announced, the way you approach this relationship can help shape important outcomes for your child. It is important to bring patience, understanding, and compassion to the conversation, especially now during the pandemic. Although conferences will be virtual, the content of the meeting is just as meaningful and essential. Use this unique one-on-one time to explore how you can support the “formal” learning process and get a fresh perspective on your child’s development. Planning ahead can help you establish a solid partnership with your child’s teacher.

Here are a few tips to make your parent-teacher conference more productive:

During the pandemic, most schools have asked families to make their own lunches for their children. If you’ve been making the same old lunches every week, then it’s time to spice things up a bit! Below are three ways to pump up the fun and the nutrition the next time you pack your child’s lunch.

When you’re pursuing a college preparatory education, the academic courses of math, science, English, history, and a modern language are pretty much set in stone. You may have some flexibility around what novel you’ll read for a classroom book club or what project you’ll do for the science fair, but if you really want to stretch your wings in terms of making choices, you can turn to electives and clubs. Find out why electives are an important part of your child's education.

Private school admissions can be tricky, and in 2020 the process is all the more confusing. Yet while the world may be on pause, your child’s education shouldn’t wait. Admission offices are finding new ways to connect with families and prospective students this year, providing myriad opportunities for parents to learn about and engage with their schools.

When searching for a school, academic rigor and extracurricular activities are important, but something equally critical that can be harder to assess is the culture of the community. You’ll gain information and an overall feeling of a school as you visit different times, such as going on a personal tour. Building a complete picture of each school you visit will take time, but one thing you should pay attention to from your initial interaction with the school is whether the environment feels like a welcoming one to you and your family. Specifically, on your first visit to the school, you should pay attention to three groups: students, teachers, and administrators.

Private school students are deeply involved in their schools through extracurriculars and service. Why should that end at graduation? Read about why getting alumni involved in their former schools is essential to providing a top-notch education.