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 canceled due to the pandemic.

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.

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.

Private schools will always hit you with the same buzzwords: Small class sizes, rigorous academic curricula, engaging teachers, and accessible extracurriculars. They aren’t wrong. These core tenets of private school education are what make private schools so attractive to parents wanting the best for their children and  for students who are eager to grow. Yet, after being in a private school for twelve years I have come to realize that the most valuable aspects of private schooling are the most intangible ones.

Private school students are exposed to new ways of thinking.
A product of the relationships I have formed with my teachers is the level of respect and maturity they both treat me with and expect from me in return. My teachers do not shy away from delving into conversations about real-world issues out of fear that I cannot handle them. Rather, this type of discourse is encouraged, and with it comes the expectation that the conversation will remain civil, that all perspectives will be regarded seriously, and that the end goal is to learn from one another rather than to prove someone wrong. I’ve learned that different perspectives are not wrong, or offensive, just different, and that all are to be treated with respect. As a result of this mutual comfort I am not hesitant to share my opinions or have in-depth conversations with people much older than I, which is something that I value as I prepare to graduate high school and expose myself to so many different types of people.