N KY PRIVATE SCHOOL G U I D E 2 0 1 9
Finding the Right Fit Local private schools offer advice for those looking for the right school for their family BY CORINNE MIN ARD
I
f you’re considering private school for your child for the first time, the process can seem overwhelming. Northern Kentucky has more than 30 private schools— how do you choose which is right for your child? To help guide you on this journey, we spoke with several of the region’s private schools to get their advice on how to make this decision just a little easier.
KNOW WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU According to local schools, families should head into the process knowing what’s most important to them when it comes to education. “I think that if private school is a priority for you and your family, for whatever reason that might be, … it’s OK for that to be your priority and follow through with that and find the best fit for your family and where your child is going to thrive,” says Tessy B. Krebs, recruitment and admissions director for Newport Central Catholic High School. A family’s priority could be a specific sport, faith formation or a science program—whatever that priority is should be guiding the family as they look at schools. For example, Villa Madonna Academy, a Catholic coed kindergarten-through-12th grade school in Villa Hills, is focused on the student as a whole person. “We’ve got one of the highest ACT scores, one of the highest average composite score on standardized test at the elementary school level, but we focus more on forming kids’ identities, building character, helping them discover passions, helping them to create friendships and relationships, and preparing them for collegiate success,” says Janet Baugh, director of admissions at Villa Madonna Academy. “The academics are one thing, but all of those other things really stand out as being that super exclamation point that you get when you come to a school like this.”
Newport Central Catholic High School is a coed Catholic high school that prides itself on being socioeconomically diverse.
Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Park Hills, also focuses on holistic education, but with a different model. “The single-gender environment at NDA empowers young women to become fearless, curious and enthusiastic learners both in and out of the classroom,” says Katie Caccavari, director of admissions at Notre Dame Academy. “Graduates leave NDA with a strong ethic of service uniquely prepared to manage leadership positions in society.” Knowing what is most important to you and your student can guide you both as you learn about the region’s schools.
sizes. “There’s a buzzword: differentiated instruction. In the smaller class sizes, teachers are able to differentiate their instruction that they do in the classroom to meet the needs of each child,” says Baugh. There are other environmental factors to take into consideration, too. “I think it comes down to a feeling for the student and the parents. They need to do their homework, they need to go to open houses, they need to shadow, the student needs to come during the school day and get a feel for it. Not just classes, but what it feels like socially in the cafeteria, in the lunchroom, those kinds of things,” says Krebs.
LOOK FOR SCHOOLS WITH YOUR IDEAL ENVIRONMENT MAKE DECISIONS AS A FAMILY Another thing to keep in mind is what kind of classroom environment your child does best in. “I think you have to know what your student’s comfort level is. Are you looking for a smaller environment, are you looking for a bigger environment?” says Krebs. Villa Madonna Academy and many other private schools specialize in smaller class
Local schools also recommend that prospective families make the final decision together—parents and child—to ensure the right decision is being made. “It has to fit your family well,” says Krebs. “To be in an environment where [the student is] uncomfortable for six, seven to eight hours of the day… a miserable teenager is nothing to have.” www.BestofNKY.com
63