By Steven P. Mizel
In 15 years of education, I can attest that the first day of school sees its fair share of tears. I always make sure I have plenty of tissues available because I know the first day of school can be hard. The only thing I ask is that my parents wait until they leave the classroom before they break down and let the tears flow. (The kids, for the most part, wouldn’t even think about crying on such an exciting and novel day!)
Long before the first day, trying to figure out where to send your child to kindergarten or preschool can bring its own tears. It’s a big decision, and can be stressfully challenging. Questions like “How will my child be treated?” “Who will help my daughter with her lunch?” or “What will happen if my son starts to cry?” can plague the sensitive parent’s heart! By gathering the appropriate information beforehand, you can take a lot of the stress out of the process – and maybe even be able to relax and enjoy the new experiences with your little one. Here are a few guidelines to help make the process less stressful and more joyful!
1. Determine if your child will attend a Christian school or the local government school. I have been involved with the ministry of private, Christian education for 15 years – so I will admit up-front that I am biased on this choice. While the government schools will not cost you any additional money for tuition, you will automatically limit your choices. The school and its teachers, principal, and support staff will be assigned to you based on where you live. You will have very little say over who has influence on your child (with peers, the teacher or outside guests), what your child is taught, or what values are espoused in the classroom. A private, Christian education will normally require an investment of tuition, but it will pay back dividends in parental choice. In addition, your child will reap the benefits in emotional and spiritual nurturing, as well as improved academics. There is no doubt that families must often make real sacrifices to afford Christian education, but I believe in doing so we are actually investing in eternity – or as the Lord put it in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…but store up for yourselves treasure in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What greater treasure has the Lord given us here on earth than our children? And what better way to invest in their future than by sacrificing to provide the best emotional, spiritual, and academic environment we can provide? So, you want to look at Christian schools. What’s next?
2. Investigate schools and request packets. After you’ve determined what type of school you want your child to attend, the next step is to gather information on what programs/schools are in your area. You can get information in many ways. This issue of the MetroVoice is an excellent place to start. You can also visit the Christian Cooperating School District (CCSD) web site at www.christianschooldistrict.com and look for schools in your region. Don’t forget to ask around at your local church, too; sometimes word-of-mouth leads are the best. Once you have a list of schools, call each school to request an informational packet. This packet should give you a general overview of the school’s programs. With these packets you should read to see if you agree with the school’s doctrine and philosophy. Another good resource in gathering information about schools, assuming they have one, is to visit the school’s web site. You should find out if it is a discipleship school (seeking to serve the Christian community and usually requiring an interview for admittance) or an evangelistic school (seeking to serve anyone who will agree to have their children taught the school’s doctrine and philosophy, even if the family is not Christian). You should look to see if the school uses Christian curricula and where they stand on issues important to you. You should also consider their financial statement to see if you think the tuition is reasonable and to see if the school offers financial assistance? In the end, write down any questions you have that are still unanswered so that they can be answered in the next step. Going through this process should help you create a short list of schools that you will want to contact again to arrange a personal visit.
3. Visit the schools on your short list and trust your instincts. Arrange a time to tour the school with the school principal or another school representative. If possible take your spouse or a good friend along – two sets of eyes and ears are always better than one. Ask about the school’s history (and get a sense for its current condition and vision), what the school’s stand is on accreditation and teacher certification, and how behavior management is handled. In addition, you might want to ask how teachers are hired and screened to ensure the best staff and the safety of the children. If possible, arrange a time to sit in on the classes that your child would be in so that you can observe the teacher interacting with her current students. Observe how the teacher balances praise and correction, how discipline is handled, how much time the students are expected to sit silently, the décor of the classroom and school, and the warmth of the atmosphere. Do this prayerfully – and trust your instincts! You cannot just ask a single question to determine if a school is right for you and your child, so ask as many questions as you need! When you leave the school (if you’ve been accompanied by a spouse or friend) make sure you compare notes to make sure you’re impressions of the school correspond with their impressions. In the end you need to feel comfortable that you can make a wise decision.
4. Pray, pray, pray, and then make a decision. Once you feel like you have at least one and hopefully several good options, take some time to pray and ask the Lord to give you guidance. You never know – He may send something into your life to make the decision obvious. Then again, He may not. Either way, you need to pray until you come to a conviction that the Lord wants you to move ahead, and then do it. If you are having a difficult time making the decision, don’t ask your child to help! In the end, this is a decision you must make for your child – and once you have made it, move ahead with faith and joy. You are investing in eternity.
When
you gather as much information as you can and pray over it, you will have
the information you need to make an informed choice in faith. You might still find yourself a bundle of emotions
on that first day – just remember to wait until you are out of the classroom
to cry!
Steven P. Mizel is the
Principal of