Finding the Right School for Your Child

When making the decision about whether to enroll your child in public or private school, there's no shortage of information to guide you in that process. In fact, there's so much information, it can be downright overwhelming as a parent or guardian. For parents in the Monadnock Region, it's common to start their children out in public school, and if it's not a good fit, consider the options at that time. What's been happening since the pandemic around the nation may also be an influence. While private schools had to market themselves strongly before COVID-19 hit the U.S. in March 2020, as the pandemic wore on, registration numbers at private grade schools showed an upward trend. The CATO Institute based in Washington, D.C. released survey results that show private school enrollment gains up to 53 percent between the end of the 2020-2021 academic year and the start of 2021-2022 academic year. Private schools are non-governmental schools that are not administered by local, state, or national governments. Because they do not accept public funding of any kind (instead using tuition charged to students as their source of funding), they can be selective about which students to admit to their schools. Private schools are autonomous at the federal level, but must adhere to basic state guidelines (such as agreeing to teach reading and math, and adhering to building codes). Sabrina Morrissey, director of admissions at High Mowing School, a private Waldorf boarding and day school for preschool through Grade 12, said private school can offer a different learning style than public school. "In private schools, there's more freedom to express yourself because the same social pressures don't exist as can tend to in public schools," said Morrissey. "There's more one-on-one interaction. In the lower school, (staff) can be more nurturing and kids are really needing that." Certain public school districts, she went on, have limited resources for arts and sciences. "For some students, this is their passion — especially in high school," she said. Parents also receive ongoing education via regular meetings at the school. "More participation is expected from parents in a private school setting," said Morrissey. "They volunteer for school activities and take classes as a group once every six weeks. They get to know each other and each other's kids. It becomes this lovely, safe environment. They get to bounce ideas off each other and know whatever is happening with their child is normal. That community is so important for families." Knowing that there are no "bad" children, just unwanted behaviors, is so important for families. "There's a lot of conversation, compassion, and understanding shown to each child," she said. "It builds (students) up." A third option for children's education is the charter school. Charter schools are public schools that are independent of school districts through contracts with state or local boards. As public schools, charter schools are open to all children, do not require entrance exams, cannot charge tuition, and must participate in state testing and federal accountability programs. The schools draw up their own "charter" which is a set of rules and performance standards that they are held accountable to. Charter schools and private schools are similar in their autonomy from certain state government regulations and teacher certification, but their funding sources and application process separate them more drastically. Since charter schools are public schools, they must legally accept all children, though sometimes children are accepted through a lottery system if the charter school is popular and gets more applications than seats it can fill. Nicole Cifrino of Keene transferred her son, Jakhari, from public school to the LEAF Charter School (a tuition-free public high school in Alstead) during his freshman year—he's now a junior there. The LEAF School follows a STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Math) curriculum and maintains partnerships with creative professionals that afford students experiential learning, tours of local businesses, job shadowing, mentorship, internships and apprenticeships. It was her son's decision to make the switch to charter school. "He's thriving," she said. "He loves the small school setting and the community and he seems to enjoy all his teachers." She is a fan of the small class sizes, the hands-on learning offered, the freedom he has to express himself, the family's involvement in his education and the diversity of students in his classes. "It was the best choice for my son," she said. Jesse Cantrell, also of Keene, enrolled two of her three children in Gathering Waters Charter School, also a tuition-free public school like LEAF and, like High Mowing, is guided by Waldorf public education principles. In fact, she moved to Keene specifically so her children could attend Gathering Waters. It was a decision long in the making. "I was so desperate to find the right educational paradigm that would fit Natalie; it was the majority of my focus," she said of her oldest daughter, now 14 and in 8th grade at Gathering Waters. Her children have been enrolled in public and private schools, and Cantrell also did some home schooling. Her younger daughter, Meadow, is in 3rd grade at Gathering Waters and for her son, Joshua, she chose a traditional public school—he's now in kindergarten. While she said traditional public schools have more resources, both her daughters did not adjust well to it. "There's no time outside, there's a lot of testing and sitting still to do worksheets," she said. At the same time, she went on, the charter school model has just enough oversight from the state. "They have to toe the line enough without harming just to toe the line," she said "and I'm thrilled with it. I am someone who's so picky. I've spent so many hours of my life researching curriculum and schools and literally given blood, sweat and tears to get my kids where I thought was best for them, and (their needs) have never been more well-met than where they are now, and it's free."