News Headlines
Private Schools
By Jennifer H. Gilmore
Children growing up in Western Wake County have never had more options for a quality education. Our public schools are among the top in the nation, and for parents seeking a particular educational style, philosophy, learning atmosphere or location, the growth in the number of private schools over the past 10 years is providing a wellspring of choices. "The private school explosion has been precipitated by population growth and a quite good economy," said Rod Helder, director of the N.C. Division of Non-Public Education since the mid-80s. "As a result, we have a large diversity of non-public schools in this area, which is great for parents who want options."
Jewish, parochial, classical Christian, Montessori, special needs and technology-focused schools abound, and each has a purpose for existence that appeals to parents looking for a custom education for their children. Parents looking for early childhood programs have options like Western Wake's Primrose Schools and Chesterbrook Academy, which offer accredited programs for infants to toddlers as well as after-school programs. Their educational child care philosophies give young students early academic foundations to build upon.
Smaller class sizes ensure children receive lots of attention, which often results in higher-than-average standardized test scores. Depending on the program, a child can spend anywhere from eight to 12 years at the same school.
Cary Academy
One of the shining stars in Western Wake Countyâ??s private school community is Cary Academy, located at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Cary Parkway. Founded in 1996, the school was established to give parents an option that would include the best practices of independent education with an emphasis on using technology in innovative ways. Today, it stands as a model for schools not only in the area but also across the nation.
The 52-acre campus features a middle school for grades 6 to 8 and an upper school for grades 9 through 12.
"Our teachers have been outstanding in developing creative ways to use technology in their classes," said Don Berger, head of school. "Foreign language probably has advanced the fastest. We have established e-pals with sister schools overseas; our students listen to radio stations in French and Spanish over the Internet."
Recently, Cary Academy students worked with a class from Vienna to create a German and English newspaper describing Vienna and New York City around 1900, from arts to politics to history and sports. "Our class wrote their articles in German, and the Austrian class wrote in English, and then edited one anotherâ??s work," said Berger. "Itâ??s an excellent example of how technology can work in a humanities classroom." The 800 computers available to the 667 students on campus are networked so students can access their files anywhere on campus and at home, as well. Most teachers have Web sites where students and parents can view class notes, assignments and projects anytime.
The school is not all about academics, though. Traditional sports are offered as well as lacrosse and field hockey. Performing arts also abound, with dance, chorus, instrumental music, drama and visual arts. Facilities include a dance studio, theatre and a black box theater, electronic composition room, photography darkroom and a fully equipped technical production room.
A high-tech, high-end school comes with a hefty price tag â?? $13,100 per year plus around $1,000 in fees - but more than $800,000 a year is earmarked for financial aid. "When selecting students, we look at what they will bring to the school community, and we look to draw students who represent a variety of ethnic, social and economic groups. The common denominator, though, is that they must be academically motivated and curious," said Berger.
Parochial Schools: St. Timothyâ??s School and St. Mary Magdalene School
Parochial schools - once among the few options for a private school education - continue to proliferate as they are associated with a quality education and strong moral instruction. Raleighâ??s St. Timothyâ??s School and Apexâ??s St. Mary Magdalene School are two examples of the many parochial schools in the Triangle.
"Weâ??ve remained really true to three basic philosophies: small classes, strong academics and an Episcopal foundation," said Lisa Ham, director of development at St. Timothyâ??s School, which is one of the oldest schools in the area, founded in 1958. "Episcopal schools have a unique reputation in that they have a Christian foundation, but it is not infused into daily study. The teachers focus on academics and our rector leads our formal religious training."
St. Timothyâ??s School, which offers kindergarten through eighth grade, is affiliated with St. Timothyâ??s Episcopal Church and is located on Six Forks Road, just north of the beltline. It features an accelerated academic program that emphasizes instruction in reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, foreign language, science class and hands-on science lab.
"Computer technology is integrated throughout the curriculum for all grades. Computers are located in each classroom, as well as in two state-of-art technology labs. Students in upper elementary and middle school use the computer labs extensively for writing and research," said Ham.
"Among the special things we do at St. Timothyâ??s is a self-portrait art portfolio," said Ham. "Beginning in kindergarten, our students create a self portrait that our art teacher retains each year. They are displayed in their last year, and it really shows how our students have grown, both mentally and physically."
Since St. Timothyâ??s School recently added seventh and eighth grade for the 2004 and 2005 academic years, the school is expanding to accommodate the additional students. It is currently building a 26,000-square-foot building that will house 26 classrooms, two computer labs, two science labs, a new media center, multi-purpose room and administrative offices.
Additionally, one current building will be renovated to create a new kindergarten center. The campus also includes a gymnasium and playground space and is adjacent to St. Timothyâ??s Church and its parish hall.
St. Mary Magdalene School in Apex opened in 2000 as an extension of the St. Mary Magdalene Church, founded just a few years earlier to serve Roman Catholics in the Western Wake County area. Grades Pre K-8 are offered on the 27-acre campus, and it is supported not only by St. Mary Magdalene Church, but also St. Andrew and St. Michael, which also runs a Catholic school at its location on High House Road.
Though relatively new, the school is growing rapidly with an enrollment of close to 500 students. Language arts, math, science, social studies, religion, music, art, physical education, Spanish, as well as an array of elective classes are offered. St. Mary Magdalene and St. Timothyâ??s both have a buddy system where older students mentor younger ones in using computers.
"We strive to know our students beyond academics," said Susan Sutton, school counselor at St. Mary Magdalene. "With religious guidance and family community, we consistently evaluate our studentsâ?? needs in order to guide them in their overall development."
St. Mary Magdalene recently added a lower middle school comprised of fifth and sixth grade and an upper middle school of seventh and eighth. "This format helps to adapt the students in their maturation with their new academic and social responsibilities," Sutton explained. "To complement this arrangement, all sixth grade students are given a note-taking and study skills class in order to teach them a life-long skill often expected but never taught."
Traditional sports, cheerleading and lacrosse are offered at St. Mary Magdalene. "This past season, both boys and girls soccer teams were undefeated, with the boys winning the conference tournament as well as the boys lacrosse team, which won the regular season title and the conference championship," she added.
The school will soon complete its second phase of construction - a building that will include a new gym, full-service cafeteria, new media center, music, art and band rooms and church meeting rooms and offices.
Tuition for St. Timothyâ??s School ranges from $7,900 to $8,050 per year. Need-based financial aid is available.
Tuition for St. Mary Magdalene grades K through 8 is $4,510 per year for Catholics and $5,710 per year for non-Catholics. Pre-Kindergarten is $4,800 per year for full days and $2,400 per year for half days. Financial aid is available, as well.
Classical Christian Schools: Cary Christian School and Trinity Academy of Raleigh
For parents looking for a private school curriculum that incorporates biblical teachings and references into its classroom studies, Christian schools such as Cary Christian School and Trinity Academy of Raleigh are excellent choices. Both subscribe to the Classical Education Model, or Trivium, for educating their students.
"The classical education is an approach to teaching that structures learning according to the God-given stages of child development," said Gene Liechty, director of marketing and development for Cary Christian School, a K-12 program. "In kindergarten through fifth grades - the grammar stage - we equip students with the foundational building blocks of education while their minds are receptive to memorization and observation. In sixth through eighth grades - the logic stage - students begin to apply logic to assess the validity of arguments and learn to view information critically. Ninth through twelfth grades are in the rhetoric stage, where they learn to articulate eloquently and persuasively, and to use the tools they learned as younger children. This is where the strength of the classical education becomes fully visible."
While the definition of a classical education may sound tedious, its application is the complete opposite. Grammar school students do much of their memorization by learning fun songs, chants and sound-offs on topics ranging from types of fish to the 50 states and capitals.
Lessons are often tied to Bible verses that lend religious context to historical events. For example, after one classroom chanted a five-minute history of the revolutionary war, they also recited Daniel 2:21, which reads, "He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."
Cary Christian Schoolâ??s popularity and support in the community is manifesting itself in a stately new facility on Old Apex Road scheduled to open for the 2004-2005 academic year. For the first time since the school opened, all students grades K-12 will be under one roof. Currently, students are spread among various area churches that have leased space to the school.
The 20-acre campus will accommodate more than 800 students and will feature a 36-classroom building with gymnasium, library and computer labs as well as playing fields for baseball, soccer, football and general play. In future years, the school plans to add an auditorium with a stage, lecture hall and additional classrooms.
"We are so excited about having all of our students under one roof," said Liechty. "It will be exciting to see the interaction as older students mentor and serve as role models for the younger ones."
Trinity Academy of Raleigh (K-12) is located at 6339 Glenwood Avenue, but is easily accessed via I-540, making it also a popular school for Western Wake County parents. Also a classical school that infuses a contemporary education with biblical teachings, Trinity was built on the concept that the best preparation for the challenges of the 21st century is an education that develops the ability to think critically and the skills to communicate effectively.
A flagship course at Trinity is the multi-year humanities course that integrates the study of history, literature, economics and theology. "This integrated approach is important, we believe, because students see how things relate to one another," said Patty Pace, director of admissions at Trinity Academy of Raleigh.
Trinity Academy and Cary Christian School also put an emphasis on language, math and science. At both schools, students are required to study Latin and Spanish or French. "The time-tested classical program of study is the strongest possible college preparatory program for students at all levels of ability and achievement," said Pace.
Like Cary Christian School, Trinity is also breaking ground on a new facility on Baileywick Road in North Raleigh. Upon completion, the school will have space to accommodate 840 students on a 38-acre campus.
Tuition for Cary Christian School is $3,900 per year for kindergarten and $4,900 for grades 1 - 12. Approximately $125,000 per year is earmarked for financial aid. Tuition for Trinity Academy ranges from $4,080 per year for half-day kindergarten to $8,265 per year for grades 9 - 12. Financial aid is also available.
Reprinted by permission of Cary Magazine of Cary, North Carolina.