My Small Private School Love Story

This is a blog I never imagined writing....
The girl who is (or was) VERY pro-public school and was thoroughly miserable in a private school.
The girl who's life's goals included career and buy a home at 18 (missed that cut off by 4 months... was 19) and to NEVER move again and NEVER to uproot my kids from their school.
My eyes have been opened.
My mind has changed....some, not completely.
I am still VERY against one private school.
I wouldn't send my kids to that bully infested over crowding popular private school.  I think it is worse than public school but with a bible class thrown in for giggles.
And now 13 years later, I finally admit, I can't judge all private schools based off the excessive flaws of the one I was stuck attending.... and the same I am sure goes for the public school system.

My love story of my child's private Christian education....

Only in their small private school:

• Can you be facebook friends with the teachers... and they requested me not vice a versa and staff (May seem insignificant.... but...)
• Can you text a teacher and get a response
• Is it ok to contact the teacher and expect a warm and welcoming conversation, regardless the topic of conversation
• Do you cover your child in prayer during their parent teacher conference (this was an eye opening unique experience)
• Do you get a meeting with the teacher in a time frame of longer than 15 minutes(Got to love the cram fest conferences of public schools-- 10 minute time slots)
• Can a teacher tell their students they love them without fear of being taken wrong and any consequences that go with that
• Can you give your student a hug because they look upset or are having a bad/off day 
• Do the teachers choose to be counselors rather than disciplinarians as a first choice (something I saw so very, very often)
• Do they truly get to know your child.  They don't allow a child to get left behind socially or academically.  They know these kids personailities and ween them out of their shelves into a new found comfort
• Do they teach the students confidence, seriously they help them discover a higher self esteem and confidence-- something I had never before seen in my children
• Do you get to learn the responsibility of at school chores-- I think that is awesome each student has one!
• Do you get an amazing, educated, determined, skilled tutor, included in the typical tuition fee, who loves Jayna as much as her teacher and works so hard to help her educationally
• Do they get to experience a skiing field trip- not once but 3 times!  That is a total memory maker for a lifetime to come!
• Do they get to learn to perform in front of audiences for multiple events
• Has my super excessively shy child (around other adults of authority) learned to sing- in front of people he doesn't know!
• Will my child get a sweet note "Have fun tonight" regarding a non-school event from her teacher.
• Can my child talk to her teacher after a non-school event to tell them what they got to do
• Can my child consider their teacher a personal friend, a top notch supporter today, this year and for years and a lifetime to come
• Do you get a personalized education for your child
• Do you get to share you non educational thoughts, concerns, prayer requests with a teacher, and could actually consider them a friend, not just your child's teacher
• Do you get invited to join them (their teacher) at a holiday program, completely non-school related
• Do they care equally about your child's emotional and social well being as they do their educational well being
• Do they get a second chance to catch on to a subject without falling further behind or being held back as the only two options(if they didn't adequately grasp math in 2nd gr, they can continue to 3rd grade and take 2nd grade math until they are caught back up)
• Do the teachers take the time to ensure your rather forgetful child has his math homework in his backpack (I understand this is part of learning responsibility and not the teachers "job", but it just goes to show the extra 12 miles they go for their kids)
• Will you receive a text, note, or email just because the teacher is thinking of you, your child and are covering your family in prayer
• Do they teach the kids friendship building skills and match them up appropriately to a good buddy when they are feeling a bit out of the loop.
• Do they do countless service projects, something very near to my heart-- We've  done money for missionaries in Alaska, cards for a nursing home, Bible verse letters for prisoners... and I'm certain there are others I don't specifically remember or know of.
• Rare bullying--- other than my son refuses to wear his Steelers coat except as a last resort b/c no one else likes that team and he gets teased he says....oh dear child just you wait to see what team sports rivalry is!
• EXTREMELY dedicated teachers: they stay hours after school has ended volunteering as sports coaches, preparing for event, lesson planning, grading, and all the 12,000 other things a teacher does... except these amazing teachers have no aides or planning periods.... trust me this staying past your scheduled "get off" time is rare at most the city schools I have seen... although I am surethey too take work home.
• Free after, before school or during recess tutoring help-- unheard of during their school time at public school
• Field trips-- and not just one a year!
• A very personal, Christ centered experience

And this is just a brief overview of our first 5 months there.... Looking forward to see what else is in store for us here!
Although I did like the public school my children attended- it wasn't the best match for them academically or emotionally at the point we left... this is so much more in depth  for the kids and I am certain will pay off immensely as time passes.