SARATOGA COUNTY — One of the best draws to Saratoga County for home-seeking families are the number of excellent school options in the area. The local public schools receive consistent high marks in the New York State report card, and the area’s private schools are known for their excellent numbers in college-bound, scholarship-winning graduates.
Private schools offer a wide range of options that could never be found in public schools, such as foundational religious teachings, multi-age classrooms, and individually targeted curriculum. Many offer extended care for younger children at an hourly rate and financial aid to offset tuition costs. Following are highlights of area private schools:
Saratoga Central Catholic High School
Serving students in 6th through 12th grade
http://www.saratogacatholic.org/
A Catholic college preparatory institution, Saratoga Central Catholic High School starts the ball rolling for students with college as an end goal, said Principal Stephen Lombard. By arranging for college visitors, coordinating courses and extra-curricular activities, the school helps to organize and prepare students for college while keeping parents, who are more involved in the process than ever before, up-to-date and informed, said Lombard. This past spring, 37 graduating seniors received and accepted a combined amount $2,163,794 in scholarships for their post-secondary academic careers. The students were offered over six million in merit scholarships alone.
Saratoga Independent School
Serving students from 3 years old to 6th grade
According to Felice Karlitz, Director of Schools, Saratoga Independent School prioritizes the development of consistency, respect, and caring for others. Recognizing that children develop at different rates regardless of their chronological age, multiage classrooms help inspire a friendly school culture where each student is known and new students are easily assimilated without stigmas or bullying.
Without textbooks (except in math), research, projects, and active sharing of ideas and opinions facilitate learning. Assessments, which Karlitz likens to dissertations more than traditional pencil and paper tests, demonstrate students’ deep understanding of the subject matter and ready them for accelerated learning upon leaving.
Malta Montessori School
Serving students 18 months to 12 years old
http://www.maltamontessori.com/
“Children that come here are thirsty for knowledge,” said Kerry Henley, Malta Montessori’s Head of School. The teachers, who receive additional Montessori training, are not placed in the front of a classroom with rows of desks, but instead are seen as facilitators of students learning through multi-sensory, hands-on materials. Traditional grading structures are absent from the collaborative, multi-age environment where student learning is reinforced by their peers. The concepts of grace, courtesy and conflict resolution are imbedded in the school culture of peace.
Spa Christian School
Serving students 3 years old to 7th grade
“We want children to know they have a purpose, and the foundation of that is found in the Bible,” said Laurie Slater, who served as Spa Christian’s Head of Schools for 27 years.
Teaching academic subjects from a Biblical perspective and integrating worship into the school day, Spa Christian strives to instill a sense of universal order and meaning in their students. In an environment filled with literacy, and without the pushing pressure of state testing, academics and foundational principles all come together to the benefit of the students, said Slater. “Because childhood is important and it’s working for the children,” she said.
St. Clement’s Regional Catholic School
Serving students from 3 years old to 5th grade
http://www.stclementsschool.org/
Striving toward education for the mind and enlightenment for the soul, St. Clements Catholic School’s small classes allow each child’s individual learning style to be taken into account. Parent and community involvement is encouraged. Included in the academic curriculum are unique opportunities, such as preschool Spanish and computer technology integrated into the school day. In the continuing Lead the Way pilot program, for example, students use iPods to design and build functioning, task-oriented robots. All students have access to the new S.T.R.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Math) computer lab, as well.
Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs
Serving students from 18 months old to 12th grade
http://www.waldorfsaratoga.org/
“The Waldorf educational style is the fastest growing private school movement right now,” said Matthew Kopnas, Director of Community Outreach and Development. By integrating arts, music, movement and practical skills throughout the curriculum, limiting homework, and limiting standardized testing solely to the SATs, students learn the material in a hands-on way.
From the outdoor-based Forest Kindergarten to guided handwork, which includes knitting, housebuilding, ironworking and even stonecutting for older students, Waldorf focuses on melding well-rounded and grounded graduates. “These methods are used to teach skills such as focus, pattern recognition, and stick-to-it-iveness,” said Kopnas. “Developing a student’s empathy, intellect and physical body are all equally important,” he said.
