Houston has no shortage of private schools from which families can choose. Yet many of them end at 8th grade or younger or they begin in 9th grade. K-12 schools offer a unique sense of community and academic benefits that other schools cannot.

 

Here are the top reasons parents select a K-12 school for their child’s education.

 

10. Students develop family-like bonds and friendships as they grow together over years and developmental stages.

 

9. Remaining in one school environment eliminates the social and academic stress connected with changing schools every few years.

 

8. Mentorship opportunities are available for older students, and younger students learn skills and behaviors from older role models.

 

7. Changing schools can involve a lot of time and expense as parents and students navigate applications, fees, teacher recommendations, standardized testing, interviews, shadow days, open houses, and transcript requests. At a K-12, once you’re enrolled you won’t have to think about that process until it's time to apply to college.

 

6. Parents get an accurate measure of student ability without teachers feeling pressure to inflate student achievement so that their students are more competitive for limited spots in middle and high schools.

 

5. All children and young adults in a household can attend the same school. It’s both convenient and cost efficient as it minimizes transportation logistics and drive times, and it facilitates attendance at school events.

 

4. Divisions collaborate to ensure learning is aligned in the transition from one grade level to the next. Also, some faculty may overlap divisions and maintain ongoing instruction with students as they grow in ability.

 

3. Celebrations, achievements, and events are shared among an entire community. The youngest students celebrate in the triumphs of older students (like a state championship win in sports) and older students get to participate in events for younger students (like school-sponsored festivals).

 

2. There is a unique sense of family in a K-12 community as teachers watch children grow into young adults and stay present in their lives.

 

1. There is consistency of school mission from a student’s first day of Kindergarten to their last day of high school.

 

While there is no framework of education that fits every student, a K-12 school offers many advantages. It is a unique environment that supports students in their development from children to young adults, and it equips them with the skills to enhance any community they choose to join.

 

We invite you to visit Saint Thomas' Episcopal School to learn more about one of the highest regarded K-12 schools in Houston. We hope to see you soon!

 

____________________