EDUCATIONGUIDE

There was a time when the term “private school’’ would conjure up images of perfect little uniformed children, privileged parents, campuses

Private and independent schools offer families a unique education. Susan Yi-Millette, a Bancroft School parent, said the school’s community was a selling point. “The greatest benefit is that my children are in a community of learners, who all engaged,” she said. bancroft schol of ivy-covered buildings,

and stuffy headmasters.

Maybe that world does exist. But what you are more likely to find today in the realm of independent schools are children of all types and parents seeking that something extra to make their education as successful as possible.

“What struck us was not only the small classrooms, but that the campus was lovely and it was all like a family, very nurturing,’’ said Leslie Dolce, a parent of two boys, who attend Fay School in Southborough. “Doing this was the best decision we’ve made.’’

Typically, when parents consider an independent school, they aren’t so much condemning public school, but looking for that extra ingredient that they believe will uniquely help their child. Depending on what their child’s needs are, there’s a good chance they can find it among the variety of independent schools in Eastern & Central Massachusetts.

Grafton’s Touchstone Community School embraces a “whole child” philosophy, which calls for a curriculum that addresses all aspects of a child’s development. touchstone schol The catch is to know how to find the right fit and to be able to afford it.

Based on interviews with more than a dozen parents, school representatives and education experts, families typically turn to independent schools because they are looking for a particular emphasis on some combination of the following: • Small class sizes and more individual attention • A specific philosophy of education • A particular approach to academics, the arts, or athletics that will uniquely help their child excel • A sense of community and high degree of parent involvement • A particular focus on character and community service

What parents and professionals say is these benefits can be found at all independent schools – and many public schools, for that matter. The difference is in the details. Each school implements these benefits in its own way and puts emphasis on certain key areas. It’s a matter of knowing how a school’s approach will fit your child. (see sidebar: How to Find the Right Fit, on page 38.) Take the matter of educational philosophy. All schools want children to be confident and reach their fullest potential. Some promote a philosophy that calls for a very hands-on, childcentered approach, others individualize curriculum, while still others embrace a more classical, traditional form of education. It all depends on a parent thinks will work for their child.

Further, the typical downsides of private school are also similar at most institutions. Chief among them is cost. (see sidebar: Cost: The Big Barrier, on page 39.) Based on a sampling of a half dozen schools, tuitions range from a low of about $8,800 per year to $23,000 per year for the elementary grades. Other potential downsides include lack of support for children with significant special needs and the risk of a “homogenous’’ environment with little diversity.

If parents can get over those hurdles, they can investigate the independent school choices and hopefully find that goodness of fit.

“You have to know your child, their needs, and their yearnings,’’ said Ted Koskores, headmaster at Thayer Academy in Braintree. “It is important to do careful research on the schools. The have differences. Not one better than the other, but they have different feels.’’

Susan Yi-Millette can recall when she knew Bancroft School in Worcester was the right choice for her children.

“It was really when my child visited the school. After the visit, my son expected to go to school the next day, he was that comfortable,’’ Yi-Millette saids. “In some ways, your kids know and you can kind of go with that.’’

Beyond the feel, parents need to look at how each school actually implements its core values. For example, independent schools may all offer small class sizes, but each may take a different approach to how they implement curriculum to these smaller groups. The smallest of classrooms will not matter, if a parent doesn’t agree with the educational philosophy.

Take Cornerstone Academy in Northborough, as an example. It tailors curriculum to each child, an approach with which parents may or may not agree. But the school’s founder strongly believes in it.

“We can pay attention to the child’s interests’’ said Karen McQuade, founder and director of Cornerstone. “I am not driven by MCAS scores. If a child is really into dinosaurs, we can do a unit on dinosaurs. There’s a lot more freedom.’’

McQuade noted that this approach may not work for everyone. Some families, she said, maybe be looking for a larger school population or larger facility because they feel it will better suit their child.

In some cases, families are looking for a strong sense of community. For Susan Yi-Millette, a Bancroft parent, the school community was a big selling point.

“The greatest benefit is that my children are in a community of learners who are all engaged,’’ said Yi-Millette. “The faculty is passionate. They are lovers of learning.’’

All schools strive for academic excellence and each school puts their own stamp on that concept. One example is Fay School in Southborough. The school issues grades at regular intervals and also issues effort grades every two weeks, explained Suzanne Walker Buck, director of admissions. The purpose is to underscore how important effort is for a child’s progress.

The school is divided into two teams, which compete for the best effort grades. The team with the highest effort marks for each marking period is allowed to hoist its flag on the school’s flagpole and it stays there until the rival team bests it for effort grades.

Also, one school’s definition of academic excellence may differ from another’s. Take Vanessa Mann, a parent of two children currently attending Touchstone Community School in Grafton. Mann, a former teacher, embraces Touchstone’s “whole child’’ philosophy, which calls for a curriculum that addresses all aspects of a child’s development.

“The teachers care about the whole child and this is very important to me,’’ Mann said. “It’s not just getting them to read well, but the process to feel good about themselves and of wanting to be a good reader.’’

For some families, the Touchstone philosophy wouldn’t work, acknowledged Steven Danenberg, head of school. “Our approach and mission will screen out some people,’’ Danenberg said. “Those that want to make education a race rather than a journey of self discovery, that wouldn’t be a good fit. We will not push. Children need time to savor the moment.’’

Terry Perlmutter, director of admissions at Applewild School in Fitchburg agreed that not all schools suit all children. “We are very community-oriented, we even have family-style dining,’’ noted Perlmutter. When perspective families visit, they are encouraged to visit the dining hall and “experience one of our lunches – it is a true snapshot of the culture here.’’

Perlmutter added that this may not sit right with everyone. “Maybe a family wants something a little different or something more formal.”

But when the choice is right, parents say the results are well worth it. “It’s amazing to know that while my children are at school, they are being treated as individuals and nurtured,” said parent Leslie Dolce.

Rosemary Cafasso is a Massachusetts-based freelance writer.