THEY MAKE THE GRADE A Look at Five Bay Area Private Schools By Rebecca Markley - Beach Park School To many parents, the term “Montessori” is an unexplained idea. To Richard Winkler, the head of Beach Park School in Tampa, and to the parents whose children attend Beach Park School, the Montessori philosophy is a way of education and a way of life. “We develop a love of learning and we’ve found that our students enjoy coming to school,” Winkler says. “We focus on self-discipline and an independent curriculum, which then stimulates independent learning.” The Montessori method is like no other. Students attend class in mixed-aged classrooms where older children serve as mentors and role models for younger students. Because the students are in the same class and have the same teacher for three years, teachers really get to know their students and how they learn. With an enrollment of 110 students at capacity, Beach Park School is able to foster a strong sense of community between the faculty and each family. Stephanie Gaines, who currently has two children attending Beach Park School, finds the Montessori approach truly successful for her family. “There really is a deeper relationship than just student/teacher. The teachers show the students so much respect, and they offer a sense of place and belonging,” she says. “My kids are given the freedom to learn and they’re allowed to explore subjects in different ways. That approach gives them the hunger to learn, and that will be with them their entire lives.” St. John Greek Orthodox Day School When searching for a school for their twins, Candy and Robert Hobbs were concerned about how much input they would have in the classroom. Candy found that St. John Greek Orthodox Day School offered her the input she wanted. “We wanted the choice to be able to keep our twins together in the same classroom or to separate them,” Candy Hobbs says. “It’s a decision we wanted to make as a family and not by the school’s policy.” Hobbs has found herself involved in the classroom and values the school’s open-door policy, which enables constant contact between parents and teachers. “The school wants you to be a part of everything that you want to be a part of, from fundraisers to volunteering,” she says. The family-oriented school is a stable platform for a supplemental character education program the school began this year. One of seven specific values is emphasized throughout the school each month, and a home package is provided so families can practice and demonstrate the values in their homes. “We also have an excellent academic program and high expectations for achievement, and we’re very focused on high school preparation,” says Judy Kent, director of admissions. “What’s really special is that students are comfortable with themselves. They can explore themselves as individuals because they receive special attention and never get lost in the crowd.” St. Paul’s School Opened in 1968 with the motto “High Quality Involves Hard Work,” St. Paul’s School in Clearwater continually proves itself as a quality institution. Of the eighth-graders from the 2003-2004 school year, 51 percent graduated to private preparatory high schools while 23 percent chose to enroll in IB or magnate programs. “I think the greatest testament to St. Paul’s is that graduates are sought out by high schools because the students are so well equipped,” says school parent Maria Kastrenakes. “But even with the academic program, the school still creates a nurturing environment and helps develop the whole child.” Kastrenakes and her husband Mike currently have four children attending St. Paul’s. When selecting a school for their first child 10 years ago, the Kastrenakes’ were most impressed by the school’s commitment to developing the core being of its students and the self-confidence that came along with it. Judy Evans, the assistant head of school, is inspired by the relationships that students maintain with their teachers. Many students keep in touch with the faculty after they leave, and every year alums who have graduated from high school are invited back for a celebration in their honor. “We have a considerable number of ‘lifers’ who start here in kindergarten and go through to eighth grade, and there are several alums who either teach or send their children here,” Evans says. “We have a longstanding legacy of quality.” Independent Day School - Corbett Campus Don’t let the cotton-candy colored buildings of the east campus (elementary school), or the modern yet industrial-looking building of the west campus (middle school), fool you–– Independent Day School, Corbett Campus, means business. Recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School, IDS-CC can boast that its students scored in the top 10 percentile throughout the nation in standardized reading and math tests. But there’s more to this school’s philosophy than percentages. Dr. Joyce Swarzman, the head of school, is a firm believer in the M.O.R.E. (Multiple Options for Results in Education) approach, which offers “a bag full of options that is constantly expanding.” Swarzman encourages the staff at IDS-CC to keep learning and participating in new ways of teaching. “By learning in multiple ways, we create a brain-friendly environment,” she says. “Our goal is to make learning as exciting as possible so it is easier to process and so it yields better results.” Brian and Pam Attal chose IDS-CC for their two sons because of the good feeling they got on campus and the number of happy students they saw throughout the school. After being involved with the school, Pam Attal is particularly impressed with the level of respect the students have for each other. “It amazes me how much students reach out to help their peers,” she says. “There’s a team concept and a willingness to help each other. There’s a great deal of mutual respect on this campus.” Academy at the Lakes At the completion of the 2001/2002 school year, Academy at the Lakes celebrated its first graduating class; there were four students involved. “We’re a small school with only 265 families, so we all really know each other,” says Joanne Rock, the director of advancement. “Since students are able to attend here from pre-school through high school, teachers are very aware of the students and able to maintain relationships with them.” Rock considers Academy at the Lakes a “private school with a public purpose.” Along with a challenging academic curriculum, community service projects take place throughout the grades and are a requirement for the high school students. “We want our students to think beyond themselves,” she says. Rashmi Ferris, whose two sons attend Academy at the Lakes, chose the school because of the programs offered and the sense of community she got just by visiting the school. “The upper and lower grades all know each other, as do all the families,” she says. “My sons love going to school and it’s never a chore. The academics are made to be fun, and I know my children are having a good time while they learn.” Reflecting on the student body of Academy at the Lakes, Rock is proud of what she sees. “Here, students are peer-pressured to be smart and to behave properly,” she says. “It really is quite impressive.” For the complete story and Metro's 2005 Private Schools List, pick up the Dec/Jan issue of Tampa Bay Metro Magazine. 3902 Henderson Boulevard, Suite 100, Tampa, Florida 33629 (c) Copyright 2005 Tampa Bay Metro Magazine