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Parent Testimonials

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Guide to Picking the Best Private School for Your Child

Public schools are not always adequate at providing an education for every child to prepare for college and future careers. Private schools offer an excellent alternative because they place stronger emphasis on exposing students to new experiences, giving them greater access to instructors, setting a higher bar for achievement, and providing them the support they need to succeed in college and life in general.

Because choosing a private school is an important decision, here are some elements to consider when navigating the process.

 

Make a List of Personal Requirements

Every child has specific needs you’ll want to consider when looking for a private school. Let your child’s personality, strengths, and weaknesses guide your initial search. Think about your priorities and consider if those priorities can be found in the schools you’re considering. You’ll also want to consider the school’s college preparation programs, class sizes, parental involvement, and unique subjects emphasized at the school.

Another important aspect to consider is extracurricular activities. If your child has an interest in music, arts, sports, or other clubs, be sure the schools you’re considering will meet those needs.

 

Look into the Statistics of Each School

Private schools aren’t ranked the way public schools are, so you’ll need to request information and statistics to learn the academic track record of each school. To learn about the performance of students, look into SAT and ACT scores, accelerated learning programs, programs for special needs, and other elements that are important to your child’s education. You’ll also want to consider the percentage of seniors who are National Merit-recognized, which provides a good measure of academic performance.

 

Consider Practicalities

Before getting too attached to a certain school, you’ll also need to consider the practicalities of your situation. First, consider the tuition you can afford for your child. Luckily, there is a private school to match almost any budget. Other practicalities to consider include:

 

  • Distance from home
  • Before- or after-school care
  • Special needs of your child
  • School transportation services
  • Religious preferences

Think about whether you want your child to go to a mixed-gender school or one where boys and girls are kept separate. These elements are important in helping you rule out schools that will not be the best match for your child. Even the best school may not be the right choice for your child if it doesn’t meet the practical needs of your family.

 

Visit the School

Once you’ve considered your priorities, analyzed the practicalities, and narrowed down your options, it’s time to visit the school in person. Nothing will give you a feel for the right school like seeing it all in person. When you visit the school, consider the ambiance, communication style of the teachers, and condition of the facilities.

If you live in the Setauket, New York area, Laurel Hill School is an excellent option to meet your child’s educational needs. To learn more about Laurel Hill, contact us and see the environment first-hand.

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Welcome Back To School

               

 

 

LHS is a recognized New York State private school, located in Suffolk County, Long Island.

 

 

 

 

Parent Bravos

Here is a small sample of some of the  beautiful comments from our Parents

From a 6th Grade Parent:

Dear Mr and Mrs Stark,
And all our wonderful LHS teachers! We want to support all parents in sending our deepest gratitude for giving our kids some sense of normalcy during these very challenging times.
It’s very important for us to know that while my husband, as many other ICU doctors and nurses, are fighting every day with this vicious disease, our children can still follow their routine, learn, and communicate with their teachers and friends. It helps us, parents, and it definitely helps kids to continue their growth as individuals.
I see excitement in (our daughter’s) eyes when she is getting ready for school in the morning, when she is running to the printer to get an assignment, or just talking to her friends during breaks.
Thank you so much to every single one of you!
 
 

From a 3YR Old Parent:

“We wanted to say thank you for accommodating the preschool families with the tuition suspension during this time.
We are also amazed (and truly grateful) that the zoom on- line learning format is continuing despite the circumstances.
I know this is not an easy time for businesses, organizations etc. If there is anything at all we can do to help the school during this time or once we return, please let us know. Maybe a fundraiser or maybe there is something we can do for our individual teachers. Just brainstorming…
Finally, some thoughts as we’ve entered week 3 of zoom/on-line learning. It’s been such a wonderful experience participating in our kids’ learning! Yes managing working from home and helping with homeschool can be exciting… but I’ve enjoyed seeing firsthand how dedicated our teachers are to not only teaching and providing additional resources to enhance learning, but also doing it with such great enthusiasm.
 There’s a great sense of community and collaboration between administration, teachers and parents, and it is evident that our main goal is how to make this experience the best it can possibly be.
How lucky are we to have such amazingly dedicated teachers in our kids’ lives! How blessed are we to be part of the
Laurel Hill family!
In the midst of chaos you have given us a sense of normalcy and we are genuinely appreciative of all your efforts.
 
 

 

 
 
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As Charles Dickens famously observed…
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .
it was the season of darkness,
it was the spring of hope . . .
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” every day because we are blessed by the beauty, by the serene innocence, and by the precocity of our boys and girls.
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” every day for the blessing of totally dedicated teachers and support staff who clearly know why they selected to do what they do in career and in life and give, and give, and give tirelessly to fulfill their greatest ambitions for their children’s growth and well being.
We at Laurel Hill live “the best of times” because we are blessed to have families joined with us to support and to build – partners in turning great ideas into great accomplishments, partners ready to share their skills and to help in the work that needs to be done.
 
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
 
FROM A TEACHER….
Ms. Bond’s Zoom Classroom
Never in my teaching career would I have thought that I would need to teach elementary class via online classes. Yet, here we are in uncertain times, teaching in a media platform that is geared towards the children of this generation.
As apprehensive as I was before the first day of Zoom (I woke up a number of times during the night like it was my first day of school!), I now feel energized and excited about what we are able to do with the Zoom program. I’ve found that I’ve been able to keep most of my teaching the same as when it is a live class! In Reading, we’ve done an author study and vocabulary work in just three days! I am so proud of how much hard work my students continue to do while they are at home!
FROM A PARENT…..
I hope this email finds you well and safe. I have been thinking about you & Mr. Stark often and must first apologize for the time lapse in reaching out to express my deepest gratitude. I can’t believe that we have just completed 3 weeks of successful and engaging remote learning. Your steadfast leadership at the onset of this crisis was inspiring. As this crisis turned into a nationwide tragic pandemic, your engaging and detailed remote learning program did not waiver. In fact, it strengthened! Our children were the lucky ones to maintain a sense of normalcy with their routine schedule and engaging “live” classes with all of their treasured teachers and classmate friends.
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