Choosing a school is an important moment for parents, as it plays a substantial role in their child’s upbringing. Though there are many different types of schools, private, independent institutions provide tremendous value that results in the academic, social, and spiritual balance of its students. At St. Timothy’s, we understand that parents seek the best fit for their child, so we compiled some of the advantages to look for in an independent private school.
Personalized Education
One of the most beneficial aspects of private education is the personalization that stems from smaller classes and a more specialized curriculum. Private schools are typically smaller than public schools, allowing for more attention from teachers. This individualized approach meets students where they are and enables them to explore learning at their own pace. Even if the environment is an overall collaborative one, students who receive more one-on-one time will naturally develop a stronger love of learning and feel less comparison against fellow classmates.
Personalized Education at St. Timothy’s
A low student-to-teacher ratio is a part of what distinguishes St. Timothy’s from other schools. Our highly-qualified teachers know the students well and are able to offer differentiated learning approaches. Students receive the attention they deserve, and parents are able to stay up to date on their students’ progress through intentional communication with teachers.
High Standards and Quality Programs
An essential aspect of student development is in both educational programs and extracurricular ones. A private school typically exists for a reason; there is something special in the programs that the administration wants to offer the community. Independent private schools often have the resources to help students by providing excellent classes and extracurricular activities.
Programs at St. Timothy’s
We believe that good programs are essential to a child’s education, so we offer a variety of classes and opportunities for well-rounded learning, including:
- State of the Art Technology: St. Timothy’s is up-to-date with a gigabit-speed wireless campus and interactive classrooms, which all boast either a Google Jamboard or SMART technology panel.
- Visual Arts: Lower school students express themselves creatively through co-curricular art courses that teach art history and allow for interactive art projects. Middle school students can opt to take an art class as an elective, where they learn techniques and use different mediums to master the concept of design elements.
- Music: Like art classes, a music program is part of the Lower School Curriculum. Third graders serve as the choir for our annual Christmas pageant. Fourth graders participate in the Rainbow Ukulele program, learning both standard notation and tablature as well as how to play chords and various strumming patterns. Middle School Chorus is optional for all fifth through eighth-grade students.
- Drama: Students who elect to take drama classes are exposed to all subject facets, including acting, sound, costumes, and makeup. They take turns as actors, directors, program designers, and more to experience the theater’s wide breadth of creative roles.
- Band: Our award-winning band program is an extracurricular activity at St. Timothy’s for third through eighth graders. Students meet either before or after school depending on their experience level.
- Athletics: Physical activity is an integral part of a child’s education, and the majority of St. Timothy’s 6th through 8th grade students participate on at least one of our many competitive teams. Our athletic offerings, dependent upon age and gender, include:
- Soccer
- Cross country
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Tennis
- Golf
- Track and field
- Lacrosse
- Strength Club (5th-8th)
- Running Club (1st-4th grades)
- Intramural Basketball (3rd-5th grades)
- Media Center: St. Timothy’s collection of over 15,000 titles encourages students to discover the world through reading. Additionally, our instruction in digital citizenship and information literacy prepares them for today’s ever-changing information environment.
- World Language: St. Timothy’s offers Spanish for all lower school students, who learn through Teaching with Comprehensible Input (TCI), a specialized, hands-on technique. Students are introduced to Latin in sixth grade and may continue either Spanish or Latin in their final two years at St. Timothy’s.
Intentional Teachings
Along with personalized education, private schools have more freedom than public schools to teach the values they find meaningful. For example, at St. Timothy’s, we instill the principles of both faith and reason in all students through our curriculum. Several specialized programs at St. Timothy’s specifically promote the characteristics of spiritual growth, empathy, and service
Intentional Teachings at St. Timothy’s
- Chapel: St. Timothy’s seeks to develop each student emotionally, intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually through our weekly chapel service led by the school chaplain. We foster an understanding of Christian principles by using the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer.
- Service Learning: We incorporate service opportunities into the schedule of St. Timothy’s students to help prepare them to help foster a life-long spirit of service. In addition to supporting the community, students learn the context behind the activity and more about the people they are serving.
- Social-Emotional Learning: Our social-emotional learning program teaches focus, communication, and resiliency along with self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness, and responsible decision making.
Independent schools like ours seek to provide a strong sense of community, a personalized learning environment, and a wealth of resources for students to thrive. St. Timothy’s students reach their full potential and excel in high school and beyond. Want to learn more about St. Timothy’s? Contact us today and get to know us better!
