| Parents seeking more for their children at private schools |
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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer
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Posted: Sunday, December 7, 2008 7:36 am
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TMP Photo by Kelly Hite.Mrs. Menke's 6th grade class enjoys their newly built room abling them more room to grow.
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Bad times in the economy affect many businesses as people opt to hold onto cash.
Private schools are usually no different, but Murfreesboro private schools – Christian in particular – are thriving with expansions just completed or planned for the near future.
Headmasters and principals have a variety of reasons for why their schools are so attractive, but mostly they say parents want more for their children.
St. Rose of Lima Catholic School recently opened a $2 million, state-of-the-art science lab and classroom expansion, which will allow the school to grow by 100 students, Principal Sister Mary Cecilia Goodrum said.
“I’m convinced you can get a good education anywhere, but parents are wanting more,” Goodrum said. “They see what’s going on in the world and they just want more for their children.”
Parents wanting more can be seen in the elementary school’s waiting list. Goodrum said the list is growing with more parents of younger children signing up for the private school.
“We’re bottom heavy right now and some of our parishioners can’t get in,” she explained, adding the classroom expansion will allow the school to raise enrollment from 309 students to 400 next year, which includes a second 8th-grade class.
Providence Christian Academy is also preparing to add a 12th grade class next year, making it a full-service K-12 school.
PCA Headmaster Butch Vaughn said his school has also seen an increase in parents of younger children applying for admission.
“We’re seeing more and more people wanting to come to the private – and especially the private Christian – schools,” Vaughn said. “You see that in metropolitan areas and I think we’re getting to that point.”
Vaughn has a unique perspective on public versus private education. He spent 35 years teaching in Rutherford County Schools, including two years as principal of Oakland High School, before taking the headmaster job at PCA in September.
The main difference for Vaughn is the environment at private schools.
“Our environment here is faith based and classical education,” Vaughn said. “It’s phenomenal for these kids. … When you can combine Christ and education, it’s a great opportunity.”
One specific part of the private school environment is low student-teacher ratios.
Both schools boast student-teacher ratios below the Murfreesboro City schools, which averages 20-1.
St. Rose has a classroom ratio of 18 students per teacher. PCA boasts a 15-1 student-teacher ratio.
Vaughn also said private schools have the advantage because they are exempt from No Child Left Behind.
“No Child Left Behind has handcuffed them (public school teachers) because you have to test well and graduate kids and attendance is a big deal. We don’t have those restrictions here,” Vaughn said.
He explained the academic curriculum at PCA is rigorous, as it is at St. Rose School. And because they are exempt from the federal law, the schools can focus on more than getting students to pass tests.
“This is what education is about,” Vaughn said. “I wish I could live to see all kids learning in this type of environment.”
Vaughn said the public school curriculum has gotten easier over the years, especially in high school, just so more students will graduate and schools can meet federally mandated benchmarks.
Basically, teachers can teach to the students not teach to the test, Vaughn said.
“We don’t worry about tests. … It’s not a priority here but character-building and decision-making based on morals is,” Vaughn said.
Goodrum has a similar take on the popularity of private, Christian education, as it is not based entirely on performance but also on morals and manners.
“We don’t have good manners because we’re in the South,” Goodrum said. “We have good manners because we’re charitable.”
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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