Five Great Reasons to choose a Christian School in Orlando

A few things we believe are worth considering for your children

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With the public school system floundering like never before, the decision to send your child to Christian school is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Here are a few points we believe are worth considering...

1. Consider the values needed by your child.

A Tennessee school recently made national headlines for reprimanding a group of middle school football coaches for bowing their heads during a post-game prayer. Has our nation's school system always been this way? Although America's early education system did not directly promote a specific theology, history shows that college campuses until the early twentieth century did not hesitate to define themselves as Christian institutions, with the encouragement of Christian faith and values as an important component of their missions (Chickering et al., 2006). However eventually moral teaching was eliminated from the curriculum, as student associations became the new focus on campus.[1] What happened? Why has morality-based education through religion been disregarded? At Heritage Prep in Orlando, we teach students how to live, not just to make a living. There is a difference. Have you considered the spiritual values your child needs to mature?

2. Consider the agendas being taught in public schools.

Today's public schools are teaching more than reading, writing and math. We encourage you to examine the collateral curriculum being taught in public schools, and carefully consider your priorities as a parent. Evolution is taught as a scientific fact in many public school classes, with visual aids like the fraudulent Haeckel drawings reportedly still used in some classes here in Florida. It is also no secret that leaders of the National Education Association (NEA) have been aggressively advancing the LGBT agenda in public schools for years. [2] We understand that some parents will appreciate that, but without passing judgement—we must encourage you to ask yourself—do these teachings line up with your values as a parent? If not, why would you want them taught to your young, impressionable child? We think Heritage Prep provides a Bible-based alternative to the curriculum of the NEA and public school system that deserves your exploration.

3. Consider the test scores.

Sadly, public schools across the nation are struggling to prepare students for college, and Florida schools are no exception. Many Florida schools are failing. On Sept. 18, 2011, the Orlando Sentinel reported that more than 1,100 students chose to transfer out of failing schools in Central Florida this fall alone. Students transferred out of schools in Orange and Volusia counties, including 10 failing schools in Osceola County alone.[3] Thankfully, underperforming public schools aren't the only choice; today there are over 33,000 private schools in the U.S., and some very good choices here in Florida. Using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to test the knowledge and skills of the nation's students in grades 4, 8, and 12 clearly shows that students in private schools consistently score well above the national average.

4. Consider the size and safety of the classes.

Many of today's public education systems are desperately overcrowded and getting worse. Thousands of Orlando students have been forced into portable classrooms for decades. In February of 2011, the Orlando Sentinel described one Central Florida school with 38 students crammed into one tiny classroom, "tripping over each other's school bags." [4] It isn't hard to imagine how these conditions can impact an educational environment. No school can be 100% safe all the time, but when schools get overcrowded, it naturally becomes more difficult to control outbreaks of bullying, violence, theft and illegal drugs. According to the NCES, students are safer in private schools; specifically, four times as many students in public schools reported being a crime victim at school, and three times as many reported being a victim of theft, vs. students in private schools. [5] Thankfully, there is an alternative. We think it's important to give your children the best learning environment possible. Heritage is an accredited Christian school in West Orlando with a small average class size of only 15 students.

5. Consider the future.

There are many philosophies in the world today about raising young people. But while many are offering advice, we think it's still important to remember that the Bible has something to say about rearing children. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it..” Sometimes it is difficult to see the importance of our investment in a Bible-based education until we see it reflected in our children many years later. Maybe that's why God gives us His promise in Proverbs 22. As time goes by, our parents can see the difference in Heritage training, and our students tell us they can see it too. Eventually they graduate—and we do everything we can to make sure they take our training with them—not only in their mind but in their heart and their spirit. When it comes time to plan your child's future, consider that 90 percent of our Heritage graduates continue into higher learning.

References

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

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