Why Private School -- Part 1

We have known Steve and Keri Geary ever since we taught their third child, Marion, when she was five (she's now in 5th grade).  They've "returned the favor" by being our daughter's Small Group Leader for the past two years.  We have known each of their children to varying degrees, but we know that they are full of character, life, and love.  That's why I was thrilled to have them answer the following questions, so that we can see into their hearts and minds a little more.

1.  Tell us about your family.  We have been married for almost 19 years and have four children: Eliza age 16, 10^th grade; Paul, age 13, 7^th grade; Marion, age 11, 5^th grade; Diana, age 9 ¹/₂  , 4^th grade.  Steve works full time and I stay at home, managing the house and volunteering at school, church and in the community.

2.  Why have you chosen the schooling option you did?   We chose to send our kids to private school for several reasons.  Both Steve and I graduated from small private schools and we believe in the quality of a private school education; we wanted our kids to have that same experience.  We wanted our children to attend a school that reinforces the values and character that we teach at home, and has individualized attention and lots of opportunities.

3.  What do you like most about the option you chose?  We love the community at Christ Church; it is a very positive, close-knit place, with administrators, faculty, parents, students and alumni heavily invested in making it a better school each year.  Our children are challenged academically and loved by faculty and administrators.  While not evangelical, students do have chapel at least once a week, where they hear God’s Word and have the chance to worship Him in an Episcopal service.  We also love the large variety of opportunities available to our kids at school.  They have the chance to play almost any sport, enjoy a rich arts program and be involved in student government and a variety of clubs and electives.  Many of the activities they have done would not be available to them in other schooling environments; for example Eliza would never have been able to play JV basketball at a public school!  Also, all four take private music lessons on campus during the school day. 

4.  What do you wish was different?  What do you feel like your children may miss out on?  We feel our children miss out on having friends of different ethnic and socio-economic groups; it is a small school and they are with the same children year after year.  Christ Church is fairly homogeneous, with a fair number of international students.  There is pressure to conform and an emphasis on materialism by some families.


Be sure to come back tomorrow to read the rest of the interview.


Related Link:

• Why We Homeschool -- Part 1