Is there anything more nerve-wracking than finding the right school for your child? While it is exciting to start the process of attending open schools and researching curriculums, picking “the one” can be anxiety-inducing. After all, your kid is going to spend a good part of their lives in the school. They will be in that educational institution five days a week for the next decade. They will meet friends there. Their values will be shaped by the ideal taught to them by this very school.
The first thing that you need to do is to study the Gilbert high school curriculum or that of whichever school you’re eyeing for your child. You have to know if the school is using a traditional, progressive, or multiple learning curriculum. Knowing this will guide you to the best school since you’re the only one who can identify what kind of curriculum will fit your child’s needs.
Sectarian or Nonsectarian?
More importantly, you have to figure out if the school is nonsectarian or sectarian. Depending on what faith you follow, you might want to send your kid to a sectarian school that follows the same ideologies as you do. So how important is this choice?
A nonsectarian school does not adhere to any religious beliefs. Kids are allowed to believe whatever faith that’s taught to them at their homes. They are free not to believe an eternal being. The school will never interfere in their faith and how they practice it.
On the other hand, a sectarian school follows the rules of a particular group or sect. If you are a Catholic and want to send your kid to a Catholic school, this means that your kid will need to hear mass every Sunday. Some schools even require kids to attend a First Friday mass. There are consequences to attending a sectarian school. You have to follow their rules even if you do not identify with their religious beliefs. Non-Catholics can enroll in Catholic institutions provided that they observe traditions and protocols.
Religious Beliefs
Are you prepared to have your kids attend programs associated with your school’s religion? If you are not, you should find another school to enroll your kid. Sectarian schools will never force you to follow their own beliefs. You should show respect to the institution by doing your prayers when it says so or enjoying their traditional holidays.
Value Formation
Are you convinced that you are teaching your kid the right values they can carry with them when they grow up? Sectarian schools have classes that aim to teach children the right values. You don’t get this through a nonsectarian school. This is also the reason sectarian schools charge more than nonsectarian public schools. They must add another class and hire another instructor to teach kids values espoused by the religion they follow.
It is perfectly okay if you don’t prefer a nonsectarian school for your kid. No one should judge you because of this decision. Learning the right values begin at home. It is up to the parents to teach the children about their faith and how to act accordingly.
