Choosing a school for your child is one of the 2 or 3 biggest decisions you will make in your lifetime! If you are seeking a Christian school in Minneapolis (or any location!), consider these tips as you evaluate options for both the academic and spiritual growth of your child.
First, Look for an Education Based on the Truth of God’s Word
Christian education is foremost about the formation of a certain kind of heart—a heart that loves God and what God loves. Ideally, subjects should be taught as part of an integrated whole, with Scripture at the center and where students are equipped to know and love the truth and to utilize that knowledge to glorify God in all things.
Second, Look for an Academically Challenging and Spiritually Vigorous Education
A great school will not tolerate differing standards of education and behavior—a suburban standard and an urban standard. Great schools believe all students should be prepared to go on to college if they so choose.
This is why all students at Hope Academy, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, study Latin for five years. They study Algebra as 8th graders and do a year of Calculus as seniors. All students at Hope Academy are expected to read and discuss great books, like the works of Shakespeare, Homer’s Odyssey, and Pride and Prejudice.
Look for a school that believes that all students are capable of practicing virtuous, moral behavior with God’s help. And look for a school that cultivates wonder and worship in your child. God created your child to love and enjoy God.
Third, Look for a Vibrant Community of Parents and Teachers
What’s the single best predictor of school success? Engaged and involved parents.
Remember, you’re not just sending your child to a school. You’re really joining a school family. Ideally, that should sound inviting and empowering to you. Jesus taught us something very important about all education. He said, “when a student is fully trained, he will become like his teacher.” Look very carefully into who will be teaching your child. If Jesus is correct, then your children will grow up to resemble their teachers.
Fourth, Look for Educational Accountability
If we’re honest with ourselves, we know we need accountability. All the most successful people in the world are keenly aware of their own weaknesses, and they purposefully invite accountability into their lives.
The parents at Hope Academy make a solemn pledge to be involved and engaged in their child’s education, and they are willing to be held accountable to that pledge. Therefore, 97% of Hope Academy parents attend their child’s Parent/Teacher conference, and those who miss their conference get it rescheduled the following week.
Finally, Look for an Education Where Everyone has Skin in the Game
The cost of a private school education can be daunting. Maybe it even feels prohibitive. At Hope Academy, tuition is customized so that a remarkable, God-centered education is affordable for all. Families invest what they can, while generous financial Partners cover the majority of operating costs (90%). There’s something dynamic about a school where everyone contributes and is invested.
Ultimately, all schooling comes down to trust.
As a parent, you must find a school for your children led by people you deeply trust. Unless you are homeschooling, you will be entrusting your greatest treasures in the world to a school for the next 13 years. Be certain the school you select reflects all that you value academically, emotionally, and spiritually—and seek God’s guidance as you make your decision.
