The Benefits of a Christian Education

Children who study under Christian tutelage not only grow academically, they cultivate a stronger sense of spirituality and develop a more comprehensive worldview. While remaining academically competitive with their counterparts, they also benefit from a variety of intangibles that simply aren’t offered in other institutions.

As you address this important question — whether or not to allow your child to grow in a Christian education setting — keep in mind that a Clearwater, FL, Christian school, like Lakeside Christian School, can help make this a reality and even help you obtain financial assistance through one of the Step Up For Students scholarships they support. By expanding the availability of private Christian education in the Clearwater area, Lakeside Christian School is helping more students benefit from a learning environment that doesn’t distance God from academics.

Individual Attention

Private Christian schools in Clearwater, FL, tend to benefit from superior student-teacher ratios which allows instructors to connect with students more closely and provide them with individualized instruction geared toward bolstering their strengths and mitigating their weaknesses. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) notes that the student-teacher ratio for public schools was 16.1 students per teacher in 2014. By comparison, the student-teacher ratio for private schools was 12.2. That’s a nearly 25 percent reduction in class size in private institutions, which, in turn, fosters more opportunities for individual attention.

Shared Values

Students who spend each and every day learning side-by-side with other like-minded individuals who care about their fellow man and embrace God tend to develop morally and ethically earlier than their peers. Your child will be supported by their learning community — including students, faculty, and staff — and be guided to make the right decisions and conduct themselves according to Christian values.

Biblical Lessons

If you want your child to be immersed in the word of God, it’s important that their studies incorporate Biblical lessons each and every day. Not only does the Bible teach us valuable lessons about morality, acceptance, and absolution, it lends itself to the development of leadership qualities and instills a sense of conviction in students. In addition, Christian education materials integrate a religious viewpoint that helps guide students’ learning and development.

Developing Faith

As a parent, if you want your child to abide by the principles of the Bible, you need to ensure that they are surrounded by people who aren’t afraid to put their love of Christianity on display for others to observe and learn from. As your child grows and matures, you want to ensure that their faith in God’s word experiences a similar growth. At home and in church, you will work to cultivate a strong Christian faith. A student who is enrolled in a Clearwater, FL, Christian school will continue to develop their faith inside and outside of school.

If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the premier Christian schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.

Everything You Need to Know About Step Up For Students in Florida

Step Up For Students is a scholarship funding organization (SFO) based in Florida with an important mission: to help students find their place within Florida’s public and private education system so they can attain an education that puts them on the path to success. Qualifying students who are enrolled in one of the Step Up For Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, have access to scholarships designed to place students in a learning environment that improves their chances of climbing the academic ladder while simultaneously giving them access to the resources they need to grow and mature alongside other students.

This article details everything parents who are interested in Step Up For Students in Clearwater, FL, ought to know before applying for one of the scholarships offered. Is your child not getting the most out of their time at school? Are they distracted, unmotivated, or bored? Perhaps it’s time for a change of scenery so your child can get the most out of their education. As one of the Step Up For Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, Lakeside Christian School has seen firsthand how students can benefit from things like smaller class sizes, individualized learning, and a close-knit community of students, faculty, and staff.

Helping Students Succeed Since 2000

Founded in 2000, Step Up For Students is the longest-running state-approved SFO in Florida still active today. It is one of only two SFOs in Florida approved to administer the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship, the Gardiner Scholarship, the Hope Scholarship, and the Reading Scholarship Programs. It’s also the only state-approved SFO operating exclusively in Florida, which gives the organization unique insight on the needs of Florida’s students while cultivating close bonds with the very students it serves.

Step Up For Students Gives Every Student an Opportunity to Succeed

One of the best aspects of Step Up For Students is that the scholarships they offer cover a broad range of student needs. For instance, the FTC Scholarship is aimed at providing low-income families with the financial assistance they need to enroll their children in a private school where they can receive an exceptional education. On the other hand, the Gardiner Scholarship assists students with special needs to help them access the types of individualized educational plans best suited to serve their needs. 

If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, one of the Step Up For Students participating schools in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.

Practical Strategies for Saving Money for Tuition

Private school tuition can be expensive, but parents shouldn’t give up as soon as they see a high price tag. All private schools are different, as are their respective tuition costs. By utilizing practical money-saving strategies, nearly anyone can send their child to an affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, like Lakeside Christian School. Here are a few suggestions to help you save money so that you can provide your child with access to the type of education that builds the leaders of tomorrow.

Budget for the Important Things in Life

Your child’s education should always be one of your main priorities. Not only is education important for their social and emotional development, it’s also an investment in their future and helps guarantee that they will be successful. Therefore, it’s imperative that you budget for the important things in life that will help your family prosper. Besides your child’s education, other examples include healthy foods, hobbies and activities, and medical care. Nonessential expenses like eating out, expensive entertainment, and ill-advised vacations should be handled with the utmost caution.

Mitigate Financial Stress with a Payment Plan

When you try to take on tuition as a lump sum, it can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. Fortunately, some private schools offer payment plans to help make the price of tuition more manageable. A monthly payment plan is vastly preferred to a lump sum and helps improve your ability to maintain a budget on a monthly basis. When you know exactly how much you need to set aside for the essentials, as we mentioned in the last paragraph, it makes living comfortably and supporting your child’s education that much easier.

Apply for Scholarships

Private scholarships, like those offered by Step Up For Students, help more students gain access to private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL. That’s right, scholarships aren’t just for college students, and you can apply for some of Step Up For Student’s offerings as early as elementary school. For example, at Lakeside Christian School, many students are the recipients of scholarships like the Florida Tax Credit (FTC) Scholarship, Gardiner Scholarship, and Reading Scholarship. Each of these scholarships has unique eligibility requirements to assist a range of students with different needs.     

Play the Long Game

When your child exhibits academic excellence at a young age, they’re more likely to gain favor for college scholarships. In other words, investing in your child’s education today could result in huge savings in the future. When your child’s academic resume includes a premier private school, like Lakeside Christian School, they will be in a superior position to acquire scholarships that can greatly reduce the rising price of college tuition.

Are you interested in enrolling your child in one of the private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL? Don’t let your preconceived notions about the high price of private school tuition dissuade you from giving your child the best education possible. Utilize these practical strategies for saving money to help make private education a reality for your child.

If you would like to learn more about Lakeside Christian School, a premier, affordable private elementary school in Clearwater, FL, please give us a call at (727) 239-7808 or schedule a tour of our campus.

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