Is Your High Schooler College Ready?

Is your high schooler college ready? It’s not always a simple “yes” or “no” question. High schoolers who are excelling in one area may be struggling in another, and even caring, watchful parents can miss the signs that a student isn’t ready for college. After all, students do have a knack for flying under the radar. 

In this article, the faculty members at Lakeside Christian School, one of the top Christian schools in Clearwater, FL, discuss how you can ensure that your high schooler is ready for everything that college has to throw at them. These years will have a tremendous impact on their success later in life. When your child walks out of high school for the last time, will you be content knowing that you did everything in your power to prepare them for what comes next?

Making the Grade 

As this Forbes article states, most high schoolers don’t score high enough on the ACT or SAT to be considered ready for their freshman year of college. “That means students may struggle in tough courses when they get to campus or wind up in remedial classes, even if they earned good grades and met all high school graduation requirements.” At Lakeside Christian School, we believe that students are more than just a number; however, test scores are important for highlighting areas where a student needs improvement. To be considered college-ready, a student would need to score: 

  • ACT: 22 in math, 22 in reading, 18 in English, 23 in science
  • SAT: 530 in math, 480 in reading and writing 

Our Clearwater, FL, Christian school takes college readiness very seriously. We believe that preparing students for college life and college coursework is one of the most important jobs that a school can perform, which is why our educators use an effective blend of curriculum, teaching methodologies, and technology to create a path of success for our students. Through data-driven instruction, we provide a solid foundation on which students can build a rewarding college experience. Of course, academic knowledge is only one part of what your child will need to succeed in college. 

Building a Network

Networking is one of the most important things your child can do to ensure their post-graduate success. This article from Lifehack sums it up perfectly: “In this age of connectivity no employer wants to, or needs to, risk hiring an unknown individual. Networking helps you to form relationships so future employers will see you as a friend instead of as a risk.” By the time they reach college, your high schooler needs to be their own person — they need the empathy, candor, and confidence necessary to network and build relationships, but these are skills best learned long before college. 

It’s all too easy for a high schooler to lose their identity and social skills among the hundreds of other students at their school. At Lakeside Christian School, our educators strive to ensure that every student finds their voice. No child gets left behind when they’re a part of our Clearwater, FL, Christian school. To safeguard your child’s academic and social success, schedule a tour at Lakeside Christian School. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our approach to preparing students for college and life after. 

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

Why Maintaining Your Child’s GPA in Middle School Is Vital to Their Development

As a society, we have a tendency to overlook the transition from elementary to middle school, which can be quite jarring in its own right. After all, the entire structure of middle school is vastly different from elementary schools’ “one teacher to a class” system. Middle school students are expected to have adapted to the school system by the time they enter sixth grade. During the next three years, students will be asked to absorb a vast amount of information as they bridge the gap from simple concepts to more complex teachings. It often seems like the ultimate goal of middle school is to survive until high school, but in actuality, middle school is a time when students can build the foundation for their high school experience. 

At Lakeside Christian School, a Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL, we provide students with rigorous high school preparation programs that boost skills in algebra, writing, and more. During grades six, seven, and eight, students are molded into enlightened thinkers and problem solvers who yearn to be challenged, ensuring that they experience a smooth transition to the next level. Students that excel in high school start by maintaining a strong GPA throughout middle school. Here are the reasons why:  

Developing Proper Study Habits

Like math, science, language arts, and other subject areas, the ability to study properly must be learned through consistent instruction. Students who fail to adopt proper study habits can find themselves left behind once they enter high school. Studying is a foundational skill that can boost a student’s performance across multiple subject areas, and middle school is the perfect time to develop these skills. The amount of homework that children are tasked with completing spikes dramatically during this time, and the formation of reliable study habits is the only way to keep up. Needless to say, better study habits will lead to a higher GPA and a greater chance of success in high school.

Overcoming the Hump

According to Deborah Kasak from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, “Many [students] make that decision to drop out–either consciously or unconsciously–during those middle grades years.” Paying close attention to our middle school students is important if we want them to succeed, but overcoming the hump isn’t always easy. Many children find middle school to be a significantly more daunting challenge than what they grew accustomed to in elementary school. Middle school distractions are another cause for concern. Bullying, puberty, and an evolving self-awareness can lead children down the wrong path without proper instruction. This is why, at our Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL, we work hard to cultivate an environment of learning and acceptance that helps children sustain an interest in education and a desire to be their very best. 

Is Your Child’s GPA Suffering?

When the progress your child made in elementary school comes skidding to a halt in middle school, it’s time to make a change. As one of the top Christian middle schools in Clearwater, FL, our staff is dedicated to providing a guiding hand to children during this confusing time. With small class sizes and plenty of one-on-one instruction, children are afforded the freedom to overcome academic obstacles and become their best. We’d love to give you the opportunity to check out our school for yourself and your family, so you can see why Lakeside Christian School is the best Christian middle school in Clearwater, FL.

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

Should You Enroll Your Child in Private School? Consider These 3 Advantages

The struggles of the education system in recent years have fallen under a lot of scrutiny, and for good reason. Some alarming facts and statistics:

  • 30 years ago, America was the leader in quantity and quality of high school diplomas. Today, our nation is ranked 36th in the world.
  • Teacher quality is one of the most significant factors related to student achievement. In the United States, 14 percent of new teachers resign by the end of their first year, 33 percent leave within their first 3 years, and almost 50 percent leave by their 5th year.
  • A 3rd grade student who reads at the appropriate reading level compared to a 3rd grade student who does not is four times more likely to graduate by age 19.

There is an ocean of reasons why this is happening within the education system in America, and both public and private schools are affected. However, the private sector has historically fared better in times of uncertainty in the education system. Here in Clearwater especially, the Clearwater private school system is exceptionally effective at educating bright young minds. Below are three advantages of private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL.

1. More Individual Attention

The United States population has grown by 17 million since the last major census in 2010 —a 5.3 percent increase. This increase has been supported by a steady annual rate of 0.7 to 0.8 percent; and according to history, this shows no signs of slowing down. Today’s children are glued to brightly lit LED monitors, and as a result, they require more individual attention than ever before to retain information and expand their knowledge. Private elementary schools in Clearwater, FL, benefit from smaller class sizes, allowing teachers to impart knowledge on their students more efficiently and with fewer distractions.  When schools become overpopulated, everyone’s learning experience suffers.

2. Updated Teaching Methods

The children of today are nothing like the children of the 1990s, or even the 2000s. Elementary students of those times came into school only with information and knowledge their parents exposed them to. Nowadays, children before preschool are granted access to smartphones and iPads to aid parents in keeping their overzealous attention spans at bay. This translates to new-age students that have a wealth of information that previous generations did not; in other words, they are not starting with a clean slate. In a traditional classroom setting, children did not have access to a computer until fourth or fifth grade. Preschoolers are walking into their first day of school with the ability to open a computer and use the internet. They need to adjust teaching methods to address this issue and help young minds remediate information that they’ve been exposed to outside of the classroom; which private schools have. Public schools often have trouble offering new-age teaching methods to their students. 

3. Plenty of Funding

A lack of funding is a detriment to any government system, so why would the school system be any different? In Florida, a lack of public funding affects every corner of the educational experience.  This underfunding hits lower-income public schools especially hard. However, affordable private schools in Clearwater, FL, rarely have funding issues. 

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

3 Qualities College Admissions Offices Look for in Applicants

Whether your child’s in high school or preschool, chances are you’ve thought about what your son or daughter’s experience will be like when the time comes for them to apply to college. Will they have the grades and test scores to be enrolled in the school of their dreams? Will the admissions office be able to clearly see the qualities that sets your child apart from other applicants? 

In this brief article, we will discuss three of the main qualities colleges look for in applicants. At Lakeside Christian School, a Clearwater private school, it’s our goal to challenge students to achieve their academic, social, and career-minded goals. We are also proud to offer core academic preparation that increases their college readiness. To learn more about one of the best private schools in Clearwater, FL, please visit our website

1) Is Your Child Achieving Academic Success? 

It should come as no surprise that your child’s grades and overall grade point average (GPA) will impact whether or not they are selected for enrollment at the college of their dreams. Along with their grades, colleges assess:

  • Class rank
  • Level of success in specific classes
  • Honors and AP classes
  • Overall course load
  • SAT and ACT test scores

Clearly, any of the above items can be impacted by the core academic preparation your child receives in high school. At Lakeside Christian School, we are committed to helping high school students reach their full potential by offering small class sizes, daily tutoring programs and homework assistance, and the academic preparation they need to enjoy success in college and beyond. 

2) Is Your Child Involved Outside the Classroom? 

Although success in the classroom is a crucial element of the college admissions process, high school students should also focus on events and activities outside of the classroom. Extracurricular activities are one way that a prospective applicant can stand out from the competition. Moreover, your child’s participation in extracurricular activities provides college enrollment offices with a chance to see their personality and appreciate their commitment to this activity. 

For example, if your child participates in an athletic program, it shows that they honor commitment, unity, and respect. Whether your child is committed to athletics, an after school academic group, or volunteer work, they are showcasing their leadership and dedication to projects.   

3) Does Your Child Have Unique Intangibles?

Similar to extracurricular activities, there are many other ways outside of the classroom that your child can impress college admissions offices. Does your child have a unique artistic talent? Are they passionate about a topic that could resonate with the university of their choice? At Lakeside Christian School, one of our main areas of focus is on providing students with accelerated writing skills in order to prepare them for their college studies. An impressive essay can highlight your child’s achievements, personalize their experience, and showcase why they are a great fit for university life.  

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

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