Learn the nuances of touring a private school. Discover what to look for, questions to ask and understand how a family should approach their private school tour.
As you begin to look at schools, do your homework online investigating the facilities and arrive for the campus tour with a very good idea of the physical facilities and layout. This will free you up observe and ask about the human parts of the school. The campus tour is less about seeing the physical facility and more about learning the school's culture - establishing a best fit between school and student.
Use the tour to ask about, observe, and examine specifics.
- Is everyone engaged?
- Observe how the faculty and students go about their work. How do students and teachers interact in the classroom, playing fields and in the dormitory. How do the students connect with the faculty and the faculty with each other. During the question and answer talk, observe how the head of the school responds to inquiries about the school.
- As you walk around campus, ask both staff and students questions about culture. Ask what the best experience in the classroom has been. Look around at the students not involved with the open house or tour and you’ll get a glimpse of the genuineness of the school
- Ask to speak with faculty and students beyond your tour guide in specific interest areas.
- Pay attention to the details and see things of interest and matter to your student. Take plenty of notes to help best determine what life at school would be like for your student.
- Ask Smart Questions
- Does the school have plans to expand the campus, build new buildings in its current location, or move the school to a new location in the near future?
- Does the school have plans to begin a capital campaign in the near future?
- What are the key elements of the school’s strategic plan?
- What accreditations does the school have?
- When will the school undergo its next accreditation?
- What is your student/teacher ratio?
- Does the school give grades? Written reports? Numeric scores?
- How many parent/teacher conferences will I have each year?
- What math and reading programs are used?
- What standardized tests do students take and in what grade do students take standardized tests? Who gets my child’s scores?
- What is the school’s philosophy about homework? How much of my child’s classroom work should I expect to be sent home?
- Is there a portfolio that comes home each week?
To gain additional information about a school in an informal setting, attend one of the school’s annual events. Independent schools hold events throughout the year that are open to prospective parents. School book fairs, speaker series, meet the author, picnics, parties, and other events are a great way to see the school, its parents, students in all grade levels, teachers, and staff.
Check the school’s website or ask during the tour about events that are open to prospective parents. Many schools host Coffee and Conversation events for prospective parent where you can ask questions of the school’s staff and gain additional information about the school. These are typically child-free events so you won’t see kids playing on the campus as you would at a campus event.
As you make your final choice, try to best determine what life would be like at school for your student. Ask yourself if it's a place where they would hug their friends and teachers when they left?
