CHOOSING
A PRIVATE
SCHOOL FOR
YOUR CHILD?
Here’s what to consider
in your search
BY MEGAN CONWAY
Initial Research – Ask Around
& Utilize Online Resources
“Usually, I would say the biggest driving force behind
where to look is word of mouth – 80% of admissions
is word of mouth, so it’s usually a family member or a
friend or someone in the community [who recommends
schools],” explains McGrisken. We’re a social species,
after all, and having a personal connection to someone
12 Washington FAMILY OCTOBER 2022
with a school recommendation is an easy place to begin. If
this doesn’t necessarily work for your family, or you’d like
to dig deeper, McGrisken recommends niche.com, where
curious families can search schools by zip code and dis-
tance from their home. “A lot of these families, especially
[within] the generation they are, are absorbing most of
the schools through an online platform,” McGrisken adds.

It’s All About Your Values
Much of the decision-making process should be based
on a matching of core values, explains McGrisken, “to
make sure that what we’re about is what the family is also
about.” This helps eliminate future friction.

Although all private schools aim to educate their child,
methodology and core focuses can differ, creating oppor-
tunities for families to find their perfect, unique match.

Embedded in the Tatnall School mission, for example,
is “a caring faculty [that] creates an environment which
nurtures curiosity and encourages students to grow in
maturity and self-esteem,” and the school’s “outdoor
classroom” allows access to a 110-acre campus (with addi-
tional acres of natural habitats).

Elsewhere, The Park School in Baltimore allows chil-
dren agency over their education, with faculty that
nurture students by providing physical materials and
resources to support their interests and open them
up to diverse worldviews. Oneness-Family Montessori
School, in Chevy Chase, focuses on family and communi-
ty-building, “offering celebration in triumph, compassion
in sadness [and] guidance and wisdom for every semes-
ter.” Students are guided to develop emotionally and
inwardly alongside their academic pursuits. And, Lucy
School, in Middletown, approaches education through a
BOOK: STEFAN ILIC; CHILD: SDI PRODUCTIONS / E+ / GETTY IMAGES
h ildren spend a significant portion of their
lives in some form of schooling. It’s often
where humans make many important social
connections, build emotional intelligence,
learn about themselves and explore possibil-
ities for the future – making the hours spent
within school walls an important slice of who we ulti-
mately end up becoming. Decisions surrounding a child’s
schooling are deeply personal to individual families, and
can cause stress for those mulling over several options
– public or private? Religious or secular? Where will my
child thrive?
For those who have chosen the private school route, the
considerations run as wide as one can imagine. With the
help of Alissa J. McGrisken, associate director of enroll-
ment & financial aid and director of family engagement at
The Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware, we’ve out-
lined some key decision steps and considerations that
caregivers should be aware of when determining what pri-
vate school may be best for their child.

McGrisken helps break down the decision-making pro-
cess for exploring private school options, with examples
of options from schools in the Delaware Valley, DMV,
Frederick County and Baltimore County.