Local private schools prepare for new year

By Charles Christian

Like their public school colleagues, St. Joseph private schools administrators, teachers and staff are preparing for the new school year.

Natalie Newville begins her first full school year as president of the St. Joseph Catholic Academy. She said the preparation of the Academy is unique, because of five separate campuses under one umbrella, all feeding Bishop LeBlond High School.

“Preparation looks a bit different than maybe a traditional school,” Newville said. “But we just work really hard to make our environment one that has strong academics, as well as a great environment that nurtures students and become a place they want to be.”

Newville also said that a goal she has for this coming year is streamlining in regard to spending, as well as making sure all feeder schools are equally prepared to enter high school at LeBlond.

Like public schools, private schools in St. Joseph rely heavily upon enrollment. Since a big part of financing comes from student tuition, school administrators track trends based upon past recessions or population booms in order to try and prepare for new school years. Currently, St. Joseph boasts 10 private schools that serve around 1,700 students. Most of these are religiously affiliated, and therefore seek to emphasize a spiritual component, in addition to academic excellence.

Danny Maggart, co-superintendent at St. Joseph Christian School, said that for them, a Bible-based goal helps define their approach to academic excellence.

“Our theme this year is ‘rise up,’” Maggart said. “It comes from the Book of Ephesians, and we are looking to rise up from both spiritual and academic perspective as we challenge one another and our students, as well.”

Maggart, who started as a physical education teacher 20 years ago, added that St. Joseph Christian is seeing an uptick in enrollment and is busy in a building program that will enhance their gymnasium seating capacity, among other things.

“For us, all of these additions, as well as our academic goals, have one ultimate aim,” Maggart said. “That is to be informed, to see how God is involved in every aspect of their lives and ultimately for them to impact the world for Jesus Christ.”

For most private schools, including the majority of schools that have a religious connection, the ongoing balance between the spiritual growth of the students and strong, student-centered academics remain part of the training of teachers and the implementation of classroom goals.

Like St. Joseph public schools, most private schools will begin on Aug. 21, with a few exceptions. For instance, St. Paul Lutheran school began on Aug. 14, and South Park Christian Academy will begin on Sept. 3. Parents and students should check the website of their school for more information.