Private School Q&A 2017
Lawrence School
Our mission is to teach students using diverse learning strategies, ignite their potential, and inspire academic, personal and social success.
What are three unique aspects of an education at your school? 1. Lawrence School serves a population of students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other language-based learning differences, and our programs and services are uniquely designed to meet the needs of this group of learners. We work hard to develop a learning environment that recognizes and supports the learning challenges that our students are faced with, while still providing an educational program that prepares them well for life beyond Lawrence School, whether that means college, vocational training, entry to the workforce or time in the military, among other options.
2. Lawrence School places an equal focus on academic growth and social emotional learning and development. We believe that students cannot succeed academically if their emotional and social needs are not met. As such, integrated counseling services, specialized intervention programs in social skills, friend making, and bullying prevention are all a part of our daily offerings for students and families.
3. Technology is integrated into every aspect of a student’s educational experience at Lawrence School. We are a one-to-one laptop or tablet computer school at the Upper School, with every student utilizing a variety of technology tools in their day-to-day academic work. Additionally, computers at Lawrence School are pre-loaded with a range of assistive technology software to ensure that students who struggle with various aspects of school can receive support and intervention using the computer tools.
What Part Does Technology Play in an Education at Your School? Technology levels the playing field for students in our school. For those who struggle with reading, there are text-to-speech tools that read textbooks and other instructional materials aloud. For students who struggle with fine motor issues, there are speech-to-text tools that allow a student to speak into a computer that then creates written text for them. There are a multitude of other technology tools, including graphic organizers, test review software, and writing assessment tools that combine to make a student’s experience at Lawrence School positive and effective while eliminating barriers to academic success. We are a Google Apps for Education School, and the use of Google Classroom and other Google tools is an essential element of our academic program as well.
How Do Your Teachers Work as A Team to Ensure a Quality Education? Teachers meet at least weekly as a whole faculty, as grade-level teams, or on cross-grade-level working groups to address issues of importance to the school community. Teachers are encouraged to work collaboratively and to develop cross-curricular lessons and programs that bring students of different ages and abilities together for learning and growth. Decisions about the academic program in the school are made cooperatively between the members of the school’s leadership team and the faculty and staff during planned meeting times. Teachers also use breaks and after-school hours to collaborate, plan and develop the best possible educational program for all of our students.
Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
CVCA’s vision is to create a Christian school community characterized by transforming relationships that produce a lived-out faith in the lives of our students. Our vision is to impact students in a transformational way so that they are equipped to be agents of transformation in the school, home, church, nation and world.
What makes graduates from your school a success? Students are thoroughly prepared for college because of the rigorous academic and co-curricular environment at CVCA. Moreover, students learn to think critically and biblically about all academic disciplines as they are challenged to develop Christ-like character, compassion for others, and a deeper understanding of the gospel. The staff and faculty are premiere scholars and educators who are deeply committed to their responsibility of educating and cultivating servants for Christ in the 21st century. Teachers are diligent with their curriculum, but always seek to care for students in tangible ways. Therefore, students are prepared to make an impact in the broader culture because of the mentoring, training, and education they have received at CVCA.
How does CVCA create students who will positively impact their community? CVCA has a commitment to both local and global service; it is part of the fabric of educating and cultivating servants for Christ. Every semester, CVCA students have the opportunity to serve the community as a part of the CVCA curriculum. Students come to understand the importance of offering mercy to the marginalized as they labor towards justice. Further, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy challenges students to consider local and global impact in their future vocational choices.
What makes your curriculum innovative? The ability to think critically, collaborate and exercise creativity are highly valued throughout the CVCA curriculum. Therefore, CVCA maintains a massive breadth of offerings to students as they choose from a robust curriculum that extends from fine arts offerings to an extensive Advanced Placement program with dual credit college courses.
Seton Catholic School
Inspired by Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and rooted in our Catholic faith, Seton Catholic School fosters spiritual development, academic excellence, responsibility to self and service to others.
What sets your school apart? Seton is a nationally recognized U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and a recipient of both the Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and the Catholic Schools for Tomorrow Award for Innovations in Education. Strong academics, innovative instructional strategies, multi-disciplinary approaches and creativity are the foundation of the Seton curriculum. Our blended learning approach allows our teachers to be at the heart of the educational process, designing new, effective, personalized learning experiences for our students.
Mary Schiller Myers School of Art
The mission of the Mary Schiller Myers School of Art at The University of Akron is to provide high quality education in the fine arts, art history, design, and art education. We provide excellence in teaching, research, and community service, contributing to the visual culture of the region and beyond.
What are some unique qualities of the Myers School of Art?
1. We are a fully integrated art and design school, focusing on student-centered undergraduate education. All students begin with a strong foundation program. A tremendously committed faculty help students excel through mentorship. Students and faculty work across disciplines. This collaborative environment allows the students to explore a variety of mediums that can be extended into their areas of concentration. For example, students from a variety of majors can be in the same class exploring 3D printing, printmaking, biomimicry or game design. This gives students unique perspective in all majors.
2. Endowments afford many opportunities for our students each year. These include: traveling regionally and internationally, working with and learning from renowned visiting artists and designers, and benefiting from robust lecture series. Earlier this semester, students returned from the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria. We are now preparing for the annual spring break trip to New York City and the 2017 Venice Biennale. Past residencies have included Marius Watz, Julie Schenkelberg, Patrick Doughty and Lesley Dill. This spring students will work with Philip Beesley, an architect and interdisciplinary designer from Toronto, Canada. A few of the visiting lectures this past fall were Anouk Wipprecht, Dr. Susan Sidlauskas, John Newman, Simon Schleicher and Amelie Proulx.
3. In addition to the Emily Davis Gallery, the School of Art also hosts exhibitions in our adjacent atrium galleries and nearby Projects gallery, a place for students to explore and experiment. They are often used as a teaching tool for classes and an opportunity for students and faculty to display their work. In addition, the galleries serve both the university and the wider community by bringing in voices from beyond our community to inspire students and visitors with new ways of making and thinking about works of art. The School of Art has also begun collaborations across campus, like the recent pop-up gallery in Quaker Square for the Akron Art Walk.
4. We prepare students for their professional art and design careers. Understanding that art and design are competitive markets, we consistently have high placement rates for students gaining employment, placing into top graduate schools and sustaining successful careers as artists. Students are taught to apply technical, conceptual and problem-solving skills. They regularly interact with professionals in their specific disciplines. They are encouraged to be active beyond the classroom: participating in community projects and internships, selling work at the Boston Mills ArtFest, and attending national conferences.
The Lippman School
We provide a superior and individualized education steeped in Jewish values and a global perspective. Our students will emerge from The Lippman School inspired to challenge their intellects, engage with our global society, and live fulfilling lives enriched through values and wisdom learned from Jewish traditions.
How does technology enhance learning at your school? Technology is used as an applied skill. We use technology to allow students to more rapidly acquire and share information through both MAC and PC platforms. All middle school students use coding to develop educational mobile applications through social studies and environmental education.
Tech is integrated in the classroom experience through use of a 1-to-1 laptop program and SmartBoard technology. We also have an imbedded technology specialist who helps teachers facilitate technology-based projects and ongoing programs.
Shaw JCC of Akron
At the Mandel Early Childhood Education Center, we are concerned about the well-being of the whole child—cognitively, emotionally, socially, and physically. We support the growth and development of each child by providing a hands-on, exploration-based curriculum in a warm and nurturing environment. Our classrooms incorporate experiences designed to enhance children’s understanding of the world around them and their relationship to it as they are expressed through Jewish values and traditions using the Fingerprints curriculum.
What are three specific programs the Mandel ECE offers? The Mandel ECE offers rich extracurricular activities, including weekly swim lessons for ages 3 and up, Music Together, and structured age-appropriate gym classes. We also offer enrichment classes such as cooking and gymnastics.
The CATCH Early Childhood program helps address childhood obesity by integrating physical activity, health education, gardening and healthy food choices into everyday curriculum.
The Mandel ECE participates in the Community Partnerships for Inclusion (CPI) Program of the Summit DD Board. This program supports child care centers in the community to become more inclusive, serving children with disabilities and those who are medically fragile in their neighborhood setting
How does the Mandel ECE at the Shaw JCC promote critical thinking within children? Our teachers provide enriching and challenging activities for children ages 6 weeks to pre-K that foster the natural curiosity of each child, as well as empower them to be problem solvers. Children are inspired to question their world and to appreciate multiple perspectives. We find that when children are agents of their own learning, they build life-long critical thinking skills and are more deeply invested in the process.
St. Sebastian Parish School
St. Sebastian School is dedicated to Christ and committed to excellence in education. We honor the Catholic Christian traditions of the past, work to develop our talents today, and prepare for Christian service in the future.
What does your school do to encourage academic excellence? Academic excellence at St. Sebastian Parish School begins with our compassionate, creative and professional teaching staff whose focus is on student development. Through professional development and their continual desire for self-improvement, the teachers engage in best educational practices involving learning and teaching. Our faculty has high expectations for the students and themselves. They are always searching for innovative ways to enhance the classroom experience and provide a learning environment that prepares students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their future academic and career endeavors.
Stark State College
Stark State College is committed to preparing our students for career success in a competitive, sophisticated economy. Our graduates are in demand by employers who recognize their high skill level and readiness to succeed. Our students receive a high-quality education at an affordable cost. It’s a formula that works, thanks to our dedicated, experienced faculty; convenience, efficiency and affordability; mission of access, student success and economic development.
What are three goals your school hopes to achieve with each student? Stark State strives to help students succeed in three areas: their education, their career and their life. A quality education also can cause a positive ripple effect that reaches beyond a student to impact an entire community.
How do teachers work to make a positive impact on their students? Stark State professors offer real-world experience and a caring environment that focuses on student success. The college’s small class sizes allow more one-on-one attention and a learning atmosphere that promotes inquiry.
How is technology utilized within the classroom? Stark State students use cutting-edge equipment and the technology of real-world applications. One example is the state-of-the-art WR Timken Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory, featuring the latest in CNC machining and additive manufacturing.
How does Stark State College help students get ahead? Students get ahead by earning degrees and certificates in high-demand areas that lead to rewarding careers. Additionally, the College offers pathways to four-year degrees with more than 30 partner colleges and universities. Our partnership with NEOMED gives Stark State students with an associate degree the opportunity to apply for direct admission into NEOMED’s doctor of pharmacy program.
What sets your school apart? Stark State’s high-quality programs and affordable tuition are just the beginning. The internship and co-op experiences, connections to industry leaders, scholarship opportunities, and affordable pathways to universities such as The Ohio State University, The University of Akron, Kent State University and more all make Stark State the best place to spend less, earn more and go further.
Western Reserve Academy
Western Reserve Academy education offers a transformational experience where students strive for excellence, live with integrity and act with compassion. Our faculty cultivate intellectual curiosity through a challenging college preparatory program; our students pursue a rigorous liberal arts curriculum and engage in opportunities beyond the classroom in arts, athletics and service, ensuring growth in mind, body and spirit. Western Reserve Academy’s tight-knit community instills individual and social responsibility and welcomes and respects diversity, while preparing students as citizens and leaders in an increasingly interconnected world.
What are three advantages of an education at Western Reserve Academy?
Our independent curriculum: WRA is an independent school with a fully independent curriculum. Our move beyond Advanced Placement (AP) courses beginning in the 2017-18 school year emphasizes depth of learning and learning through experience and application. With this direction, WRA becomes the first school in the region to move beyond an AP curriculum, joining a growing cohort of the country’s top boarding and independent schools.
Our world-class faculty: WRA’s faculty members believe their great purpose is helping students find theirs. Ninety-one percent of our faculty hold advanced degrees, including seven Ph.D.s or J.D.s. Our students have unparalleled access to faculty, with 81 percent of teachers living on campus. In addition to being passionate educators, our faculty are academics, artists, and contributors to their fields; they believe in sharing their passions to inspire students to pursue their unique journeys.
Our signature programs: Reserve offers signature academic programs that distinguish the school regionally and nationally. Our new makerspace—The Center for Technology, Innovation & Creativity—is a 6,000-square-foot dream space designed to allow students to take any idea from concept to creation using state-of-the-art equipment. Our Compass program is a self-directed, yearlong seminar that allows top students to pursue an individually designed project, focused on a student’s passion. Saturday Academy provides over 50 special topics, immersive courses for deeper learning. Beyond Reserve provides internship opportunities to enrich students’ lives and distinguish them in the competitive college application process, contributing to our 100 percent matriculation to the country’s best colleges and universities.
Old Trail School
At Old Trail School, we take education out from behind a desk and into the wide-open spaces of our unique 62-acre campus, nestled in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We’re committed to a dynamic environment of academic excellence, service learning, and global sustainability, but our students learn more than curriculum. They raise their voices to ask bigger questions, explore new spaces, and push themselves farther, ultimately building a lifelong love of learning.
How are students engaged in lessons at your school? Our students master the foundational skills of reading, writing and mathematics while also being taught to question, investigate and consider multiple perspectives before transforming their ideas into purposeful action. The Old Trail learning experience empowers students to think independently, manage change, and solve real-world challenges. Students and teachers embrace the concept of learning by doing. From tech lab to pottery studio to swimming pool, students apply and test their learning and concepts in real-life situations, making for more stimulating experiences and deeper understanding.
How do you create students who will make a difference in the community? Our students learn to embody the school’s core values of respect, responsibility, goodness and service. Old Trail School’s commitment to service learning is embedded in our core values. Through meaningful involvement in service learning, students become thoughtful, compassionate, constructive citizens and advocates for others. Beginning in early childhood and continuing through grade eight, students participate in a variety of service opportunities. Students serve by giving their time, talent and effort, through collections and by advocating for others. Our many service projects benefit our school, as well as local, regional, national, and global communities, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Akron Canton Regional Foodbank, Akron Children’s Hospital and the International Institute of Akron.
Archbishop Hoban High School
We are a Catholic high school in the Holy Cross tradition. We celebrate our diversity, value each person, and welcome one another with the hospitality of Christ. As a family of learners, anchored in gospel values, we empower each other to grow spiritually, develop intellectually and reach out in service to others. Within an innovative and orderly learning environment, we are committed to challenging each student in both heart and mind to be a compassionate individual, a lifelong learner, and a responsible steward of God’s creation.
How does an education at Hoban expand beyond the walls of the school? Year after year, Hoban seniors are accepted at the nation’s top universities. The class of 2016 earned $25.9 million dollars in scholarship awards. Hoban is proud of the success of our graduates in their careers and as service-oriented people. After completing service hours as a Hoban student, many Hoban graduates continue to serve others after they graduate. Hoban graduate, Erin Clark, ’08, states, “Attending Hoban ignited my passion for learning, strengthened my relationship with God, and inspired me to be more compassionate towards others. Hoban’s curriculum made the transition to college easy. The Holy Cross tradition cultivated my desire to become a nurse and volunteer in Africa. I can attribute much of my success and happiness to the faculty and staff, students, and Hoban family. Hoban has forever changed my life.”
What innovative approaches do teachers take to keep students engaged? In addition to an extensive core curriculum, Hoban is always seeking new and relevant course offerings to meet the needs of its student population. As new industries, disciplines and technologies emerge, students need to be prepared for these growing fields. Our latest course offerings include dual credit college courses in Environmental Science, Honors Latin III, IV and Honors Spanish III. Other electives include Pre-Engineering I, II, III, Organic Chemistry, Video Game Design, Website Design and Video Production. Every course is taught with an emphasis on authentic problem-based curriculum in which students are engaged in both collaborative and self-directed learning activities.
Primrose School of Hudson
Primrose Schools® is a national system of accredited private preschools that provides a premier early education and child care experience for children and families. Our franchise owners, leadership teams and school staff partner with parents to help build the right foundation for future learning and in life.
What makes your school unique? Our research-informed approach to teaching, learning and care is unparalleled. We deliver more than a curriculum; it’s a life-changing early learning experience for children and their families. Our approach balances traditional early learning theories with modern wisdom to address children’s individual learning styles, helping to empower every child to reach his or her potential.
St. Hilary School
Our mission is to keep Christ at the center of all that we do. In partnership with our parents and parish community, we will inspire our students through innovative and challenging academic experiences to be leaders capable of making a positive change in the world.
How do you create students who will make a difference in the community? Catholic faith-based values are the life-blood of our school. Students participate in weekly Masses and frequent prayer and Rosary services, where they hone confidence and public speaking skills. Meaningful service to the community comes in the form of monthly service projects for each grade level and a school-wide immersive service effort that takes students into the community to perform hands-on service. Student Council, Future Catholic Teachers, a school buddy program that allows older students to mentor younger ones, student-led projects, and many other opportunities provide leadership experiences for students.
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