Today in our blog, we're sharing an article written by one of our 10th grade students. We held a contest and this was the winning entry. We hope you enjoy reading a student's perspective on her WCA experience.

Under the gentle rays of the sunrise, the world around us is bathed in an ethereal, golden glow. Copper and tangerine hues radiate through the sky, breaking through the previous dark of night. My grandma likes to say that each morning, God paints the sky anew for us to begin our days in unadulterated awe.

Have you been interested in having your child attend a private school but immediately stopped thinking about it when you looked at the tuition page on the school's website? The large numbers you probably saw can appear insurmountable and make it seem like private school is only for the very wealthy. You understand the benefits, but why bother thinking about something that is impossible?  If you’ve ever felt like this, keep reading - I’ve got some information in this blog post (and future posts in this series) that may turn what seems impossible into a reality for your child.

Every private school is different and that includes Christian schools. Though some of the foundation principles are likely to be similar, there are certainly going to be differences that reflect each school's priorities or way they carry out their mission. In many cases the differences don't mean that one school is better than the other - just different. Here are a few questions to ask that will help you identify the differences and decide which environment would best fit your family. 

We get this question all the time. Parents with children just reaching school-age want to know the potential benefits and/or drawbacks of the different options. We've operated an elementary school for over fifty years and have experience with pre-kindergarten programs - ours and others. And, because we are a school that serves children through twelfth grade, we also see the longer term affects of this decision. 

There's a lot for your senior to do to successfully navigate the college admission process. We've been ushering students through this for many years and have put together a checklist to help them know what they should take responsibility for. Parents, you might be tempted to step in and take over but we'd strongly caution you against doing these things for your child. Your child will be on their own in college - if they aren't able to take responsibility and complete these items themselves, then they probably won't be able to handle the responsibilities that college itself will bring.

If you have a child who is currently a senior in high school, you know that the application process is heating up, deadlines are approaching, and the school-work required for seniors at academically challenging schools continues. In many ways, the transition to college for your child starts during the senior year with the assumption of responsibility in the college process and can bring with it an added measure of stress. 

The Washington Christian Academy Senior Thesis and Internship Program challenges our seniors to think critically and Christianly about a topic of particular interest to them and then to explore how that issue is played out in the workplace. All this is done in a friendly, challenging environment where faculty and students together pursue “the good, the true, and the beautiful,” all to the glory of God.

If I told you that spending mealtime together as a family is an important way to stay connected to your children and build family strength and unity, I feel like you’d give me the answer from the Geico commercial - “Everybody Knows That!!” But, not everybody knows how to make it happen - to actually be together during a meal. Here are a few thoughts that have helped my family and others to accomplish the goal.

As you head out to visit schools you are considering for your child, I'm sure you've got a set of questions ready to ask. I always encourage folks to visit and I believe that this is the best time to roll out your questions, as opposed to asking through email or over the phone. In person you will know who you are talking to and receive all of the non-verbal aspects of the question and answer interchange. I've listed below a few questions that might not be on your list and the reasons I think these are important.

So, you are considering private school as an option for your child and are (wisely) planning to visit one or more schools.  If you are just beginning this process, you might be unsure how to make the best use of your time and get the most out of your visit. This post is the first in a two part series that addresses some things to consider and questions to ask that you might not have on your list.