Is A Colorado Boarding School Too Close To Home To Make A Difference My Teen Needs

Once you decide to send your child to boarding school, you might wonder about the best location for him or her. You might ask yourself if a Colorado boarding school is too close to home to meet your teen’s needs. The main factors that you need to consider is not how close the school is to your home but the services it can offer your child. Focus on the following characteristics and qualities if you are looking for a therapeutic boarding school to help your child. 1. The types of students who attend. You will likely find a varied mix of students from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. A Colorado boarding school might even have students from other countries. Some kids, who might not otherwise be able to afford the school, will attend on full scholarship. Look for a school with a warm and accepting atmosphere. 2. The rate of acceptance into colleges and universities. You might be expecting a first-rate and top-notch education for your child. And you should, especially when you compare boarding school with public school. Many graduates are accepted into the best universities in the nation, including Ivy League schools. Of course, just like public school, students will need to seriously apply themselves in order to achieve academic excellence. Unlike public school, they will be in a focused environment with staff on hand who are ready and willing to assist them. Smaller class sizes and individualized attention are further academic advantages. 3. School philosophy.The Colorado boarding school philosophy should reflect values that are important to you. Academics, moral ethics, goal-setting, self-reliance and discipline should all be strongly emphasized. 4. Additional programs and activities. The school should offer a wide variety of other programs for students, such as creative arts, team sports and individual sports in order to help them become well-rounded and develop their interests in various areas. In addition, the school should provide mental health counseling as needed for issues including substance abuse, anger management, poor self-esteem, eating disorders or abuse. 5. Staff qualifications. The staff qualifications at a Colorado boarding school should be stellar, and educators should hold advanced degrees as well as have extensive experience in their respective fields. Teachers with years of classroom experience will know how to address the unique issues that might come up at boarding school. You want teachers to be a role model to students. In addition, they should be approachable and involved in extracurricular activities in order to develop a healthy relationship with students. Look at staff turnover to see what teacher retention is like. High turnover means instability for students and can easily result in difficulty in building campus morale. 6. School grounds and facilities. While photographs on a school website can give you a good idea of what a school is like, nothing can replace a personal visit to the school. Pay extra close attention to the dorms and the classrooms as this is where students will spend a majority of their time. They should be updated and well-maintained. Consider the use of bathrooms and if they have restrooms in their dorms or if they share a community bathroom with others. In addition, check to ensure that the campus is secure. 7. Weekends. Since your child will be living at the Colorado boarding school, the school will need to have weekend activities. Find out what they offer as students can easily become bored or homesick, especially if they have few options. Look at what possible activities that are off-campus yet nearby.Once you decide to send your child to boarding school, you might wonder about the best location for him or her. You might ask yourself if a Colorado boarding school is too close to home to meet your teen’s needs. The main factors that you need to consider is not how close the school is to your home but the services it can offer your child. Focus on the following characteristics and qualities if you are looking for a therapeutic boarding school to help your child.