EDU C AT I O N
I N S I G HT
How to Interview a New School By H.M. Cauley
QUESTIONS TO ASK TO FIND THE RIGHT FIT
When searching for the right school for your child, there’s no more important part of the process than asking questions of the faculty and staff. From a school’s educational philosophy to its test scores and what it serves for lunch, it’s crucial to get as much information as possible to help you make the right decision. But what questions should you ask? For parents looking for educational options for their children, one of the best developments in education is the availability of a wider range of school choices than ever before. At the same time, this abundance of choice can be the source of stress when searching for a school, as parents work to weigh a greater number of alternatives objectively. 20 | Newcomer Magazine | newcomeratlanta.com
ACADEMICS The first thing to ask about is a school’s academics. Nicole Evans Jones, engagement specialist at Young Middle School and founding former principal at Purpose Built Schools, an Atlanta nonprofit charter school management group, encourages parents to consider just what they want their children to learn. “The course offer-
ings and the extracurriculars may not fit your child’s needs,” she says. “Look at the course of study and talk about what the kids are learning.” Ideally, the program should enrich your child’s academic strengths and interests while also being able to support improvement where needed. Ayanna Hill-Gill, head of school at Atlanta Girls’ School, agrees. After relocating to Atlanta from New Jersey in 2014, Hill-Gill visited local institutions to find the right fit for her own two children. When interviewing schools, Hill-Gill made sure to focus on the curriculum. “Coming from out of town, we wanted to make sure the curriculum was what my kids were accustomed to, so there would be a smooth transition,” she says. “For instance, I wasn’t familiar with what one school used for math, so I asked to see some lessons to get a sense of the objectives,” she says.
