Get Schooled

A look inside Columbia public and private education

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BY JENNA ALLEN

School Pride

Easily identify Columbia high schools by reading about the colors and mascots of each below.

PUBLIC Battle High School Colors: Navy blue and gold Mascot: Spartans Douglass High School Colors: Royal blue and white Mascot: Bulldogs Hickman High School Colors: Purple and gold Mascot: Kewpies Rock Bridge High School Colors: Green and gold Mascot: Bruins

PRIVATE Columbia Independent School Colors: Blue and gold Mascot: Lions Heritage Academy Colors: Maroon and blue Mascot: Warriors Christian Fellowship School Colors: Red, black and white Mascot: Knights Father Tolton Catholic High School Colors: White and Columbia blue Mascot: Trailblazers An excellent education and an emphasis on its importance are staples of the Columbia community. Students excel in their classrooms and in their postsecondary education careers, whether they attend public or private school. Both systems equip students with the tools necessary to succeed — it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for your family and, most importantly, your child. Explore key components of Columbia public and private schools below.

Columbia Public Schools Accredited with distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Columbia Public Schools is the fifth largest district in the state and includes 21 elementary schools, six middle schools, four high schools, a career education center and an early childhood learning center. The school district currently has a new middle school under construction in south Columbia. John Warner Middle School is slated to open in August 2020. The district is also renovating and completing an addition to Locust Street Expressive Arts Elementary School. A classroom addition to Rock Bridge Elementary School is slated to begin construction this summer. In 2019-20, CPS had an enrollment of 19,052 students from preschool to grade 12 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 13:1.

Columbia’s students excel in the classroom and in their post-secondary education careers. Eighty to 90 percent of Columbia students extend their education beyond high school. More than 30 percent of Columbia graduates earn the College Preparatory Studies Certificate, and more than 75 percent attend a college or university. Student performance on the ACT and SAT exams

exceed state and national averages. Additionally, of the 2,500 students taking advanced placement courses, nearly 75 percent earn college credit. The average Columbia teacher holds a master’s degree and has 12 years of professional experience.

To learn more about CPS, visit cpsk12.org.

Private Schools More than 4,000 students in Columbia receive their education through area private schools. Columbia private education includes Montessori options, faith-based options (such as Islamic

School of Columbia-Missouri and Father Tolton High School), college preparatory options (such as Columbia Independent School and Missouri Military Academy) and more.

According to Greg Seibert, director of enrollment management at Missouri Military Academy (MMA), a private education often offers more opportunity for character and leadership development. “Private schools provide a high-quality education and exceptional preparation for college,” says Seibert. “At MMA, we also focus on developing young men into leaders of character.”

Kari Dowell, director of admissions and marketing at Columbia Independent School, agrees and adds small class sizes are a key contributing factor. “(Private school class sizes) are smaller than in public schools, and that allows the teachers to provide more individualized instruction to students,” says Dowell.

Private schools often have a familylike atmosphere, as teachers, students and families get to know each other well. As a community, they create a supportive educational environment that encourages individual achievement and improves academic abilities . l