51³Ô¹ÏÍø

5 Reasons to Choose a Boys' School

Single-sex education has in the annals of Western education.

It also has its dark side when you consider that only children of the upper classes were taught how to read and write. When the founders of this country began to grapple with the realities of building and advancing a nation built on democratic principles, they soon realized that education was one of the keys to future success.

The Phillips family, for example, invested to establish the now famous schools - Andover and Exeter - which bear their name. Many other visionaries did the same thing or followed their example, as you can see from established in the 1700s. Those first schools were single-sex schools. Boys' schools. Girls didn't matter back then, apparently.

This from Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, Virginia, states the argument succinctly:

"Since the school’s founding in 1889, Woodberry Forest has sought to develop young men of intellectual thoroughness and principled integrity equipped with the capacity and eagerness to serve as leaders, learners, and citizens. Consistent with the historical founding of the school on Christian principles, we aspire to instill in every boy a deep sense of empathy, an enduring self-confidence buttressed by genuine humility, and an enthusiastic pursuit of lifelong

5 Common Myths About Military Schools

Military schools seem to go in and out of favor with the general public.

• Perhaps that has to do with some rather common misconceptions about what military schools are and how they operate.
• The truth is that America's military prep schools carry on a proud tradition of academic and personal excellence, which has withstood the assaults of negative media attention and changing education trends.

Let's debunk five common misconceptions about military schools.

1. They are retirement outposts for retired officers.

Hollywood loves to portray military schools as retirement outposts for disgruntled officers with enormous grudges against just about everything and egos to match. (Think Taps with Timothy Hutton and George C. Scott.)

• The truth is that most military schools have a headmaster who is styled a commandant or superintendent according to military nomenclature.
• Becoming an administrator in a military school is a logical next career step for an officer who has retired from active service, usually in his '40s or '50s. Their egos? Most of them are pretty average.
• Their job is to run the school, hire the best faculty they can find, and manage the finances. That's what any headmaster does.

Running any private school these days requires immense amounts of administrative savvy combined with a deft touch for fund-raising and the diplomatic skills of a career diplomat.

• Being ahead of school is a multi-faceted job.
• Being the head of

in a boarding school is quite unlike any job in a day school. Why? Because in most schools you will live above the store as it were. Most faculty, deans, and heads of school as well as some key support staff such as the admissions and development directors are housed in school accommodations as part of their conditions of employment.

Home and School

51³Ô¹ÏÍø schools are self-contained communities. Students and faculty eat together. They share relaxing times watching TV and playing games together. That is because teachers and staff in a boarding school function in loco parentis. They take the place of parents literally and figuratively. They play a powerful role in shaping and guiding their young charges while they are at school. Because the students cannot escape at the end of classes, they cannot avoid teachers' strong influence on them. This is a major reason many parents send their sons and daughters off to boarding school.

This video offers an overview of Woodberry Forest School.

Finding a Job

How do you ? The best way is to use . Alums, colleagues past and present, friends, and family constitute the most important group of people who know you and can attest to your suitability, skills, and experience for employment better than anybody. They will often be

The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø School Glossary

51³Ô¹ÏÍø schools have their own jargon, just like any activity or affinity group has. Here are some of the more common terms and acronyms that you are likely to encounter as you explore boarding schools.

ADD/ADHD

, was previously known as ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder.

• In all probability, you won't notice signs of ADHD until your child starts school.
• If he exhibits any symptoms of ADHD, the school will bring it to your attention.
• The next step is to have him evaluated professionally.
• The syndrome is treatable.
• There are hundreds of private schools that have experienced, professional staff who can work effectively with children who learn differently.
• Explore that option thoroughly.

This video shows the approach to teaching students with learning differences.

ACT

is an acronym for the program.

• ACT and the SAT are the two most common college standardized tests of academic readiness for college-level studies.
• Most private schools offer test preparation for the SAT.
• If you prefer to have your child take the ACT, make sure that you advise the school as soon as you can.

Crew

Crew is the ancient sport of rowing.

• Rowing in shells is a popular sport in many boarding schools.
• Typically, crew is offered in the fall and spring.
• Schools participate