|
What
Is An Independent School?
February, 2007
By: Melissa Lowrie
“An independent school is a school which is not
dependent upon national or local government for
financing its operation and is instead operated by
tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the investment
yield of an endowment”. This definition, quoted from
Wikipedia.org, sums up what it means to be an
independent school in 2007. Although independent schools
have been chartered since Dartmouth College in 1819, it
was a Supreme Court case known as Pierce vs. the
Society of Sisters in 1922 that gave parents the
right to choose the educational setting for their
children. These two extremely important cases paved the
way for some of the finest learning institutions in the
United States.
The
most important distinction between independent schools
and other private schools is in fact their independence.
They are not owned or run by a church or the government;
thus they do not receive the financial benefits many
schools enjoy. While not all independent schools have a
religious affiliation, Wildwood Christian Academy,
Pickens County’s only independent school offering
Kindergarten through 8th grade, gives
students an excellent education in a Christian
environment.
All independent schools rely on
tuition for their operating budgets. In most cases the
tuition does not cover the total cost of educating a
child. Annual Fund programs allow a means for
independent schools to fund operations without raising
tuition to an unaffordable level. Co-Founder of Wildwood
Christian Academy, Larry Ruff, states, “Wildwood makes
about 75% of its operating budget from tuition. The
remaining 25% must be raised through our Annual Fund and
other fund raising opportunities. To bridge the gap
between our operating expenses and tuition, it is
crucial that we receive these tax-deductible donations.
We give our students an excellent education by providing
only the finest teachers, equipment and environment
available. We rely on generous participation from
parents and grandparents as well as people in our
community to reach our Annual Fund goal.”
Why
should the community support an independent school like
Wildwood? Having an independent school in Pickens County
is vital to growth and development. As more young
families and businesses move into the area, it is
important to have choices when it comes to education.
More information about Wildwood and its Annual Fund can
be found on Wildwood’s website:
www.WildwoodChristianAcademy.com
|
