THE BRIDGES DIFFERENCE
The Value of a Private School
The National Educational Longitudinal Study, conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, found that students attending independent schools:
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Are more likely to enroll in advanced courses than their counterparts in public, parochial and other private schools
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Watch only two–thirds as much television
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Are significantly more likely to participate in varsity or intramural sports
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Are more likely to agree that students and teachers get along well, discipline is fair and teaching is good
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Lead the nation in postsecondary achievement
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Place a higher value on community service and civic participation
Visit the National Association of Independent Schools website for more information on the value of an independent education.
Why Small Class Size Matters
At Bridges, we believe that small class size creates the ideal learning environment where collaborative and individualized learning can thrive. The students can receive more customized learning while the teacher has the freedom to get to know his or her students better and can tailor the learning to suit the class. Our students have the added benefit of a variety of multi-age activities and diverse school events that creates a strong sense of community.
The Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences has found that, “reducing class size in grades K-3 (the average student in small classes scores higher on the Stanford Achievement Test in reading/math than about 60% of students in regular-sized classes).”
Want to know more? Here’s some additional reading on the benefits of small class sizes:
“Why Small Class Sizes Work” by Robert Kennedy
“The Importance of Class Size in the Middle and Upper Grades” by Class Size Matters
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Why Toddler-8th Grade
Research studies show that the K-8 model better supports middle school students.
Clinical psychologist and New York Times best-selling author Michael Thompson supports this study in his book Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children, stating, "If I could design psychologically safe schools, every elementary school in America would go from K through grade 8 and would be no larger than 400 children."
As an Age 2 through Grade 8 school of approximately 220 students, The Bridges Academy provides many advantages beyond academic rigor: students experience fewer transitions, they develop long-term relationships with teachers and other students, and there is an opportunity for cross-age tutoring, role modeling, and a wide range of leadership opportunities under one roof.