It goes without saying that all parents interested in a private school are especially interested in education and particularly in their children's education and fortune. Enrolling your child in the school of your choice is a large step toward satisfying that interest. However large, it is nevertheless only a first step and there is much further you can do to enhance your child's opportunities for learning and for happiness, both now and in the future.

Here is a list of ideas that you may wish to pursue, organized according to short, medium and long term benefits. We hope that you will find ideas on all three lists that appeal to you.

Supportive Ideas With Short Term Benefit

These ideas support your child directly, but also have an indirect benefit to your school. The benefit is primarily -- though not entirely -- personal. All have nearly immediate effects. That is, they bear fruit on a daily and weekly basis; and this fruit gives you prompt satisfaction that your efforts have been worthwhile.

• Convince your children that you care about their progress
• Don't leave educational stuff to mom
• Expand your knowledge of rearing strategies
• Insist on good manners, respect for teacher, and the right to learn

Supportive Ideas With Medium Term Benefit

These ideas support your school, and also your children and your children's future. The benefits are primarily -- though not entirely -- local, and show up over the months and years. Your satisfactions will not be immediate, and to enjoy them at all you must learn to appreciate "school climate" and to become sensitive to the good things that happen to all the students in our school. Look for progress in character and in attitude toward learning -- in your children and in other's. These qualities follow one into life.

• Read all school communications
• Attend school functions
• Observe classes in session
• Give a presentation to your child's class
• Donate items you no longer need to your child's school
• Be a salesperson for our school, but be discriminating

Supportive Ideas With Long Term Benefit

These ideas support education generally, and indirectly your children and their school. The benefits are primarily -- though not entirely -- culture-wide. You will benefit by becoming a more thoroughly principled person; your children will benefit by being raised in an environment that teaches living by principles and planning long term. But the persons who benefit the most will be your children's children and their peers. Your satisfaction comes from knowing that you are doing what is right and that you are bestowing a blessing upon future generations.

• Learn something about the history of education in the United States
• Contribute time, money, or support to charities and organizations that are sound, rather than politically correct
• Contact your elected officials about relieving the oppression under which non-public schools operate
• Find a way to educate your acquaintences about important ideas