Seeking in-person classes, some SC parents flock to private schools amid COVID 19

As many public schools throughout South Carolina prepare a cautious — and often partially virtual — reopening for the 2020-2021 school year, many parents seeking in-person education are looking to private schools.

“For some parents, remote learning this past spring was a challenge,” said Chris Hinchey, the head of school at Heathwood Hall in Columbia. “Many families are eager to go to face-to-face learning for a change.”

The trend applies far beyond the boundaries of the S.C. Midlands.

“It is definitely happening in Columbia, but it’s happening in schools across the country,” Hinchey said.

Many of those who are seeking a private school education are families who are currently enrolled in public schools, said Suzanne Nagy, Heathwood Hall’s director of enrollment management.

The main reason: parents want their kids to have an in-person education, Nagy said. Heathwood hall aims to deliver on that, starting five days of in-person classes on Wednesday, Aug. 19, Nagy said.

If coronavirus cases surge later in the school year, it is possible the school will temporarily switch to virtual, but, “It is our intention to be on campus and in-person,” Nagy said.

And because the average class size at private schools is much smaller — Heathwood Halls’ average class size is usually between 17 and 18 students while public schools are in the 20s — it’s easier for teachers and students to socially distance in the classroom, Hinchey said.

Though applications have increased to the point where the school had to implement a waiting list, the school’s enrollment won’t see much of a spike because the classrooms need to maintain social distancing, Nagy said.

“New student population is up because of the desire to go face-to-face,” said Frank Martin, the head of school at Thomas Sumter Academy, which has locations in Sumter and Richland counties.

The school, which has roughly 340 students on both campuses combined, does not have solid numbers on how many more students could enroll this year, Martin said. That’s because much of the application surge has happened in the last week and the school is still grappling with the rapid change.

“Our students need and deserve an in-person education,” Martin said.

The small class sizes have been a draw to parents seeking an in-person education amid coronavirus, and Thomas Sumter has been further decreasing class sizes to implement social distancing, Martin said. Typically, a classroom at Thomas Sumter Academy has 18 or 19 students in the classroom, but the school has added more classes so that “in the majority of cases,” class sizes have been reduced to around 12 students, Martin said.

Not all private schools, however, have seen the same bump in applications. At Wilson Hall, a private school in Sumter, enrollment is similar to what it normally is, said Sean Hoskins, the Wilson Hall director of admissions.

“We’re pretty much the same as last year,” Hoskins said.

Other schools have seen mixed results. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston, which runs dozens of Catholic schools throughout South Carolina, has some schools that have seen an increase in enrollment while others have seen a decrease, spokeswoman Maria Aselage said in an emailed statement.

But overall, enrollment is increasing, Aselage said.

“We believe some of the parents who have enrolled their child or children in our Catholic schools chose to do so because we are providing certainty in these uncertain times,” Aselage said in a statement. “We are committed to each child and believe our small class sizes and commitment to academic excellence are driving people to our communities to ensure their children learn and grow.”

This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 9:22 AM.