Ana Good
Highlands School
Highlands School, tucked away in the hills of Mountain Brook, is recognized as one of the top private elementary schools in the U.S., according to a new ranking by TheBestSchools.org. The website, which provides ranking for elementary through high school degree programs as well as of colleges and universities, ranked Highlands at No. 21 out of the “50 Best Private Elementary Schools” across the nation.
“Highlands is very proud to receive this honor,” said Judy McDonald, director of enrollment and marketing at Highlands in a release, “as we are the only school in the state of Alabama to receive recognition on this prestigious list.”
In “The 50 Best Private Elementary Schools in the U.S.,” published in October 2015, TheBestSchools.org outlines Highlands’ newly-implemented STEM curriculum, taught from lower-elementary through eighth grade.
Highlands, founded in 1958 educates approximately 280 children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and currently has 31 teachers on staff, according to the article.
The school, said McDonald, was also recognized for its “attention to whole-child education and to providing multiple choices for students to obtain an all-day educational program.”
Ranking criteria, according to TheBestSchools.org, include the following:
- The schools must have at least three of the six grades (first through sixth grade) that are traditionally categorized as elementary-level grades.
- They must exceed nearby public schools in course selections and success.
- They must have a reputation for producing students who are well prepared to take the next steps in their education.
- Though they are organized as businesses, the schools must have a reputation for treating families with fairness and compassion.
- They actively seek to treat parents as partners in the educational process.
- They openly and regularly celebrate the students and their accomplishments.
For more, visit www.HighlandsSchool.org.
