By Ms. Nicole Girvan, parent of three boys at Charlotte Prep and Head of Lower School at Charlotte Prep
My initial reaction to this question is “why not?” Charlotte Prep is the school that is big enough for kids to spread their wings, and it is small enough for them to be known and to be valued; Charlotte Prep is the perfect juxtaposition of challenge and nurturance. 
As a mother of three boys at Charlotte Prep, I see the growth in each of the three vastly different personalities who also have three different learning styles. I see how their eyes twinkle when they talk about their day. I also hear how they handle a challenge or an obstacle they endured and smile when they tell me how it turned into growth opportunities.
The K-8 model is the appropriate choice for my boys; this is what our family wanted compared to a K-12 school. The ability to provide leadership opportunities throughout their time at Prep, as well as the smaller class sizes has afforded the boys the ability to genuinely cultivate relationships with each teacher and each class. With this educational model, all three boys have thrived because of the appropriately balanced nurturing, yet rigorous environment.
While I am also an administrator at the school, my husband and I made sure this school was the right fit and had the right feel for them, too. Every year, our family assesses whether Charlotte Prep is still the right fit, and this year we have begun our journey for finding the right high school for our eighth grader. 
I have heard about this process many, many times both at Charlotte Prep and other independent schools where I have worked. However, now that I am going through it firsthand, it is another reassurance that Charlotte Prep is the right place. My husband and I are confident that our eighth grader will find the right school for him based on his experience at Charlotte Prep.
This is the third year at Charlotte Prep for my family and me, and during this time I have seen my eighth grader’s confidence grow. I have seen him challenged both socially and academically, yet he has become a better student and a stronger person as a result. This is exactly why we chose Charlotte Prep.
When my husband and I ask our eighth grader what he wants in a high school, the first thing he said was, “I want something like Prep. I want people to know me and to care.” Again, this is exactly what we wanted to hear because it confirms his current placement.
This is why we choose Charlotte Prep.
To find our more about Charlotte Prep, please visit our website. To read more about where Charlotte Prep graduates go to high school, visit our alumni page.
Charlotte Preparatory School
212 Boyce Road
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 366-5994
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twitter: @CharlottePrep
