The Best Private Schools in Houston, Ohio
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Houston. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Holy Angels Catholic School
Catholic Schools of Greater Dayton
Holy Angels Catholic School is a highly-regarded private Catholic school serving the Houston area and surrounding communities. Located just 10 miles from Houston in Sidney, this established institution offers a comprehensive faith-based education from preschool through 8th grade. The school emphasizes academic excellence with strong STEM programming, integrated arts education, and character development. Facilities include modern classrooms, technology labs, and dedicated spaces for music and art. Parents consistently praise the school's nurturing environment, dedicated teachers, and strong community atmosphere. The school maintains small class sizes and offers various extracurricular activities including sports, choir, and academic clubs.
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St. Mary's School
Catholic Schools Office - Archdiocese of Cincinnati
St. Mary's School in Piqua serves families throughout Miami County, including the Houston community, located approximately 15 miles away. This long-established Catholic school provides a rigorous academic program grounded in faith-based values. The curriculum includes advanced mathematics, comprehensive language arts, science labs, and religious education. The school features well-maintained facilities with smart classrooms, a library media center, gymnasium, and dedicated art and music rooms. Extracurricular offerings include basketball, volleyball, choir, and various academic competitions. Parents report high satisfaction with the school's academic standards, safe environment, and strong sense of community.
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Lehman Catholic High School
Catholic Schools Office - Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Lehman Catholic High School serves as the regional Catholic high school for multiple counties including Shelby County where Houston is located. This college-preparatory institution offers a comprehensive curriculum with numerous Advanced Placement courses, a dedicated STEM academy, and robust fine arts programs. The school features modern science laboratories, technology-enhanced classrooms, athletic facilities including a fieldhouse and stadium, and performing arts spaces. Students from Houston benefit from the school's strong college counseling, diverse extracurricular activities, and competitive athletic programs. The school maintains a reputation for academic excellence and has a track record of graduates attending prestigious universities. Parent reviews highlight the supportive faculty and strong community values.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Houston, Ohio
What are the primary private school options available for families in Houston, Ohio, and what grade levels do they serve?
Houston, Ohio, offers a few key private school options, primarily with a Catholic affiliation. **Holy Angels Catholic School** typically serves students in preschool through 8th grade, providing a continuous elementary and middle school education. **St. Mary's School** is another local parochial option for younger grades. For high school, families generally look to **Lehman Catholic High School** in nearby Sidney, which serves grades 9-12 and draws students from Houston and surrounding Shelby County communities. The options are limited within the village itself, so many families also consider private schools in larger nearby towns like Piqua or Troy.
How does tuition at private schools in the Houston, Ohio, area compare, and are there financial aid options specific to Ohio?
Tuition for Houston-area private schools is generally more affordable than in major metropolitan areas but is a significant consideration for local families. For the 2023-2024 school year, elementary schools like Holy Angels often have tuition ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 per student, with parishioner discounts. Lehman Catholic High School's tuition is higher, approximately $7,000-$9,000. Crucially, Ohio offers the **EdChoice Scholarship Program**, which provides state-funded vouchers for students attending private schools if their local public school is designated as underperforming or based on family income. Many families in Shelby County utilize this program to offset costs. Additionally, most schools offer parish-based assistance and flexible payment plans.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs do private schools in the Houston, Ohio, area emphasize?
Given their religious foundations, Houston-area private schools strongly emphasize faith-based education and character development integrated into the core curriculum. Academically, they often provide smaller class sizes (frequently 15-20 students) allowing for individualized attention. **Lehman Catholic High School** offers college-preparatory tracks, dual-enrollment opportunities with local colleges like Edison State, and notable programs in STEM and the arts. Extracurricularly, these schools typically have robust participation in Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) sports, with Lehman fielding teams in football, basketball, and volleyball, which serve as significant community rallying points in this small-town context.
What is the typical enrollment process and timeline for private schools like Holy Angels or Lehman Catholic in this region?
The enrollment process for Houston's private schools usually begins in early winter for the following academic year. For **Holy Angels Catholic School**, priority is often given to registered parishioners of Holy Angels Church and siblings of current students, with open enrollment starting in January or February. **Lehman Catholic High School** holds open houses in the fall and winter, with application deadlines typically in February for incoming freshmen. Both processes require submission of academic records, a pastor/priest recommendation (for Catholic families), and a family interview. It's highly advisable to contact the school's office directly by December to express interest and get on their mailing list, as spaces, particularly in younger grades, can be limited.
For a family in Houston, Ohio, what are the key considerations when choosing between the local public school (Hardin-Houston Local Schools) and a private option?
The decision often hinges on several location-specific factors. **Hardin-Houston Local Schools** offer the convenience of a tuition-free, comprehensive K-12 education within the community, with strong local sports and agricultural (FFA) programs. Choosing a private school like **Holy Angels** or **Lehman Catholic** involves a commitment to a faith-based environment, often with a more structured disciplinary approach and a consistent moral framework. Academically, private schools may offer a different pace or curriculum focus. Logistically, attending Lehman High School requires transportation to Sidney (about a 15-minute drive), whereas the public high school is in the village. The availability of Ohio's EdChoice Scholarship can significantly reduce the financial gap, making the private school option more accessible for qualifying families.
Private Education Insights
Discover Top Non-Religious Private Schools in Houston, Ohio: A Parent's Guide
When searching for "non religious private schools near me" in Houston, Ohio, families may find their initial results dominated by the area's well-regarded faith-based institutions. Houston, a close-knit community in Shelby County, is home to several excellent parochial schools, including Holy Angels Catholic School, St. Mary's School, and Lehman Catholic High School. These schools provide strong academic foundations deeply intertwined with religious values. However, for parents seeking a private education that is explicitly secular in its philosophy and curriculum, the search requires looking a bit beyond the immediate village limits, while still considering the unique context of raising a family in this part of West Central Ohio.
The desire for a non-religious private school often stems from a wish for a tailored, high-quality education that aligns with a family's personal worldview or a specific pedagogical approach, such as Montessori or project-based learning. In the broader region surrounding Houston, including cities like Sidney, Troy, and even the northern suburbs of Dayton, options begin to emerge. These schools, while requiring a commute, offer the smaller class sizes, enhanced resources, and specialized programs that define private education, but within a secular framework. This is a crucial consideration for Houston parents: the investment in private schooling extends beyond tuition to include the logistics of daily transportation. Connecting with other local families through community centers or sports leagues who make a similar commute can be invaluable for creating carpool networks and shared support.
For families firmly committed to staying within Houston itself, it’s important to engage directly with the administration of local private schools. While their founding missions are religious, some may have a diverse student body and emphasize their academic rigor and character education programs in a way that feels inclusive to all families. Scheduling a visit and asking specific questions about how religious teachings are integrated into the daily schedule and core subjects is essential. You might find that certain aspects are more community-focused than doctrinal. Alternatively, the exceptional public schools in the Houston area, supported by the hardworking Houston Local School District, are a point of local pride and may meet many families' academic goals, making the exploration of nearby secular private options a comparison of specific program offerings rather than a necessity.
Ultimately, finding the right non-religious private school near Houston involves balancing your educational priorities with practical realities. It expands the definition of "near me" to encompass the 30-45 minute radius where secular academies and independent schools operate. This search underscores a proactive approach to education that many Ohio parents share. It’s recommended to attend open houses at schools in Sidney or Troy, review their curricular philosophies online, and perhaps even explore established secular private options in Dayton, treating the drive as an investment in a precise educational fit. Your search, while requiring more mapping, is a testament to the care you put into your child’s learning environment, ensuring it aligns perfectly with your family’s values and aspirations in the heart of Ohio.