The Best Private Schools in Burnside, Pennsylvania
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Burnside. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
The Oakridge School
Independent
The Oakridge School is a highly-regarded independent private school serving the greater Indiana County region, including Burnside. With a strong college preparatory focus, the school offers small class sizes and individualized attention. The curriculum includes comprehensive Advanced Placement options and a robust STEM program. Facilities include modern science labs, technology-integrated classrooms, and extensive athletic facilities. The school emphasizes character development alongside academic excellence, with a diverse range of extracurricular activities including competitive sports, arts programs, and community service opportunities.
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St. Bernard Regional Catholic School
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
St. Bernard Regional Catholic School provides a faith-based education to students from Burnside and surrounding communities. The school combines rigorous academics with Catholic values, offering a comprehensive curriculum that includes advanced mathematics, science, and language arts. Technology is integrated throughout the learning environment with smart boards and computer labs. The school features strong parent involvement, before and after-school care programs, and competitive sports teams. Extracurricular offerings include music, art, drama, and various clubs that complement the academic program.
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Bishop McCort Catholic High School
Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
Bishop McCort Catholic High School serves students from Burnside and the wider Johnstown metropolitan area. As a comprehensive Catholic high school, it offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with numerous Advanced Placement courses and dual enrollment opportunities. The school features state-of-the-art facilities including modern science laboratories, a performing arts center, and extensive athletic complexes. Bishop McCort is known for its strong athletic tradition and comprehensive extracurricular programs including robotics, debate, and various service organizations. The school maintains high college acceptance rates and provides extensive college counseling services.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Burnside, Pennsylvania
What are the primary private school options available for families in Burnside, Pennsylvania, and what grade levels do they serve?
Burnside, PA, is served by a few key private institutions, primarily with religious affiliations. The Oakridge School typically offers a private, non-public education, though specific grade ranges can vary. St. Bernard Regional Catholic School generally serves elementary and middle school grades (often K-8), providing a faith-based foundation. For high school, many families in the Burnside area consider Bishop McCort Catholic High School in nearby Johnstown, which offers grades 9-12. Due to the rural nature of Cambria County, these schools often draw students from Burnside and several surrounding communities, making transportation an important consideration.
How does tuition at private schools in the Burnside, PA, area compare, and are there Pennsylvania-specific financial aid programs available?
Tuition in the Burnside area varies by school and grade level. Parish-supported Catholic schools like St. Bernard often have lower tuition rates for registered parishioners, while independent schools like The Oakridge School may have a different fee structure. A critical Pennsylvania-specific resource is the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs. These programs provide scholarships to eligible students, often based on income, and many local private schools participate. It's essential to inquire directly with each school about their current tuition, parish subsidies, and their process for applying for EITC/OSTC funding.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs do private schools in the Burnside area offer that leverage the local community or environment?
Private schools in and around Burnside often emphasize community values and practical learning. Given the region's location in the Laurel Highlands, some schools may incorporate environmental science and outdoor education into their curricula. Bishop McCort Catholic High School, for instance, offers a robust college-prep curriculum alongside traditional athletics and clubs. St. Bernard Regional Catholic School typically integrates Catholic teachings throughout its core subjects and may offer community service projects tied to local parishes and organizations. The smaller class sizes common in these schools allow for more individualized attention, which is a significant draw for many families in the area.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools serving Burnside, Pennsylvania?
Enrollment timelines for schools like St. Bernard Regional Catholic School and The Oakridge School often begin in the winter or early spring for the following academic year, with priority sometimes given to siblings of current students and active parish members. The process usually involves submitting an application, providing academic records, and possibly a family interview or student assessment. For Bishop McCort High School, open houses and placement tests for incoming 9th graders frequently occur in the fall. Given the limited seats in these smaller schools, early inquiry and application are strongly recommended. It's also wise to ask about mid-year transfer possibilities, as space can occasionally become available.
For a family in Burnside, what are the key considerations when deciding between the local public school district and a private school option?
The decision often hinges on several factors specific to rural Pennsylvania. Private schools in the area offer a consistent faith-based education (if desired) and typically smaller, more intimate classroom settings. The public school option for Burnside residents is the Blacklick Valley School District, which provides a tuition-free education with its own programs and community ties. Considerations include: transportation (private schools may not provide district busing), cost (weighing tuition against potential tax credit scholarships), curriculum focus (religious integration vs. state-standard curriculum), and extracurricular offerings relative to school size. Many families value the close-knit community feel of the local private schools, which can be a defining characteristic of education in Cambria County.
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