The Best Private Schools in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Cheyenne. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Trinity Classical School
Classical Christian Education
Trinity Classical School is a highly-regarded classical Christian school offering a rigorous liberal arts education from kindergarten through 12th grade. The school emphasizes the trivium model of learning (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and integrates Christian worldview throughout the curriculum. Students benefit from small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and a strong emphasis on critical thinking, classical languages, and character development. The school has an excellent college acceptance record and offers comprehensive extracurricular activities including athletics, fine arts, and community service programs.
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Cheyenne Catholic Schools
Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
Cheyenne Catholic Schools operates St. Mary's School (PreK-8) and Holy Trinity Elementary, providing a comprehensive Catholic education with strong academic foundations. The schools offer a faith-based learning environment with modern facilities, dedicated teachers, and a well-rounded curriculum that includes advanced STEM programs, fine arts, and competitive athletics. The institution emphasizes character formation, community service, and academic excellence, with graduates consistently performing above national averages on standardized testing and successful transitions to high school programs.
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St. Mary's School
Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne
St. Mary's School serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade with a strong Catholic educational foundation. The school features small class sizes, individualized attention, and a comprehensive curriculum that includes religion, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students benefit from specialized instruction in music, art, physical education, and technology. The school maintains excellent facilities including modern classrooms, a library, computer lab, and gymnasium. St. Mary's emphasizes developing the whole child spiritually, academically, and socially, with a track record of preparing students for success in high school and beyond.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Cheyenne, Wyoming
What are the primary private school options available in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and what are their core educational philosophies?
Cheyenne offers a few established private school options, each with a distinct focus. **Trinity Classical School** provides a classical Christian education centered on the liberal arts, logic, and rhetoric. The **Cheyenne Catholic Schools** system (which includes elementary and St. Mary's School) offers a faith-based, values-oriented education integrated with a comprehensive academic curriculum. **St. Mary's School**, part of the Catholic system, serves students from preschool through 8th grade. Given the limited number of options compared to larger cities, these schools represent the main choices for families in Cheyenne seeking a private, non-public education, with the decision often coming down to a preference for a classical or traditional Catholic pedagogical approach.
How does tuition for private schools in Cheyenne, WY, compare to state averages, and are there any Wyoming-specific financial aid opportunities?
Tuition at Cheyenne's private schools is generally below the national average but is a significant consideration for local families. For the 2024-2025 school year, annual tuition ranges from approximately $5,000 to $8,000 for elementary grades, with discounts for multiple children. While Wyoming does not have a statewide voucher or tax-credit scholarship program, the schools themselves offer need-based financial aid and parish subsidies for active church members in the Catholic system. Additionally, Wyoming's **Hathaway Scholarship**, a state-funded merit aid program for college, is available to graduates of all accredited Wyoming high schools, including private ones, which can be a long-term financial consideration for families.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs do Cheyenne private schools offer that leverage the local Wyoming environment?
Cheyenne private schools often incorporate Wyoming's culture and landscape into their programs. **Trinity Classical School** may integrate state history and Western literature deeply into its humanities curriculum. **Cheyenne Catholic Schools** and **St. Mary's** often participate in and organize outdoor education trips that take advantage of Wyoming's natural resources, such as visits to Vedauwoo or the Snowy Range for science and retreats. Furthermore, given Cheyenne's role as the state capital, schools frequently organize government and civics field trips to the Wyoming State Capitol, Supreme Court, and the State Museum, providing direct, hands-on learning about state government that is uniquely accessible to students here.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools in Cheyenne, and are waiting lists common?
The enrollment process for Cheyenne's private schools usually begins in January or February for the following academic year, with priority often given to siblings of current students and active parishioners (for Catholic schools). Applications typically involve submission of records, a family interview, and for some, a student assessment. Due to the limited number of seats available in a smaller city, **waiting lists for certain grade levels are common**, especially at the early elementary and popular middle school grades. It is highly advisable for Cheyenne parents to initiate inquiries by the fall prior to the desired enrollment year. Rolling admission may continue if spaces remain, but planning early is key.
For families considering both sectors, what are the notable differences between public and private schools in Cheyenne, Wyoming?
The key differences in Cheyenne revolve around class size, curriculum, and community. **Public schools** in Laramie County School District #1 offer a wide array of programs, larger sports teams, and no tuition. **Private schools** in Cheyenne provide much smaller class sizes (often 15:1 or lower), a specific values-based or classical curriculum, and a close-knit community feel. A practical consideration is transportation; while public schools provide bus services, private school families are responsible for their own transportation. Academically, private schools here often have more flexibility to tailor instruction but may have fewer specialized resources (like expansive STEM labs) found in the larger public high schools. The choice often hinges on a family's priority for religious integration/classical model and personalized attention versus the broader programmatic and extracurricular offerings of the public system.
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