Best Private Schools In Long Island

As depicted in the graph above, Long Island has a good educational environment for kids to grow, and as a parent, one would want what is best for their kids. Nevertheless, it might be challenging to select a good school, given the wide range of options. 

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Moonpreneur has compiled a list of six schools that are your best bet if you’re looking for a good private school in Long Island. 

Suffolk County

There are 80 private schools in Suffolk County serving close to 15,260 students, and approximately 6% of all K–12 students in the county attend one of the 80 private schools as of the 2023 school year. The 3 best schools among them, as per Moonpreneur, are listed below.

1. The Stony Brook School

The Stony Brook School is a private, Christian, co-educational boarding school with a sprawling campus of over 55 acres. John Fleming Carson founded the school in 1922, and it has since grown into one of the region’s most prestigious academic institutions.  

The STEM curriculum of Stony Brook is designed to make sure that students receive the right level of exposure to technology. The school’s robotics teams and coding classes are held in the Innovation Lab, giving students a place to work on new and meaningful projects. 

Students are provided the freedom to follow their passions and express their creativity thanks to cutting-edge 3-D modeling software and printers, coding software, and a variety of other technological and engineering instruments.

The school also offers a comprehensive four-year college counseling program. The college counseling team at the school comprises seasoned experts who work closely with students to discover their talents and interests, explore various career pathways, and find universities that are a suitable fit for their particular requirements. 

Website: https://www.sbs.org/   

Contact: (631) 751-1800

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 10:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1350
• Average Financial Aid: $22,285
• Yearly Tuition: $33,600
• Location and Address: 1 CHAPMAN PARKWAY STONY BROOK, NY 11790
• Safety and Security: 80% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

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2. Ross School 

The school was established in 1991 by Courtney Sale Ross and her late husband and former CEO of Time Warner, Steven J. Ross. With a concentration on interdisciplinary studies, global knowledge, and incorporating technology and the arts into the curriculum, the school educates children from kindergarten up to the 12th grade.

The “Mind, Body, and Spirit” educational model, which attempts to develop students’ intellectual, physical, and emotional capacities, is at the heart of Ross School’s educational philosophy. The school places a strong emphasis on sustainability and global awareness. 

The school also provides room for a wide range of extracurricular activities for its students in addition to its fast-paced academic curriculum, which includes sports, the visual and performing arts, and volunteer work. 

At Ross School, students raise their understanding of a subject by fusing ideas, theories, and approaches from several fields. Students gain knowledge particular to their area and create a synthesis across disciplines that enable them to express ideas and resolve more complicated problems.

Website: https://www.ross.org/ 

Contact: (631) 907-5000

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 5:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1340
• Average Financial Aid: Available but not disclosed
• Yearly Tuition: $46,710
• Location and Address: 18 GOODFRIEND DRIVE, EAST HAMPTON, NY 11937
• Safety and Security: 80% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

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3. The Knox School

The Knox School has a history dating back to 1904, this makes it the longest continuously operating co-educational boarding and day school on Long Island, serving kids from grades 6 through 12. Situated on the North Shore of Long Island, NY. 

Knox School is a progressive, co-educational, independent boarding and day school that prepares students for college. Their small but diversified student body, only a few minutes from Manhattan, includes students from the Long Island community, the tri-state region, and other parts of the country.

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The school knows the advantages of STEM fields as the students are provided with a cutting-edge STEM lab to learn about engineering, computer science, and technology.  A wide range of interactive, hands-on courses are provided, which include robotics, 3D design, and more! 

Website: https://www.knoxschool.org/ 

Contact: (631) 907-5000

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 6:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1230
• Average Financial Aid: $23,290
• Yearly Tuition: $27,000
• Location and Address: 541 LONG BEACH ROAD ST. JAMES, NY 11780
• Safety and Security: 67% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

Nassau County

There are 129 private schools in Nassau County serving close to 36,626 students, and approximately 15% of all K–12 students in the county attend private schools as of the 2023 school year. The 3 best schools among them, as per Moonpreneur, are listed below

1. Friends Academy

Friends Academy educates children in the nursery (age 3) to the 12th grade. The co-educational, independent, college preparatory school offers a Quaker approach to education. Founded in 1876 by 78-year-old Gideon Frost, the school is on 65 acres of land and hosts close to 750 students from all over Long Island, representing a diversity of racial and socio-economic backgrounds. The Lower School has 224 students, the Middle School has 175, and the Upper School has nearly 370.

The school offers a rigorous academic curriculum that covers a wide range of subjects in the humanities, sciences, math, and arts, including Advanced Placement (AP) classes for high school students. The school places a strong emphasis on character development and offers a wide range of extracurricular activities which includes arts, athletics, clubs, and community service opportunities. Students can join nearly 20 varsity sports, such as tennis, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer. They can also join in other activities like robotics, music, debate, and theater.

Website: https://www.friendsacademy.org/ 

Contact: (516) 676-0393

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 5:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1330
• Average Financial Aid: Available but not disclosed
• Yearly Tuition: $42,800
• Location and Address: 270 DUCK POND ROAD LOCUST VALLEY, NY 11560
• Safety and Security: 80% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

2. Portledge School

The Portledge School is a private, independent school founded in 1965, catering to students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The school is known for its rigorous and challenging academic curriculum and a focus on STEAM education, which combines the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics in exciting new ways to prepare our children for the future better!

Portledge School places great emphasis on character development and education, which are deeply rooted in values, and has dedicated teachers who conduct lessons in small classes guided by student-centered concepts and provide experiential education to the students. 

Individual talents are nurtured at Portledge School via participation in the arts, sports, and various programs that emphasize the passion, purpose, honor, and respect which are all part of the Portledge Pillars.

.Website: https://www.portledge.org/ 

Contact: (516) 750-3100

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1320
• Average Financial Aid: $16,100
• Yearly Tuition: $35,400
• Location and Address: 355 DUCK POND ROAD LOCUST VALLEY, NY 11560
• Safety and Security: 89% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

3. Waldorf School of Garden City 

The Waldorf School of Garden City is a private, coeducational school called situated in Garden City, New York, and is one of the country’s first Waldorf schools, which was established in the year 1947. 

The institution educates children from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 and adheres to the educational philosophy outlined by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf Education.

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From the warm and nurturing atmosphere in their early childhood classrooms to the intellectual rigor of their high school, the Waldorf school offers a nurturing environment where children grow to reach their full potential. 

The Waldorf School uses a potent combination of a traditional liberal arts approach and new experiential learning techniques to help its students get the best of both worlds. The curriculum broadens as students advance through the grades to cover topics like arithmetic, science, language arts, history, foreign languages, music, art, and movement.

Multidisciplinary lesson plans are frequently used, allowing students to draw connections between several courses and develop a more comprehensive world perspective.

Waldorf students participate in extracurricular activities like theater productions, chorus, orchestra, woodworking, sculpture, painting, and eurythmy (a type of expressive dance) in addition to academic pursuits. Additionally, community engagement and involvement in initiatives that advance social justice and environmental stewardship are also encouraged for students.

.Website: https://www.waldorfgarden.org/ 

Contact: (516) 742-3434

• Student-Teacher Ratio: 4:1
• College Preparation: Yes
• Graduation Rate: 100%
• Average SAT Score: 1250
• Average Financial Aid: Available but not disclosed
• Yearly Tuition: $33,550
• Location and Address: 225 CAMBRIDGE AVE GARDEN CITY, NY 11530
• Safety and Security: 100% of students agree that they feel safe at their school

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There you go!! The six best private schools in Long Island, both in Nassau and Suffolk County, were analyzed and picked for you to consider for your child’s education. These schools not only hone your kids academically but also push them to explore their hidden talents, all the while developing their spirituality to ensure they turn out to be responsible citizens of this global community.

Moonpreneur is dedicated to transforming conventional education, preparing the next generation with comprehensive learning experiences. Our Innovator Program equips students with vital skills in AI/ML, Robotics, Coding, Game Development, and App Development, fostering entrepreneurship through hands-on learning. This initiative aims to cultivate the workforce of tomorrow by integrating innovative technologies and practical skills in school curriculums.

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