Covington Latin provides an award-winning educational environment
Covington Latin School just hosted its annual Open House Dec. 5, with more than 60 families touring the grounds of this award-winning seventh through 12th grade middle and high school. If you missed it, don’t worry. There will be another one early next year.
“Our next Open House is scheduled for Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m.,” says Amy Darpel, director of advancement at the school. “Another important date to remember is Dec. 11 of this year, which is when we hold our next entrance exam.”
Covington Latin specializes in creating a unique educational environment that allows its students to move at a pace and complexity that best fits their academic desires while also supporting their social-emotional needs. As a premier Roman Catholic accelerated, college preparatory school, Covington Latin has been developing local and national leaders since it opened its doors in 1923. It operates under the patronages of the Diocese of Covington. Needless to say, the school has won more than its fair share of local and national awards as well.
This year alone, Covington Latin was rated as having the Best School Spirit by this magazine, as well as being listed as one of our Best Workplaces in Northern Kentucky. In addition, the school was listed as the Best Private School in the Greater Cincinnati Region by Cincy Magazine’s Family Choice Awards and named the Most Caring Catholic School in the LUXlife Private Education Awards. But the highpoint is the school’s Niche.com 2022 ranking, naming Covington Latin School as the No. 1 Catholic school in Kentucky.
“The way the Niche.com award works is that I enter the demographic information, but the reviews come directly from families,” says Darpel. “They were so moved or compelled by what we did, they filled out some very positive surveys.
“We simply kept our school as intact as possible,” Darpel explains, when asked how she thinks the school won the Niche.com award. “Our response to the pandemic was to keep our students on track, sticking to a schedule and keeping programs as close to being as person-to-person as possible. We worked to keep the environment stable and our family connections in place. That is what really helped us become No. 1 this year.”
Of course, having a great tradition and learning foundation doesn’t hurt either.
Being very selective in terms of admissions, Covington Latin has a student population of only 205 students across its six grade levels, offering a student-teacher ratio of about nine-to-one.
“Education is also tailored to their needs,” adds Darpel. “Because they are gifted, our students have the ability to skip a grade or two, or not accelerate at all, depending on what their academic needs are.
“We structure our classes and keep them smaller because we like to give individual attention.”
This is extended to extracurricular activities like sports, social clubs and school organizations, where leadership is stressed.
“We are also a big believer in using service both in and out of school to develop leadership skills,” says Darpel. “So students have a large commitment to service hours that they must complete each year.
Covington Latin also preps its students for entrance to college, offering all the elements of classical education as well as disciplines like critical thinking, critical reading, critical writing and critical speaking.
The entrance exam is open to fourth and fifth graders, who will be tested on seventh-grade basic skills. If you’d like more information or wish to register, head to covingtonlatin.org.
