A New Parent’s Perspective on Ben Lippen School
I love many aspects of Ben Lippen. My favorite is the sense of community. Having been away from Columbia for twenty years, our family was ready to return and establish roots. Our children changed schools often and we needed a place for them to settle and feel included quickly. Ben Lippen welcomed us even before we arrived in South Carolina. I remember receiving a message from our son’s new teacher saying she prayed for a safe move and smooth transition. Our daughter started practicing with the sports teams in the summer and immediately made friends. Our children were less anxious about the first day of school because they had already been welcomed into the Ben Lippen family by people who were genuinely happy to have them.
How has Ben Lippen made a difference in your lives?
Our children had always attended public school. We did not anticipate looking into private schools when we moved to Columbia. However, our realtor suggested we look at Ben Lippen. Immediately we fell in love knowing that our son and daughter would receive compassionate attention to ensure they transitioned well into their new school family. It was a path we did not expect but trusted that the Lord had a reason for sending us in this direction. That reason became clear when our daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis. She needed surgery which meant she would miss several weeks of school. We assumed Ben Lippen would support us yet we never anticipated the depth of love from our school family. We received prayers for weeks leading up to the surgery. During our daughter’s operation, we were showered with the staff’s words of encouragement. Teachers and students even visited her at the hospital. All of the teachers worked closely with our daughter to ensure she did not fall behind in her school work. Today she is happy and healthy. Both of our children made us promise that this is the last move. They insist on graduating in green and gold!
The photo attached was taken moments after my daughter was released from ICU. The Ben Lippen staff kept our son up-to-date on her progress and nurtured him throughout surgery day. He headed straight to the hospital from school (he is still in his Ben Lippen uniform). His teacher even offered to drive him to the hospital if we needed help.