Covenant Christian Academy Handbook Table of Contents

1 Covenant Christian Academy Handbook Table of Contents Mission Statement. 2 Statement of Faith. 2-3 History and Purpose.. 3 Center Philosophy. 3-4 Goals for the Family. 4 Membership fees.. 4 Orientation month 5 Parent Involvement.. 5 CCA Parent Requirements.. 5 Monthly Reports. 5 Semester Reports. 5 Grades.. 6 Center Rules and Conduct Policies. 7 Discipline. 7 Communications.. 8 Concerns and Disagreements 8 ERC Teacher Requirements. 9 ERC Teacher Application 10 Parent and ERC Agreement. 11 1

2 Covenant Christian Academy Handbook An Extension of the Educational Resource Center 2005-2006 School Year Mission Statement Covenant Christian Academy is an extension of the Educational Resource Center. The Educational Resource Center was founded in order to help families succeed in educating their children in a way that brings honor to God. Statement of Faith The Scripture The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. It was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and was written without error in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in faith and life in every age. God There is but one God, infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness, and love, the Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three persons Father, Son and Holy Spirit each of whom possesses all the attributes of Deity and the Characteristics of personality. Man God created man in His own image, and man, as he was originally created, was innocent before God. But man chose to sin by disobeying God, and therefore was alienated from his Creator and came under divine condemnation. Thus all human beings are born with a corrupted nature and without spiritual life, and are totally incapable of pleasing God in and of themselves. Jesus Christ God the Father, by His own choice and out of love for sinful men and women, sent Jesus Christ into the world to reconcile sinners to Himself. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He is God in the flesh, both true God and true man. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life and voluntarily suffered and died as our substitute to pay the penalty for our sins, thus satisfying God s justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died. He bodily ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, makes intercession for His own. He will return to earth personally, visibly and bodily to judge all men and establish His Kingdom. Salvation Men and women are greed from the penalty for their sins not as a result, in whole or in part, of their own works, goodness or religious ceremony, but by the undeserved favor of God alone. God declares righteous all who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation. The Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ, to convict men and women of their sins, and to impart new life to all who place their faith in Christ. He indwells believers from the moment of spiritual birth, seals them until the day of redemption and empowers them to live a life pleasing to God. Assurance All who are born again of the Spirit can be fully assured of eternal life from the very moment they put their faith in Christ. This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but upon the fact of God s election, upon Christ s complete payment for sins and upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whom is the deposit guaranteeing their inheritance. 2

The Resurrection of the Dead At physical death, the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting glory and blessing. At physical death, the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his or her body to everlasting suffering, judgment and condemnation. Baptism and the Lord s Supper Jesus Christ has instructed those who believe in His to be baptized in water as a symbol of their new birth in Christ. Baptism should be by immersion and is only for those who have personally believed in Christ. The Lord also instituted the Lord s Supper as a remembrance of His suffering, death and resurrection. Neither baptism not the Lord s Supper have any merit in helping a person obtain eternal life? The Church All true believers make up the church worldwide and should assemble together in local churches for worship, prayer, fellowship and teaching to become conformed to the image of Christ and to become equipped to carry out the Great Commission that Christ gave His followers in Matthew 28:19-20. History and Purpose A mother who had a desire to help her child and herself use home education to the greatest potential founded the Educational Resource Center. The ERC was started in the fall of 1997. It was established as a home school support group for home schooling families. We strive to offer classes, workshops, tutoring and resources that families will benefit from. Covenant Christian Academy was established in 2001 as an extension of the ERC. Covenant Christian Academy is a nonprofit organization established under Florida Statue 617. CCA was created to provide extra support and accountability to those parents who desire to home school under a private school umbrella. The center and the school are governed by the directors and overseen by the pastor and board of Covenant Community Church. The center s finances are completely dependent on registration fees, tuition and individual class fees. Donations of resources and finances are accepted but not relied upon. Center Philosophy At the Educational Resource Center and Covenant Christian Academy we believe that the education of a child is the responsibility of the parents. We believe that the best way to support parents is by providing resources, classes, a parent support group, field trips and record keeping services at a reasonable rate to meet the children s individual needs. We strive to supply different opportunities for each family so they can pick and choose what they need for their children. Our classes will offer different hands-on activities and academic activities for the students. We believe children need small classes in order to learn, so our classes will be kept at a low student-teacher ratio. Our teachers are qualified in the area they are instructing. Teachers and children appreciate any involvement parents would like to offer. 3 3

4 Goals for the Family 1. To provide opportunities for involvement with other children in a setting conducive to the development of wholesome social relationships. 2. To provide help for parents who are striving to educate their children in a godly way. 3. To provide an evaluation and testing center for home school parents. 4. To provide supplemental classes for private and public school children 5. To provide opportunities for preschool parents and children to play and learn together, as needed. 6. To provide a home school support group. 7. To provide an umbrella school and record keeping services for families desiring this type of accountability. 8. To provide a library of resources that can be used by members to assist in their home schooling. 9. To provide exciting field trips and experiences for children and parents alike throughout the year. Membership fees, class fees, supply fees and orientation month 1. Membership Fee- The membership fee for the school year will be $60.00. This is a nonrefundable fee that is due on July 1 st or may be broken into two payments of $30.00 made on July 1 st and January 1 st. This fee includes use of the center resources, books, and computers while at the center. It also includes the opportunities for class sign-up, participation in parent workshops, preschool involvement, use of the center anytime during operation hours, homeschool testing and/or teaching evaluations and advice from the teaching staff during none teaching times. 2. Registration Fee- The registration fee for Covenant Christian Academy is $35.00 for one child or a total of $70.00 for a family. This fee is a one-time fee for parents and is necessary to begin the record keeping process for your child. This fee is due at time of registration. 3. Tuition- The monthly tuition for Covenant Christian Academy is $20.00 for one child and $15.00 for each additional child. Tuition is due by the first Monday of each month during the months of September through June. Class fees- Core Subject classes will be offered at $ 40.00 per child/per class/per month. If the child is enrolled in more than 1 core class, payment drops to $ 30.00 per child/per class/per month. Payment for each class is due at the beginning of each month. Fine Arts classes are offered for $ 20.00/per student/per month. Supply fees- each class will have a separate supply fee or list. This fee or list will vary from class to class depending on the supplies needs. 4. CCA will not transfer student records to another educational agency until such time as the student s family s accounts with CCA are clear of all monies owed, books and textbooks are returned, and equipment is returned. 4

5 Orientation Month Upon joining the ERC, each family will enjoy an Orientation Month. This will be a time for the family to try out all of the activities they are interested in to see if this is a good place for their family. During this time we ask that the family check out no materials. At the end of the orientation Month, the family will have a chance to talk over any problems or suggestions they may have with a director. If they are happy, and the center meets their needs, they will be invited to join the center permanently. If a family chooses to leave the center, and later wishes to return, they will be scheduled for a two-week review to see if this would be best for both parties. Parent Involvement We ask that each parent share the responsibility of maintaining the ERC and the church facilities being utilized by the ERC. Periodically there will be additional projects requiring parent involvement. The director will post projects as needed. Covenant Christian Academy Parent Requirements 1. Teach the required 180 days per year. 2. To teach the required number of hours pertaining to grade level. 3. To teach minimum subject areas of math, history, science, and English. 4. To keep the daily attendance and grades of each student in your classes. 5. To submit a monthly written report of daily attendance and average monthly grades to the school administration. 6. To fulfill any other requirement of the State of Florida as relating to the Private School Act. 7. To meet with school officials whenever they feel it is necessary. 8. To receive an annual educational evaluation as directed by the school. 9. To attend the once a month support group meeting at least eight times during the year. 10. To read the CCA handbook within one month of receiving it. 11. To plug into one activity other than the monthly support group meeting. This would include classes, co-op classes, field trips or volunteering at the center. 12. To turn in sample work when requested by the Principal. 13. To pay registration and monthly tuition as outlined on the financial worksheet. 14. To make and keep appointment for Teacher/Staff meeting in August and January. Monthly Reports Monthly reports are due by the second Tuesday of each month. They are to be filled out completely and must include one sample paper from each of the required subject areas (math, history, science, and language arts). Additional samples from other subjects are welcome. Semester Reports Semester reports are due at the end of 90 days and again at the end of 180 days of teaching. These reports must include a list of books read by or to the child and a skills checklist. 5

6 Grades for Monthly and Semester Reports CCA understands that there are many different philosophies for testing and assigning grades. To keep our records in line with the state and the county, we recommend the following guidelines: Grades K-1 Letter and number grades are not necessary at these levels. It is appropriate to use the following code: E = Excellent work, this shows the student is doing their best and progressing at a rate commensurate with their ability. S = Satisfactory, this shows that a student is doing a good job and making steady progress, but may have the ability to do better in some area U = Unsatisfactory, this shows that a student is not working on their level, or that they need work on this area, before they can move onto the next area. Grades 2-6 Letter and number grades are very appropriate for these levels. The grading scale for the state of Florida is as follows: A = 90 to 100 Excellent B = 80-89 Good C = 70-79 Satisfactory D = 60-69 Fair F = 0-59 Poor These grades are mainly objective and need to be figured out by averaging daily grades, test grades and any other grades over the month. This is the recommended grading system for CCA. If you decide to use a different grading system for any reason please let the staff know during your Staff/Parent conference. End of the year testing and evaluations CCA students are required to receive standardized testing or a principal/teacher evaluation at the end of each year. Principal/teacher evaluations may be used for students in grades k-2 or those with special needs as agreed upon between the principal and parent. Students in grades 3-6 are required to participate with standardized testing with the school or some other qualified tester. Each of these forms of evaluation will come at an additional charge to the parents. Evaluations and testing scores must be received by the school office on or before August 1 st of the current school year. 6

7 Center Rules and Conduct Policies A. For Students At the Educational Resource Center we ask that all students, whether Christians or not, conduct themselves in a Christian manner. We have found three rules that help students understand how we expect them to act while at any ERC or CCA events. They are called the No Hurts rules. 1. No hurting people. 2. No hurting equipment. 3. No hurting feelings. Along with these rules we ask that all students act with respect and kindness towards all students and adults. We also ask that students address adults in a respectful manner by calling them Ms. or Mr.. Please help your children and other children who may be talking to you remember this rule. B. For Parents The No Hurts rules apply to children and parents alike. Parents need to remember they are role models of good behavior. Not only for your children, but all the children at the ERC. As such, we must conduct ourselves with dignity, grace, tolerance and love. Discipline A. Within a Teacher Led Classroom When students are involved in a class, the individual teacher will take care of any discipline problems that arise by following these steps: 1. Discipline will be approached from a preventive viewpoint. Teachers will strive to keep discipline problems to a minimum by providing interesting activities and learning environments. 2. If a child does choose to act in an inappropriate way, the teacher will first give them a verbal comment reminding them of the center rules and the rule they are not following. 3. If the verbal warning from the teacher is not effective the student will be asked to think of the rule they are having trouble following and write or draw a new plan showing how they will follow the rule when they return to the group. This will allow a few things to happen for the student. First, they will have a few moments alone to think about the rule they need to work on. Second, they will have an opportunity to take responsibility for their own actions and change them in a positive way. 4. If the verbal warning and rule card time are still ineffective with the student and their behavior is disruptive to the learning of the class, the student will be asked to sit away from the group until the end of the class. At this time the teacher and parent will conference about the student s behavior and if the class is right for them. They may decide to set up a contract to help the student do a better job next time. 7

8 B. All Other Activities offered by the ERC The rules of the center apply at all ERC events. Parents are responsible for the discipline of their children. Please make sure that your children follow these rules at all events. If you see a child not following the rules of the center please address it discreetly with the parent or Gretchen or Michele. Communications The center will communicate with parents through the following ways: The center will publish a monthly newsletter for each family. The center will post upcoming classes and other events of interest on the ERC board. We will also post sign-ups for field trips and other extra activities. The board will contain any information we find about community events that may be of interest. We suggest that you check the board each time you visit the center. Each teacher will complete an informal evaluation of the student at the end of the class. Teachers are always available after class to discuss a student s progress. 1. The ERC will utilize email from time to time. We will not distribute the email addresses of group members and all official ERC mail will come from the following address. gretchensim@yahoo.com 2. Parents may also contact the ERC during office hours, Mondays 10:00-2:00. Or Contact Gretchen at 407-322-9994 or Michele at 407-333-4694. Concerns and Disagreements We understand that from time to time concerns or disagreements may arise concerning events, or members of the ERC. We ask that all concerns and disagreements be handled in the way outlined below. When dealing with a concern at the ERC, we ask that you first keep in mind the feelings of anyone else involved and do your best to handle the matter in a discreet manner. 1. We ask that all concerns that cannot be handled discreetly between the parties involved be taken directly to one of the Directors. Please do not discuss the concern with anyone that is not involved. 2. The directors will then help you work the concern out with the other party. 3. If the concern involves the ERC, or one of the directors, and cannot be resolved between the parties, the concern will be brought before the ERC advisory board. 4. If the concern cannot be handled with the help of the advisory board, it will be taken to the pastor of Covenant Community Church and possibly the church board member, where a final decision will be made Thank you ahead of time for handling concerns and disagreements in a godly manner. This is another way we can be positive role models for our children. Thank You Thank you for allowing us the privilege of helping with your child s education. Thank you also for helping us keep our center in good condition for families to come. We are here to help all families as long as they honor the rules and guidelines of the ERC. We reserve the right to ask any family to leave the ERC if they cannot follow these guidelines. Please let us know of any suggestions or concerns you may have about the center. 8

9 Educational Resource Center Teacher Requirements The Educational Resource Center is a ministry of Covenant Community Church. We are very pleased to offer quality supplements to children s education in a Christian environment. Therefore, it is extremely important that all of our teachers meet the same requirements. 1. A teacher must be a Christian with a written testimony of their history of faith. 2. A teacher must be an active part of a Bible teaching church. A pastor recommendation is needed. 3. A teacher must be of good moral character and willing to have a background check done. 4. A teacher must have a four year degree in education or an area related to education in order to teach any of the basic subjects: math, reading, language arts. 5. A teacher must have experience or education in an area in order to teach a specialized area such as: music, art, and theme classes. *Parents who would like to teach in the parent led classroom must only meet requirements one, two and three. We encourage all parents who meet these requirements to teach at least one class during the year. This creates a true co-op environment. 9

10 Educational Resource Center Teacher Application. Name Spouse s Name:. Home Address. Children s name and ages. Educational Background from High school to present. Church Membership. Church Involvement. Please write a paragraph explaining when and how you became a Christian and what God has done in your life since that time. (If you need more room, please use the back of sheet). What would you like to teach?. What is your philosophy of discipline in the classroom? 11. How will evaluate your class? *This application will be used for teacher led classes as well as parent led classes. Parent facilitators are not required to have any specific educational background and do not necessarily need to evaluate the children in their class. This becomes the job of each parent. 10

11 Parent and ERC Agreement 2005-2006 Upon Review of the Educational Resource Center Handbook we agree to the following statements. We agree to follow the rules and guidelines of the ERC and to instruct our children to do the same. We agree to take full responsibility for the education of our children and to use the center as the supplement and resource it was intended. Understanding that the only we to solve problems at the ERC is to bring them to the attention of the directors. We agree to bring issues to the director s attention before discussing them with others. The ERC staff also agrees to the following statements for your family. We agree to do the best we can to support all families that abide by the handbook as they seek to educate their children in a way that honors God. We agree to listen to suggestions and concerns and handle them with prayer and respect for all involved. We agree to help children learn and follow rules at the ERC and during ERC activities. Guardian Signature Date Guardian Signature Date ERC Director Signature Date 11