INFORMATION, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES
FOR PARENT-TEACHERS
In order to accomplish the objectives and purposes as outlined in the Creed and By-Law statements of Russell Christian Academy, all parent-teachers shall be expected to be familiar with and abide by the following policies and procedures. Parent-Teachers shall:
1. Teach the required 180 days of school per year.
2. Teach a minimum number of hours pertaining to each grade level per day:
Kindergarten-One to three hours per day
Grades 1-8-Two to four hours per day
Grades 9-12-Three to five hours per day
3. In primary and middle school grades, teach minimum subject areas of Bible,
Mathematics, history, science and English.
4. Teach academic subjects required for a diploma to students in high school.
5. Meet with the administrator/counselor to develop a high school academic
plan prior to entering 9th grade or upon entrance to high school at Russell
Christian Academy.
6. Keep a daily attendance and log of grades for each student.
7. Attend the stated teachers’ meeting and chapel services.
8. Submit all forms and reports as required by the school board as listed in the
teacher’s agreement.
9. Submit to an annual evaluation deemed by the board.
10. Maintain a portfolio of each student’s work.
Should you withdraw your child(ren) from Russell Christian Academy for any reason, and/or cease as a teacher from said school, immediately inform the school administrator of your intent. Any outstanding forms should be delivered to the school office within ten (10) days.
MEETINGS
Regularly scheduled meeting for teachers will be held the first Tuesday of August, and in conjunction with chapel days thereafter. The purpose for these meeting is for mutual encouragement, support, problem solving, and information on up-coming events. Tuition and report cards are due at this time.
CHAPEL DAY
Chapel Day is the last Friday of each month unless otherwise noted at said teachers’ meeting. It is a mandatory meeting in which all students and at least one parent is expected to attend. Chapel is an important ministry of Russell Christian Academy. The focus will be to lift up the name of Jesus and teach Biblical truths.
CO-OP CLASSES
Co-op is a time of interaction for the students in specific areas (e.g. art, science, foreign language, 4-H club etc.). The Co-op classes are directed by participating parent/teachers.
DRESS CODE
Appropriate dress is required for all Russell Christian Academy activities. When on church premises or activities sponsored by Russell Christian Academy, caution should be taken to avoid wearing: 1.) Shirts bearing an ungodly message or questionable principles 2.) Immodest shorts 3.) Mid-rifts or halter-tops. During chapel, graduation, graduation/promotion or other special services sponsored by the school, church attire is appropriate.
PORTFOLIO
A sample of each student’s work should be maintained for each school year in a separate notebook to document progress. The following should be included:
1. Daily Schedule
2. Copy of progress reports
3. Subject summaries-Scope and sequence
4. List of curricula
5. List of reading materials
6. Achievement test scores for the year
7. Samples of creative writing
8. Two Samples of work in each subject area for each week; along with
all test and quizzes.
9. Any other information that parent/teacher would like to include such as
special achievements etc…
NINE WEEK REPORTS
A yearly report card will be distributed at our first teacher’s meeting. Copies of the report cards will be turned in to the administrator at designated times. A five-dollar (5.00) penalty will be charged if late. Reports are considered late ten (10) days after the teacher’s meeting.
Report cards should reflect numerical grades where possible for purposes of averaging according to the following scale:
GRADING SCALE
A+ 98-100 B- 80-83
A 94-97 C+ 77-79
A- 90-93 C 74-76
B+ 87-89 C- 70-73
B 84-86 D+ 67-69
D 64-66
D- 60-63
F 59 or below
Anything lower than a 70 can be repeated; the lower score must be averaged with all other grades to obtain average.
ACHIEVEMENT TESTING AND EVALUATIONS
Russell Christian Academy requires that students be tested or evaluated once a year in a manner determined by the school board. The dates and times will be announced in advance each year.
Testing must be done at Russell Christian Academy. If a parent chooses to have testing outside the school done in addition to the above, a copy of the testing may become a part of their permanent record, but promotion will still be at the discretion of the administrator.
REGISTRATION FEES AND TUITION
REGISTRATION FEES: $50.00 PER FAMILY
TUITION FEES:
# of children Yearly Tuition (if paid monthly)
1 $250.00 $25.00
2 $370.00 $37.00
3 $500.00 $50.00
4 $550.00 $55.00
5 $600.00 $60.00
Tuition is due at the beginning of the school year, but can be paid monthly at the chapel meetings.
If there is a valid reason for not being able to pay your tuition by this time you MUST contact the administrator prior to the teacher meeting to discuss the situation.
PENALTIES AND FEES:
Tuition paid later than ten (10) days past due will be subject to a $20.00 late fee unless prior arrangements have been made with the Administrator.
A return check fee of $10.00 will be charged on any returned item.
Report cards shall be submitted at the teachers meeting. A $5.00 penalty will be charged if late.
ADMISSION
Admission to the Russell Christian Academy organization requires agreement with the Statement of Faith. Russell Christian Academy does not discriminate against individuals who otherwise adhere to the Statement of Faith, based on race, national origin, or sex. Such discrimination would be contrary to the very Word of God (Galatians 3:28)
STATEMENT OF FAITH
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. There is one living and true God who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, who operates in the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
We believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin, Mary, and who died a vicarious, substitutionary death on the cross. He arose bodily, ascended into heaven and intercedes for us until His return.
We believe that salvation is wholly of God by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8)
PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE
Russell Christian academy is a private Christian school which exists for the specific purpose of glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. The school seeks to assist Christian families in the provision of godly education and academic excellence.
We believe that God uniquely designs every individual for His purpose. Concerning this belief, our desire is to develop God’s children fully, both academically and spiritually.
Education is the training of society in the basic values, goals, and standards. The directive from God’s Word says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) “And ye fathers… bring (your children) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
The Scriptures clearly teach that parents are directly responsible for the education of their children, and have specific concerns for that of their grandchildren. (Deuteronomy 4:9-10, 6:5-7) The ministry of teaching by those outside the home, while Scriptural and a valid calling, can never assume the parental responsibility of education. Thus, while parents may, at a time agreeable to them, delegate some particulars of the task of education to others, great care should be taken in the choosing of teachers and educational institutions. Parents must also recognize that they are accountable to God for the results of such a choice.
Russell Christian Academy provides the opportunity for students to receive an education with the foundation of the Bible as the Word of God and the true guide for all areas of life. (2 Timothy 3:14-17) We provide support and counseling to families in developing in their children a love of God, and obedience to His Word, strong moral character, honesty, dependability and appreciation for physical labor, and good study habits, and in helping parents prepare their children for future responsibility and ministry. We believe that students should properly respect authority from refraining from speaking evil of those in authority, but rather being subject to them, and praying for them as directed in 1 Timothy 2:1-2. It is our goal to prepare all graduating students from Russell Christian Academy with a scripturally sound and academically solid education that will help them to successfully accomplish God’s will for their lives.
To implement its convictions, Russell Christian Academy maintains an educational methodology, which utilizes the parent as the primary educator of the child. The programs are geared directly to the needs of parents and children who have chosen home schooling as an educational alternative. Russell Christian Academy assists parents by offering them, a system of encouragement and support, a framework of structure and direction, a point of academic reference, a means of accountability, and a resource of information and training. Russell Christian Academy offers children access to group activities and learning experiences, which enhance their academic, social, physical, and emotional development. The program includes group classes, club and team activities, standardized tests, school pictures, and field-trips. Besides activities for the children, Russell Christian Academy offers parents: support groups, workshops, seminars and social functions.
The school promotes a sound foundation in the fundamentals of education. We believe in the freedom of the parents to choose the best curriculum and teaching methods for their own children. While it is the right of the parents to teach their own children at home, it is also the responsibility of the parents to be diligent in this duty.
HELPFUL HINTS IN SCHOOLING THE PRESCHOOLER
Teaching the preschooler can be a lot of fun. Don’t make it too much like formal school; instead play games to learn motor skills and academic readiness.
To begin leaning their alphabet:
Teach the children the basic letters in their name.
Teach them to spell it orally and to recognize the letters with flashcards. Hand them the cards mixed up and allow them to lay the cards out to spell their name. Once they can recognize the letters in their name and can lay the flashcards out to spell their name, teach them the sounds the letters in their name make. Play a game where they get a token for every flash card they can correctly identify and a token for every flashcard they can give the correct sound the letter makes. Every one they miss you get a token. Who ever wins gets to win the prize (e.g. and M & M for each token, or a penny for each token) Once they have the letters of their name memorized by sight and sound you can have them learn your name, a siblings name, etc…
It can also be fun once they learn the sounds of letters to write those letters on post its and let them go around the house and put post its on things in the house that begin with the same sound. (Don’t get technical on the preschooler; if it has the “k” sound and begins with the ‘c’ or ‘k’ don’t try to explain the difference at this time) Preschoolers are very black and white, it doesn’t matter to them that one, two, or three letters make the same sound.
That’s just one way to teach the alphabet to your preschooler or kindergartener.
NUMBERS
Teaching your preschooler to count is as easy as counting with them aloud and they are like parrots; they will eventually mimic you and learn how to count. But, also, remember to teach them the concept of numbers, too. Have them count M & M’s, jellybeans, buttons, or what ever you can think of that they enjoy counting. One little boy learned the concept of numbers with matchbook cars. Once they can count the numbers and understand the concept of numbers introduce flashcards. Again, play games with your preschooler. They will enjoy your one on one time and your relationship will grow closer.
Once your child learns their numbers by sight and concept you can begin basic addition and subtraction with them. Give them ten objects and see how many different ways they can break it into two groups equaling ten. Example: I have 10 pennies and I break it into a group of 2 and a group of 8. Then 2 + 8= 10 right? What if I break that group into one group of 4 and another group of 6? 4+6=10. These types of games make learning the addition families much easier. Another game many children enjoy is a revision of the W-A-R card game. Play the traditional war game with younger children. Each player throws down a card and the person with the larger card wins. As they get older and begin to add and subtract, you can play where the first person to give the correct sum or correct difference of the two cards wins. This will build speed with your child.
BUILDING MOTOR SKILLS
It is very important to let preschool children and younger elementary students build motor skills through cutting, pasting, playing connect the dots, and building with blocks, etc… Many parents have complained to me that their first or second grade students handwriting is horrible and the student complains they have to write. Sometimes these complaints are from children who didn’t build strong muscles in their hands and eyes before they were thrust a pencil in their hand to learn how to write their ABC’s. Coloring, cutting, and pasting are IMPORTANT learning tools in a young students educational process.