Parent / Student Handbook
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18
Our Mission
To provide a high-quality, classical, Christ-centered education that emphasizes character and connectedness while preparing students for their future
Our Core Values
Classical - Christian - Connection - Character
Classical methods
In the delivery of the core subjects we teach through an integrated curriculum. Students will learn using memorization, singing and storytelling as well as through reading classic literature
We will start chronologically with the history of the world and study poetry, art, non-fiction, myths, legends, folklore, and the cultures and peoples of those who have come before us
Christian Worldview
Our content is Christ-centered We use the Bible as our framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world While students and families are not required to have faith in Jesus to be a part of SCLC, Bible reading and Christian tenets of faith will be incorporated into the program
Connection
We aspire to be in relationship with one another, our world, our history, and our Creator
Character
We value listening, critical thinking, consideration, conviction, courage, and integrity We want students to become responsible for their actions and their impact on others.
Statement of Faith
We believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting
Schedule
PLEASE SEE WEBSITE FOR SCHEDULE AND CALENDAR sitkaclassicallearningcentercom (Parent Portal)
School Culture
Our Beginnings
SCLC was founded by a cooperative group of educators and parents who saw a growing need for educational choice in Sitka that combines Christian values with a high-quality curriculum and some of the flexibility of homeschooling
Curriculum
Our core literature and mathematics curricula consists of: All About Reading, All About Spelling, Institute for Excellence in Writing, Shurley English, handwriting and literature circles based on our history studies. In math we use a combination of Math-U-See, math drills, games, and Life of Fred. (If parents prefer a different math or ELA curriculum, we can discuss accommodation.) Logic is offered for grade 7 and 8 students We also partner with education consultant Miss Esther to provide a multi-age, multi-grade classical curriculum for our afternoon enrichment program as well as language program Grades 1 and 2 will always take Latin Our school is on a four-year instructional cycle: ancient times, medieval times, early modern history for 2024-25, and the modern age in 2025-26. We will loop this curriculum every four years. Enrichment offerings are: history, Shakespeare, poetry, art, music, language and science
Co-op
You may drop off your child and pay full tuition. However we encourage families to co-op with us because parents are a vital part of their children’s education See the website for tuition level options
Absences
We hope your child can attend every day. Please let us know in advance of planned absences so we can ensure your child will not fall behind Students who miss class will be expected to keep up with material presented in class during time absent.
Sickness & Allergies
For the health of the school, we ask that your child stay at home if they have a fever over 100 degrees or if they are vomiting. Please keep your child home a full 24 hours. If a student has a persistent cough please use good judgment If or when our school attendance rate drops below 50 percent, we will cancel the school for the day Also, if the lead teacher(s) is sick there is a rare possibility school or class will be canceled.
Covid-19 Statement
SCLC recognizes the difficult situation that COVID - 19 and other illnesses pose. We also recognize the importance of in-person education Due to the varied responses to the situation, we want families to know masks will not be required However, we will respectfully allow parent choice. Most importantly, we will model respect for all in the school so no student, teacher, parent, or volunteer will feel unsupported, isolated, or ostracized by their masking choices
Safety
Your child’s safety is of utmost importance to us. All lead instructors and co-op members will be required to have background checks and child safety training We use a background check service that only shares minimum, necessary results with school administration There will be clear fire, earthquake and tsunami evacuation and lockdown policies in place to ensure your child’s safety is preserved
Technology & Cell Phone Usage
Ideally there would be zero cell phones with students on campus. However, we realize this is a tool parents use to communicate with their children, and on those terms cell phones are allowed However phones will be expected to stay in backpacks during the academic day
During the academic school day K-8 students will infrequently interface with technology Nearly all assignments given will be paper and pencil assignments – that also includes nearly all research books and reference materials Cell phones will be required to be up and away during instructional times and laptops and other various technologies will be used only for academic purposes. Overriding all these details, the school reserves the right to act as we deem necessary in any situation
Homework Policy
We believe the education of a child is primarily the parents’ responsibility. Sitka Classical takes seriously your willingness to allow us to walk alongside you as you educate your child(ren) Our goal is to help inspire lifelong learners Outside of the school day we hope that your child will spend time reading. We will not “assign” homework for Kindergarten students. However, beginning in grade one we will ask your child to read 20-30 minutes a night, five nights a week, and record their reading as well as weekly memory and unfinished work Memory work includes poems and various other songs and rhymes that need to be memorized for Friday recitations. Math-U-See work will come home nightly for students who need extra time to complete classroom assignments. All homework assignments will come home at night in their homework folders Students are responsible for both collecting the folders as they leave to go home and turning them in upon entering the building each day This work will never be “busy” work and will usually involve reading or classroom assignments that require additional time.
Late Work
When a deadline is given to an assignment, students will be expected to turn in the assignment on the date due If they are one day late, they receive half credit If it is more than one day late they will receive no credit for that assignment. Exceptions will be made for excused absences. We believe a firm policy helps keep students accountable and prevent them from falling behind
Grading Expectations
All student work should include their name and date, and be legible, quality work. Grades are posted on ClassReach as assignments are turned in You will receive notifications in your email when grades post You can access your student’s gradebook on ClassReach, which provides families with recommended grades. Ultimately parents get the final say when reporting to home-school districts
Summer Work
We have students work at their own pace in language arts and mathematics In math students may not finish their level of study in one academic school year. We encourage families to continue through the curriculum during the summer if/when they are not able to complete their book during the school year.
Dress Code
We expect students to dress for academic success. We will be wearing uniform shirts on Fridays During the rest of the week students are expected to dress neatly in clothing without large graphics Pajamas are limited to special occasions Clothing should be modest and God-honoring. Please don’t wear midriffs or low-cut/tank tops. Shorts and skirts should extend past the student's fingertips when the student is standing Grade K-8 students will be required to bring a pair of indoor shoes or indoor slippers for time inside the building. Please note, they will be required to keep shoes here in the school Please label your children’s shoes so they do not get mixed up
Snacks & Lunches, and Weekly School Community Events
Families should send students to school each day with lunch and a snack Please limit sugar for snacks as it affects students' learning Students should also bring a labeled water bottle to have on hand. Each Friday, we will have a brown paper bag-style lunch together as a school community from 11:45 am - 12:00 pm, followed by a weekly chapel from 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm A weekly nature walk will follow. Some Fridays, in lieu of a nature walk, we may serve in the community of Sitka through service projects. Parents are always welcome to join us for lunch and/or nature walk
Drop Off / Pick up
Your child is welcome to arrive at school any time between 8:00 am and 8:15 am. We ask that you observe those times If you know you will be late, please text the teacher so we know where you are Pick up from school is at 2:45 pm, with the exception of Friday when we will release students at 2:30 pm. A $15 fee will be charged for any day you pick your child up after 2:45 pm (2:30 pm Friday) This will be increased to $30 if you pick up your child after 3:00 pm (2:45 pm Friday) Please honor the dismissal times
Evaluations
Portfolios & Academic Notebooks
All recommended grades will be accessible to parents on ClassReach. Grades 1-8 students will be creating academic portfolios All class work will be organized and collected in binders accessible to families and students throughout the academic school year. These binders will go home with students at the end of each academic year The portfolios will have work samples for students’ district homeschool programs Lead teachers will provide initial learning plan (ILP) content, work samples and recommended grades to families, and district homeschool-enrolled families will submit ILP and all work samples/progress reports to their homeschool program
Some work will not be found in portfolios: Bible, handwriting, spelling, and math work will be found in academic notebooks and will be easily accessible by your child.
Admissions Policy
Discipleship
At SCLC we walk alongside your student in all areas of the academic day and seek to grow the whole child. In the classroom as well as P.E., recess, and lunch, lead teachers are actively engaged discipling your child Building students of character is of utmost importance and cannot be accomplished without engaged educators and more importantly, actively-involved parents. We partner with families to hold children accountable for their behaviors and engage students in recognizing how their actions impact the community at large We also set a high bar on focused, respectful learning and require students to provide their best work If there are recurring negative, disruptive or distracting behaviors that prevent others from learning or if students repeatedly produce poor-quality work, as a parent you will be expected to be involved in the dialog, and a change in student behavior will be expected If over time changes are not made, there will be a conversation with all involved as to whether SCLC is a good fit for your child Other students' education should not be compromised due to one child’s classroom conduct or lack of engagement. We cannot be successful in this endeavor apart from parents' engagement
Special Needs
Students diagnosed with a learning disability are welcome to apply to SCLC as long as they can meet the discipline standards of the classroom, participate in discussions, and cooperate with the daily routines Neither our faculty nor our facility is equipped for severe learning disabilities, but if we can assist a student in meeting his full God-given potential without disruption to other students, then those with learning disabilities are welcome at SCLC
Annual Tuition
See Tuition Guide
Early Withdrawal
We finalize our annual budget based on our enrollment as of August 1st After the first day of school, if your child withdraws from full-time enrollment you will still be expected to pay a minimum monthly fee of $300 per month for the remainder of the academic year. If your child is
enrolled half day in the 1 - 8 grade classrooms, the minimum monthly fee is $200 per month We make staffing commitments that we must uphold through the end of the academic year.
Payment Policy
You will be expected to pay the bill promptly – unless otherwise notified not later than 10 days after your bill is received.
Billing
Families will be billed annually at the beginning of the year, but may choose to pay monthly If annual tuition is paid in full by August 1, we offer a $200 discount for full-day students ($100 for half-day). You may pay either in cash or check to Sitka Classical Learning Center; we also accept credit and debit card payments for a small additional fee
Additional Expenses
There is a one-time $50 annual per student registration fee (which will include one uniform shirt), along with an annual materials and curriculum fee of $500 per enrolled student. If half-day enrolled students would like to participate in a full-day enrichment week, there will be a $100 charge. Background checks are $15 each, and are good for two years. Sitka sales tax is additional.
Parent Honor Code
I am enrolling my child as a student at Sitka Classical Learning Center because I want my child to be educated in truth, virtue, and beauty I understand that my child will be educated under a Christian worldview according to Biblical standards and that guiding students to know God and live purposefully in their walk with Him is the primary tenet of Sitka Classical This includes being on time, being present, being healthy in body and mind, and being respectful For this reason, I understand that school attendance is a way to love and respect both teachers and classmates I will ensure my child’s timely arrival so he or she is prepared for class (unless an emergency arises) I understand that my child will need to submit to the authority of the instructors during school and school-sponsored events. I also understand that I will be ultimately responsible for my child’s behavior while at SCLC In keeping with the religious (spiritually formative) intentions of our school's mission, I understand that my child needs to submit to the authority of SCLC teachers and co-op teachers during school events. Further, behavior outside of school hours that violates this honor code is a matter of interest and concern for the school as well.