SCLC 2022-2023 Handbook

Parent / Student Handbook 2022-2023

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

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Our Mission:

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Our Core Values:

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Classical methods:

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Christian Worldview:

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Character:

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Connectedness:

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Statement of Faith:

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Schedule:

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Calendar: please see website

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School Culture:

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Our Beginnings:

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Curriculum:

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Absences:

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Sickness & Allergies:

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Covid-19 Statement:

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Safety:

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Cell Phone Policy

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Dress Code

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Snacks & Lunches & Weekly School Community Events:

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Drop Off / Pick up:

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Evaluations:

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Portfolios:

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Admissions Policy:

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Discipleship:

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Special Needs:

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Fees:

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Tuition:

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Additional Expenses:

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Parent Honor Code:

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Student Honor Code:

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School Governance & Accreditation:

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Salaries and Qualifications:

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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 - Character - Connection

Classical methods: In the delivery of the core subjects we teach through an integrated curriculum. Students will learn using memorization, singing and storytelling from the past and present, 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 curriculum.

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Character: We value listening, critical thinking, consideration, conviction, courage, and integrity. We want students to become responsible for their actions and impact on others.

Connectedness: We aspire to be in relationship with one another, our world, our history, and our Creator.

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 the life everlasting. Amen.

Schedule: Calendar: please see website Daily Schedule: For the 2022-23 school year, we are open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm daily.

Kindergarten is from 12 pm - 3:00 pm daily Grs.1-7 is from 8:30 am to 2:45 pm daily.

Eighth grade and high school is from 8:30 am -12:30 pm.

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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: We are partnering with Miss Esther to provide a multi-age, multi-grade classical curriculum. Our school will cycle on a four-year instructional basis starting with ancient history in 2022-23, moving to medieval times in 2023-24, early modern history in 2024-25, and the modern age in 2025-26. We will loop this curriculum every four years. We will be offering Latin, art, music and science, as well as a separate language arts and math curriculum. Grades 8 and above will follow the same history cycle, but curriculum will differ.

Absences: We hope your child can attend every day. Please let us know about planned absences so we can ensure your child will not fall behind.

Sickness & Allergies: For the health of the school, we ask that your child stay at home if they have a fever over 100 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% we will cancel the school for the day. Also, if lead teachers are sick there is also a possibility school will be canceled.

Covid-19 Statement: SCLC recognizes the difficult situation that COVID - 19 poses. 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.

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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 will be required to have background checks, and beginning February 2023 we will expand that to include all instructors as well as on-site volunteers and adult family participants, as our insurance requires. Your privacy is also of importance to us, and we will be using a background check service that only shares minimum, necessary results with school administration. Once a keypad is installed on our main entrance we will keep the door of the school locked. Those entering and exiting will need to know the key code to be allowed access into the building. We will remain downstairs in classrooms with the exception of lunch, chapel and when cooking. Students must be accompanied by an adult when they leave the bottom floor.

Cell Phone Policy 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 they may be collected by the instructor at the beginning of each academic day and be stored up and away until the school day ends when they will be returned to the student.

Dress Code 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. Clothing should be modest and God-honoring. Please don’t wear midriffs, low-cut or tank tops.

Shorts and skirts should extend past the student's fingertips when the student is standing.

Snacks & Lunches & Weekly School Community Events: We will have snack time daily, though the school will not provide these. Please limit sugar for snacks as it affects students' learning. Please have your child bring a snack in their lunch bag. Lunch will not be provided.

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Students should also bring a labeled water bottle to have on hand. Parents are always welcome to join us for lunch, but we especially welcome parents and extended families on Fridays. 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 - 12:45 pm. Families will then be invited to join us for a nature walk from 12:45 pm - 2:30 pm.

Some Fridays in lieu of a nature walk we will be serving in the community of Sitka.

Drop Off / Pick up: Your child is welcome to arrive at school any time between 8:00 am and 8:30 am. We ask that you observe those times. Pick up from school is between 2:30 pm - 2:45 pm, or at 3:00 pm for Kindergarten.

Evaluations: Portfolios: Students will be creating academic portfolios. All class work will be organized and collected in three-inch three-ring binders which will be accessible to families and students throughout the academic school year. These binders will go home with students at the end of each academic year. Parents will have access to these binders at any time throughout the school year and can use them for work samples if they are enrolled in a district homeschool program. 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.

Admissions Policy: Discipleship: At SCLC there is zero tolerance for unkindness. We want students and parents to take ownership of unwanted classroom behaviors and think that building students of character is of utmost importance. We hope students see how their actions impact the community at large. We also want focused learning and quality work. If there are recurring negative, disruptive or distracting behaviors that prevent others from learning, 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 disrespectful conduct.

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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, discussions, and daily routine. 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 the other students, then those with learning disabilities are welcome at SCLC.

Fees: Tuition: SEE TUITION GUIDE Families will be billed at the end of each month. You will be expected to pay the bill promptly; unless otherwise notified not later than 10 days after your bill is received. You may pay either in cash or check to Sitka Classical Learning Center; we can accept credit card payments once our class administration system comes online. You may un-enroll at any time during the 2022-23 school year.

Additional Expenses: There is a one-time $50 per family registration fee, along with a one-time materials and curriculum fee of $400 per enrolled student. The Kindergarten materials and curriculum fee is $150.

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 and that guiding students to live purposefully in their walk with God is the primary tenent 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 of loving 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.

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Student Honor Code: I am enrolling as a student in the Sitka Classical Learning Center and as such agree to submit to the authority of the instructors at SCLC — as agreed to by my parent(s). I understand that Sitka Classical aims to foster a culture where we love God and love our neighbor, and as such I promise to do the same through my actions, attitude, and words, as I learn and grow in the Christian community and in my academic endeavors. My commitment is simple: ●

I will seek to love those around me, treating each the way I would like to be treated.

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I will not be disruptive in class.

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I will be consistently on time and present for classes.

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I will come to school having eaten breakfast and, to the best of my ability, with a good night’s sleep.

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I will seek forgiveness when I have wronged someone.

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I will submit to the authority of my instructors (as given by my parents) in grading and in conduct.

School Governance & Accreditation: We are a praying body. Currently, there is a weekly SCLC prayer meeting, and families and all other vested parties are welcome at these meetings, Mondays from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. SCLC is a member of the Association of Classical Christian Schools, or ACCS, and is pursuing accreditation.

Salaries and Qualifications: We are operating currently as a tutoring company working with a homeschool co-op. With that said, we want parents of students to step into leadership roles in the school. Please consider your strengths, passions and/or availability and let us know how you can contribute to making our learning center not only sustainable but a place for our students to learn and thrive. Our lead instruction and tutoring team consists of a diverse background of both certificated teachers and homeschool parents. Collectively we have over 60+ years of teaching and education, and a particular passion for Christian education.

Disclaimer

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The reader should take notice that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided herein, Sitka Classical Learning Center reserves the right to make changes at any time without prior notice. Parents will be notified of any changes to the handbook that occur during the current academic year.

Sitka Classical Learning Center provides the information herein solely for the convenience of the reader and, to the extent permissible by law, expressly disclaims any liability which may otherwise be incurred.

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