Calvary Christian School Policies & Handbook 2008-2009

ENROLLMENT POLICIES
GENERAL SCHOOL POLICIES

1. First priority for enrollment will be given to currently enrolled families. This includes our preschool families in child care. After a deadline for currently enrolled families to respond has passed, any available positions will be offered to the general public. To reserve a spot, the $50 non-refundable registration fee will be due.
2. New families enrolling at Calvary Christian School will have additional requirements, including academic records from the previous school, an interview with the Director/Assistant Director, a completed New Student Application. Subsequent testing may be required.
3. The birth date cut off for Kindergarten & 1st grade entrance will be September 30th. The school reserves the right to make decisions based also on social/emotional readiness and maturity.
4. Calvary Christian School reserves the right to disenroll or refuse enrollment based on disciplinary problems or academic performance. In addition, Calvary Christian School reserves the right to promote or decline promotion to the next grade level as determined by overall academic performance. See the Calvary Christian School Handbook for clarification on discipline policies, which will be strictly enforced. We expect full parental cooperation in the discipline policies of the school.
5. In the event of admission mid-month, tuition will be pro-rated for that first month of enrollment. All other fees will be due in full.
6. For Kindergarten and all new students, a copy of the most up-to-date immunizations is required upon registration. Enrollment may only be granted on a provisional basis (with a follow up plan) for students who do not meet these Department of Health regulations.
7. All new students will be subject to academic screenings. As applicable, information about social/emotional behavior may be gathered from former teachers and parents. We will enroll children that we feel will benefit from being in our school program and also those we feel we can serve effectively.
8. We will need at least one week’s written notice in the case of a child’s withdraw from Calvary. Parents are responsible to fulfill all financial obligations before leaving. In the event of withdrawal mid-month, there will be no partial refunds of the month’s tuition. If a student attends any part of the month, full tuition is due for the month, regardless of the withdrawal date. Failure to meet financial obligations before leaving will lead to the student’s academic records being retained until the account is paid in full. This also affects our graduation policies. When giving written notice of withdrawal, we will also require a record release form from the new school. In order to assure continuity of education, we are required to report a child’s withdrawal from school to the School District Superintendent of the school district in which the child lives.

GENERAL SCHOOL POLICIES

1. Tuition covers the school program only. Additional fees apply for Before and/or After Care.
2. Lunch and AM snack may be packed or purchased through meal tickets (see current rates). When packing snacks and lunches, we strongly recommend bringing healthy foods that will boost your child’s “brain power” for learning, rather than sugary snacks.
3. Children attending the school program only must arrive no earlier than 8:30 and leave promptly at 3:30 or use school district transportation. For children scheduled to be picked up at 3:30, there will be a late pick up fee of $5.00 for pick up between 3:45 – 4:00. After 4:00, the student will be put into the After Care program and charged for that afternoon.
4. All children enrolled in Calvary Christian School will wear a uniform as designated by the school. We will expect each student to be obedient to the uniform policy. A “Uniform Clarification” form will be sent home as needed for infractions of the uniform policy.
5. Regarding inclement weather, families should listen to WBCB 1490 AM, CBS 3, or NBC 10 (TV and online) for inclement weather closings. Christian School will be closed or delayed whenever Pennsbury School District is closed or delayed. Bus transportation will also be affected by individual district’s inclement weather schedules.
6. Parents/guardians are responsible for filling out absence or tardy cards for each absence or tardiness. These must be returned to school within 3 school days. Absences and tardiness are a part of the permanent school record. A child is considered late after 9:05 AM. A child is marked absent any time he or she is not physically present in the school more than 2 hours. It is imperative that students come to school on time to receive the maximum benefit from instruction. We trust that parents will partner with students to make punctuality a priority.
7. Children may not bring toys or personal items to school unless clearly requested by the teacher. All electronic equipment (ie cameras, MP3 players) and cell phones, if rought to school, must remain in the office for the day. The school will not be responsible for any items brought in from home. We recommend that all outerwear, lunchboxes, etc. be labeled with your child’s name to avoid misplaced items. All personal items are the responsibility of the student.
8. It is our desire that parents and teachers enjoy a warm, communicative relationship. To this end, all questions and concerns regarding the classroom should be directed to the teacher first via a note, email, or phone call. We expect that parents participate in the parent-teacher relationship in a professional manner. Cooperation with school policies and procedures is essential. We reserve the right to disenroll a student based on a family/student's non-compliance with our school's policies, including handling parent-teacher relationships in a professional and Biblical manner.
9. We warmly invite parents to school and PTO meetings, functions, and events. Calvary Christian School believes that it is the role of the parent to instruct the child in the ways of the Lord, and that we are here to partner with you in this process. As such, we strongly encourage parental participation in all events of Calvary Christian School.
10. Conferences are conducted twice per year. Report cards will be given out 4 times per year with interim reports in between.
11. Every parent is required to submit an emergency form and update it every 6 months. Additionally, every child must have a current physical upon enrollment (as mandated by Pennsylvania Department of Health). Thereafter, updated health assessments are required for entering grades kindergarten, 1 and 6. Each child MUST have up to date immunizations. It is the parents’ responsibility to provide the school with any and all updated information. For Kindergarten and all new students, a copy of the most up-to-date immunizations is necessary to be given upon registration. Enrollment may only be granted on a provisional basis for students who do not meet these Department of Health regulations.
12. Only the individuals noted on the emergency contact form are permitted to pick up your child. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep that information updated.
13. Calvary Christian School will administer standardized tests each year to Kindergarten, Third Grade, and Fifth through Eighth grades. Results will be shared with parents in a timely manner once they are scored by the proper outside agencies.
14. Transportation is provided by local school districts. Children are eligible for transportation if they live within a 10-mile radius of the school. Initial transportation requests will be handled through the Calvary Christian School office and must be submitted to us no later than May 1st via the Bus Transportation Form. Once your schedule has been established, all problems and questions regarding transportation, should be handled directly through the appropriate public school transportation department.
15. This agreement is subject to change with one week’s written notice.

Calvary Christian School is licensed through the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is also a member of the Association of Christian Schools International.

Calvary Christian School grants admission to students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.