Student
Handbook
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This handbook is intended to give
direction and understanding of our general goals and procedures. It does not
include everything. We encourage your suggestions for improving this handbook
by talking directly with the administrator, a board member, or submitting your
ideas in writing.
The
King's Academy (TKA) School Board:
Dr. John and Jean Marvel (948-3504
(Chair)
Dr. Ed & Kathy Meadors (998-1333)
Dr. Bruce Stuard (552-1098
Dr. Hank & Jeanette Voss (998-1809
Dr. Jack & Debbie Wheeler (651-1233
Dr. Art & Donica White (998-2655
2.0 THE
KING'S ACADEMY VISION
2.1 Our
Founding Purpose and
The King's Academy is a school
that has developed out of a deep concern for families in Blackford, Grant and
1.
To raise up a generation of Christian leaders
who know their God and His plans for their times, who think, reason, and set
biblical goals.
2.
To provide a quality education, holding to high
academic standards, where faith and learning are integrated.
3.
To help strengthen the family.
4.
To provide social activities and athletic
competition as further opportunities for the students to glorify God in
applying Christian leadership.
The King’s Academy is governed in accordance with our
mission statement. Every program and
activity associated with TKA flows from our mission. This is our mission statement:
The King’s Academy is a Christ-centered, college
preparatory school for students who have teachable hearts, moldable minds, and
coachable spirits. We offer a loving
family environment where students are encouraged to grow in their relationships
with Jesus, their families, teachers, and others, as they are prepared to be
tomorrow’s leaders wherever God calls them to serve. We are committed to developing God’s best for
each student spiritually, academically, morally, and socially through every
program and activity.
2.2 Our Philosophy
The King's Academy is dedicated to
the philosophy that Christian education, with its associated values and roots,
is the best education. All education is spiritual in nature and true education
must be administered in a spiritual atmosphere that recognizes God as the
Supreme Source of all knowledge and wisdom.
The Word of God is our final
authority for faith and life. We believe that the Scriptures give us the true
view of God and man. The Scriptures tell us that God is an orderly Personality
who created man and the universe and that He is the Author of the order,
reason, and reality that are reflected in the universe. All truth is God's
truth.
Parents have been given the
responsibility for the spiritual as well as the intellectual training of their
children. The school's role is to help them fulfill this responsibility. We
furthermore desire to bring the conventional and home school community together
by sharing resources for raising up a Godly Seed.
Our goal is to mold a well-rounded
person who demonstrates academic excellence and displays the spiritual and
social maturity to glorify God and bring honor to God, his family and his
country. We pray that the graduates of The King's Academy will be leaders in tomorrow's
world.
2.3 Statement of Faith
·
We believe in one God existing in three Persons --
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
·
We believe in the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus
Christ, His vicarious (substitutionary) atoning death, His bodily resurrection,
and His second coming.
·
We believe that all Scripture is verbally inspired by
God and that it is the supreme and final authority in faith and life.
·
We believe that man is created in the image of God;
that the first man, Adam, sinned; that this sin caused physical and spiritual
death; and that since the first man sinned, all persons are born with a sinful
nature.
·
We believe that man is saved by grace through faith,
wholly apart from human merit and works, and that all who receive the Lord
Jesus Christ by faith are born again to a new life in Him.
·
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the
dead: the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to a life of eternal judgment.
·
We believe that Christians are to be separated unto
God, living holy lives pleasing to Him, and witnessing to His glory.
·
We believe that God directly created the heavens and
the earth and all that lies therein.
2.4 Parent-Teacher
Fellowship
Without prayer and strong parental
involvement, this school will not be blessed and will not reach a high level of
spiritual, social, academic, and physical achievement. The cooperation between the school and the
family is foundational to the heart of King’s. We are continually seeking
better communication between parents and TKA faculty. Please call the school office if you are
interested in becoming more involved in TKA. Also, the Mom’s Prayer group is an
excellent way to support the school. We
believe that a school that prays together will stay together with the Lord
receiving the glory.
3.0 ADMINISTRATIVE
INFORMATION
3.1 Admission:
Non-Discrimination Policy
Admission to The King's Academy is
open to any young person regardless of race, color, or national and ethnic
origin who meets the entrance requirements.
Additionally, we are committed to helping a limited number of students
who are academically weak, as long as the parents and student are working hard
to succeed, and the student’s behavior or academic performance does not impede
the student’s classes. All students must conform to the standards set forth in
this handbook.
3.2 Admission
Policies and Procedures
In order to
establish uniform guidelines for admission to TKA, the following policies and
procedures will be followed. The administrator
is given authority to admit qualified students.
Special approval will be required for any exceptions to the stated
policies and/or procedures.
B.
Admission Policies
1.
At least one parent must be a believer in Jesus Christ,
must be a member in good standing in a local Christian church, must be able in
good conscience to subscribe to the Statement of Faith, and must desire to
cooperate with the school in pursuing our mission statement. All students must have a viable Christian testimony
and demonstrate teachable hearts, moldable minds, and coachable spirits.
2.
TKA is unable at this time to provide for students
who have:
·
a low academic performance as indicated by the
entrance achievement test
·
failed the most recent grade level prior to
application
·
emotional or disciplinary problems
·
a court record
3.
Exceptions to these policies must be taken
into advisement with the school
administrator.
C.
Admission Procedures
1.
Before making application, read the materials
carefully to determine whether or not TKA offers the type of education you
desire for your child.
2.
Complete and return the application for
admission. Report card or academic
transcript from the previous year, medical form, recent standardized test
scores and the (non-refundable) registration fee must accompany each student
application. All these items must be
received before an application can be processed.
3.
Achievement test will be given to prospective
students to determine as nearly as possible how the student will perform
academically in comparison with the class he will be entering. A representative of the school will call the
parent and make an appointment for the child to be tested before entering
TKA. Following the test, the office will
contact the parents by telephone. A
personal interview will be arranged with one of the administrators. This interview will be held with both parents
and the prospective student(s). The
student is not automatically enrolled until all interviews, test results, and
previous school clearance is made.
4.
Final decision for or against acceptance will be made
after the interview, and the prospective student will be notified as soon as
possible. Each child applying for
admission will be considered on his/her own merit and not according to race, or
ethnic background. Parents will be
notified by letter of their student’s acceptance status within a week of the
interview.
5.
Being able to attend TKA is a privilege, not a right.
3.3 Re-enrollment
Students who are presently
enrolled in the school are given first opportunity to re-enroll for the
following school year beginning March 1st. Re-enrollment must be done each year and is
not complete until the fee is paid.
There will be an annual evaluation of students with low citizenship
grades and/or infractions (please refer to sections 6.7 & 6.8). Students with a low citizenship grade will be
required to meet with a readmission committee.
All re-enrollments are subject to the administrator’s approval and
written notification will be given if rejected.
Open registration for new and prospective
families will begin April 1st immediately following the
re-enrollment period.
3.4 School
Office
School office hours are
3.5 Withdrawal
or Dismissal
If a parent wishes to withdraw a
student during the academic year, an appointment must be made to discuss the
situation with the administrator. If the
withdrawal proceeds thereafter, a letter to the administrator stating the
reasons for said action should be forwarded to the school. In order to transfer grades and records to
another school, the parent must go to the new school and sign a form requesting
the forwarding of the student’s transcripts.
The new school will then correspond with our office, and the transfer of
records will be completed if all financial accounts are settled.
3.6 Transcripts
and Records
The school maintains a permanent
record file on each student. It includes
academic, health, behavior and attendance records.
Material in each student’s file is
confidential and shall be accessible only by permission of the school administration. Information on the student’s permanent record
will be given out to the following:
1.
To the parents and students upon request of the
parents.
2.
To applicable teachers (academic information)
3.
To prospective employers upon receipt of parent/student’s
request.
4.
to colleges and universities (military service) upon
the student’s request.
5.
to another school as a result of withdrawal or
transfer upon receipt of parental authorization.
Records will not be automatically
transferred, but must be requested.
Records will not be released if accounts are not current. The records are considered property of TKA.
3.7 Financial
Information
A.
Financial Support
In the fall of 2003 The King's
Academy stepped out in faith to introduce a faith-based support policy with the
conviction that children should not be denied Christian Education because of
financial need. The faith-based policy
offers families the opportunity to shift thinking from obligation to privilege. It challenges each family to see Christian
education as a priority and an invaluable gift from God that deserves a
commitment of time and resources. Our
faith-based policy enables parents to partner with the Lord in meeting
educational expenses. We believe that
God should be at the center of our children’s learning, where they may freely
explore His truth, whatever the discipline.
We therefore commit to invest time, talents, and finances to provide
excellent Christian education, confidently believing that these sacrifices will
effectively equip our children as they pursue God’s plan for our lives.
Suggested donation amounts are:
Kindergarten $1,250
Grades 1 – 4 $2,500
Grades 5 – 6 $3,000
Grades 7 – 12 $3,245
Student and book fees do not fall
under this policy.
Since the school receives no state or federal funds, a tight
budget is maintained. It is necessary to
raise additional funds each year.
In an independent school such as
TKA, development means the on-going efforts to 1) raise money, 2)
recruit/retain students, and 3) relate to the public
(advertising/marketing). These “3 R’s”
of development are vital to our school to posture us for continued growth and
to keep tuition costs as affordable as possible.
C. Donations
All donations to TKA above the
pledges by families for their students carry the privilege of being
tax-deductible. However, it is a
privilege and an honor to give money back to God to be used in training
students to know Him, to love Him, and to walk with Him. There is no better investment. Jesus said “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little
ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not
lose his reward” Matthew 10:42. It
is a deep spiritual experience to support a Christian school financially. Many blessings can be found there.
If you have any questions about
how you can be a financial part of God’s ministry at TKA, please do not
hesitate to call for more information.
Student Council, high school
classes, and other groups engage in fundraising events throughout the
year. These events need approval and are
placed into the development calendar so that they are appropriately timed.
There are fundraising events in
which we ask all students to participate.
Our desire is to keep the all-school fundraisers to a minimum.
Fund-raisers for non-school groups
are not permitted at school.
3.8 Public
Relations
Everyone connected with our school
is responsible for its quality and
reputation. Enthusiastic parents and
supporters, dedicated administrators, consecrated teachers, and happy,
well-disciplined students will promote our school. Everyone should endeavor to uphold the best
interests of the school in conversation.
Remember to pray faithfully for
students, teachers, and the school as a whole.
Whenever possible, aim to keep your child’s home training consistent
with the instruction you expect him to receive in school and support the work
of his teacher with your encouragement.
Evening programs are planned several
times throughout the year and are a tool of public relations. Every grade level has the opportunity to
participate in one or more programs each year.
Members of the school
administration or board are available to speak about Christian education to
groups in homes, churches, or other gatherings.
Christian
education literature is available
at the office for distribution. Parent
orientation meetings afford good opportunities to invite interested persons to
gain a clearer picture of the school.
3.9 Closed
Campus
TKA operates under the “closed
campus” policy. Once a student arrives
on school property in the morning, he/she is not to leave until dismissed from
school in the afternoon. If a student
has a special need to leave school, such as a doctor or dental appointment or
lunch, a parent must come in and sign the student out.
3.10 School
Visitors
Parents of students are permitted
to visit any class. It would be helpful
to call ahead to find the best time to visit, but you are welcome at any time. If
you wish to talk to a teacher, we ask that you make an appointment at a
convenient time. Please be considerate
of the teacher’s time before and after school.
Prospective students and their
parents should first call the office for a visiting time. All other visitors must have prior
administrative approval and conform to all school standards of behavior and
dress during classroom visits as well as other school functions. ALL VISITORS MUST SIGN IN AT THE
OFFICE.
Social visits to a classroom are not permitted.
4.0 ACADEMIC
INFORMATION
4.1 Textbook
Policy
The King's Academy provides
necessary textbooks. Students should take good care of their textbooks so they
can return them in good condition.
Students will be asked to pay for unnecessary damage or loss.
The use of Scripture in the
classroom is a fundamental, integral part of the education process at TKA. For this reason TKA recognizes the importance
not only of the use of Scripture but that it also selects a version that has
those qualities which enhance the education process.
There are several Bible
translations which are widely accepted by conservative, evangelical scholars as
quality works for study. Each
translation has strengths and weaknesses.
However, to avoid confusion in the classroom, it is necessary to select
a translation for school wide use.
TKA recognizes the New
International Version as the translation normally used in the classroom for
study, quotation and memorization. This
decision was made for several reasons:
·
the modern language, grammar, syntax, and style
·
the ease of reading
·
the widely accepted use of the NIV
The strengths of the NIV may be
viewed by some as a weakness and another translation preferred. In those cases the parents may request in
writing an exception for use of another translation by their child for
memorization.
4.2 Part-Time
Student Policy for
The part-time student program of The King's Academy
strengthens and enriches the whole student body while giving home school students
many unique challenges and opportunities for developing personal growth,
academic excellence, and leadership potential.
Home school students may choose the classes that meet their needs.
TKA will
maintain grades for those classes taken at King’s and will provide transcripts
for those grades upon request. Part-time
students are not eligible for a TKA diploma.
4.3 Homework
Policy
The King's Academy is a college
preparatory school dedicated to strong academics. Students must turn in
homework assignments as required by the teachers. Middle school students can
expect 60 to 90 minutes of homework per school night and high school students
should expect 90 to 120 minutes of homework per night on average.
Students
who are absent a part of the school day are still responsible to turn in all
assignments due and complete scheduled examinations on that particular
day. Full-time students must attend more
than one-half of their scheduled classes in order to participate in any
extra-curricular activities on that same day.
Before leaving school for an excused absence a student
is responsible to confer with each of his/her teachers about homework, receive
new work assignments and establish a timetable for making up work. Students
are expected to have completed all major projects the day they return from a pre-arranged absence. Students will have two school days (for each
day missed) in which to complete daily assignments that were missed due to an
excused absence.
In the case of an unexcused late
homework assignment, the student may turn it in the following day for a 10% (1 letter
grade) deduction after the paper is graded.
Each day the paper is late, the student will receive an additional 10%
deduction.
4.4 SAT/PSAT
Colleges require the Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT) otherwise known as the College Board Examination. The test of the American College Testing
(ACT) organization is required by other colleges. College-bound high school juniors and seniors
must make provision for taking the SAT or ACT college entrance exams before
graduation. One test is sufficient for
TKA, although taking the SAT is recommended.
Each college preparatory student should consult his college catalogue or
the guidance office to see which test is required. The PSAT/NMSQT is administered to 10th
and 11th grade students to give them an idea of what the SAT is like
and to qualify for scholarship help.
Information may be obtained through the high school office.
4.5 Achievement
Testing
TKA students will be given the Indiana
Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus (ISTEP+) each fall and the Stanford
Achievement Test each spring. Our
students’ SAT scores are compared to regional norms, national norms, and
Christian school norms. If you have any
difficulty interpreting the scores, or understanding their relevance, please
contact the school office for help.
4.6 Drop/Add
Policy
Since the curriculum at TKA is
developed on the basis of what the student needs in order to graduate, dropping
and adding courses after the school year begins is discouraged. However, it is recognized that some students
may find it difficult carrying a full seven-hour class load and may need to
drop a course. This will not be done
lightly or quickly but with consideration on the part of each party involved in
the decision. A student must be prepared
to justify a change in his/her schedule.
The headmaster will handle all
secondary scheduling and changes.
Normally, secondary subjects may not be dropped or added after the first
two weeks of each semester. Anytime a
course (even an elective) is dropped or added, the following criteria must
first be met:
·
Permission of the Headmaster or Guidance Counselor
·
Permission of the teacher of course dropped
·
Vacancy in course added
·
Written permission of parent(s) or guardian(s)
No credit is given for a course
that is dropped before the end of the semester.
We hope to encourage students to
develop an attitude that will allow them to meet challenges and overcome
obstacles, not just quit because something is difficult.
4.7 Promotion
and Retention
Students are promoted or retained
on the basis of their total preparedness to do satisfactory work at the next
grade level. Ability, achievement, and
social factors are taken into consideration.
A conference with parents and teachers is required by the third
nine-week interval if retention seems likely.
The King’s Academy administration and teachers make the final judgment.
If a student obtains three failing
grades as a semester or year-end average in major subjects, that student will
be retained. One or two failing grades
in a grading period will result in the student being placed on academic
probation. During the next grading
period, the student’s grades must improve, and that student will be required to
receive special tutoring in the subject area either at TKA or a reliable
outside source.
4.8 Grades
and Report Cards
The purpose
of our reporting system is to give parents and students an indication of the
progress which is being made. Each
student’s ability, attitudes, application, and achievement are taken into
account in the grading, but the students are marked on actual achievement, not
primarily on effort put forth.
Report cards are sent home every
nine weeks and must be signed by one parent and returned within three school
days. No grades or records can be sent
to another school until the account is paid in full.
Students
should be encouraged to work for achievement as such, not for grades. Ideally, a child should learn to work in
order to achieve and please the Lord (Colossians
4.9 Mid-Term
Reports
Mid-term
reports are sent home for all students midway through each quarter. The mid-term report is designed to advise the
parents of the student’s progress to date and presenting both teacher and
parents the opportunity to request a conference. The mid-term report is to be signed and returned
to the office.
4.10 Grading
Scale
A = 90 – 100% B = 80 – 89% C = 70 – 79% D = 60 – 69%
4.11 Graduation
Requirements
Each TKA student is required to
take Bible for each semester he/she attends TKA. The only exception to this program would be in
the case of a transfer student from a non-Christian school who would be
expected to complete one credit in Bible for each semester he attends TKA.
Math 6
credits
Science 6
credits
English 8
credits
Social Studies 6
credits
Bible 4
credits
Foreign Language 4
credits
Physical Education/Health 2
credits
Fine Arts 2
credits
Electives 10
credits
Total Credits for Graduation: 48 credits
Recommended Electives
Typing 1
credit
Computer Education 1 credit
One additional year of science, math, foreign language, and social
studies (2 credits in each)
The state of
No high school student should plan
to work in excess of twenty hours per
week outside the home. A student working
more hours than this would find it very difficult to accomplish school work and
get adequate rest. Special cases will be
considered by the administrator with board approval.
4.12 Academic
Honors
Students who receive a grade point
average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher are placed on the Honor Roll.
The Principal’s List is composed
of those students who have maintained quarterly grades of all “A’s” in all
subjects. Each quarter the Principal’s
List will be published. At the end of
the year award certificates will be presented to those students who have been
on the Principal’s List all year.
4.13 Honors
Diploma
Students
who receive a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have 9 hours of University credit may
graduate with an honors diploma.
1.
The TKA Honors Program seeks to encourage juniors and
seniors to take classes at the university level in preparation for
college. Students who participate in the
program graduate with actual college credit, and valuable real-life experience
in the university setting.
2.
The following requirements need to be met by students
seeking to obtain a senior high Honors Diploma:
a)
Students must have maintained a GPA of 3.5.