TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL GENERAL INFORMATION Programs Tabernacle Christian School (TCS) offers curriculum for Pre-K through sixth grade.  The school year begins the weekday August 16, 2010.  The school’s operating hours are from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Daily attendance at school and being on time are very important factors in the education of our students.  Your child’s education is very important and we schedule the events of the day to support our students’ spiritual, social and academic well-being.   AGE CRITERIA Chronological age is not the sole criteria TCS uses in grade assignment.   Of more importance is the proper placement of a student in a developmentally appropriate grade level.   Social maturity plays a factor in our grade placement as well as previous academic record.   Entrance screenings will further provide necessary placement information. 1. Pre-kindergarten 4 years:   Students must be four on or before September 1st.   Kindergarten:   Students must be five on or before September 30th.   First Grade:   Students must be six on or before September 30th and present evidence of successful completion of a kindergarten program. Curriculum The primary curricula used at Tabernacle Christian School are the ABEKA/Scotts Foresman/ ACSI – Association of Christian School International curricula.  These curricula include Language Arts, Grammar, Phonics, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, Writing, and Reading.  Proper supplements are integrated as needed. Accreditation Tabernacle Christian School is currently a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).  The curriculum has been developed to satisfy accreditation and our school educational standard requirements.  TCS has received their accreditation through (SACS) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as of 2007.  TCS is recognized by The State of Tennessee Board of Education.   As of May 15, 2007 TCS was recommended for full accreditation by SACS to the State of Tennessee Board of Education to receive accreditation. Tabernacle Christian School 2010 All Rights Reserved Powered By Dpp Productions Governance & Staffing Tabernacle Christian School was founded from the vision of the Tabernacle Baptist Church.  TCS is a 501©3 under the governance of the school board therein. The School Administrator is responsible for overseeing the daily operation of the school. Teachers are at minimum college graduates with degrees in early childhood/elementary education.  Pre & Post Screening / IGP- Individual Goal Plans At the start of each academic year, students will undergo screenings to reveal baseline objectives needed to write their Individual Goals Plan (IGP).  These screenings will also give parents as well as educators needed information so that students can reach their full academic potential. Pre and Post screening will be conducted with the following academic tools: Brigance, LAP-D Learning Accomplishment Profile – Diagnostic. Standardized End of the year assessment conducted by TCS is the Stanford 10. Cell Phone Cells, pagers, MP3 players, portable electronic games are not allowed on the TCS campus before, during or in the after care programs. Visitors Policy: In the interest of safety and security, visitors are asked to report to the school’s office before visiting the classroom.  NO visitors will be permitted to enter the school buildings without prior contact with school secretary.   The visitor will be announced to the teachers before being sent to the classroom.   Cooperation for this policy is paramount to insure your child’s safety. Academic Performance We believe that all children can learn.   Students are expected to work to the best of their God- given abilities.  Classroom and homework assignments are expected to be completed daily or as assigned (Proverbs 1:7) Proper Rest We suggest ten (10) to twelve (12) hours of sleep per night. We suggest that bed times occur before or during the following time span: 8:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Proper rest is essential to student success. Nutrition Breakfast is so important to the health and positive start of the day.   Food fuels the brain and provides proper and necessary energy for the full school day. *Ask your physician about possible daily vitamin to ensure daily nutrition standards are met. Homework Homework is an excellent opportunity to promote structure and to build academic confidence.   Students should have a proper place designated within the home to complete homework assignments.    We encourage you to establish and follow a regular schedule for homework. The area should have proper light and seating.  The average student should spend the following suggested amount of time on his/her homework: Kindergarten 15-20 minutes review time First Grade           30 minutes Second Grade 40 minutes Third Grade 45 minutes Fourth Grade 50 minutes Fifth Grade          55 minutes           Sixth Grade        1 Hour Assignments must be completed on time and written neatly.   The only acceptable excuses for incomplete homework are a student’s illness or an emergency, explained in a written note, which prevented the homework from being finished.   Assist your student when necessary; however, allow students to complete homework independently.   Educators need a true assessment of the student’s mastery levels. Core Curriculum of TCS  A Beka www.abeka.com  Scott Foresman www.scottforesman.com  ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) www.acsi.org   Harcourt Press Pearson Group Academic Reporting Methods  Report cards (9 week schedule)  Progress Reports (mid-9 week schedule)  Parent Conference – Scheduled conferences will be held in the Fall and in the Spring (please refer to the TCS calendar for dates and times.)  If a conference is needed before the scheduled conferences, please see your child’s teacher and/or the administrator.  Pre & Post Academic Screening/Standardized Testing (Stanford Test/Brigance, LAP-D). Parental Expectations Your involvement will catapult your child’s success here at TCS.  Parents can help us to achieve the goal of providing a quality Christian education for all of our children by working together with our staff and educators.   Children learn, grow and excel through your participation.  Parents are expected to actively participate in the education of their child. By supporting and helping the child adhere to school policies, checking school work, establishing regular communication with teachers, and participating in the parent – teacher fellowship (Proverbs 22:6).  Parent – Teacher Fellowship: Educating children is a partnership that involves God, parents, school administration, teachers, and the community.  Bi-Monthly meetings will allow parents to assist in the programs that enhance their child’s education.  All parents are expected to take an active role in the parent – teacher fellowship.   To aid in defraying the costs of school operations parent participation in fund raising activities and self-help projects around the school is essential.  Parent Visits: Parents and guardians of students who attend TCS are encouraged to visit their child’s classroom as much as possible.   Throughout the year, there will be several events that are designated to provide informal, formal, and social contact between families and school.   Your involvement in yearly activities is appreciated and extremely important. If a parent or guardian wishes to visit a child’s classroom or teacher, the teacher should be contacted in advance so that the visit may be scheduled and the administrator’s office notified.   School Hours and Transportation School hours are from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.  Parents are responsible for making drop off and pickup arrangements.   Students may begin arrival at 7:55 (unless other arrangements have been made).   All students will remain in the school until properly dismissed by the staff.   Students MUST be picked up at 3:00 p.m. unless prior arrangements to attend after care activities have been made. Any person/persons picking up a TCS student must be listed on the child’s information card.   They must also show proper identification.   This is for the safety and well being of all our students.   If proper ID is not provided, we will not release the student until the parent is contacted. Parent Involvement Parental involvement is extremely important to the academic future of our students.   As an educational institute of learning we highly encourage you to participate in school activities and make them a priority.   Action is louder than words!   Show your student that you are expecting great things through your participation. Organization:  Hints for Parents Developing good organization skills is a key ingredient for success in school and in life.  Although some people by nature are more organized than others, anyone can put routines and systems in place to help a child “get it together.”   Here’s a list of strategies that you can use to help your child get – and keep – her/his life under control. 1. Use checklists Help your child get into the habit of keeping a “to-do” list.   Use checklists to post assignments, household chores, and reminders about what materials to bring to class.   Your child should keep a small pad or notebook dedicated to listing homework assignments.    Crossing completed items off the list will give him a sense of accomplishment. 2. Organize homework assignments Before beginning a homework session, encourage your child to number assignments in the order in which they should be done.   Students should start with one that’s not too long or difficult, but avoid saving the longest or hardest assignments for last. 3. Designate a study space Your child should study in the same place every night.    This doesn’t have to be a bedroom, but it should be a quiet place with few distractions.   All school supplies and materials should be nearby.   If your young child wants to study with you nearby, too, you’ll be better able to monitor his/her  progress and encourage good study habits. 4. Set a designated study time: Your child should know that a certain time every day is reserved for studying and doing homework.   The best time it usually not right after school – most children benefit from time to unwind first, include your child in making this decision.   Even if he/she doesn’t have homework, the reserved time should be used to review the day’s lessons, read for pleasure, or work on an upcoming project. 5. Keep organized notebooks Help your child keep track of papers by organizing them in a binder or notebook.   This will help him/her review the material for each day’s classes and to organize the material later to prepare for tests and quizzes.   Use dividers to separate class notes, or color-code notebooks.   Separate “to do” and “done” folders help organize worksheets, notices, and items to be signed by parents, as well as provide a central place to store completed assignments. 6. Conduct a weekly clean-up Encourage your child to sort through book bags and notebooks on a weekly basis.   Old tests and papers should be organized and kept in a separate file at home. 7. Create a household schedule Try to establish and stick to a regular dinnertime and a regular bedtime.    This will help your child fall into a pattern at home.   Children with a regular bedtime go to school well-rested.   Try to limit television-watching and computer play to specific periods of time during the day. 8. Keep a master calendar Keep a large, wall-sized calendar for the household that lists the family’s commitments, schedules for extracurricular activities, days off from school, and major events at home and at school.    Note dates when your child has big exams or due dates for projects.   This will help family members keep track of each other’s activities and avoid scheduling conflicts. 9. Prepare for the day ahead Before your child goes to bed, he/she should pack schoolwork and books in a book bag.   The next day’s clothes should be laid out with shoes, socks, and accessories.   This will cut down on morning confusion and show your child to prepare for the day ahead. 10. Provide needed support while your child is learning to become more organized Help your child develop organization skills by photocopying checklists and schedules and taping them to the refrigerator.  Gently remind her/him about filling calendar dates and keeping papers and materials organized.   Most important, set a good example. Attendance Attendance at school and being on time are very important factors in the education of our students.   In compliance with state regulations, students MUST be in attendance daily.   Your child’s education is very important and we schedule the events of the day to support our students’ spiritual, social and academic well-being.     Attendance non-promotion will be determined at the end of each school year.  TCS does reserve the right to give an assessment of none promotion to students that do not fulfill the state policy of 180 days attendance.    Students missing school due to illness will be evaluated on a case by case basis.   Students missing school due to illness must provide physician excuses to receive an excused absence.  The law states that students must be in attendance within a school system that adheres to school year calendar of 180 days.  Students are allowed to miss no more than 10% of those days which is 18 days total per year.  It is important to note that students will be marked tardy at 8:15 a.m.  If students receive four (4) tardy's it is marked as one (1) absence.  School hours:  8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  TCS policy requires students with excess of 5 absences be reported to the Montgomery County Truancy officer. Daily Morning Devotion We begin each day at Tabernacle Christian School with morning devotion at 8:00 a.m.   This is the beginning of our instructional day.  All students are expected to be a part of morning devotion.   Therefore, all students must be here on time.  Four tardy markings during a 9 week grading period will count as one absence.   Students are considered tardy at 15 minutes after the hour of 8:00 a.m. Early Dismissal of Students There are times when it is necessary for a parent to request the early dismissal of a student for such reasons as doctor or dental appointments or urgent personal business.  We urge you to schedule such appointments after school or on non-school days.   We discourage early dismissals because they disrupt the regular learning environment.   If it is necessary for your child to be dismissed before the end of the school day, please use the following procedures: 1. Write a note to your child’s teacher, or call, indicating the reason for the early dismissal and the approximate time you will arrive to get the child. 2. Upon arrival, sign the dismissal sheet located in the administrative office, (remember to show, ID if child is being picked-up by alternate person.   You will be given a check out card to present to the teacher. Reminder:   If a student is dismissed before 11:30 a.m., in compliance with state regulations, he/she will be considered absent for the day.   A child must be present 3 hours and 30 minutes in order to be counted present for the school day.   A doctor’s note must be presented in order to be excused. Emergency School Closing 1. Occasionally it may become necessary to close the schools due to inclement weather (snow, etc.). 2. Please be advised by tuning into our Schools Official School Closing Station News Center, Channel 5. Excused Absences Absences are excused for the following reasons:  illness, death in the family, medical appointments, dental appointments, and funerals.   Excused absences are included in the (9) day limit per semester. Unexcused Absences Any class or activity missed for unexcused reasons during the school day will result in a “0” for that class session or activity missed.   If a student is absent, regardless of the reason, it is the student’s responsibility to find out all missed assignments. Make-Up Work Make up work is extended to student with excused absences.   Please see your child’s teacher to receive make up work and to get test retake dates for your student. Educational Field Trips Educational field trips are planned to provide experiences correlated with subjects studied in the classroom.   All students are required to have a permission slip signed by the parent to participate in field trips.   Please see the school calendar for specific days and times. Costs Students may be assessed for transportation and other cost for trips or extended travel. Standards of Appearance and Behavior It is understood that TCS standards of appearance and behavior are to be upheld by all trip participants.   Specifically, the students will select a seat and stay in it throughout the trip.  If in a car, buckle the seat belt.   Keep hands and head inside the vehicle.   Keep conversation at a low level.   A distracted driver creates a dangerous situation.   Do not yell out the window.   Avoid standing on a moving bus.   Practice courtesy and consideration of others at all times.   Avoid pushing, shoving, or displaying a “me first” attitude.   Deposit trash in the proper receptacles.   Express appreciation to the driver. Permission Forms The school requires a signed permission form for a student attending any off-campus, school- sponsored activity.    Permission forms must be completed and returned 24 hours before students plan to leave school.   These forms convey to parents the arrangements for the activity, including the means of transportation and purposes of the trip or activity.   Any student whose deportment might create difficulty may be excluded from off-campus trips, including field trips, at the discretion of the administrator, in consultation with the facility. Birthdays and Parties at School If a Tabernacle Christian School student wishes to celebrate a birthday with the class, the family should contact the teacher several days prior to the event to make arrangements to bring a treat.   Birthdays are celebrated in the Activity Building during the student’s lunch period.    These celebrations are for the students and teachers of that classroom only.   Holiday parties for Christmas and Valentine’s Day are simple and are held at times when instruction is finished for the day.    All food must be store purchased.   NO homemade items please. Photographs for news articles, etc. On occasions the Leaf Chronicle and/or other news media may want to feature our school for articles.   Some articles warrant photos of our students.  Parents will be notified of these events and permission forms will be provided for this purpose.   Only the students of consenting parents will be photographed. Additional dates will be provided for fund-raising events.   Family and Friends Luncheons, special programs, field trips, etc.   Some dates may be changed due to inclement weather.   Please be sure and listen to the local radio stations and watch for school closings/late openings on Ch. 2, Ch. 4, and Ch. 5. Library Books! Books loaned from the Library must be returned or paid for before student can receive his or her final report card.  Please encourage students to take special care of books that are checked out of the library. Textbooks Fees are collected to purchase/maintain/upgrade textbooks and pay for consumable workbooks, as well as, other instructional materials.   Students should keep books protected.   Students are required to return books at the end of the school year in satisfactory condition.   In case of loss or unsatisfactory condition of textbooks, students will be billed for the cost of replacement.  If student leaves school early consumable books will be given to the student.   If student looses or damages textbooks beyond normal wear a charge will be incurred to replace the text. TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL “If  Excellence is a Possibility, Then Good is Not Good Enough”                                               301 Market Street, Clarksville, TN 37042                                                                                       931- 552-9431