On behalf of the faculty and board of advisors, we would like to welcome you and your child to Heritage Christian Academy.
We welcome the opportunity to be a part of your child’s spiritual and academic growth.
This handbook has been prepared for you as a ready reference to assist you and your child in understanding our mission, goals, policies, procedure, and the various programs offered at HCA. If you have any questions, please contact the Academy office.
We ask for your involvement, your support and your prayers as we endeavor to make this the best educational experience possible for our students. May our journey reflect God’s will in all that we do to advance the HCA mission.
In Christ’s service,
Gail Leonard
Headmaster
Heritage Christian Academy
428 Harmon Road
New Tazewell, TN 37825
423-526-2807
The mission of Heritage Christian Academy is to provide a quality education without compromising spiritual integrity. Our goal is to offer a Christ-centered education that will equip children spiritually, academically, and physically for today and eternity.
HCA was established in 2004 and is committed to offering a distinctively Christian and academic education beginning with age three preschool and continuing through the eighth grade. It is the responsibility of the staff members to diligently seek to instill the time honored values of not only faith in God, but also love of family, patriotism, respect for authority, and hard work. The Academy seeks to work with parents in helping to fulfill the God given mandate of training up children in the way they should go and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4)
HCA believes the Bible to be the divinely inspired Word of God, inerrant in its original manuscripts. We accept the traditional principles of Christianity outlined in the Bible as the standard for daily living. As Christ is the cornerstone of the church, we believe that He is also the cornerstone of the educational process.
For the spiritual and moral growth of the students, HCA seeks:
Academically, HCA endeavors:
HCA believes in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day from the dead; that He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father; from thence, He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church as the Body of Christ. We believe salvation is by grace through faith in the atoning blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe God has ordained the basic institution of society to be the marriage of one man and one woman.
HCA does not discriminate in admission on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin. Admission to HCA is granted on the basis of past academic performance, previous conduct and behavior, records and testing, and the availability of space. Acceptance is also based on the ability of the Academy to meet the educational and spiritual needs of the student. In addition, parents must be in agreement with the mission, philosophy and policies of the Academy. We reserve the right to accept or reject an applicant for any reason or no reason.
The following requirements must be met for enrollment:
Immunization Requirements
| Grade/Vaccine | 3 Yr Old | 4 Yr Old | 5 Yr Old | 6 Yrs & Older | 7th Grade Only |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTaP or DT | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Hepatitis A | 1-6 Mo. Apart | 2-6 Mo. Apart | 2-6 Mo. Apart | 2-6 Mo. Apart | |
| Hepatitis B | 3-2 Mo. Apart | 3-2 Mo. Apart | 3-2 Mo. Apart | 3-2 Mo. Apart | |
| Hib | 3/4 under 5 Yr | 3/4 Year 5 Yr | |||
| MMR | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Pneumococcal - PCV | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Polio - IPV or CPV | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
| Varicella or Proof of Disease | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Tdap | 1 |
Students must pass the major subject areas of Reading, Spelling, Language, Arithmetic, Science, Health, Social Studies and Bible to be promoted each year. Preschool and kindergarten reports show progress on required skills rather than a number/letter grade. Grade cards will be sent home every six weeks. The grading scale for first through eighth grade is:
A = 100 - 93
B = 92 - 85
C = 84 - 75
D = 74 - 70
F = Below 70
All students will participate in Spanish, Music, Library, Physical Ed. and Computer Technology.
If a student is absent when an assignment is given, he will be allowed make-up time equal to the time missed (two days missed equals 2 days, after returning, to complete missed work.) It is the responsibility of the student to request missed assignments, and see that work is turned in.
Classes start at 8:00 and end at 3:00. The Academy will be open to receive students, under the supervision of a teacher, at 7:00. Students, coming between 7:00 and 8:00 will go immediately to the gymnasium where a supervising teacher will be on duty. Students are dismissed to classes at approximately 7:55. Kindergarten students (K3, K4 & K5) will have an optional early dismissal time of 1:30. Office hours will be from 7:45 to 3:15.
For parents who have a hardship picking up students at the designated time, After School Care will be available from 3:15 to 5:30. The fee will be $5.00 per day, not to exceed $10 a day for families with three or more children enrolled. All students must be picked up by 5:30. If school is dismissed early, After School Care will be canceled for that day. Students will be charged for After School Care if they are picked up after 3:30. Parents are required to come into the building to sign the children out when leaving.
Tardiness or leaving early places a burden on the individual child. It also causes disruption of the entire class.
Students arriving after 8:00 will be counted tardy, and must report to the front office to fill out a tardy slip before going to class. Students leaving before 2:55 will also be counted tardy.
Unexcused tardies count toward the cumulative total time missed at the end of the year.
Anyone picking a student up early must sign the student out in the office, and wait for the student to be called. A student must be in attendance 3½ hours to be counted present.
Regular attendance is an important part of a successful Academy experience. While students are expected to attend all day every day, the following are recognized as an excused absence:
A form from the Academy office must be filled out at least one week in advance for a pre-arranged absence to be considered. Handwritten excuses will be accepted for no more than ten (10) days of the school year.
Students are encouraged to participate in school, church, or community sports activities. They are not, however, encouraged to place sports above their academic or spiritual needs. We offer basketball and golf team sports for both boys and girls.
Students must maintain a “C” average to be eligible to participate in school sports. Failure to maintain a “C” average will result in three weeks ineligibility. Also, any student receiving an “F” on his/her report card is ineligible for a period of three weeks. A student’s eligibility is determined at the end of each grading period. In either case, if the student’s grades improve to a “C” average or better, he/she may be reinstated after the three-week suspension.
Good school attendance is absolutely necessary before a child is eligible to participate in school sports. Also, a student must be in attendance the day of games or practices to be eligible to participate.
In the event of inclement weather HCA will post cancellations or delays on the following television channels:
Studying the Holy Bible, regular devotions, and prayer are vital parts of each academy day. Knowing Biblical truths is considered essential to a quality education; therefore, Bible study is a required subject. The King James Version of the Bible is used. Chapel service is conducted each Friday by area pastors, teachers and Christian leaders.
HCA offers 4-H, Beta, and Science Clubs to students in grades 5 – 8. Other activities include Student Council, Science Fair, and Bee Keeping for students in grades 6 –8, and Spring and Fall Music Concerts for Pre-school through eighth grade. Students may also participate in the Spring Talent Show on a volunteer basis
Children with communicable diseases should remain at home while ill. Any student with a communicable disease must bring written permission from the doctor in order to return to school, or provide valid proof that the student’s disease is no longer communicable.
Children with a fever should remain at home. A child should be free of fever for 24 hours before returning to the Academy. When a student’s fever reaches 100 degrees or more while at school, the parent will be notified and requested they take their child home.
Children with head lice will be sent home. Upon returning to school, a student must be nit free and show proof of treatment (i.e. medication box top.)
Basic first aid supplies are available in the classroom to care for minor cuts and bruises. Parents, however, will be notified of serious or questionable illness or accidents. Emergency medical information, including a copy of the student’s medical insurance card, must be provided and signed by the parents when completing the registration process.
Academy policy prohibits the administration of any medication, prescription or nonprescription, without written authorization and specific instructions from the parent/guardian. Forms are available in the office, and must be completed before medication is administered. Medicine should be brought to the Academy by a parent, not the student.
Students are not allowed to use cell phones or other electronic devices during school hours, unless approved by the headmaster. If this happens, the item will be taken to the office to be picked up by the parent/guardian. Students will only be called to the phone in case of emergency. Parents calling with a message for their child should let the office convey the message. Also, parents who wish to speak with a teacher should leave a message and the teacher will return the call. In case of emergency, the call will be transferred to the teacher’s room.
Buses are not provided by the Academy. Parents must provide transportation for their children. During the registration process, parents/guardians are to provide the names of persons allowed to pick up their children. Without proper consent from parents/guardian, students will not be allowed to leave school with another student. Those entrusted with transporting students may be asked to provide a valid driver’s license. They are also responsible for seeing that all students being transported are properly restrained (child safety seat, seat belts, etc.) before the vehicle leaves the Academy campus.
Children will not be allowed to go home with a classmate unless arrangements have been made before the school day starts, a signed note should be sent to the teacher.
We are happy to welcome parents who wish to observe, but these visits must be arranged in advance, and must be for the purpose of observation only. The teacher is not to be interrupted during this time. If a conference is required, it will be scheduled for a time when the teacher does not have classroom responsibilities.
For your child’s safety, it is required that all visitors check-in at the office before going to any other part of the building. This is required even when a parent has a scheduled conference, or is serving as a volunteer.
The Academy does not assume responsibility for the loss of any personal property. Personal property should be clearly marked with the student’s name (coat, jacket, notebook, etc.); anything that is not necessary should be left at home.
Donation of books, periodicals, and audio visual materials are received throughout the year. Only books and materials that are deemed to be educationally and/or spiritually beneficial to our students will be kept. Donations are very much appreciated. Any item checked out from the library must be returned by the end of five school days or before. Report cards may be held until all overdue books are returned. Students will be required to pay for any lost or damaged books.
Breakfast is not served at the Academy. Students are asked to eat breakfast before arriving. They are not to bring breakfast to be eaten or finished at school.
Lunch is not served at the Academy. Students are required to bring a nutritious lunch from home. They may purchase white or chocolate milk from the Academy. Lunch will begin at 11:30.
There will be a daily afternoon snack time. Snacks may be purchased at the Academy or brought from home (no glass containers). Chewing gum is not allowed at any time.
Parents needing a conference with teachers are asked to make after-school appointments. It is also important to attend the two parent-teacher conferences that are built into the Academy calendar. Conferences will be from 3:00 until 6:00.
The PTF is an important communication link between students, parents and school staff. By-laws and guidelines have been established to provide for good governance on the part of organizational leaders. The organization will help conduct fund raisers for the Academy.
The Academy’s standards of conduct and behavior are based on Christian character, mutual respect and common courtesy. The staff must treat the students with total respect. The students must treat the staff and other students with total respect. Students must exhibit courtesy in the classroom, hallway, playground, chapel, and all areas of the HCA campus.
Listed are HCA expectations as it relates to courtesy:
The following are absolutely prohibited at HCA:
We will emphasize and praise good behavior. At the same time, however, no student will be allowed to disrupt the learning of others. While there may be slight variations from one grade to another in the methods of establishing a system of consequences, the general order is:
Each student will start the week with a clean record; younger students (K3, K4, K5, & 1st) may start each day or alternating days with a clean record. If a student moves through all the consequence steps on a regular basis, it will be necessary for the parents/guardians to come in for a conference with the teachers and Headmaster. Suspension and dismissal are two options available for continuous disruptive behavior.
Inflicting deliberate physical harm on another student, and/or causing deliberate damage to the property of others, is justification for skipping the “Warning” and moving to a more serious consequence.
Students are expected to conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner. Whenever disciplinary action is needed, the punishment will be commensurate with the school rule that has been broken. Disciplinary action may take the form of detention, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and in extreme cases, expulsion. Corporal punishment will be used as a last resort at the discretion of the headmaster. In order for discipline to be effective, it is imperative that parents and the school staff work together in harmony to remedy each disciplinary infraction.
Extreme or excessive behavior problems, poor attendance, excessive tardies or extremely poor academic performance, may result in dismissal from the Academy.
The Academy will hold parties in the fall, at Christmas and at Easter. Parents will be ask to help with refreshments and supplies.
If a student wishes to celebrate their birthday at school, it must first be approved by the teacher. The party should be limited to pizza, kid’s meals, etc. at lunch with cake or cupcakes at lunch or snack. The parent must provide all needed items.
Because of medical concerns and classroom disruption, no balloons, flowers, or gifts are to be sent, or brought, to the Academy for a student at anytime.
The Heritage Christian Academy dress code is very basic, easily followed, and designed to discourage competition and/or preoccupation with clothing styles. It is not designed as a test of spirituality or legalism. When a student violates the dress code, the parent will be contacted to bring appropriate clothing before the student is allowed to enter the classroom. All upper garments for boys and girls (shirts, sweatshirts, etc.) must be purchased through the Academy. Any and all garments worn are ultimately at the discretion of the Headmaster.
The traditional Academy dress code will apply for all field trips or off-campus activities unless otherwise approved by the Headmaster.
HCA is a private Christian School, and as such does not and cannot receive government funds. Therefore, it is necessary for fees and tuition to be paid when due. Fees and tuition are non-refundable. In an effort to keep tuition and fees to a minimum HCA will conduct fundraising activities throughout the school year. All students are required to participate in these activities.
There is a $50 Application Fee for new students. The Application Fee is due with the application when a student applies for admission. This is a one-time,non-refundable fee.
The first tuition payment is due on registration day. All remaining payments are due on the 1st of the month. After the 10th of the month an additional $30 late fee will be added each week to the unpaid balance. Tuition paid in full on registration day will receive a $100 discount. There will be a $30 return check fee.
Annual Tuition $3,800 | Monthly Tuition $400
Books must be paid in full on or before registration day.
| Grade | Amount |
|---|---|
| 3-Year-Old Kindergarten | $98.00 |
| 4-Year-Old Kindergarten | $150.00 |
| 5-Year-Old Kindergarten | $240.00 |
| 1st Grade | $478.00 |
| 2nd Grade | $450.00 |
| 3rd Grade | $420.00 |
| 4th Grade | $450.00 |
| 5th Grade | $450.00 |
| 6th Grade | $450.00 |
| 7th Grade | $485.00 |
| 8th Grade | $485.00 |
Students must be current on tuition charges in order to return to class after Christmas Break.
If tuition becomes two months overdue, the student will not be allowed to attend the Academy until the balance is paid.
Final report cards, transcripts and permanent records will not be released for any student until all financial obligations for the current year have been paid infull. A student with an outstanding balance may not pre-register for the next school year until their account is current. Students with outstanding balances will not be considered for financial assistance for the next school year.
Physical Education at Heritage Christian Academy is designed to promote lifelong discipline and good health. The purpose of physical education is to instruct students in the concepts of physical fitness, fundamental movement skills, and basic strategies of team sports. This is accomplished primarily by providing students with the opportunity to learn the skills, knowledge, and strategy necessary to participate in a variety of team sports and fitness activities outside the classroom. Special emphasis is placed on exploring the health benefits of regular physical activity as well as developing a Christian perspective on stewardship of the body.
The Buckley Amendment of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 grants the right of access to educational records accumulated subsequent to December 21, 1974. Access must be granted within 45 days of a written request. A request must be submitted to the administrator’s office. Available records include grades, evaluations, and standardized test results. These records cannot be released to persons or institutions outside the school without written request of the parents.
The Buckley Amendment of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 grants the right of access to educational records accumulated subsequent to December 21, 1974. Access must be granted within 45 days of a written request. A request must be submitted to the administrator’s office. Available records include grades, evaluations, and standardized test results. These records cannot be released to persons or institutions outside the school without written request of the parents.
Heritage Christian Academy strives to keep a low teacher/pupil ratio to ensure optimal learning. Currently our average teacher/student is 1:11 in grades K-8, and 1:9 in K3, 1:14 in K4.
To withdraw a student from Heritage Christian Academy, a parent must complete a Withdrawal Form that is available in the school office. A parent must meet with the student’s Headmaster first to discuss the situation and reason for leaving. All tuition fees continue until parents and students have completed official withdrawal procedures. Records are not released until all bills are paid and all school books and materials have been returned. Students who are dismissed from Heritage Christian Academy are not considered for re-enrollment during the current school year. Parents must meet with the Headmaster before enrollment is considered for the following year.