TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Message from the Headmaster & Sr. Pastor 5

Mission of C.C.A. 6

Admissions Policy 6

Mission Statement 6

Philosophy 7

Purpose 7

Student-Parent Handbook 8

Office Hours 8

Registration Procedures 9

Finances 10

Scheduling a Parent Conference or Meeting10

Withdrawal Policy 11

Student Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures 12

Attendance 13

Make Up Work 13

Tardiness 14

Checkouts 15

Grading Policies 15

Online Grade Access 16

Homework 16

Missed Assignments17

Report Cards 17

Honor Roll 18

Field Trips 18

Faculty Advisory Board 19

Extracurricular Activities 19

Parent Teacher Relations 20

Health Information 20

Health Policies 20

Medication 21

School Lunches 21

Lost & Found 21

Emergency Closings 22

Holiday Celebrations 22

Personal Birthdays & Birthday Parties 23

School Discipline Plan 23

  1. Disrespect 25
  2. Skipping or Cutting 26
  3. Academic Dishonesty (cheating) 26
  4. Inappropriate Language 26
  5. Bullying 26
  6. Fighting 28
  7. Vandalism 29
  8. PDA 29
  9. Cell Phones, ipads, etc. 30
  10. Moral Clause 31
  11. Parental Behavior32

Uniform Policy 33

Dress Code Violations 35

Dress Code Sanctions 35

Spirit Day37

Drug Testing 37

Pledges 37

A Message from our Headmaster and Sr. Pastor

It is deliberate that our school is named Covenant. In the Old Testament God told Israel, “You will be my people and I will be your God.” It was a covenant. A covenant is a voluntary agreement between two parties; carried out by two individuals who fully intend to keep their commitment to each other. We covenant with each student and parent to provide a warm, loving, and healthy academic environment. We expect each student and parent to covenant with CCA to provide an honest effort to learn as well as cooperate with administrators and teachers to provide the best possible educational environment.

Dr. Steve Folmar

Senior Pastor

Mission Statement

As a ministry of First Baptist Church of Houma, it is our goal to provide a balanced quality education in an environment centered on Christ. The intent is to provide an educational environment which leads, equips, and builds students to better serve Christ.

Covenant Christian Academy is a direct ministry of First Baptist Church of Houma, Louisiana. The school began in 2007 and has quickly grown to an enrollment of five hundred students in K-12 grades. CCA is a fully approved school adhering to all guidelines and requirements of the State of Louisiana. The (BESE) Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is the state governing agency

The mission of CCA is to offer a balanced quality education in a Christ centered environment. Our goals are direct and honest:

  1. We intend to introduce every student to Jesus Christ. A relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important foundation in an individual’s life.
  1. We intend to help every student develop the academic skills to become successful in life.
  1. We intend to help every student develop the tools to become successful and productive members of society.
  1. We intend to help every student develop a strong moral character based on the Holy Scriptures.

We intend to help every student learn respect for authority and appreciation for Pastors, administrators, teachers, coaches and fellow students.

Admissions Policy

CCA admits students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities made available to students at school. CCA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, national, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies or admissions policies.

Covenant Christian Academy reserves the right to refuse admission to students who have been suspended or expelled from another school. A student suspended or expelled from another school may make application and the application will be reviewed by the Faculty Advisory Board. The decision of the board is final. Parents may meet with the board only at the board’s request. The standard non-refundable application fee must accompany application before the Faculty Advisory Board will consider the student’s status.

Philosophy

The opportunity for educational training is provided through a solid, biblical foundation and sound Christian perspective. Every grade area will be viewed in relation to God and His inherent Word. Covenant Christian Academy adheres to a spiritual commitment of creating a high level of academic excellence through a biblical approach that relies on God’s Holy Word. The School’s educational process is directed in the development of Christian students which enables them to process and translate the different facets of their own educational experience into a healthy Christian lifestyle.

Purpose

  1. To glorify the One and only Almighty God in all things in life.
  2. To teach and minister to students from a Christian world view.
  3. To successfully lead children on a voluntary path of commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.
  4. To develop each student’s God given spiritual, physical, mental, and social gifts to their fullest potential.
  5. To teach and guide children to live a Godly life and to be an example of Christ in today’s society.

Student-Parent Handbook

Each student and his/her parent(s) or guardian(s), by acceptance as a student to CCA, agree to familiarize themselves with the provisions outlined in this handbook and to be bound by and comply fully with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures set forth herein. The handbook can be viewed on the CCA website. The CCA school board and its administrator has the authority to amend the handbook as needed at any time. We are aware that during the course of a school year unusual situations may arise. In daily operational matters, the administration shall have authority to make decisions as needed to assure orderly operation of the school. In extreme circumstances beyond the scope of the handbook, the Faculty Advisory Board will meet and render a decision. The decisions of the Faculty Advisory Board are final.

Office Hours

Office hours are 7:30 A.M.-3:30 P.M.

Registration Procedures

  1. Read the application in its entirety.
  2. Complete the application form and return it to the office.
  3. The following documents are required to complete the application process.
  1. Birth certificate
  2. Social Security Card
  3. Immunization records (state law requires immunizations be up to date)
  4. Copy of most recent report card (not required for students entering Kindergarten)
  5. Copy of most recent achievement test (Iowa, I-Leap, Leap, etc.)
  1. The application will be reviewed. The process may include interviews with student and parents. The parents will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance either by mail or phone call. All students are accepted on a probationary period pending the reception of all records and all information being validated. Any situation that is not totally truthful could result in expulsion at the discretion of the faculty review board.
  2. Once accepted the parent must pay a non-refundable registration fee. This fee is due upon acceptance.

Parents and students grades 6-12 will be required to sign a statement of faith, and explain why they want to be enrolled in a Christian School.

Scheduling a meeting or Parent Conference

To schedule a meeting with a teacher or administrator, a parent must call the office at 985-851-7567. Parents who just show up without an appointment have no guarantee of being seen. During the day, the educational process is the most important event happening. We do not pull teachers away from instruction for parent conferences. Appointments will be made during the teachers off period, or just before or after school.

Pastor Steve will not take phone calls or make appointments with parents who have not first gone through the proper order of meeting with the teacher first, and then an administrator. As a general rule, he does not get involved in the day to day operations of the school. All issues pertaining to daily operations should be addressed with onsite administrators.

Finances

  1. No student will be allowed to attend class if tuition payments are over 30 business days past due. It is the parent’s responsibility to contact school administration to advise when payment may be late and provide an expected date.

Withdrawal Policy

  • Covenant Christian Academy estimates the fiscal responsibilities such as hiring teachers, purchasing textbooks, and other related school resources based on the enrollment of students who will remain the entire school year. Covenant Christian Academy relies on that commitment to create an effective learning environment for all students.
  • All withdrawals must be in writing and received by the CCA administrative office prior to actual withdrawal. Parents must obtain withdrawal forms from the office. Full tuition refund will be granted only if the student leaves before school begins. Once school begins (one day in attendance) the full amount of tuition for the calendar year is required. State Law in Louisiana allows private schools to withhold records for lack of payment. Records will not be released until all financial obligations are met. Financial fees include tuition, registration, tardy fees, damaged books, damages to school property, and extra-curricular fees.

Student Drop Off and Pick-Up Procedures

Drop Off:

School hours are 7:35 A.M.-3:00 P.M.

Elementary begins pickup at 2:45

Middle and High School pickup begins at 2:30

  • All students must be in the sanctuary by 7:35 A.M. or they will be considered tardy. Students may be dropped off as early as 7:00 A.M.
  • Students can be dropped off no earlier than 7:00 A.M.
  • Students arriving after 7:35 A.M. will be considered tardy.
  • At 7:40 A.M. teachers will proceed to their classrooms.
  • Students may not enter the rear of the building. Any student caught doing so will be given one warning. On the second offense the student’s account will be charged $25.00. The third offense will result in a two day suspension. Further violations will be progressed.

Pick-Up

  • Secondary and Middle parents (6th-12th )should be in line ready to pick up the students at 2:30 PM and elementary parents (K-5th) at 2:45 P.M. In order to help with the flow of traffic, parents are asked to place the student name card given at orientation on the front dash of the passenger’s side. The dismissal staff will direct drivers through the drop off and pick up process. The process takes about twenty minutes.
  • Parents are not allowed to walk up to pick up students. If a parent walks up to pick up a student they will be asked to go to the office and check the student out. Attempting to bypass the dismissal flow is disruptive to those in line and our staff. Any parent choosing to walk up will be charged a $20.00 fee. It is important to respect the process for all.
  • Any student still on school grounds after 3:30 P.M. will be directed to aftercare or study hall at a cost of $8.00 per day.

Attendance

  • State law requires that all students be in attendance for a minimum of 175 days of instruction to receive credit for satisfactory completion of course or grade level work.
  • It is important to understand that a student in high school can be on time every morning but check out excessive times and fail a class scheduled later in the day.
  • State law allows for 18 days. If a student misses 19 days without a documented excuse, the student will automatically fail.
  • A documented excuse is a written excuse from a doctor’s visit, or in the case of a family funeral a newspaper clipping or program from the funeral documenting the event.
  • Any absence not documented by one of the above means is an unexcused absence. If a student accumulates nineteen days of unexcused absences, he/she will automatically fail.

Make up work: Excused

  • Missed course work can be made up only with a documented excuse or a signed note from the student’s parent stating an illness as cause for the absence. Excuse must be signed and dated.
  • Course work for trips out of town or family vacations can only be made up by acquiring the work ahead of the absence and turning it in the first day back during the appropriate class period.
  • Trips with prior approval for educational purposes are not counted as absences.
  • A documented excuse must be received within three school days of the student’s absence.
  • A student has one school day to make arrangements with teachers to make up missed course work. This is the responsibility of the student. Teachers will not chase students to make up missed work. A missed school form will be completed to ensure expectations of the student.

Tardiness

  • If a student arrives in the office or in class later than 7:40 A.M. he/she is considered tardy.
  • Three tardies will be marked as an absence. These absences will count toward the total number of days allowed by State Law!
  • Three tardies in one report card period will result in a late fee of $10.00.
  • After the third tardy, each subsequent tardy will result in a $10.00 late fee each.
  • It is important to have your student at school on time. Late students disrupt the educational process and create an unfair learning environment for the rest of the class. We assume you have your child in private education to receive the best results. They must be present for that to take place.

Checkouts

  • Checkouts will be counted as an absence for any class the student actually misses. Making your first period class and then checking out for your seventh period class does not count for attending your seventh period class.
  • If a student misses nineteen days in any class he/she automatically fails that class.
  • A check out is determined by officially leaving a class before the class is completed. Even five minutes is considered a checkout.
  • Students who drive can check themselves out with a note signed and dated from a parent or a phone call from the parent.
  • Students not driving can be checked out only by a parent or a designated person on the checkout list. A phone call is not acceptable for a child to be checked out by another person not on the list. A signed and dated note is the only acceptable means.
  • Older students who drive may leave on their own at the conclusion of their instruction day. They must exit through the office.

Grading Policies

Kindergarten: Only:

Students will be given (+) or (-) on their report card for the first nine weeks. A (+) represents satisfactory and above level work. A (-) represents unsatisfactory level work. After the first nine weeks, letter grades will be issued for the remainder of the school year.

Grading Scale: All Students:

90-100A- Excellent

80-89B- Good

70-79C- Average

60-69D- Poor

Below 60F- Failing

Due to the ten point scale, CCA will not round up in calculating a grade. Example, an 89.9 will be a “B” and not be rounded up to an “A”.

Online Grade Access

Parents will be issued a user I.D. and password for the school management software (Headmaster). Grades and assignments are posted within three working days of submission date. Parents can track their student’s progress on a weekly basis. CCA strongly encourages our parents to check the student’s progress on a weekly basis.

Homework

Homework serves as an important tool to the educational process. It will be used as extra practice, remediation and comprehension for new and previously learned concepts. It is vital that parents support their children by assuring that their children are completing all assigned work. All homework will be treated as a graded assignment. Wednesday will be “no homework” night to encourage students to attend church services. Tests may be given on Thursday provided the student had all material for the test by the Monday before the test. This provides ample time to study.

Missed Assignments

CCA believes that homework assignments and projects are an integral part of the educational process. Practice work, research, projects and lesson presentations have a synergistic relationship that is important to learning the concepts. Students who fail to complete these assignments disrupt their learning process and leave fail to achieve maximum points. Students who forget any homework assignment will be able to turn it in the following day with a 25% deduction incurred. Failure to complete the second day will result in the forfeiture of all points. Students who fail to turn in assigned homework will fill out the missed assignment acknowledgement form detailing CCA’s expectations. A copy will be sent home for the parents to know what has occurred.

Report Cards

  1. Report cards will be issued at the end of each nine week period unless a student has an outstanding debt.
  2. Official final report cards will be sent home on the last official day of the school year unless there is an account balance. A student may not get a final report card before the last official day of school.

Honor Roll

  1. Requirements for “Principal’s List”
  • Final grade for the reporting period of an A in all classes.
  1. Requirements for the “Honor Roll”
  • Final grade for the reporting period of a B in all classes.

Field Trips

The field trip is perhaps one of the most valuable aids to learning. Firsthand experiences make abstract ideas have real meaning. Field trips are not units of study in themselves; they are means to an end. Parents will be notified beforehand as to when and where the field trip will take place. Permission forms will be sent home with every student. These forms must be signed and returned to school on the following day. All school rules apply when students are on a field trip. For liability reasons, a student cannot attend a field trip without a permission form.

Faculty Advisory Board

The Faculty Advisory Board is a group of administrators, teachers, and pastors who are given the authority to make decisions concerning matters not covered in the handbook or matters of discipline when considering expulsion of a student. The decisions of the Faculty Advisory Board are final and may not be appealed or overturned.

Extracurricular Activities

At CCA it is important to always keep the main thing the main thing. The main thing is a student’s education. In order to participate in any extra-curricular activity (sports, band, choir, clubs etc.) provided by or through the school, a student must maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 for the previous semester leading up to the activity. The Louisiana High School Athletic Association requires a 1.5. We believe this standard is not acceptable. It puts athletics before education. Our standard is a 2.0. There are no exceptions to the standard. Please do not ask for an exception.