• Attendance
  • Common Core
  • Homework
  • Testing

Attendance Policy

California law requires students to be in regular attendance at school. It is the position of Grace Christian Schools’ elementary students that no student can be absent from his/her studies without running the risk of impeding academic progress. We understand absences for reasons of illness or family emergencies are unavoidable, but even when absences are excused they can still take a toll on a student’s progress. The following procedures apply:

General Attendance Policies:

  1. Parents/Guardians are to notify the School Office no later than 9:00AM if their student will be absent. This may be done by calling the school office at 949-951-8683, ext 4.
  2. A student should NEVER be sent to school if he or she has a cold or a fever of 100 degrees or above. Student should be fever free for 24 hours, without the aid of a fever reducing medicine before returning to school.
  3. Students arriving to school after 10:30AM, without an Excused Tardy*, will receive an absence.
  4. Students leaving school before 12:30PM, without an Excused Tardy*, will receive an absence.
  5. To avoid receiving an absence, a student must be in school at least four (4) hours of the school day.
  6. Students, with more than 15 absences per year, risk future attendance at GCS. A meeting between Principal and parents will be scheduled, in attempt to correct the situation.
  7. Perfect Attendance Awards are given out at the end of the school year to those students who have zero absences and zero tardies for the entire year.

Common Core

God has called us to give the best education possible to His children. He has provided us with guidelines and Biblical standards in teaching children a Christian worldview. “My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, and ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.” Proverbs 3:21-23

  • GCS will filter the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) through a Biblical worldview as the highest standard, and only align with CCSS to the extent that the school’s mission and worldview are not compromised. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
  • As with the California State Standards, GCS has used state standards as a “floor, not a ceiling” in looking at what knowledge students should be equipped with in order to compete with national and global standards. “…Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
  • Grace Christian Schools will use the biblical and philosophical foundations of Christian school education to evaluate which portions of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to use in order to effectively educate all students. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • GCS will decline to use any curriculum that is counter to the mission and philosophy of Christian education.

Homework

Each week, teachers will assign homework with completion deadlines:

  • Graded K-1, homework may include reading, spelling, Bible Verse memory, and printing.
  • Grades 2-8, purposeful homework will be assigned nightly as noted on ParentsWeb.
  • The amount of homework will be approximate to grade level and increase as students progress through grade levels. In addition, reading will be assigned nightly in a subject area.

In addition to the above homework, students should read for 10-15 minutes daily.

Test Scores

Grace Christian Schools uses Iowa Testing for assessing students in 1st through 8th grades. Iowa Testing is one of the most respected and widely-used achievement tests, measuring mastery in core subjects, to evaluate the individual student’s abilities.