What is the purpose and goal of the FRIENDS program?

FRIENDS (Families Relating Ideas, Encouragement and Never-ending Dedication to Success) connects each new family with a returning family in order to help them navigate the unique model we have at TCCS and make other connections quickly.  As a new family begins their adventure of combining homeschooling and a private school setting, they may feel apprehensive and overwhelmed. Our goal with this simple program is to be a solution to these issues so that our new families will feel confident and “right at home” early in their homeschooling experience. 

What is the scheduling format?

Tuesdays and Thursdays are group school days. Mondays and Wednesdays are when parents implement lesson plans at home. For middle school (6th-8th grades) and high school (9th-12th grades), Fridays are half-day, group school days for 20 Fridays of the school year. For the remaining Fridays, parents implement a half-day of lesson plans at home. Fridays for younger grades are an optional enrichment day (E-day) at school. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, students arrive at 9:00 am and leave at 3:00 pm. On Fridays, students arrive at 9:00 am and leave at 12:30 pm. 

what are community meetings?

Community meetings provide an essential time of communication with teachers, administration and other community members. Parents and staff meet at First UMC Lutz at 6:30 pm. TCCS requires that at least one parent attend each community meeting. There is a corporate meeting in order to communicate important information in the life of the school as well as to have time to learn and grow as a community. Parents also will have parent-teacher meetings with their child's teacher before or after the corporate meeting.

How often will i parent partner?

A parent partner schedule is published at the beginning of the school year so that parents may plan accordingly. Prior to the schedule being published, parents are able to notify the school of any weeks or months that they may be unavailable (for example, November through December due to the birth of a new child). They may also indicate a day of the week that they might work and be unable to help at the school. Parents will spend approximately 6 to 8 school days at TCCS as a Parent Partner if one child is enrolled; approximately 8 to 10 days if two children are enrolled; and approximately 10-12 days if three or more children are enrolled.  

What is your teacher/student ratio?

TCCS has an excellent ratio. Additionally, a parent partner is in the classroom to assist the teacher daily, thereby lowering the ratio.

How many students do you have?

TCCS typically has an enrollment of approximately 100 students.

when are accommodations made for a student?

If TCCS deems it appropriate to admit a student, accommodations may be made when a student is struggling in specific subject areas, after learning strategies have been tried, and the parent, teacher, and administrator conference about the concern(s) and brainstorm possible solutions.On occasion, the parent, teacher and administrator will create an individual plan to detail modifications to the curriculum which are necessary for the child to be a more successful learner, despite his/her academic challenges.

how does Tccs accommodate the variety of skill levels of students within each grade?

Tampa Christian Community School recognizes that within each grade level, there are students who are on grade level, above grade level, and well above grade level. In order to set a high standard, the curriculum is chosen and lessons plans are geared to the upper middle range of students. This means that students who are just barely on grade level will be at the lower end of the spectrum and some strategies may be implemented for them so as not to hold back the rest of the class. Lesson plans may include optional assignments that students who are well above grade level are encouraged to do. For students who still need more of a challenge than what is provided by teachers, we recommend that parents, as co-teachers with our staff, come up with enrichment activities according to the needs and interests of their child(ren). Our parents partner with excellent teachers who have experience and continue to learn and implement a variety of teaching strategies. Curriculum is selected that can teach to all types of learners (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic). Furthermore, teachers plan hands-on and/or cooperative learning activities throughout the school days.  Our teachers have been trained on research and strategies to help left/right brain students, which are occasionally added to lessons for the benefit of the entire class.  In addition, higher order level questions and problem solving are integrated throughout the curriculum by the teachers.  Through workshops, parents are offered opportunities to learn more about teaching to their child(ren)’s learning style, including activities and techniques to add to a lesson, at their discretion. TCCS values the approach of teaching excelling children horizontally rather than vertically, which results in using enrichment activities that broaden their horizons rather than just pushing them on to the next level academically when they may not be emotionally or socially ready to handle it.

What does the “Prospective Student Visitation” entail?

Prospective students are scheduled to attend TCCS for a school day with their current grade-level peers. Students are asked to arrive at 8:50 am at the school office.  Prospective kindergarten students will stay until 11:3 am, and prospective first grade and above will stay until 2:45 pm.  Students should bring a healthy snack and lunch from home. They are encouraged to wear uniform colors, but it is not required.  Students are asked to do the best that they can to keep up with their peers and participate in class, knowing that they may be unfamiliar with the school’s specific curriculum. Parents are encouraged to look over the curriculum and lesson plans, as well as talk to any parent partners, but should not interrupt the teacher’s flow of instruction.  If a parent leaves the campus, then an emergency contact form must be filled out in the office.  

What tuition payment plans are available?

TCCS offers four options for paying tuition:

• 12 monthly payments (June-May)
• ​ 2 semester payments (June and December)
  
• 1 yearly payment (June)
  
• An additional option is to send the three summer payments at once in June so parents don’t have to remember tuition during summer break, and then go to a monthly payment plan after that. If a student is enrolled in E-day, then E-day payments can be divided into the chosen plan and added to the tuition payment.

FAQ

Is FRIENDS the same as class buddies?

Not always. Whenever possible FRIENDS partners might also be class buddies, but not all FRIENDS families have children in the exact same grades.

What are some of the ways a FRIENDS’ family can help their new family?

• FRIENDS’ families are encouraged to:
• Get together at least once over the summer
• Meet at orientation and sit together to help with the potential “overwhelming feeling”
• Homeschool together once during the first month of school, if desired
• Be a point of contact and a friendly, welcoming face during the new family’s transition into our community. 

What color are the uniforms?

Shirts are to be hunter green, navy blue, or white. Pants, shorts and skirts are to be navy blue or khaki tan. For more detailed information, please refer to the Student Handbook. 

What if I've never homeschooled before?

TCCS is perfect for first time homeschoolers. All of the lesson plans are done for families, which takes the huge burden of planning and making sure each child gets everything they need off of the parent. Parents simply follow the teacher-made lesson plans on their homeschool days. TCCS has a workshop at Parent Orientation that offers practical tips and ideas for making homeschooling work for your family. We also have a supportive group of veteran homeschoolers who are happy to mentor parents along the way. Parents are not left alone to figure it out for themselves!

What grades do you serve?

We currently serve Kindergarten through 12th grade.

How much does the curriculum cost?

TCCS has parents purchase curriculum individually so that it is their choice to shop around for the best price. Curriculum other than consumables can be purchased used. Also, keep in mind that some curriculum can be used for multiple children and/or multiple years. The approximate cost of new curriculum is from $275 to $400. Most families pay significantly less for curriculum by purchasing some used and/or swapping with other families.

How long should I plan to homeschool?

Homeschooling times vary depending upon a parent’s teaching style as well as their child's learning style. Keep in mind that as children get older, more of their work is able to be done independently. It is not necessary or desirable for parents to sit with their child the entire amount of time they are working (except possibly in Kindergarten). The following is an estimate of the amount of time it may take a child to complete the day's homeschooling work:

• Kindergarten: 2 hours
• 1st Grade: 3 hours
• 2nd Grade: 3 hours, 15 minutes
• 3rd Grade: 3 hours, 45 minutes
• 4th Grade: 4 hours, 15 minutes
• 5th Grade: 4 hours, 30 minutes
• 6th Grade: 5 hours
• 7th Grade: 5 hours
• 8th Grade: 5 hours
• 9th – 11th Grade: 5-6 hours
  

where do i purchase uniforms?

Embroidered shirts are available to be ordered once a year through TCCS and are optional. Non-embroidered uniforms can be purchased at any local store.

When should I buy my curriculum?

The revised curriculum list is distributed each spring. In May, there is an end of the year book swap and curriculum day at TCCS. The suggested latest time to purchase curriculum is June because summer orders may take longer.