Frequently Asked Questions
What are your school hours? What does a school day look like/sample schedule?
For the Upper School (7th-11th grade), drop off is from 7:40-7:55 am. Chapel starts at 8:00 am. Upper School pick up is at 2:40 pm. For the Lower School (K-6th grade), drop off is from 7:45-8:00 am. Chapel starts at 8:10 am. Lower School pick up for K-5th grade is at 12:30 pm. 6th graders are picked up at 2:30 pm.
A sample day in the Lower School: after chapel, each student goes to their assigned class and instruction begins. At the Grammar stage, students study Bible, World History (starting with the Ancients), various sciences at each age level, Math, Latin, Phonetics/Spelling/Vocabulary, Grammar/Writing/and Handwriting, Literature, and Recitation. Although the list of "subjects" seems lengthy, many of these areas are integrated and connected in order for learning to take root. For instance, a student may be studying Egyptian Pharaohs in History alongside their Bible reading from Exodus with a Recitation of the Ten Commandments and a writing assignment that connects all of the above. The goal of classical, Christian education is to invite children into the stories of history, to awaken their senses to the beauty around them, and to encourage and foster a desire to enter into conversation. One way students experience all five senses is through the arts. Students at SCA are able to participate in Fitness for Life, Music Appreciation and Art/Theatre. Whether students engage in a composer study and listen to music from several genres, or participate in a health study focusing on how to strengthen the temple the Lord has given us through eating well and exercise, or act out a scene from Shakespeare, our students are given opportunities to enjoy art in various forms.
Why will my child be registered as a homeschooler with the state of Arkansas?
Do I have to homeschool my children also?
As the parent, you are the primary educator of your child, whether s/he attends home, private, or public school. At Sager Classical Academy, parents register their children as homeschoolers because they will not be enrolled for a full-day of instruction for five days a week. The deadline for parents to register their children is August 15, 2022. A Notice of Intent submitted after this date for a student currently enrolled in public school will be subject to a waiting period of 5 school days before releasing the student to be home-schooled. At SCA, we expect a partnership for the education at home to be reinforcing the instruction that your child receives during the half day at SCA. However, forty hours each week is unnecessary for instructing children; students need to be playing, exploring their creativity, and enjoying where their curiosity takes them. SCA will provide certain hours of instruction that gradually increase according to the age of the children. For K-2, they will be in school for sixteen hours per week. For 3-5, they will attend for twenty hours. For 6-12, they are offered twenty-eight hours of instruction. All of these schedules include arts, fitness, and study time. SCA promotes time at home for the aforementioned play, exploration, and curiosity with family .
Can children not enrolled in SCA attend Friday Enrichment?
For 2022-2023, spots in Friday Enrichment will be given to full-time students first. K-2 students who wish to participate in Fridays only will be waitlisted for Friday Enrichment at first and then notified later whether or not a spot will be available for them.
Are there extracurricular classes?
We offer an optional Friday Enrichment program for K-2nd grade, and then art, music and fitness are built in to the 3rd-12th grade curriculum throughout the week.
What foreign languages are offered?
SCA is a classical school, so teaching Latin is near the heart of things. It is best to know one language well instead of a smattering of languages. Latin is the root of six Romance languages and shares many cognates with English. As a dead language, the logic of the language has not changed, so it forms students’ minds logically and prepares them for other studies, such as geometry, grammar, etc. As SCA grows, there may be options for taking Greek at the Rhetoric stage and potentially other foreign language instruction.
Is there tuition assistance?
Yes! The application for tuition assistance opens February 1st and closes June 1st. Families wishing to be considered for tuition assistance should first register their students. Next, families are invited to complete the online assistance qualifying process with Independent School Management’s FAST aid. (Fast Aid charges a non-refundable $48 fee to complete the tuition assistance application.) Tuition assistance applications are reviewed by the school’s Tuition Assistance Committee and a recommendation is made to the Head of School. The Head of School makes a final determination and notifies the family.
Sager Classical Academy is committed to partnering with parents to help ensure that finances do not create a barrier to seeking a classical Christian education. We encourage parents to consider applying for tuition assistance in appropriate circumstances. Please don’t let a possible financial burden keep you from applying to SCA.
This worksheet, provided by FAST Aid, will help you know what information you will need to have ready when you complete the tuition assistance application. In addition, here is a Parent User Guide from FAST Aid.
Do we have to be Christians? Is the school associated with any church or denomination?
Christian faith is not required for students or parents to attend SCA.
The Christian worldview does, however, guide all of our teaching. Chapel attendance is also required at the start of each day; this will be ecumenical, open to all.
SCA is not associated with a denomination. However, a statement of faith is published on the website and in registration materials. The expectation is that all students and parents support the statement of faith, whether or not they believe each statement.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio?
SCA strives to maintain an average 12:1 ratio. The goal of SCA is to keep classes small no matter the size of the institution.
Are you accredited?
Accreditation means little at the grammar school stage, but we will be members of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools, an accrediting organization. They will assess us for accreditation when we have our first graduating class. No college or university will ask whether your classical school was accredited because the students excel beyond other applicants.
Will students wear uniforms?
There is a dress code, but not an official uniform. For 2022-2023, each student should wear khakis (either shorts/pants for boys with the option of skirts for girls), navy or white polos, or white button-ups, and closed-toe shoes. The SCA French Toast shop is available for viewing here. Parents are not required to purchase items from this site, but it provides a visual reference to the dress code.
Are teachers required to be certified?
Because SCA is not accredited, it is not necessary to require certification for teachers. However, SCA is committed to employing teachers who have the highest standards of pedagogy and are committed to their ongoing professional development.
What are the fees and process of application?
The application for the 2022-2023 school year is now open. Completing the application is the first step.
Once a student's online application is completed there is a non-refundable $295 administrative fee due per student.
New families: once you complete an application and pay your administrative fee, you must attend an information session (these are held monthly) and meet with the Head of School. Once you attend an information session and met with our Head of School, then you will hear back regarding your student's acceptance. Once your student has completed these steps and is offered a spot, you are liable for the year’s tuition.
For each school year, tuition will be expected by June 1 (for fall semester) and November 1 (for spring semester). Paying by check or cash is the preferred method because we are not yet set up to accept credit card payments without transaction fees. If you pay by credit card, you should expect a 3.8% transaction fee added to your payment.
Tuition/fees and Schedule for 2022-2023:
Administrative fee per student: $295
K-2nd: Mon-Thurs (1/2 days) $2950/year
3rd-5th: Mon-Fri (1/2 days, integrated cultural arts) $3650/year
6th-12th: Mon-Fri (4 full days, 1/2 day on Friday, integrated cultural arts) $4975/year
*1/2 day: 8:00am-12:30pm (subject to adjustment); full day: 8:00am-2:30pm (subject to adjustment)
Optional:
K-2nd: Friday Enrichment (1/2 day) $700/year
Discounts:
A sibling enrolled in SCA will receive $300 off his or her tuition. A third child and beyond will each receive $500 off.
Under the 529 plan, you may now deduct up to $10,000 from your gross income towards private K-12 education. You are also able to donate to SCA at any time.
