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Academics

Frequently Asked Questions – K-4th


Thank you for your interest in Friends Christian Elementary School. We welcome your questions! We want to get to know you, and we want you to get to know us. Questions give us a chance to share more about what FCS offers.

The questions listed below are the ones we are asked most often. If you don’t see the information you want listed below, call either the elementary or middle school office, depending on the grade level you are exploring. Better yet—come for a visit and see what Friends Christian School can offer.

ARE THERE AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE?
A child must be five years old by September 1, 2019, to be eligible to register for Kindergarten, and six years old by September 1, 2019, to be eligible to register for First Grade.

ARE FCS TEACHERS CREDENTIALED? IS THE SCHOOL ACCREDITED?
All teachers have state teaching credentials and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) certificates. FCS is accredited by both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Association of Christian Schools International.

WHAT IS THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO? HOW MANY CLASSES PER GRADE LEVEL?
We have an Instructional Aide, as well as the teacher in the class (K–4th Grade). Kindergarten has four classes with 18–20 students in each class. Grades 1–2 have 3 classes with 26–28 students in each class, and Grades 3–4 have 3 classes with 28–9 students in each class.

WHAT EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DO WE HAVE ON CAMPUS? IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL COST?
Yes, extra curricular activities are available at both our elementary and middle school campuses. At the elementary school, students can participate in choir and LEGO Robotics in 3rd and 4th grade. (There is an additional fee associated with both programs.) Fourth grade students can also try out for the S.C.O.R.E. Street Hockey team. There is no cost for this program which is sponsored by the NHL Anaheim Ducks.

In 4th grade, our students visit Sacramento, and the cost is approximately $675.

ARE UNIFORMS REQUIRED?
Students do wear school uniforms, and on Fridays, students may Spirit wear. School uniforms are purchased from Global School Wear, and Spirit wear is purchased from Blackbox Merchandise.

DO YOU PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED EXTRA HELP?
All students enrolled at Friends Christian School are expected to be able to participate in the regular, grade-level curriculum. For those students struggling to meet the grade-level expectations, the Success program has been developed to:

    1. provide specialized support to the classroom teachers to meet the academic needs of students, an
    2. provide direct services to students through a pull-out support program where students participate in small group instruction targeted at addressing academic areas of need, and
    3. provide Math tutoring , available during lunch to our 5th and 6th grade students at no additional cost.

Support is also provided to classroom teachers to help address the social/behavioral needs of students.

MY CHILD IS GIFTED ACADEMICALLY. WHAT PROGRAMS DO YOU HAVE TO MEET HIS OR HER NEEDS?
Gifted students have multiple opportunities to excel. In early elementary, advanced students will receive specialized spelling lists and participate in differentiated reading groups. Additional challenge activities in math are available. Beginning in fourth grade, we offer honors math classes.

Additional opportunities for gifted students include our after school robotics program (available for 3rd through 8th grade), ACSI Math Olympics and other math competitions, and the ACSI Spelling Bee.

ARE PARENTS REQUIRED TO BE CHRISTIANS OR SIGN A STATEMENT OF FAITH?
No, parents are not required to be Christian. During enrollment of a new student, parent(s) are asked to describe their current relationship with God, the history (if any) of their Christian commitment, and their present church involvement. If one or both of the parents do not have a current relationship with God, it will not affect the registration of their student at FCS.

DO WE HAVE A LIBRARY AND COMPUTER LAB? HOW MANY COMPUTERS ARE AVAILABLE?
On the elementary school campus, we have a library that includes 29 computers for student use. Our media center provides an additional 21 computers for K–4th graders.

WHAT ARE THE EXTENDED CARE HOURS? WHAT IS THE COST?
On the elementary campus, we offer supervised care when school is in session beginning at 7:00 AM–8:15 AM, and again from 3:00 PM–6:00 PM. The hourly rate for extended care is $5.50 per hour—or any part of an hour—for each child.