Frequently Asked Questions

You may apply for admittance through the school’s website during the open enrollment period. At the close of the open enrollment period, a lottery may be held to determine students’ acceptance and enrollment into the school. 

Parents should call/visit their child's current school to notify them that they will be transferring to another school. We will not notify your child's school of their transfer. 

A few days before Meet the Teacher Night, teachers will call families to introduce themselves and invite you to Meet the Teacher Night (date/time TBA). 

Requests of this kind will not be accommodated.
 

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (Regular dismissal days)
8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (Early dismissal days)
 

Our schools follow a typical calendar to include Fall, Winter, and Spring breaks.

The school supply list will be posted to the school website on our parent resources page.

Parent Resources
 

Student safety is one of our top priorities, and therefore we maintain a closed campus. Students are prohibited from leaving campus for any reason during school hours or during after-school activities unless excused or accompanied by the adult supervisor of that activity.

Each school is staffed in accordance with the certification requirements of the State in which the school is operating. 

Once fully enrolled, families may receive communication via email, PowerSchool, or by phone using the contact information that was provided on their child’s enrollment application. Administration will send out a monthly newsletter and other notices as needed.

Please contact your child’s teacher directly to discuss classroom-related concerns.

We hold high expectations for student behavior. All students are expected to abide by all school policies and procedures. The discipline plan reflects the RAISE Leadership Values. Students are expected to be self-governed and to respect the rights and property of others. Students should conduct themselves with courtesy, refinement, and professionalism throughout the school day and any time they represent the school in extra-curricular activities, field trips, or any other school-sanctioned event. 

Yes. School rules are designed to protect all students and foster an environment of order and discipline. It is important that parents/legal guardians and students understand the consequences of misbehavior. School Administration enforces adherence to school rules, policies, and procedures using a progressive discipline system. School Administration has discretion with respect to its enforcement authority. When considering disciplinary action, School Administration will seek to balance the severity of the conduct and the resulting discipline using a Conduct and Consequences Matrix (CCM).

you can find Conduct and Consequences Matrix on our parent resource page

Parent Resources
 

Yes.

Kindergarteners will not take naps while at school.
 

No. Kindergarteners will start on the same date and time as all other elementary students. 

No. Students will participate in Reading and Math screenings and benchmark assessments once school begins. 

A few days before Meet the Teacher Night, teachers will call families to introduce themselves and invite you to Meet the Teacher Night (date/time TBA). 

Requests of this kind will not be accommodated.

Yes. During Meet the Teacher Night your child will get to visit their classroom, meet their teacher, drop off their school supplies, and get familiar with the school grounds. 

No. All students are required to use the driveline for drop-off and pick-up, including Kindergarteners. Families will not be able to park and walk their students to the classroom, school gate, playground, or building. 

Kindergarten Aides, support staff, and administrators will be outside every morning to ensure that all students safely get to their classrooms. We take great care in making sure our students are safe and well cared for while at school. You can help prepare your child for this transition by: 

• Practicing their teacher's name with them so staff can help direct them. 
• Sitting down and talking through what the drop-off will look like prior to the first day of school. 
• Communicating to them that they can ask anyone in a yellow/orange vest for help. 
   

No. Students will follow school dismissal procedures which will either involve them being walked by a staff member to the bus, to after-school care, to an after-school activity, or to the driveline where they will be assisted into your car. 

Please do not get out of your car as this creates a safety hazard and significantly slows down the driveline. Please stay in your car and a staff member will help your child get in safely. 

Detailed information regarding driveline routes, drop off/pick up zones, and procedures will be communicated to families one to two weeks before school begins. We will provide maps and detailed directions for navigating the driveline. 

During the first month of school, volunteer opportunities will be limited in order to allow students to acclimate to school procedures and expectations without distractions. Teachers and campus administrators will communicate opportunities to volunteer as they become available. 
 

Yes. We will have several lunch aides and staff available to help students. 
 

We recommend that students bring lunches to school that do not require warming. 

Yes. Kindergarteners will start learning how to use a daily planner on the first day of school. The daily planner will be used to write down homework assignments, and spelling words, and serve as a communication tool for teachers to send notes to parents/guardians and vice versa. 

Kindergarteners will have homework Monday-Thursday, which may consist of Language Arts, Math, and Reading aloud. On Wednesdays, students may also have a Leadership homework assignment. 

A staff member will escort all Kindergarteners enrolled in the program to a pick-up area where a staff member will meet them and take attendance. 

A staff member will escort all Kindergarteners enrolled in an after-school activity to the specific pick-up area for the activity where they will meet the coach/activity leader. 

Detailed information regarding driveline routes, drop off/pick up zones, and procedures will be communicated to families one to two weeks before school begins. We will provide maps and detailed directions for navigating the driveline. 

Yes. Additional information will be shared in the coming months. 

Limited transportation may be available.

On your child’s enrollment application, please indicate your interest in bus transportation. Please note that this does not guarantee your child will have a seat on the bus or that a route will be available in your area. The school’s transportation department will contact families approximately 1-2 months before school begins regarding acceptance on the bus if a seat is available for your child. 
 

Yes. Dress code expectations are posted on our parent resources page.

Parent Resources

Yes. We require students to wear uniforms to school to support the school’s mission. Compliance with the Uniform Dress Code (UDC) is mandatory. 

To attend class, all students must be in compliance with all aspects of the UDC. Furthermore, the UDC applies when students are riding the school bus and when attending extra-curricular events. The UDC can be found at the school’s website. 

In general, students must present a clean, modest, and neat appearance. Clothing must be worn right side out, of appropriate size, and worn correctly. Clothing shall not have holes or be intentionally torn. Clothing items must be one solid color. 

Throughout the school day and at extracurricular events, Staff will conduct a dress code check to ensure the students are in compliance. Staff have authority to determine whether clothing is inappropriate or a distraction. 

When students are deemed to be out of compliance, the following discipline procedure will apply, at the discretion of Staff:

• The school may notify parents/legal guardians and require parents/legal guardians to bring compliant clothing to school for their child; and/or
• Students may receive a yellow card; and/or
• Repeat violations will result in further school discipline; and/or 
• Consequences described in the Conduct & Consequences Matrix (“CCM”). 
   

Polo shirts and Friday shirts are available online through our apparel shop. The campus may also stock a limited number of Polo and Friday shirts for purchase in person. 

These items may be purchased from any vendor as long as they meet dress code requirements. 

Yes

Yes. Safety drills (fire, lockdown, weather) will be held throughout the school year and are typically unannounced.

Yes

Please indicate this information during the enrollment application process. If accepted to the school, send supporting documentation to the Registrar. A member of the health team will work with you to update a Health Action Plan. 

No. Our schools are not allergy-free or nut-free school. Food allergies must be reported to the Health Office. Students with severe allergies should complete an allergy action plan, which will be available at the Health Office and during back-to-school events. 
 

Yes. Students with an allergy may choose to either sit with their class at the general lunch table or at a designated table for students with food allergies. We follow specific cleaning guidelines to ensure that the tables are cleaned appropriately in order to avoid exposure to/the spread of potential allergens. Students who sit at this table may invite a friend to sit with them as long as there are no foods in the lunch that could potentially trigger an allergic reaction.

Class sizes may vary based on factors such as grade level and type of course. Generally, the average class size is 25 students per class.

Yes. Typically, students in grades K-3 have two, 15-minute recesses in addition to a 30-minute lunch/recess period (15-minute lunch, 15-minute recess), and students in grades 4-6 have one, 15 minute recess in addition to a 30-minute lunch/recess period (15-minute lunch, 15-minute recess).

We believe that meaningful homework is integral to the learning process and should be provided at all grade levels for the following purposes:

• To provide additional practice on previously learned skills 

(For example: completing math drills & problem sets, reading, researching and/or writing).

• To enrich the learning experience

(For example: sharing ideas with parents/legal guardians or using creative thought to complete a project or assignment).

• To provide students the opportunity to complete unfinished class assignments or make-up work due to absences. 

Your child’s teacher will provide clear expectations on all homework assignments. Concerns related to homework should be directed to your child’s teacher and campus administration. 

Yes. Students will use a daily planner to document and track assignments. The daily planner also serves as a communication tool for teachers to send notes to parents/guardians and vice versa. 
 

No.

Yes.

Approximately 25-30 minutes.

3-4 minutes depending on the size and layout of the campus. 

Our Academically Gifted program begins in 2nd grade. Students are identified for the program through a referral process (parent & teacher) in grades 3rd-6th and Universal Testing in 2nd grade by taking the CogAT aptitude testing. Students may be referred for testing once per calendar year with testing taking place in the fall and spring of each school year. Students may only take the CogAT once per calendar year.

Students who have qualified as Academically Gifted will be enrolled in Honors courses in their identified area of giftedness. 

Teachers utilize assessment data, observations, and classroom assessments to determine where students may have gaps in learning. Teachers then work with students to fill in gaps during independent practice times and/or the enrichment block (K-6 campuses) to build missing skills. If students need more intervention, teachers build intervention plans utilizing the Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) structure. When a student is referred to MTSS, parents are notified and asked to be part of the process. 

No. We are an in-person school. 

Our schools follow a direct instruction model that explicitly teaches students the skills they need to succeed. We believe for our students to experience success, our instruction must be appropriately rigorous. 

Core Knowledge
Eureka Math
CKSci/OpenSciEd
RAISE Leadership
 

Yes. Specials classes may vary by campus. Typically, students will participate in a rotation of PE, Music, Art, and Technology. 

Yes. Teachers will provide weekly tutoring sessions based on student needs. 

Please refer to the Parent & Student Handbook and course catalogs for information regarding the school’s grading scale.

Please refer to the Parent & Student Handbook and course catalogs for information regarding the school’s grading scale.

Yes.

RAISE Leadership lessons are taught once per week. However, RAISE is incorporated into everything we do. RAISE is embedded into every lesson and is referenced and practiced throughout the day, every day.

Yes. As a public charter school, we will provide the special education services outlined in each eligible student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). Please send a copy of your child’s current IEP to essrecordsse@charter.one. 

Yes. Students who have intellectual disabilities and who are accessing the SC-Alt will be provided their core instruction in alignment with the SC-Alt standards and will have access to curriculum to support these standards. This curriculum may include PCI Reading and Equals Math as well as a range of adapted materials to support students in other subject areas. 

To ensure a Free and Appropriate Public Education is provided to all students, we will employ the staff required to provide the special education services outlined in each eligible child’s IEP. This allows the school to appropriately manage the staff on campus and to remain responsible for special education services.
 

We use Amplify Core Knowledge Arts (CKLA) for all students. This program was built based on the science of reading and sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills. 

CKLA applies: 

• Early and consistent phonological awareness 

• Explicit and systematic phonics and word recognition with intensive repetition

• Diagnostic screening to determine skill deficits

• Simultaneous development of background knowledge and vocabulary for effective reading comprehension

Students may have access to a Chromebook at school when needed. Chromebooks will stay on campus and will not be sent home for daily use. The use of Chromebooks in the classroom is limited to benchmark and state testing, and specific classroom assignments. Most classwork, homework, and activities will be completed by hand. 

No. We have a strict no-cell phone policy. Please refer to the Parent & Student Handbook for more information. Students will not need to use their phones in class for any reason.
 

No. Our schools are not allergy-free or nut-free school. Food allergies must be reported to the Health Office. Students with severe allergies should complete an allergy action plan, which will be available at the Health Office and during back-to-school events. 

Yes.

No. Families are responsible for ensuring that their child has an adequate and healthy lunch.

Students should bring lunches to school that do not require warming.

Yes, hot lunch will be available for purchase. A lunch menu will be posted on the website each month. 

Before school begins, each family will receive information regarding establishing an online lunch account with instructions for adding money to their account.
 

A variety of extracurricular activities may be offered. Offerings will be based on staffing, student interest, and facility availability. Information regarding extracurricular activities will be shared with families by campus administration as it becomes available. 

Staff members will assist students in getting to the specific pick-up area for the activity where they will meet the coach/activity leader. 

Yes. There will be many opportunities for parents to volunteer. Campus administration and Teachers will inform families of opportunities to volunteer in the classroom and on campus. 
 

During the first month of school, volunteer opportunities will be limited in order to allow students to acclimate to school procedures and expectations without distractions. Teachers and campus administrators will communicate opportunities to volunteer as they become available.

Tours will offered once the campus is fully open.

Once the campus is open for tours, you may schedule a tour through the school’s website.