We are truly in unprecedented times. We are making adjustments to our lives on a daily basis trying to make a new normal through the chaos in the world that surrounds us. As a church and school, the pastoral staff has been weighing many different options for our Academy, and the families that it serves. We are humbled by the hard work and dedication of our school staff as they adapt to the many changes that have happened. We are grateful to be a part of your family and have the opportunity to step along side of you as we navigate through this pandemic together. You are loved and appreciated by all of us here at Bible Baptist Church and Academy.
Our pastoral team has been discussing how to prepare for what lies ahead for the rest of the school year. There are many different options available to us and we want to provide the individual care and attention that each family needs. There are approximately six weeks left in the current school year. Of the remaining time, we are under the governor’s stay at home order for at least three. When/if we return to school in May, it would be for 3 weeks at most. Even then, with as many high risk students as we have, there would be many families who would not be able to come back into a close social environment that soon. With that in mind, we are going to make adjustments to the remaining school year. Your family is unique, and although we are making the following blanket statements, we understand that you may need something different individually. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or needs that you may have. We know that flexibility on all parts will be needed to continue to navigate the COVID-19 issue together. We are all on the same team!
Early release – We will begin academic early release immediately. Supervisors are compiling a list of students that have completed a year’s worth of work and have done all of their monthly Scriptures to date. Providing the family has met the financial policy below, supervisors will contact parents to begin eliminating subjects until the student is complete for the year. This will allow supervisors to concentrate more time on the students who need more academic help. Of course, student may continue to work voluntarily, however, the supervisor will have to make students needing to complete required work a priority.
Financial – Families who are not current on their financial agreement will not be eligible for early release. I understand that times are difficult, but there are thousands of dollars owed to the school in tuition and fees. We need to pay staff as well as the PACE order bill for the work the students have been doing. If you owe money, please make the school a priority from tax returns or the upcoming stimulus check. You can send in a check or pay your bill online. If you have a question on how to do that, please let me know. We hate having to be a collection agency, but we also hate not being able to pay your child’s teacher.
Convention – With the limitations put into place, we are going to have to cancel convention. All the funds raised will be carried over to next year, including the candy bar sales. There are more bars available for sale. If you would like to get more, please contact Pastor Smith.
Literature – Electives for younger students, specifically Literature, will end with the PACE that your student is currently in. Although we believe that these subjects are vitally important, we feel it is in the supervisor’s best interest to remain focused on the core subjects for the rest of the school year.
Kindergarten – Miss Carolyn will be sending home the work packets for the remainder of the school year. She will continue to post videos in the Kindergarten Facebook group. She is also sending home the first 50 pages of the Speedy Reader program. One of the key focus points for the rest of the school year, as well as over the summer, is the vital necessity of reading. Most first grade students struggle because they do not read enough over the summer. Please keep your child reading! When all of the information is prepared to go home, Miss Carolyn will contact each parent with the requirements for graduation.
Graduation – We plan to have a graduation ceremony with our seniors and kindergartners. It is still scheduled for May 22nd, but if the stay at home order remains in place, we will reschedule it for later in the calendar year.
Thank you for all you do. We are grateful for you as parents, for the students, and for the many others involved that make our school what it is. We are praying for each of you and hope you will do the same for us! If you have any questions, please let me know.
Pastor Lear