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FAQ
1. What
do you mean by a covenant school?
Christian
parents have been blessed with the privileges and responsibilities of
raising their children in a Christ-centered home where a biblical understanding
of life and the world is taught. East Cobb Christian is a community
of parents and educators who have come together to create an atmosphere
for children that is an extension of these homes. Therefore, the school
seeks to hire godly educators, and admit children from Christian families
who are willing to be very involved in their children's education. Although
we believe evangelism is important Kingdom work, we do not believe the
school is the environment in which that should take place.
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2. Who
is Charlotte Mason?
Charlotte
Mason was a British educator in the early 1900s who wrote extensively
to develop a philosophy of Christian education. At first, many of the
people who implemented her ideas were home-schooling parents. Soon,
groups banded together to form schools throughout England that were
based upon her philosophy of education. She established a well-respected
teacher's college in England that included a small practicing school
in which teachers learned to apply her principles of education. The
primary reasons we draw heavily on her philosophy of education are the
following: interwoven biblical principles throughout; comprehensive
philosophy to include the nature of children, learning, knowledge, and
the teacher; and a theory that was tested and used. We are aware of
no other philosophy of education that has such depth in these three
components. For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaefer Macaulay,
the book that is required reading for all families seeking admission
to our school, is an excellent summary of Charlotte Mason's philosophy
of education.
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3. With
your emphasis on spiritual and character development, are you able to
achieve academic excellence?
We
believe that maintaining the focus on God actually increases academic
achievement because it motivates children to develop longer lasting
habits useful for continued learning and causes them to maintain a desire
for learning as they experience the awe and splendor of God found throughout
the academic content. ECCS feeds this desire and builds on these habits
by providing the best resources available and maintaining high expectations
of what children are capable of learning. We give praise to God that
our students on the whole score well above national averages in standardized
testing. Furthermore, administrators from Christian high schools in
the area have expressed their desire to admit our graduates, citing
their excellent character and academic diligence.
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4. What
curriculum do you use?
ECCS
does not use one set curriculum. Teaching materials are selected from
a variety of resources. We believe that all truth is God's truth, and
God has inerrantly and infallibly revealed His truth in the Bible. The
ultimate goal of ECCS is to teach students to glorify God and to enjoy
Him forever. We believe that the study of history, science and math,
as well as all other areas of knowledge is to be pursued from a perspective
that gives reverence to the Creator. We follow many of the practices
of Charlotte Mason, founder of the PNEU school in England in the 1900s
whose ideas included composer, art, and nature studies, narration, and
the reading of "Living Books". More information about Miss
Mason's philosophies can be found in the book, For the Children's
Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. Other recommended reading: Shepherding
a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp.
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5. When
my child leaves ECCS after 8th grade, will he/she be prepared for high
school?
Children
at ECCS experience a rich academic program in a Christ-centered environment.
Because the academic program emphasizes a much deeper understanding
of content, rather than just learning and memorizing bits of information
for tests, ECCS students typically graduate having gained both a broad
range of knowledge, as well as habits of responsibility, kindness, diligence
and service. Students we have tracked seem to transition well into high
school, whether they attend public, private, or home schools.
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6. Why
do children attend only half days in 1st and 2nd grades?
ECCS
places great value in children spending time in those activities that
occur outside of the formal educational setting in which children learn
some of the most important lessons they can learn in life. Parents are
encouraged to spend as much time as possible with their children, particularly
in the early years, to help them learn these lessons.
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7. If
1st and 2nd graders attend only half days, how do they learn what is
necessary?
First,
we maintain extremely low student-teacher ratios: Class size in grades
1, 2 and 3 is 8-10 students. Second, we require that parents commit
to a high degree of involvement in their children's education, thus
skills are reinforced at home. Third, we focus the curriculum in the
early grades on reading, writing, and math. These three factors combine
to allow students to learn more in a shorter period of time. Also, because
of the low number of students per class, very little time is wasted
moving children from place to place or handling other logistical tasks.
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8. What
is an enrichment day?
Enrichment
days are instructional days in which parents come to school to teach
and/or help teach the class. Parents of 1st and 2nd grade students are
required to be involved in approximately 4-8 enrichment days during
the school year. These days give parents opportunities to bring their
unique abilities and gifts to bear upon topics being covered in the
classroom. Parents also have the benefit of getting to know their children's
peers better.
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9. How
do your test scores compare to other schools?
Beginning in 1st grade, each year a child attends ECCS, he/she takes the Stanford Achievement Test. The tests provide value in assessing whether or not gaps in the curriculum exist and assessing how individual students are progressing on particular skills. However, most standardized tests primarily assess a child's ability to retrieve bits of information and use very basic skills in answering questions. Many people over emphasize test scores as a rating of how a school is doing. The danger is that schools may focus so much on them that students do very well on the standardized tests, but fail to experience deeper levels of learning and understanding. Because of this danger, we limit standardized testing and the emphasis placed on it. That being said, our students generally score well above national averages on standardized tests.
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10. What
is the link between ECCS and Perimeter Christian School?
Just as Perimeter Church was the first of a network of PCA churches in Atlanta, Perimeter Christian School was the first of a network of schools that are ministries of those churches. This network of schools is called Child Light Schools Association (formerly known as Perimeter Schools Association). Five schools in the Atlanta area, including ECCS, are members of Child Light. The headmasters of each of these schools meet monthly to coordinate activities and ensure that a common set of beliefs and philosophy is maintained in the content, intent, and process of the schools.
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11. Does
your school have access to computers and the internet?
Each classroom has at least one computer with full network and internet capabilities. Teachers use the computers for instruction with the children and for other teacher activities. Students in grades four and up also take computer classes in the computer lab. Tight security and supervision is maintained on internet access for children because of the obvious dangers that have been well documented.
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12. Is
the school accredited?
We are fully accredited in grades 4-8 through the Georgia Accrediting Commission. Because of our shortened days in the primary grades, we would not be eligible for accreditation in grades K-3.
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13. If
you continue to grow, what will you do for classroom space?
East Cobb Presbyterian completed a new building in August, 2006. The space has provided additional classroom space, a new library, storage areas and a gymnasium.
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14. Do
you have plans to have a high school?
We
have no plans for a high school. Several fine Christian schools are
available in the area for parents who desire further Christian education.
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15. What
are the educational credentials of your teachers?
Most
of our teachers have education degrees or degrees in their field. They are certified by the state of Georgia, or are in process
of becoming certified. Many also have master's degrees. We feel blessed
to have highly qualified teachers who feel not only God's call to teach,
but also God's call to teach at ECCS.
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