FAQs
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How do we become part of Credo Academy? |
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The first thing to do is to educate yourself about Credo Academy. Our website is packed with information you will need as you decide if Credo Academy is the place for your family. The video of our history, the FAQs, and the testimonials from our families are a few places to start learning more about us. Please reach out to us by email, and a friendly mom will contact you to answer any further questions you might have about Credo Academy. She would be happy to tell you about new family meetings and family interview times. Once you have completed the family interview, a registration volunteer will contact you to finalize your registration. Contact us- credoacademyco@gmail.com |
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When does registration for the school year typically open? |
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For new families, registration happens at your interview in the summer. Returning families typically register in April for fall classes and in November for spring classes. Most years Credo Academy offers interviews in the fall so that you may register for upcoming spring classes.
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What can I expect at a new family interview? |
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The interview is a time to get to know you as a family, answer your questions, and help you evaluate whether or not Credo Academy is the right fit for your family. You will meet (either at Credo or a local library) with Credo parents, who serve on our interview team. The interview should last about an hour. Please have both parents present, if possible, and all the children who would like to attend Credo Academy. Please bring all the appropriate paperwork signed by both parents and the student, a small picture attached to the medical history form, enough checks to write to each instructor (parents pay each instructor directly), a check for the $50 application fee (one-time, non-refundable fee), and a check for the Credo fees ($25/semester/student/class). The appropriate paperwork is found under the “New Family Interview Forms” tab on the home page of the website. Several forms must be printed, signed, completed for each attending child, and brought to the interview. After the first semester, all of this is done online; but for the first registration, please bring all the forms in printed and hand signed format.
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How old does my student need to be to attend Credo? |
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Credo caters to high schoolers. We offer for 9th-12th grade classes for our highschoolers, 6th-8th grade classes for our middle school students, and sibling classes are also offered to be a blessing to families. To gain admittance to Credo, one student in the family who will be taking classes at Credo needs to be at least 10 years old and in 5th grade, within the Fall Semester they plan to attend. After one child is age-eligible, all other interested children will be allowed to take classes. Because we are mainly a high school, please be aware that your younger children will be part of the high school environment.
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Do I have to volunteer? |
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Yes! Credo is a volunteer-led organization. Credo wouldn’t be Credo if it weren’t for the wonderful support of parents. We require that each family (either the mom, dad, or a combination) volunteer at least 30-45 hours/year which is about 1-1.5 hours on-site/week, depending on the current needs at Credo. Sign-ups will be available a couple of weeks before each school year starts. You will sign up for a year-long position. All the jobs are pretty easy. Here are some examples: monitors (for the chat room, study hall, or outside), cleaning a few rooms, sitting at the front desk, etc. If you are unable to fulfill your volunteer shift because of illness or vacation, it is your responsibility to find coverage from within the Credo community. You can post your need on the group forum Credo uses to find your replacement. We hope you can see your volunteer time as a time of serving, and as an opportunity to build relationships and community. Your attitude of helpfulness is much appreciated! There will be additional small jobs that come up during the year that we all need to occasionally pitch in to do. This way of working together is what makes Credo such a great community.
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Is Credo a drop-off organization? |
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That depends on the age of your student. No: Children in 6th grade (age 11) and younger must always be attended to by their parent unless the child is in class. Families with younger kids are encouraged to make friends and socialize, in our fellowship hall or outside. As Credo is a high school environment, some families choose to limit the time their younger students remain on campus if it is a full day. If you have a student in this age group, please make plans to support your student as best as possible. Partially: Students in 7th and 8th grade have more independence, and can be unattended by a parent between classes. It is encouraged that the parents and students be aware of large gaps between classes and plan accordingly (bring homework to do, pick up the student to go home, or go to the library down the street, etc.) In these instances, Credo trusts parents to support their students, be on campus, and be aware of their student’s actions. Yes: For high schoolers, there is more freedom. They are allowed to be on campus without a parent and are encouraged to hang out and socialize as long as they can follow the rules and be appropriately engaged with their free time. We have an open campus so they can come and go as needed. Again, parents are responsible to keep track of their kids and Credo does not accept any responsibility for your child’s decisions. Parents also need to keep in mind that they need to be on-premises at some point in the day to complete their volunteer requirements. |
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Can my child attend a publicly-funded education program and Credo at the same time? |
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No. Credo Academy serves private homeschoolers and does not open its programs to families who have chosen to participate in public school programs. We pass no judgment on the sincerity of Christian commitment of those families, but Credo is committed to ensuring that there is always a private, Christian educational alternative of excellence. *Note: Only college or vocational classes which are paid for by your family, or college or vocational level classes in concurrent enrollment (Two Roads, Early Colleges, HOPE, Aerolabs, etc., are not included in this prohibition.) Please verify your situation with Credo leadership if you have questions.
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Does Credo Academy do high school transcripts? |
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No. You are still the administrator of their home school. Credo comes alongside to support your efforts to continue to homeschool through high school. Every instructor does give a final grade, but since you keep the transcript, you can choose how to apply it to your records. |
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Is Credo academically rigorous? |
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We offer classes (as instructors are available) that fulfill academic and enrichment needs. Our concurrent enrollment classes are rigorous but doable. Classes like science, computer, writing, etc., are challenging. Our instructors hold students to a high standard. They ask them to use the given syllabus, come prepared, do all the assignments to the best of their ability, meet deadlines, use class time efficiently, and actively participate in class without becoming a distraction to the other students. Our enrichment style classes (art, drama, dance, private voice/instrument, etc.) are enjoyable and designed to help the students become great students. |
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What if my student has learning issues? |
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While each child learns differently, we understand that some children require higher levels of support to be successful. Our heart is to open up the conversation on the topic (if this applies to your family) to ensure that expectations on both sides are realistic. We want Credo to be an optimal learning environment for your child as well as for others. Many students with learning challenges have been successful at Credo due to great support from the parents’ willingness to walk alongside their students as they navigate Credo classes. However, Credo is not equipped to support children with certain learning disabilities. We do not offer therapy sessions or one-on-one instruction. Our classrooms/facility/instructors are also not equipped to handle these situations. Parents will need to discuss this in the interview as well as directly with a instructor to find out whether or not they can be successful with the demands of a particular class in the setting of Credo. |
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I’m looking for a place to gain social connections for my students. Is Credo a place for that? |
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Yes, students are encouraged to be friendly and welcoming to all. Each of our students craves social interactions at this time in life. Every week we provide a chat room and an outside area for students to connect and socialize with others. Credo offers some scheduled activities, socials, and a showcase at the end of each semester. The showcase is an opportunity for students to show what they have been learning to their friends and family. |
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How much does it cost to attend Credo Academy? |
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Credo is a unique organization that brings together excellent instructors and dedicated students. Your relationship is directly with the instructor, who you pay directly. The class catalog has the tuition and material fees listed for each class. Payment to the individual instructors is collected in full at the interview for new families. Once you are a part of Credo, you pay the instructors directly. Credo Academy collects a few fees in addition to the instructor's tuition. New families have a one-time, non-refundable, $50 application fee due at the beginning of the interview. Every Credo Academy family pays a registration fee of $25 per semester/class/student. These fees cover the cost of renting the facility, managing the website, maintaining insurance, and purchasing any necessary supplies for Credo Academy.
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Can I get my money back after I register? |
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No, unless an instructor cancels their class. All Credo fees and tuition are non-refundable after the drop deadline. The drop deadline is at the interview for new families. We hope that all the information online, the new family meeting, the family interview, the videos that the Credo contact can send you, and any contact you have had from our volunteers is all you would need to make a firm decision about attending Credo. Your registration is an agreement between you and that instructor for payment, even if your circumstances change and you do not attend the class, you have already committed to pay that instructor. If a teacher cancels a class due to low enrollment, you will get your tuition and Credo fee returned for that class only. In this situation, the Credo fee can also be transferred to another class.
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Does Credo offer a graduation ceremony? |
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Credo Academy does not have its own graduation because the seniors aren’t graduating from Credo, they are graduating from your homeschool. But, the parents of the seniors each year do plan a graduation for the seniors that is held at Credo Academy. It is always a sweet time of celebration for all the families involved. |
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What is the history of Credo Academy? |
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Credo began as a speech club founded by Kim Anderson, who has since gone to be with the Lord. Kim was coaching out of her home when she became increasingly impressed with the need to help and encourage other families to successfully homeschool through high school without government intervention. God gathered a core group of Christian families, and the vision of Credo Academy as a college prep program began. Credo means “I believe” in Latin, and we are a community of committed believers and teachers who desire to do just that. Credo has been around since 2003 and has continued to grow exponentially since then. |