Handbook

Discipleship – Seeking to understand God’s will so that the way we live is transformed by His Spirit. We believe this will be demonstrated through love; love for God and love for our neighbor. (Romans 12:2, Matthew 28:19, John 13:34-35, Mark 12:30-31)

Service - Preparing effective servant leaders who will desire to follow Biblical principles in their interactions with others, fulfill their responsibility toward good citizenship and mission outreach, give their lives in service to God, and impact their families, communities, and world for Christ (John 12:26; Acts 13:36; Colossians 4:5-6)

Critical Thinking - Equipping students to learn and think for themselves with purposeful judgment. Critical thinkers will make decisions on the basis of evidence and good logic and collaborate with others to resolve problems.

Academic Excellence - Empowering all learners to strive for academic excellence through vibrant, creative, and Christ-centered education.

Family-School Partnership - Parents are key to a successful learning experience by the student. The Bible discusses the long term impact on a child’s character as a result of training at a young age. Partnership between home and school enhances the student’s academic growth and character development. (Proverbs 22:6)

PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES

To Seventh-day Adventists, true education goes far beyond the confines of the classroom. It involves a cooperative effort between the home, the church, and the school. It means much more than a preparation to meet the challenges of life on this earth. It integrates a balanced development of four primary aspects of a child’s life: mental, physical, spiritual, and social. It is our purpose at Lexington Adventist Academy to provide a sound, Christ-centered, uniquely Seventh-day Adventist education. The student is taught to cherish the practical teachings of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy while maintaining a high degree of academic excellence.

Based on this philosophy, it is our conviction that Lexington Adventist Academy has been ordained of God and commissioned to fulfill the following objectives:

To lead every student to accept Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior.
To guide each student to develop a daily devotional life.
To develop a love and respect for God’s Word and the Spirit of Prophecy.
To provide a learning environment in the classroom that is conducive to the highest levels of academic achievement for each student.

ADMISSIONS POLICY

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION:

Admission to Lexington Adventist Academy is not denied to anyone because of race, color, nationality, or gender.

ELIGIBILITY:

Although our primary purpose is to educate Seventh-day Adventist young people, we welcome other students who desire to develop a Christian character and to follow the philosophy and policies established by this school.
A child entering kindergarten must be at least five years of age by August 1. A birth certificate is required.
A child entering first grade shall be no less than six years of age by August 1. A birth certificate is required.
Lexington Adventist Academy is not equipped to educate students with certain special needs. We generally recommend that students who have significant scholastic or behavioral needs attend a school equipped to meet their needs.

THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE:

The Admissions Committee is composed of the school board chair, the teaching staff, and the pastor of the church. The Admissions Committee will meet twice a year and as needed otherwise, to review enrollment applications and make recommendations to the school board for final approval.

The first meeting will take place before the end of the school year. At this meeting, the committee will review the names of currently enrolled students and make enrollment recommendations to the school board for the following school year. All parents will be notified of these recommendations.
The second meeting will take place before the July School Board meeting to review the applications of new students. Applications received after this time will be reviewed as they are received.
All students must be recommended for approval by the admissions committee before attending class.
Recommendations will be presented to the School Board for final approval.
New students will be accepted on a probationary basis for at least one quarter.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

New families may access and fill out the application electronically on our website, or an application form may be obtained from the school and must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian.
All necessary forms and records must be on file in the principal’s office before any new students may attend class. These include a financial agreement, consent for treatment, health and immunization records, student pick-up authorization, birth certificate, and transcript request.
All financial obligations as described in the financial section of this Handbook must be met. A full refund will be provided for all applicants who are not accepted.
All new students will be tested for grade placement before final approval.
All new students and their parents will be required to interview with the homeroom teacher.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

GENERAL:

Lexington Adventist Academy is dependent on two main sources of income: tuition payments (including registration fees), and church subsidy. An earnest effort is continuously put forth to keep the cost of attendance low, while at the same time striving to maintain quality and professionalism in our education program. Our goal is to make Christian education an affordable opportunity for everyone. Although the cost may involve some degree of financial sacrifice, it is our belief that the future dividends will be far greater in value than the present investment.

PAYMENT POLICIES:

2023-2024 tuition is divided into ten equal payments from August through May. Payments are due on the 10th day of each month beginning with August.
Tuition must be paid with a check, money order, or by automatic withdrawal. Cash will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the paying party to ensure that sufficient funds are in the account to cover the tuition at the time it is due.
Overdue payment policy:
1. After 10 days – a notice will be sent informing parents that their account is past due and must be paid or satisfactorily addressed.
2. After 15 days – Students will not be permitted to return to classes until their account is paid in full.
There will be a $35 charge on all returned checks.
Tuition payments for students enrolling mid-year will be billed for the number of months enrolled. The total amount due will be divided by the remaining months of school.
Participation in field trips is contingent upon tuition being kept up-to-date.
A 5% tuition discount will be given if registration fees and the entire year’s tuition are paid in full at the time of registration.
It is the policy of KY-TN Conference and this school to withhold all report cards, cumulative records, and diplomas of all students until the last month’s statement is paid in full.
No school board member or school official is authorized to make exceptions to these policies. However, special requests may be submitted to the chair of the school board or to the principal for consideration by the finance committee.

REGISTRATION / TUITION FEES FOR ’23-’24

Grades K-8

A $100 “save my spot” fee is requested for each student at the time of registration. That fee will be applied to the August payment.

Tuition costs include registration fees, field trips, school insurance, and yearbooks.

Annual Tuition, including Family Plan for multiple siblings

1st Student $4500

2nd Student $4100

3rd Student $3700

4th Student $2000

9th/10th Grade Registration / Tuition N/A

TUITION ASSISTANCE:

If needed, request a Financial Assistance Application, fill it out, and return it to the LAA principal or treasurer.
Lexington Church Board Worthy Student Committee will evaluate each application and determine how much this church can assist each family. Families need to ask their church, or other people to help make up the difference.
In order to receive financial assistance, students must be up-to-date on their school assignments and maintain a grade point average of C- (70%) or above.
Parents who qualify for assistance will be expected to help at the school on a regular basis. The treasurer and the principal will give each family a responsibility.
Assistance comes from donors, and is not a discount. A thank-you letter from families will be required yearly to continue receiving assistance. The finance committee will keep a record of thank-you notes turned in.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Punctuality and regular attendance are character traits we wish to develop in each student at LAA. If a student misses school, that child will have the same number of days to make up their work as they were absent from school. (Example: Two days sick, two days to make-up work.) In individual situations, teacher discretion may apply.

Excused absences shall include:

Personal illness
Death in the family
Extreme weather conditions
Religious observances
Circumstances which, in the principal’s judgment, create emergencies over which the student has no control.
Circumstances that are approved by the principal and teacher(s) through a pre-arranged request by the parent.

Parents are required to notify the teacher in the case of unexpected absences or tardies.

It shall be the family’s responsibility to initiate any arrangements for make-up work on the day the student returns from unplanned absences (sickness or emergencies) and at least a week ahead for planned absences (appointments, family travel, etc.). Parental notes or doctor’s office notices shall be required if an absence is to be considered “excused.”

Pre-arranged absences will only be approved during non-testing periods.

A student who has accumulated more than three (3) un-excused absences or ten (10) tardies during a 9-week grading period will be reported to the executive committee for disciplinary action.

ILLNESS POLICY

KY Health Department specifies that students not be allowed to attend school if in the last 24 hours they:

1. are/have vomited

2. had/have diarrhea

3. had/have a temperature at or over 100°F (37.7°C)

Students must be symptom-free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.

►► Please see our separate pandemic policy on the school website.

HOME SCHOOL PARTICIPATION POLICY

Home-school students are allowed to accompany LAA on field trips under these stipulations:

Students must have school insurance*
Parents must sign a permission slip.
Any fees must be submitted before the field trip.
Students must follow all school rules and procedures, including dress code

Overnight trips:

One parent must accompany the student(s).
Parents and students must sign that they will follow all school rules, including dress code, phone use, and curfews as well as rules and procedures of the host (for example, Highland Academy).

* School insurance is required by the conference office for any home school student who participates in any activity with the school. See page 18 for more information.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES:

Classes begin promptly at 8 a.m. Students should arrive between 7:45 and 7:55, and in their seat before 8:00.
Please enter the parking lot at the opposite end of the church and form a line of cars outside Entrance A, near the flagpole.
Someone will open the door at 7:45, and the students in the vehicle at the front of the line may come in. Then other cars should pull forward. Please do not let your students get out until your car is at the front of the line. Please be in the line before 7:55.
Once inside, students should go directly to their classroom and follow their teacher’s procedure.
Parents arriving late should ring the doorbell, come in, and sign a tardy form with the reason for being late.
School will dismiss at 3 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and at 2 p.m. on Friday. Students not picked up within 15 minutes of dismissal will be charged for aftercare.
No one, including family or rides, is permitted to loiter on school property during school hours.
Students should not be left unattended on school property at any time. This is considered negligence by the Commonwealth of KY, and all teachers are lawfully required to report such incidences to CPS.

APPROVED RIDES:

Parents/guardians must provide a list of people who may pick their children up from school. Students will only be allowed to ride with drivers from that list. Arrangements for students to leave school with someone other than their usual ride should be made in advance, outside of school hours. PLEASE notify the teacher in writing ahead of time of such arrangements. A text message is sufficient.

CUSTODY DISPUTES:

In case of a custody dispute, the school will abide by the ruling of the court. The school requires an official copy of any court documents to be on file in the school office.

CURRICULUM

The curriculum consists of instruction in Bible, mathematics, language arts (reading, writing, spelling, grammar, phonics, and penmanship), science, social studies, art, music, and physical education. This curriculum is supplemented by a variety of activities and learning experiences that promote Christian values through worship, service, and leadership experiences. Examples of supplemental programs include:

Choir
Weeks of Prayer
Student involvement in local church services
Weekly chapel programs
Recreational activities
Field trips
Music Festival (grades 6-8)
Acrofest (grades 5-8)
Social Studies, Science, Art, and Literacy Events
Outdoor school (grades 5-6 in spring, 7-8 in fall)
Foreign Language (when possible; should be Spanish this year)
Conservation Officer Assembly 5 times per year

EVALUATION

The school year is divided into four quarters or grading periods. Progress reports will be issued after each grading period. Grade markings are determined by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, and the “key” is located on the report card.

TESTING

LAA, in cooperation with the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference Department of Education uses MAP Growth tests three times each year for all grades and MAP Fluency (oral reading) tests for grades K-4. Map Growth consists of 4 tests: science, mathematics, language usage, and reading. We discuss scores with students and will provide parents with test results. We also use WrAP testing for grades 3, 5, and 7 once per year to evaluate writing skills.

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

It has been determined that behavior and learning can be affected by the way a person dresses. While the choice of clothing and personal appearance is ultimately an individual matter, certain standards need to be taken into consideration. Six broad principles serve as guidelines for personal appearance:

Modesty
Cleanliness
A clear gender distinction
Simplicity
Neatness
Healthfulness

UNIFORM POLICY

In accordance with our goal for excellence, we ask that students wear uniform style slacks (or skirts/jumpers for girls) in khaki, navy blue, or black, collared polo shirts in black, white, navy blue, or light blue. Students need to wear appropriate shoes during recess and PE class. We ask that students not wear jewelry (including hair elastic on the wrist), nail polish or “fake” nails, or any kind of tattoos, stamps, or markings on their skin. Hair should be a natural color. Dress and hair should not be a distraction for the student or for anyone else. For more uniform information, see the full dress policy in our application packet.

Outdoor jackets should be hung in the hallway when students enter the classroom. During cool weather, students should wear long sleeve shirts, or they may wear a uniform cardigan or jacket. The thermostat is usually set at 70-72 degrees year round.

DISCIPLINE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Good school discipline encourages active and cooperative participation by each student. Teachers will follow the policies of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference Department of Education.

GENERAL RULES OF CONDUCT: The following apply to every school-sponsored event:

Reverence for God, Respect for others, and Responsibility for one’s actions are the three R’s of student conduct at Lexington Adventist Academy.
Obedience is expected.
Conduct in the classroom should contribute to the learning environment. Students are expected to behave in a way as to not degrade themselves or others (such as bullying or harassment).
Students are not to bring the following items to school (unless approved in advance by the teacher):

Toys, skates, skate-shoes, skateboards, etc
Chewing gum
Objectionable print material (including comic books, manga, science fiction and such)
Electronics (An exception is made for cell phones, which must be given to the teacher upon arrival and retrieved at dismissal.)
Non-educational playing cards or trading (for example sports) cards

The school telephone is a business phone and is to be used by students only in emergencies. Parents are requested to call during school hours only for emergencies. For non-emergency calls, parents are requested to call during the student’s lunch break or during non-classroom hours.
Students are to be in their classroom during school hours only. No student should loiter in the classroom when the class has gone to lunch, PE, chapel, or anywhere.

DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE:

Teachers have discretion to refer any discipline problem to the discipline committee.
Misconduct or violation of classroom rules will result in a conference with the parent.
Three non-major violations will lead to suspension from school for the time period determined by the discipline committee.
Lack of significant improvement in behavior may result in a recommendation to the school board for expulsion.
If a violation of state or federal law has occurred, parents, school board chairperson, and the appropriate law enforcement agency will be notified by the discipline committee.

SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION:

Serious violations of school rules and regulations will result in suspension or expulsion. Suspensions longer than 3 days are determined by the disciplinary committee. The committee may also recommend to the school board that a student be dismissed from school immediately. Serious violations of school rules include, but are not limited to:

Possession or use of tobacco, alcohol or illegal drugs.
Gambling.
Using profane, threatening, or vulgar language.
Possessing or displaying pornography.
Engaging in lewd or suggestive conduct.
Possession of weapons, including but not limited to, guns, knives or fireworks.
Leaving the school grounds without the authorization of the principal or homeroom teacher.
Intentional defacing or destruction of any property.
Stealing.
Immoral sexual conduct or inappropriate display of affection.
Verbal and/or physical abuse.
Sacrilegious or irreverent attitudes or conduct.
Inappropriate conduct outside the school which could negatively affect the reputation of the school.
Dishonesty, willful deception, or cheating.
Experimenting with or dealing with the occult, astrology, or psychic phenomenon.
Repeated or extreme incidents of bullying or harassment. A person is bullied when he/she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he/she has difficulty defending himself/herself.

Students are encouraged to communicate with teachers any violations of stated policies they observed as soon as they occur.

Lexington Adventist Academy wants students to feel safe and to be able to grow academically, socially, and spiritually. The guidelines above may not speak to every aspect of the atmosphere we wish to provide, but are a minimum. If you choose not to abide by the guidelines we believe foster that environment, or if your goals are outside of our mission and values (see page 3), we would honor your choice to enroll elsewhere.

SCHOOL PROPERTY:

Parents or guardians will be held financially responsible for any damage to school property or another student’s belongings resulting from willful destruction or careless treatment by the student.

Desks and book bags (backpacks) are subject to search by the administration. When a search is considered necessary, it will be done, with or without the consent of the student. Searches will be conducted with at least two members of the staff or school board present.

COMPUTER POLICY

Computers and iPads at Lexington Adventist Academy are to be an integral component of teaching and learning. While Internet access is planned for educational purposes under close supervision, students may find ways to access unacceptable material. We believe the benefits to a student’s education outweigh the disadvantages; however, the students are expected to use all technology in a manner that promotes academic integrity and the school’s mission. Parents, guardians, and school personnel are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that students must follow when using media and information sources.

Students are responsible for good behavior on the school computer network. The network is provided for students to conduct research and to communicate with others in relation to schoolwork. Access to network services is given to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner. Access is a privilege, not a right. Acceptable-use guidelines are outlined in the LAA Network Policy, to be signed by both student and parent/guardian. The school board, faculty, and staff of Lexington Adventist Academy may deny, revoke, or suspend specific user accounts deemed out of compliance.

The primary purpose of the LAA Internet is to support those engaged in academic work. Users must:

Adhere to all laws concerning the use and distribution of copyrighted software.
Use appropriate and respectful language and behavior on the internet.
Be fully responsible for their accounts.
Use information in an ethical manner; including rules governing plagiarism.
Use e-mail wisely and as an educational resource.
Show respect for Lexington Adventist Academy network equipment and facilities.

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Parents are responsible to provide adequate, healthy breakfasts for students every morning. Students should come to school well-rested and clean, with clean clothes.

LUNCHES:

Good nutrition is critical to the learning environment. Healthy eating enables better concentration and good behavior. Healthy eating also allows for fewer absences due to sickness. LAA students should bring a nourishing lunch to school including, but not limited to fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, and other nutritious foods. Unhealthy food choices such as candy, desserts, sodas, chips, and other “junk” food are discouraged and should be limited or avoided. Fast food lunches are discouraged. Please exclude all caffeinated beverages.

Students may bring foods that need only minimal heating in the microwave. There is not time to cook and eat a meal!

As Seventh-day Adventists, we follow a diet consistent with the guidelines given in Leviticus 11. When preparing lunches, please exclude unclean meats such as shellfish, ham, pepperoni, sausage, and other pork products. Any hot lunches or other food served by the school are vegetarian.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:

A medical examination will be required for all students entering kindergarten, seventh grade, or students who are new to the Southern Union educational system. Results must be submitted to the school before student may attend class.

IMMUNIZATION:

All students are required by law to have a current immunization list from their doctor or an exemption certificate from the county before student may attend class. Fayette County Health Department will inspect the immunizations records for new students and 7th graders. Students out of immunization compliance WILL NOT be allowed to attend school until immunization is updated.

INSURANCE:

Lexington Adventist Academy, in cooperation with the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, provides all of its students a secondary insurance coverage. If a parent does not have a primary insurance carrier, the school insurance company will make payments according to its benefit limits policy. A copy of this policy will be made available to parents upon request. In the case of any accident during school, the school can provide parents with the form to request coverage.

FIRST AID:

When a student is ill or has been injured, the teacher will follow state and conference guidelines.

EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND MEDICATION CONSENT:

The school will maintain a file with authorization for treatment by a physician in case of an emergency. No over-the-counter medication can or will ever be supplied or administered by the teacher, even in the case of an emergency. In order to get emergency care, the provided form must be completely filled out on both sides and signed by the parent or guardian.

If students need to take medication of any kind (including cough drops!), they need a note from parents telling what time the next dose should be given. All medication must be given to a teacher and stored in the principal’s office. All prescription medicine must be in the original bottle.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

INCLEMENT WEATHER:

If weather becomes dangerous during the school day, parents will be called to pick up their children.
The school board chair and principal will make a decision and notify parents in the morning if a snow day will be observed.

FIRE AND TORNADO DRILLS:

Fire drills will be conducted monthly. Tornado drills will be conducted during the months of March, April, and May. Teachers will review procedures of these emergency drills with their students. The bell system used in these drills is not to be tampered with by any student.

ASBESTOS UPDATE

Lexington Junior Academy has an asbestos management plan available for perusal upon request to the school board chairman.

THE HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

The Home and School Association’s mission is to plan programs that promote parental involvement in the academic, physical, moral, and spiritual development of the students. Active support is encouraged and appreciated.

PARENT COMMITMENT

One of the great strengths of our school is the level of parent involvement. In addition to the opportunities for classroom assistance, parents are encouraged to support and reinforce classroom policies at home. Many events are planned throughout the year to supplement the student’s education experience. Parents are expected to attend as many of these as possible and participate in coordinating and/or volunteering support when available.

Volunteer opportunities could include driving for field trips, preparing hot lunch, helping with work bees and fundraisers, or with general maintenance requests, etc.

VISITATION:

Parents are always welcome at the school. However, visits must be arranged in advance with the teacher. Preschool children should visit school only with adult supervision. Unenrolled students must also prearrange visits.

COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES:

If a parent has a commendation, question or concern, we request that the following procedure be followed:

Complete an “Affirmation/Complaint” Form stating areas of strength in the teacher’s program and your areas of concern.
Arrange for a meeting with the teacher and share what you have written on the form.
If a problem persists or a concern is unresolved, take the form to the head teacher who will arrange a meeting of all parties involved.

If the problem is still not resolved, you may request that the head teacher contact the school board chairperson.

VOLUNTEERS

All NAD organizations require registering with Sterling Volunteers by watching an abuse recognition course and submitting information for a background check. Any adult who comes into the building during school hours or accompanies students on any outing must have a current certification through the conference office. Certifications must be renewed every 3 years. New volunteers must complete the program at least 2 weeks prior to any event or other participation. Please see the principal for information or instructions about this program.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

Regular school board meetings are open to constituents and parents of current students except during executive session. If any parent has an item he or she wishes to present to the school board, this item must be presented to the board chairperson or head teacher at least one week before a scheduled board meeting. Agenda items will appear at the discretion of the school board chairperson.

FACULTY

Mrs. Debra Ito Upper Grades, Head Teacher

Mrs. Bonnie Speicher Lower Grades

SCHOOL BOARD

Clayton Bunnell

William Little, pastor

Debra Ito, principal

Chuck McDermott

Roberta Parker

Yesenia Rayon

Doreen Squier, chair

Ginny Sutter

LeAnn Terrell

This list will be updated in the next few months.

We are in the process of electing new members.