School Guidelines

Clear, simple answers to help you understand school policies quickly and easily.

white wheat in close up photography

Our Vision

We believe children are successful when they are in a caring structured environment. Our vision at Christian Roots Academy is to provide a program that focuses on the whole child, from their early education to growing a relationship with Jesus. Our loving Christian environment supports and encourages play and friendship

ATTENDANCE

Parents check-in and out students through the Brightwheel App.
We do not keep an attendance record, students are checked in/out for safety reasons.

ABSENCES

Parents should notify the classroom teacher by phone or text before 9 AM.

DRESS CODE

Romans 14:13
Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.
We want all students to wear what they consider modest clothes appropriate for church.
Clothes must not contain profanity or unGodly images.

The term modest means= Pertaining to clothing or conduct that is considered decent, conservative, or morally appropriate.

ELECTRONICS

Seeds Classroom - if a parent needs to reach their student, please contact the teacher.
Sprouts Classroom student are required to bring a laptop or iPad.
Oaks, Forest, and Harvest Classrooms are required to bring a laptop.
Other Personal devices (phones, watches, etc) are allowed only during breaks and lunch. Items must be silenced and not create a distraction. If inappropriate images are discovered on the device by staff, then the device will be ban for all students.

HOMEWORK

We do not have homework. If a student wants to do work at home, they have access to their programs online.

CONTACT TEACHERS

Teachers are available via text or through a scheduled meeting after school hours.

EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY

Christian Roots Academy believes that children should learn at their pace. We believe that God gives us each special understanding (Exodus 31:1-12) and some subjects we may grasp quickly, while other subjects may take us longer. We also believe that friendships and community is very important to help develop social & emotional skills, character, and critical thinking. Students are socializing amongst their peers (within a 2-4 year range), but each student independently learns their Language Arts, Math, and Foreign Language lessons from an online program, and then students learn together in a group for all other lessons.

As an example 5 year old Timmy excels in Reading moving at a pace that surpasses his peers and is at a level equivalent to 3rd grade in public school. In public schools, Timmy would remain with his Kindergarten class and be forced to continue learning the same material he has already mastered. In fact, he would have to continue on this slower path for years, stunting his accelerated growth in reading and holding him back just to “suit the others”.

Public schools puts an academic placeholder on a child's age and groups them together assuming all children learn the same thing at the same time. CRA removes the academic placeholder and allows children to continue to soar in any subject building their confidence and fostering their excitement in learning.

Another example is 6 year old Mary who loves science and math, but has a hard time reading. In public school, she would be placed in 1st grade and she’ll continue to struggle as she has yet to master the fundamentals of reading. Mary’s challenges may go unnoticed amongst a class of 25 students, placing her further and further behind her peers. Her parents may not realize she’s behind either, if they don’t have a way to compare her progression and they are simply encouraging her current skills. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data indicates that two-thirds of fourth and eighth graders in the US are not reading proficiently, according to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Inability to read proficiently can hinder a student's ability to learn in other subjects, as reading is a foundational skill for accessing information and developing critical thinking.

Thankfully, Mary attends Sprouts where we monitor individual progress. In Mary’s assessment, we find she has several gaps in reading fundamental knowledge and start her at level that fills the gaps. This allows her to regain confidence and begin to progress again. In fact, Mary can continue to progress at a pace she is comfortable with and soon she not only meets the public school requirements for her age, the next year at Sprouts she exceeds in reading and surpasses where she would be in public school.

NON-DISCRIMINATORY
DAYS & HOURS

Enrollment to Christian Roots Academy is open to any child without discrimination regarding sex, race, ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs, provided that our program meets the child’s needs.

We are a Private Christian Academy and practice Christianity through Bible scriptures, Bible stories, praying, and worship. We believe children should be engaging with Jesus daily. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Direct children onto the right path and when they are older, they will not depart from it.” Each morning our class opens in prayer and ends in worship.

Seeds - Monday through Friday 8:00a-3:00p
Sprouts - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00a-2:30p
Oaks - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00a-2:30p
Forest - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00a-2:30p
Harvest - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8:00a-2:30p
Stay & Play - 3:00-4:00p offered $10 per day

HOMESCHOOL CO-OP

If your family needs more engagement, for non-school days we recommend a Homeschool Co-op, there are some that offer a drop-off and some that need parent participation.

*A co-op or extra-curricular club will have it’s own schedule and is not affiliated to Christian Roots Academy.

MONDAYS & FRIDAYS (non-Seeds)

Tuition is due by the first day of each month. Your invoice can be found in Brightwheel.
Tuition begins the first month you start through May. Full tuition is due regardless of the number of school days in each month.

Any tuition paid after the first of the month will be subject to a $25 late fee per day. If tuition payment fails and is returned, a $35 fee will be issued.

Because this is a private homeschool, the Texas law does not require us to meet a certain number of days for education. Therefore, you also have the opportunity to have your child work remotely at your discretion. We do not give credits or refunds for absences including vacations, illness, or holidays. Credit will not be given if the school must close due to weather events, national emergencies, pandemics, or any events beyond the school’s control. However, we can easily host video school in those cases giving students some interactive stimulation with each other.

Seeds: 5-day program = $800/month; 3-day program = $480/month; 2-day program = $320/month

Sprouts: $480/month

Oaks | Forest | Harvest: we expect these to also be $480/month

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

On Mondays, we do not currently offer any meet-ups, but if the majority of families need this option, we may consider adding it as a paid option; In addition, sometimes a family in our program may open their doors for non-school day drop-off.

On Fridays, the campus offers a Fun Friday Program at $50 per occurrence - this is structured play without an educational component (we still having learning opportunities like Art, Music, Bible, Worship, et). Once a month, a group field trip will be scheduled on a Friday, these events can be drop-off, but we will need a parent volunteer to help keep track of the students.

TUITION

Registration Fee per student per school year is $75. The Registration fee secure’s your student’s spot at CRA. (Due after March and before the student starts school)

School Supply Fee $100 - due twice a year, first payment is due with the initial tuition payment (August) and again in January.

The Curriculum cost is variable, we ask parents to budget an additional $450* per student per year for the initial courses. This is due by the initial payment (August) and any overpayment is credited to Septembers tuition.

Laptops & iPads: Students (other than Seeds) are required to have a laptop or iPad for self-paced learning programs. If a family needs help with this purchase, then please let us know. Items left at school will be locked up.

ADDITIONAL FEES

Extra-curricular activities for children to participate in (such as sports; band or orchestra; and special interests) can be found by doing a web-search for what you're looking for in your area. As an example, we have found organizations in the Denton area suchs as I-9 Sports, DBBI, YMCA, Denton Homeschool Orchestra, Youth Symphony of Denton, Denton Chess Club, Curtain Call Productions (for drama interest), etc.

*A co-op or extra-curricular club will have it’s own schedule and is not affiliated to Christian Roots Academy.

REGISTRATION & PRIORITY

The 2026/2027 School Year Program is from August 11– May 20 (37 weeks).

Registration is currently OPEN for the 2026/2027 school year.

Sprouts 1st year of operation was the 2025/2026 school year. Current Sprouts students will be given priority Registration through April for the upcoming school year.
Siblings enrolled at Christian Roots Academy will have secondary Registration priority beginning in April for the upcoming school year. Standard Registration will open in June of the upcoming school year for all other families.

Enrollment is fulfilled on a first come basis. Once enrollment is full, your child will be placed on a waiting list. If a spot becomes available throughout the year, we begin contacting families on our wait list. We understand you cannot hold your child's education, so if you would like to be removed from the waitlist, please let us know.

Per Texas Law, there is no limit to the number of students in a private homeschool. However, Christian Roots Academy has elected to keep our student count between 8 and 10 (depending on student dynamics) and max count at 12 before a second classroom is needed. We believe that a smaller classroom setting helps children to become more successful. It allows for more one-on-one interaction with each child and there are greater opportunities to differentiate each student’s needs.

LAPTOP & iPAD NOTES

Students are responsible for their laptop or iPad when it’s in their possession. A student may choose to take their laptop or iPad with them at any time (away from school or on school property including outdoors). If a laptop or iPad is misused or abused on purpose or by accident, a student will be need to replace a non-functioning device within a week. A loner device can be provided during this short window with a refundable $100 fee. Parents, you are financially responsible for your child’s laptop or iPad. While we teach the importance of respecting items, parents are ultimately responsible for their child’s actions towards property.

The student MUST have a working laptop to complete Language Arts, Math, and Foreign Language subjects. In the event that a laptop is left at home or damaged. The student will have a workbook they can borrow while the other students are taking part in their online lessons. For damaged laptops, a repair will be scheduled as soon as possible. We do not have spare laptops. We can recommend a personal iPad as a short-term solution to access online lessons.
Laptops can be locked-up and stored at CRA before & after school hours.

A student may use the same laptop for the years they attend Christian Roots Academy (between the ages of 5 and 18), as long as the laptop remains in good working condition.

Policies & Guidelines

TEACHING METHODS

Spiral Learning: This is where a student learns a few facts about subject A, then a few facts about subject B, then subject C and so forth. Eventually the curriculum circles back to subject A again to review the previous facts and provide additional facts. Then onwards to revisit subject B and so on and so on. Essentially building up knowledge of a subject. Pros: Provides repeated exposure to material, can be engaging, and allows students to see the interconnectedness of concepts. Cons: May lead to superficial understanding if concepts are not revisited in sufficient depth, can be challenging to assess true mastery, does not expose any gaps in learning.

Mastery Learning: This approach focuses on subject A to learn all the facts at once, then review the facts to ensure the students have complete understanding before moving on to subject B. Pros: Leads to strong foundational knowledge and the ability to apply concepts in different situations. Cons: Can be slower-paced, may not suit all learning styles, and might miss opportunities to connect concepts.

At CRA we use a combination of spiral and mastery, with our primary focus as mastery style. We ensure students are retaining what they have learned through subject reviews along with activities that reinforce the use of past information (spiral).

VACCINES

We believe vaccinations are a choice, not a requirement. We do not require proof of vaccinations to attend Christian Roots Academy.

MEDICATION

Christian Roots Academy does not administer medication to students. If your child is taking medications, please plan accordingly to give it to them before or after school.

HYGIENE

  1. All students must be potty trained

  2. All students must wear proper clothing and footwear

    1. In all cases of hardship, please let your teacher or staff know

  3. All students must be groomed, bathed, etc.

PUBLIC SCHOOL EQUIVALENT

CRA does not easily rely on labeling a student “Kindergarten” or “First-Grade”, etc. However, we understand it is easier to communicate to others with school-aged children where your child’s age aligns within public education.

The Texas public school system classifies children in this way:

Age 5-6 is considered Kindergarten
Age 6-7 is considered First-Grade
Age 7-8 is considered Second-Grade
Age 8-9 is considered Third-Grade
Age 9-10 is considered Fourth-Grade
Age 10-11 is considered Fifth-Grade
Age 11-12 is considered Sixth-Grade
Age 12-13 is considered Seventh-Grade
Age 13-14 is considered Eight-Grade
Age 14-15 is considered Ninth-Grade
Age 15-16 is considered Tenth-Grade
Age 16-17 is considered Eleventh-Grade
Age 17-18 is considered Twelvth-Grade

As a part of Christian Roots Academy, our students fall into:
Level 1: Mustard Seeds (ages 3-5)
Level 2: Sprouts (ages 5-9)
Level 3: Mighty Oaks (ages 9-11)
Level 4: Forest (ages 11-14)
Level 5: Harvest (ages 14-18)

This allows students to learn at their own pace, but mingle amongst peers and mentors.

GRADING

You will have access to the student log-in for the online programs in order to check your child’s progression. You can see what your child is excelling in or where they may need extra time. You’re also welcome to join us any day to observe class.

In Level 2, at Sprouts, we want to boost your child’s confidence. We also want to ensure they are having fun learning. While they may hear corrections, we truly believe in praising great efforts, accurate answers, and behavior. Letting grades guide us on where to focus extra time. Grades help nurture and challenge little learners.

I also pass out report cards so you and your student can take advantage of “good-grade” programs across town.

SCHOOL CLOSURE PROCEDURES

Credit will not be given if the school must close due to weather events, national emergencies, pandemics, or any events beyond the school’s control. The Events Calendar also show when the school will be closed for scheduled events, and parents should plan accordingly. In emergency closure events, we can easily host video school in certain cases giving students some interactive stimulation with each other.

In the event of the following circumstances, please follow these instructions:

  • Teacher Illness - We will do our best to keep the school schedule, but may need to modify the activities of the day with an associate teacher.

  • Inclement Weather - we don’t count absentee or tardies, so there is no need to take a risk and drive in bad conditions. Let me know what your plans are. Be safe.

  • Tornado Warnings - if your child is in our care, we will seek safety in the bathroom.

  • Fire - we practice safely exiting the building. And, if safe, we will be directly across the street.

  • Power Outage - we can operate 1/2 of our programs without electricity. Feel free to come as normal. If the temperatures become too high/low, we will let you know as we may decide to meet at an alternative location. If the power is out for longer than 48-hours, we will reach out to parents for alternative arrangements.

  • National Emergencies Type A - if citizens are instructed to shelter-in-place, then please abide by that and stay home with your child. In cases where this news occurs while your child is in our care, then we will remain here until you can reach us.

  • National Emergencies Type B - if citizens are instructed to immediately evacuate (in a certain direction) and your child is in our care - we will obviously try to communicate with you, but in the case where channels are down and time is of the utmost importance:

    • North - we will go to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma a 4 hours drive north towards Tulsa. My Dad lives there.

    • South - we will go to Houston, where my Aunt lives.

    • West (or higher ground) we will head towards Lubbock

    • East - we will head towards Shreveport

    • If no specific direction is given, but we feel the Dallas metroplex (and Denton) is unsafe then we will head North to Bells, TX (just past Sherman, TX) where we have family.

  • National Emergencies Type C - citizens are instructed to seek Fallout Shelter. If your student is in our care, then we will go to the Fallout Shelter at University Union for UNT at 1155 Union Cir, Denton, TX 76203. Please meet us there as soon as you can, when it's safe.

WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE EVER HAVING TO USE ANY NATIONAL EMERGENCY PLANS, however, it is always better to be prepared with a plan.

TERMINATION

In certain circumstances we are sad that it may be necessary to terminate a child’s enrollment. This may come as a result of the child’s behavior being a danger to themself, other children, or teachers. Other incidents may include disrespect toward teachers by parents, continued violation of school policies, failure to pay tuition, or an inability to meet the child’s needs.

The first month of enrollment is a trial period and CRA may unenroll a child if we see that the child is not a good fit for our program. In this first month trial, if we terminate your child within the first month, we will refund the enrollment fee - totaling $75; after the first month there is no refund. The supply fee, monthly tuition and curriculum is non-refundable. In the case where You need to terminate your child's enrollment, there is no refund given.

ITEMS TO BRING DAILY

Each student must bring to school every day:

  • backpack

  • Laptop or iPad

  • Headphones

  • water bottle with name written on it (only water should be filled in it)

  • lunchbox

  • Seeds children also need a change of clothes

While not required, we also recommend the following:

  • sweater, jacket, or blanket

PLEASE DO NOT BRING ANY TOYS FROM HOME unless…your child needs a fidget/safety toy and it’s discussed in advanced OR we are having show & tell.

Each child will be assigned a bin where they put their items. They are allowed to keep items here overnight, but we are not responsible for washing anything left here (i.e water bottles). If a child brings a cell phone, smart watch, or other similar devices - they can keep this with them as long it's not a distraction. If it becomes a distraction for them or others, we will ask them to leave it in their bin until the end of the day.

LUNCH & SNACKS

Parents are responsible for feeding their child breakfast before school and providing their child’s food each day. We encourage parents to provide a healthy lunch and snack. Carbonated beverages and candy are not allowed. All foods must be considered "picnic" ready, which means eaten without refrigeration. The school is not responsible for the nutritional value of the food each child brings to school.

If there is an allergy and our class needs to be (Allergy)-Free, each family will be notified.

The school provides additional water for all children.

A Snack is also provided to Seeds students. All other classrooms may bring their own snacks.

PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEO

Pictures and videos taken of children during the school year will be used for school purposes. You may optout of your child’s pictures used on our website and school Facebook page.

PARENT COMMUNICATION

Parents/guardians may visit the school at any time during hours of operation to observe their child, daily activities, and play. Come join your student for lunch whenever you want. Parents are also free to text the teacher or any staff concerning your child or school programs. Please give ample time for a response. If the matter is urgent, please call multiple times.

PARENT NOTIFICATION

CRA may choose to update the Operational Policies and Procedures (Student & Parent Guidelines). If there are any changes, you will be emailed the change.

COMMUNICATION

At CRA, we believe that close communication with each family ensures the success of our students. Parents will receive notice with information about home related or community activities, school information, and upcoming events. We welcome you to have a conversation with us about your needs and desires for your child.

FAMILY EXPECTATIONS

Just as we set guidelines for appropriate behavior of children, we also must ensure that parents and other adults who come to our school know what our expectations are in terms of their interaction with us, other children, and other parents.

Parents/guardians and their guests must use appropriate language while in our home or on the play areas.

DISCUSSING POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Parents are welcome to contact the CRA with any questions they may have regarding their child’s care or about any of our policies.

ABUSE & NEGLECT

CRA will ensure annual training is completed by all employees to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect of children. Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-252-5400

LOST & FOUND

Please be sure to label items that your child brings to school, it is much easier to return lost items if it is labeled. If your child is missing anything, please inquire with us.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

CRA strongly believes and supports the need for physical activity each day. Our program has many opportunities for physical activity throughout the day. All children will have outdoor play each day the weather permits. Children will have ample opportunity to do moderate to vigorous activities, such as running, climbing, dancing, skipping, and jumping.

In addition, all children will participate each day in structured, teacher-led activities or games that promote movement over the course of the day, and continuous opportunities to develop and practice age-appropriate gross motor and movement skills. Physical activity may take place inside or out.

During warmer months, children will participate in water activities such as water tables and sprinkler play.

SUNSCREEN & INSECT REPELLENT

CRA teachers can help apply sunscreen and insect repellent provided by the parent to our younger students. Your child’s name must be written on it. Sunscreen and insect repellent must be in spray form. Older students are recommended to bring some as well, but may apply it themselves.

PARENT RIGHTS

A parent or guardian of a child has the right to:

  • enter and examine the facility during the hours of operation

  • obtain a copy of the policies and procedures

  • have the facility comply with a court order preventing another parent or guardian from visiting or picking up a child

  • Request to schedule a meeting with any faculty member.

CELEBRATIONS

CRA loves to celebrate and make children feel special on their birthday! You are welcome to bring snacks or cupcakes to share with the class. All items must be store bought. You will be notified of any diet restrictions or allergies the class may have.

Holiday parties are a fun and essential part of the early childhood classroom. There will be several celebrations throughout the year. Parents are encouraged to help with donating specific snack items for the parties. A note will be sent home for more information.

OUTSIDE PLAY

Our students will have outside recess time each day as the weather permits. Our class will have proper supervision during play time.

ANIMALS

Christian Roots Academy will have a working farm, including livestock. As this portion of our school grows, so will this area of guidelines. If your child has a severe allergy to any items found on a farm (grass, trees, dust, animal dander, hay, latex gloves, rubber gloves, etc.) then please let us know so we can make alternative arrangements.

SECURITY

Students are secured inside the house during school hours. We have an automatic lock on the front door that activates after a couple minutes of being unlocked. We also have a deadbolt lock on each outside facing door - this lock is "open" on the front door during school hours to allow parents to come & go. And only unlocked when in use.

Inside & Outside the house we have several cameras ensuring we can look in on students even while we are not present in the same space. We have a fenced yard. We have a quiet place for students who may get overwhelmed by noise (and we can also offer earphones). We utilize 4 different spaces within the home to help students separate whenever needed (introvert, conflict, etc). Finally, you are able to drop-by anytime to check on your child or observe/participate with class.

DISCIPLINE & GUIDANCE

The behavior management system we use in our classroom is “Green Choices and Red Choices.” It is a positive approach to behavior and a universal support to all students in the classroom. Green Choices are good behaviors, worded in a positive way. They are the choices we want our students to make, like “gentle hands” and “use kind words.” Green and Red Choices focus on the choice rather than the child. We have the Green Choices visible in the classroom that we discuss each day. We strive to use positive methods of correction and guidance that encourage self-esteem and self-control. Students are given praise and encouragement for positive behavior and making green choices, and we try to minimize our attention towards unacceptable behavior. Each morning, we remind children of behavior expectations by using clear, positive statements and reviewing our green choices and 10 commandments. CRA will not use harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment towards any child.

In cases where a student is constantly making Red choices, we may apply a time-out during recess. When we have a working farm, we may use weed-pulling or stall-mucking as an undesirable chore.

ILLNESS & EXCLUSIONS

Your child’s health is important to us. Precautions are taken to safeguard the health of all children enrolled. If your child becomes ill at school, we will immediately contact you and ask you to come pick up your child within 30-minutes of being notified. Symptoms and signs of illness include: a temperature of 100+ degrees, unknown rash, lice, vomiting, pink eye, and diarrhea. Children must stay at home until he/she is free from symptoms for 24 hours. Parents should notify the school if their child is out sick due to communicable disease so that the school can take the necessary precautions. CRA will immediately notify parents, if any communicable disease has affected our school.

For general absences, please notify us.

MINOR ACCIDENTS

If your child suffers a minor injury in school, we will treat the injury and let you know what happened. In the event of an injury involving the child’s head or leaving a significant mark, the parent will be contacted immediately.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL

In the case of a more severe injury the appropriate first aid measures will be taken immediately to care for the child, the parents will be notified, and if necessary, parents will be asked to pick up the child for further medical treatment. Emergencies may result in a call to 911. It is very important that all telephone numbers and emergency information be kept current so that parents can be reached. If cell phone numbers have been provided to the school, please be sure cell phones are turned on while your child is attending school. In the case of emergency, parents will be notified by phone.

Allergy Action Plan

CRA will make every reasonable effort to meet the needs of children with severe allergies. Please indicate on the enrollment form if your child has severe allergies that require specific protocols such as antihistamine and/or EPI pen. Sprout can administer an EPI pen for a life-threatening allergic reaction.

PROCEDURE FOR RELEASE OF CHILDREN

Drop Off Procedure Standard drop off time is between 8:00a and 9:30a.

  1. Park on the driveway or along the curb.

  2. Please walk your child into the house.

  3. Once inside use the Brightwheel App to check in your child.

Note: We ask all students to arrive by 9:30a, if drop-offs after 9:30 become frequent, then there will be a late drop-off fee of $25.

Pick Up Procedure Standard pick up time is between 2:00p and 2:30p.

  1. Park on the driveway or along the curb.

  2. Use the Brightwheel App to check out your child.

  3. Please walk your child out of the house or yard (wherever we may end our day).

In the case that we do not recognize the person picking up, we will ask for identification. The person picking up must be an authorized person to pick up and be on the pickup list.

Our regular program hours are 8:00-2:30. Please be on time to pick up your child. Any children picked up after 2:30 will incur a late fee of $1 per minute. Frequent tardiness will result in an additional $25 charge. The exception is if your child has a sibling in the Seeds program, then they may both be picked up at 3:00p without any extra fees.

Stay & Play (2:30p-4:00p) is available for $10 per day and may be added on in advance or the day-of.

Growing with Jesus from the very first day.

CONTACT

Christian Roots Academy

3137 Breton Dr., Denton, TX 76210

(C) 2026 Seeds-A faith-rooted school where every child is known, loved, and growing.

Each child is a gift from God

940.300.8149

sofiamarshall@yahoo.com

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