FAQS

1. How do I request my transcript?

We have an online transcript request on the Alumni page.

Unless otherwise stated, the students wear their school uniform every day. The exceptions to this are listed below.

• Full Casual Days – Full casual days will be announced by the Academy Principal, Mr. Wagenschutz, for the entire Academy. Also, students who attend specific events may earn casual days for attending. A list will be sent to teachers detailing which students attended and received a casual day. This is usually given for attending a special sporting event.
• Spirit Wear – On Fridays students can wear a RBCS spirit shirt and jeans. The spirit shirt can be a team shirt, or any RBCS shirt.
• Game Days – If your student plays a sport, they are allowed to wear their team shirt with their uniform bottoms. The team shirt is provided in the player pack at the beginning of the season.

1. What time do I drop off and pick up my student?

You may drop off your student at any campus as early as 7:45am.

Pick up for the Crestview campus and main Niceville campus is 3:10pm. Pickup for middle schoolers at The Keep is 3:00pm.

2. Where do I drop off and pick up my 9-12th grade student?

You will drop off and pick up your student on either side of the covered pavilion between the Saxon Building and the main Academy Building.

3. Where will my student go for the bus?

We do not offer bus service at the Crestview campus.

Bus riders on the main campus will hop on their bus in front of the elementary buildings. The buses will leave the main campus and head to The Keep to pick up middle schoolers next.

4. Do I have to sign up for bus service?

Yes, there is an annual transportation fee associated with bus service.

1. How long does the average application take to process from start to finish?

On average, an application made from February to July will take 4-6 weeks to complete. This time is spent collecting documentation, grade placement testing, and scheduling a family interview and subsequent financial appointment. The Admission Office expects to process around 700 applications during those six months and attempts to give personal service to each family in an efficient and supportive timeline. During the school year, applications can take 2-3 weeks to complete and are accepted from August to November. The Admission Office processes around 50 applications within these months.

2. Do you offer scholarships or tuition assistance?

Yes. Scholarships & Tuition Assistance

1. What does early reading success mean to Rocky?

• K5 graduates are reading short vowel words with fluency, long vowel words that have the two-vowel phonics rule, and the knowledge of about 60-100 sight words.
• Teachers expose students to compound words and words with suffixes.
• Strategies are used to introduce students to the two main components of reading: decoding and comprehension.
• Our reading average is in the 93rd percentile according to national standards.

2. What About Math?

• Instruction is delivered in a small student/teacher ration which provides more mediation that state schools on a daily basis.
• Our K5 Math average is in the 80th percentile according to national standards.

3. Is playtime important?

• Research studies support the belief that unstructured playtime for children has a positive impact on increased test scores.
• Playtime helps develop creativity and problem solving skills.
• K5 students will receive at least one hour of playtime every day.

4. What type of hands on projects are incorporated into the curriculum?

• A STEM activity day is scheduled each semester.
• Our curriculum puts an emphasis on hands on activities. Our teachers have many classroom projects throughout the year that require problem solving, creativity, and collaborative work.
• K5 students also get to experience the power of serving by traveling to nursing homes to sing and distribute gifts.
• Field trips are designed to be educational and hands-on. There are at least two field trips each year along with special family days such as the Thanksgiving Feast and the Pumpkin Patch.

5. Why is the integration of a Biblical Worldview be important in my child’s education?

• The ABeka curriculum provides pictures to go along with the Bible stories that we teach. Our teachers take this a step further and incorporate these lessons in the everyday activities of the classroom where God’s work can really be seen.
• Students are instructed in Bible verses, Bible stories, disciplined and corrected through scripture, counseled to have a repentant heart when sin is present, and encouraged to walk in righteousness to glorify God.
• All teachers instruct through the filter of God’s word and encourage our students to know God and to enjoy him forever.

6. Do you offer VPK?

We offer Kindergarten programs for 3, 4 and 5 year olds in Niceville, and 5 year olds in Crestview. We do not offer VPK.

1. How can I tell if my child is ready for Kindergarten?

All children learn at their own unique pace and ability level.  They also display that knowledge in multiple ways.  As a parent, there are some basic developmental areas that should be evaluated to assess if your child is prepared for Kindergarten.  Mastery of these concepts or skills are not required.  If your child is making steady progress in the following areas then these are positive indicators that they will have a successful kindergarten year.

Social Skills:

• Follows simple 1 and/or 2 step instructions;
• Can work and play cooperatively in small groups with other children;
• Asks for help and self-advocates;
• Has independent bathroom habits.

Pre-Reading Skills:

• Can name most uppercase letters and some lower case letters;
• Able to identify some letter sounds;
• Can identify some/all letters in their name;
• Enjoys listening to adults read books.

Pre-Math Skills:

• Able to count up to 10 objects with some accuracy;
• Can count orally up to 29 or higher;
• Can recognize some numbers to 10;
• Is developing a sense of more/less.

Fine Motor Skills:

• Cuts with scissors with some proficiency;
• Can hold and use a crayon, pencil or marker with correct grip technique;
• Writes some letters or numbers that are somewhat legible;
• Attempts to write legibly their own name.

2. What can I do to prepare my child for Kindergarten?

Parents desire to do all they can to make sure their child is prepared for kindergarten.  A successful year in Kindergarten lays the foundation for all future learning.  It is vital to help facilitate a positive experience that enables the child to grow to their God-given potential. Above all, it is important to pray for God to give you guidance as you shepherd your child and make decisions about school placement for the upcoming year.  Here are some activities that will help prepare your child for Kindergarten:

• Teach your child simple Bible verses to begin to “hide God’s word” in your child’s heart.
• Read daily to your child and discuss each story as you read.
• Encourage verbal communication with your child.  By purposely talking with your child and encouraging eye contact throughout the day, you are modeling sentence formation and expanding their vocabulary and schema.
• Encourage un-directed, pretend play to build creativity.
• Encourage independence in daily tasks such as getting dressed, cleaning up toys, etc.
• Limit your child’s technology time.  Technology has many positive advantages, but children need plenty of real-life experiences to build their understanding of God’s world.
• Coach your child concerning how routines, friends, and teachers may change once they begin kindergarten.  Take the opportunity to positively describe the many wonderful experiences that kindergarten will bring.

3. What can my child expect in Kindergarten?

The kindergarten year will bring many new experiences for your child.

• At RBCS, each classroom will have a lead teacher, as well as a teaching assistant.  Classrooms can have up to 18 students in each class which is a 9:1 teacher/student ratio.
• Each day your child will have Bible, math, phonics, and reading instruction.  We do provide differentiated reading instruction to enable students to learn to their potential.
• Your child will be trained to do independent work, as well as learn in cooperative learning groups.  Learning centers are also a developmentally age appropriate activity that we incorporate into our learning activities.
• At RBCS, kindergarten students have two recess breaks each day. At this young age, children are still learning through play!  We also have music class twice a week.  Art projects are a special part of our kindergarten year that enable each child to demonstrate their own unique personality.
• Field trips and special learning days are incorporated into our year to enable hands-on learning and to expand their experiences.  Parents are invited to participate in these special days.

4. What should I look for when choosing a Kindergarten Program?

Selecting a kindergarten program is an important responsibility.  Every parent desires to place their student in an environment that will enable them to grow to their God-given potential.  Here are some areas to consider as you make this decision:

• Will your child be taught your values and worldview?  Any educational entity will pass on many important facts, along with viewpoints, to your child.  RBCS desires to partner with parents to teach children to develop a biblical worldview.  Through the lens of a biblical worldview your child can see God as the one who created language to speak truth to His children, as the one that is bringing His redemptive purposes throughout history to fruition, as the one who created all things studied in science, and the God who implemented the order of the world that is demonstrated in mathematics.
• Will your child be safe?  Take a tour of the facilities before enrollment and ask staff about safety procedures.  RBCS believes in having trained staff that can provide for your child’s safety.  In addition to having safety procedures in place, many of our teachers are also CPR certified.
• What type of discipline policy is in place?  Every parent desires that their child be treated fairly and when discipline is needed, that it is handled carefully.  At RBCS, our staff discipline our students by instructing them in God’s word.  If correction is needed, the child is counseled with scripture.  Parents are informed daily on behavior in the classroom. Teachers provide parents with both positive affirmations and areas of concern.  Communication and trust are key to training a child’s heart that will in turn impact behaviors.
• Will my child be challenged academically?  As you make your decision, inquire concerning curriculum and teaching techniques that are used.  At RBCS, we utilize Bob Jones Press curriculum for Language Arts and Math in our classrooms.  We strive to use teaching strategies that are research based and that appeal to many different modalities. Writing in cursive is also introduced as it has been proven to work both sides of the brain at the same time.

1. What about campus safety?

We have detailed security protocol in place to ensure your child is safe while on campus. Security cameras are in use on campus and an ID Badge system is in place to easily indicate an unauthorized person. We use an authorized pickup list and your child can only be released to those people specified by the guardian. All classroom doors are kept locked and we have a school wide communication system that allows us to respond very quickly to any emergency that may come up. Emergency drills are run on a regular basis and every classroom is equipped with an emergency code checklist and supplies should the need arise.

1. Do I have to take classes at RBCS to be able to play sports?

Students who have been admitted to either RBCS Homeschool Program may purchase athletics as well as other extracurricular activities.  No class purchase is necessary.

2. Will RBCS create a transcript for me?

RBCS will build a transcript for Umbrella students in 9^th-12^th grade that will work toward their diploma.

3. Can I take standardized tests such as the Stanford, PSAT, and ACT at RBCS?

RBCS offers the MAP to the local homeschool community.  Due to spacing issues, only umbrella students may take the PSAT, pre-ACT, and ACT with the campus students.  However, the PSAT can be taken at your local public high school via their guidance office.  The ACT and SAT can be taken by registering directly with these organizations.

4. What kind of diploma will I receive?

Umbrella students have the opportunity to earn a Standard Diploma (24 credits), a College Prep Diploma, and a College Prep with Honors Diploma (28 credits).  Please contact homeschool@rbcs.org to schedule an appointment for more details.

5. Are homeschoolers allowed to participate in Fine Arts at RBCS?

6^th – 12^th grade homeschool students who are accepted into a Homeschool Program have the opportunity to purchase choir, band, and drama which are all on-campus classes.  Additionally, enrolled 6^th-12^th grade homeschool students may audition for the RBCS drama productions: fall play, and spring musical.

6. How can I make an appointment with someone at RBCS to discuss homeschooling?

Appointments can be made with the Homeschool Assistance Programs Director through Acuity Scheduling – https://rbcshomeschool.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php