Little Hearts Academy’s Manual
Little Hearts Academy
2024-2025 Manual
Dear parents,
I am thrilled to welcome you to the Little Hearts Academy Manual! This manual expresses our heart of partnership with you as we offer a creative, intentional and Jesus-centered education for your children. When you become a part of our community, you and your children are becoming part of our family with the goal of knowing Jesus and His lavish love more intimately.
As a part of our family, we have policies and procedures in place to inform and protect all our family members. Please read this manual carefully as you will be asked to agree to the terms during registration. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
We consider it an honor to walk in partnership with you and look forward to the days ahead.
Kathryn Hallquist
Little Hearts Academy
littleheartsacademytn@gmail.com
(865) 789-5467
Table of Contents
Teaching Philosophy
Standards of Behavior
Parent/Teacher Partnership Student/Teacher Relationship Student/Student Relationship Communication
Conflict Resolution
Uniform & Sexuality
Discipline Weapons/Violence/Drugs/Smoking
Dismissal/Expulsion
General Policies & Procedures
Hours of Operation
Calendar
Inclement Weather or Illness Closure Lunch and Snacks
Umbrella School
Fees & Tuition
Attendance, Absences & Tardies Family Travel
Teaching Philosophy
Our leaders and teachers come from varied backgrounds. Private, public and homeschool. We know first hand the pros and cons of each school culture. Our overarching commitment is to grow lifelong learners through creative curriculum, teacher involvement and student independence.
At LHA we will aspire to create environments that foster learning, discovery and play. We care deeply about educational excellence but not at the expense of the development of the total person. So, when your child is learning at LHA they will be physically and emotionally engaged as well as creatively challenged and educated.
Curriculum will be decided by the teachers and will have a distinctive hands on and creative approach to learning while still maintaining solid educational standards and goals.
Standards of Behavior Parent/Teacher Partnership
Parents and teacher relationships are to be mutually respectful and with full understanding of the shared responsibility for the child’s education. Both parties are committed to the education of the child, the nurturing of their spiritual development and growth as a healthy human being. Our teachers are tutors in the eyes of the state of Tennessee and as such the parent remains the teacher of record with the State of Tennessee or applicable umbrella school.
Student/Teacher Relationship
Student and teacher relationships are to be full of mutual respect for authority, obedience to the school objectives. While the teachers will give ample opportunity for learning good choices, the teachers will not tolerate abusive language, bullying, threats or zero effort.
Student/Student Relationships
Student to student relationships, while the students are of course learning, there will be an expectation of personal restraint and respectful speech, listening and creating space for others with differing opinions. Students are not to be picking at, kissing, hitting, maligning other students, Student’s will be held accountable for their actions on social media against other students.
Communication
We invite you to text or email teachers personally understanding response time will vary depending on teacher availability. Please see your teacher or the LHA website for contact information.
Conflict Resolution
Our goal is to speak directly to the person or persons with whom there is conflict. We want to speak the truth in love, and to practice humility and honor. Should there be no resolution, the teachers and/or staff will help navigate conflict and compromise.
Path to peace:
1) Examine your own heart. See what you can own as your part of the conflict.
2) Speak, not text, to the person in conflict.
3) Endeavor to understand and forgive the other person.
4) Reconvene and see if repentance and understanding is possible.
5) If not, bring in a staff or teacher to assist with cooperation.
Uniform & Sexuality
Uniform:
LHA does not have a required uniform. Students are free to dress in weather appropriate attire. Shoes must be suitable for outdoor play without concern of coming off or hurting the child when running, or getting dirty.
Coats, rainwear, notebooks, bookbags, phone cases, lunch bags, etc, are to be free of any offensive images or words.
Sexuality:
We affirm each student’s sex as represented by the DNA at birth. Both boys and girls are to wear clothing that aligns with their DNA.
We are extremely conscious of the political climate we live in, and as always, our heart is for each child to discover their true identity in God. We understand that can be a process, and sometimes a troubled one. We will offer resources as needed for each child as they navigate this process. And we will affirm that God offers healing and wholeheartedness but equally does not make mistakes.
Discipline
Our goal in discipline is to see the need behind the behavior. If we can address the need, the behavior often takes care of itself. Whenever possible, we have found natural consequences are the best teacher. We always communicate with the children through the process of natural consequences or redirection.
In extreme cases, the parents will be made aware at pickup or via text.
Student Safety and Culture of Honor
Weapons/Violence/Drugs/Smoking
We have a zero tolerance policy regarding any kind of weapons, drugs and smoking in any form. Violations could result in dismissal from school. Students will not be permitted to roughhouse, wrestle, fight, or exhibit violent behavior in the form of threats, cursing, or intimidation.
Dismissal/Expulsion
Dismissal is removal from school in attempts to course correct for the student. Once the student/parent can show valid improvement, the student may be considered for re-enrollment. If the student/parent does not show valid improvement within an agreed upon timeframe, the student would be expelled from school. The parents are still responsible for the remaining tuition.
Expulsion results when a student commits a harmful and/or grievous injury, emotional or physical, to himself, another student, teacher, parent, or staff. Expulsion means the student may not return and the parents are still responsible for the remaining tuition.
Electronic and Digital Media
Our desire is for students to be fully present while at school. Therefore, cell phones are not to be used during school hours. They are to be stored in backpacks at all times, unless the classroom teacher has a special designated place. They are not to be used for music, school, soothing, or entertainment purposes during school hours. Teachers may allow selected use for dedicated purposes. Headphones and air pods are not allowed during class or lunch.
Teachers and parents are to work together to minimize any pornographic exposure through a child’s unpermitted search on devices, or through another child. Actions will be taken for any student who continues in this behavior including expulsion.
Note: LHA is not responsible for any inappropriate material that is deliberately accessed on LHA internet connection.
Our heart is to help the rising generations to be able to fight this onslaught of our culture through healthy choices and mutual respect rather than restriction.
General Policies & Procedures
Our motivation in these general policies and procedures is to promote freedom with clearly defined boundaries. We are still in the process of finalizing our policies and procedures but can inform you of the following.
Hours of Operation
LHA is in session Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am until 2pm.
Inclement Weather or Illness Closure
We will loosely follow Knox County Schools’ calendar for scheduled breaks. Inclement weather and illness closure will be handled on a case-by-case basis and will be communicated via text and/or Homeroom app.
Lunch and Snacks
Students will have 30 minutes for lunch each day. All lunches will be served cold and heating of lunches will be prohibited due to time constraints. Teachers will communicate their expectations for snacks in the classroom in the Homeroom app.
Umbrella School
Families are free to choose the Umbrella School they would like to use to remain compliant with state laws.
Fees & Tuition
Returning families:
Registration Fee - $50 per child
Tuition - $3,700 per year or $370 per month
Activities Fee - $100 per child
New Families:
Registration Fee - $100 per child
Tuition - $4,500 per year or $450 per month
Activities Fee - $100 per child
We accept full payments and monthly payments. Any declined payments will be subject to additional fees and must be paid in cash.
Registration fees and activities fees are non-refundable. Once accepted into our program, you are committed to paying the full year’s tuition, which is non-refundable in the event of student withdrawal or dismissal/expulsion.
Attendance, Absences & Tardies
Because the parent or guardian of the student remains the teacher of record, tracking attendance is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Ms. Kathryn keeps a log of each student’s attendance, which can be made available to you at any time upon request.
Regular attendance is vital. To communicate unforeseen emergencies, sickness or other absences, please text your teacher or email us at littleheartsacademytn@gmail.com.
Being on time is considerate to both Ms. Kathryn and to your student. We understand that things happen but excessive tardies will be directly addressed, whether at drop-off or pick-up. Your student will be considered tardy if they are dropped off or picked up 10 minutes after drop-off/pick-up time. (9am and 2pm) A fee of $10 per occurrence will be added to your monthly tuition amount after a second occurrence.
Family Travel
In lieu of classroom work, family travel can be counted as school.