Welcome to the Vacaville Christian Elementary Department! You may be wondering what we are all about. The following is a thumb nail sketch of our department. You may also visit various other links to hear about our program in more detail.
The Elementary Department K-5, consists of three classes of each grade level, with the exception of 2nd grade which has 4 classes. We may have up to 28 students in each class, but tend to run an average of 24. Each teacher is assigned a Teaching Assistant with the amount of hours allotted based on the grade level. For example, Kindergarten has full time assistants, First Grade has half day assistants and Second through Fifth Grades have less time, respectively. Parents are welcome in the classrooms to aid the teachers with any help deemed necessary.
Our Kindergarten through Second Grade classes have three recesses per day, morning, lunch and afternoon. The Third through Fifth grade classes have morning and lunch recess, with the afternoon recess as optional.
Our curriculum is supported by Christian publishers such as A Beka, Bob Jones, Concordia and Standard, as well as Houghton Mifflin. We have a fully accredited program through the Association of Christian Schools International and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Our means of monitoring the progress of each student is to give the Stanford Achievement Test each spring, with test scores resulting well above the national norms. As a private school, we are not required to follow California State Standards; however, it is our goal to meet, if not exceed, every strand.
Extra Curricular activities consist of ACSI Spelling Bees and Speech Meets, as well as an Expressions Art Contest. We also offer our students the opportunity to engage in Student Council, Post Office (our award winning department wide system), Worship Team and Prayer Team. Depending on available leadership, we have also offered Chess Club, Drama Club and Writing/Newspaper Club.
Should our families have the need of full day care, they have the option of taking advantage of our excellent Before and After School Day Care program. Time spent in this program is carefully scheduled to allow students "down time", as well as planned activities and homework time.
Our After School Sports Program includes Football, Soccer, Basketball and T-ball. Each sport is overseen by our After School Sports Director with the aid of parent volunteers as coaches.
Each family is required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours in the course of the school year. Teachers are more than happy to help with ideas to fulfill this obligation. Our philosophy is one of partnership and we feel that parent involvement is the key to the success of each student.
We consider it an honor a privilege to partner with our families in the academic and spiritual success of each child. No matter what, in the end-Character Counts!
Message from Mrs. Dorace Lynch, Principal
We welcome you to a new school year! It is a great privilege to partner with you in the spiritual and academic education of your child. The one way we can ensure success is by working together as parents, teachers and administrators.
Good partnerships utilize good communication skills. In order to maximize our communication, we will send home "Friday Folders" containing student work, weekly teacher newsletters and a weekly Elementary E-Bulletin to keep you up-to-date and informed of your child's progress and elementary events. Please make it a priority to read each of these forms of communication so as to stay in touch with your child's school life. If you have any questions, concerns or praises please contact us via voice mail, e-mail or a written note. Remember to direct any classroom questions to the teacher first.
This promises to be an exciting year for VCES as we are adding American Sign Language to our curriculum. In American Sign Language classes children will have the opportunity to learn ASL with their weekly spelling words as well as greetings, family signs and religious signs. To access the weekly lessons click HERE to view a virtual demonstration.
As we welcome new students and staff members, we are expectantly watching to see the Lord work in the lives of our school family. We recognize that education apart from our Creator, who designed our world, is in vain. Our goal is to give our students "roots and wing". Roots grown deep in the right soil will produce the fruit of righteousness; which will in turn give our children the ability to soar as godly adults.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water and shall bring forth fruit in his season, whose leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:3
Please check out our website for current information concerning our school! We look forward to partnering with you during the 2009-2010 school year. Any questions, concerns or praises may be directed to me at dlynch@go-vcs.com or my Vice-Principal, Karyn Kempton, at kkempton@go-vcs.com.
In His Service,
Mrs. Dorace Lynch, Principal
