FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. “Is Norfolk Christian Schools accredited?”
A. Yes. NCS is accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS).

Q. “What is the current enrollment?”
A. Currently, 776 students are enrolled in grades PK-3 through 12th.

Q. “How do I apply for enrollment at NCS?”
A. The process begins when all application materials and fees are returned. The application process continues with admission testing and a family interview. If time and circumstances allow, students applying to the upper or lower school are encouraged to “shadow a student” for a day before a final admission decision is made by the Admissions Committee.

Q. “What is your admission testing like?”
A. Admission testing normally begins in early spring. Testing at the lower school consists of the School Readiness Test for entering kindergarteners and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement for grades 1 through 5. If a student has taken a recent (within the current school year) Stanford Achievement Test, we may accept the result from that evaluation. Students applying to 6th through 12th grade will be tested either individually or in small groups, and they will take the reading and math portions of the Stanford Achievement Test. This test will take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to complete, depending on the grade level of the student. Additionally, students applying to ninth through twelfth grades will be asked to write a brief essay on a selected topic.  If the school your student is presently attending has administered or will be administering the Stanford or other similar achievement test, we often will accept those test scores when they become available. Applicants are responsible for providing NCS with a copy of the student’s prior- and current-year test results for placement evaluation.

Q. “You state that you offer a Christian education with a biblical worldview. What does the term ‘biblical worldview’ mean?”
A. A worldview is the mental lens we all carry within us, through which we view or interpret the world around us. The term worldview literally means “a way of looking at the world.” A genuine biblical worldview is more than a mental strategy or a new spin on current events.  It begins with submission to God’s absolute truth by which all things are measured, submission to Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, and a willingness to be taught by Him. A biblical worldview means understanding that the Bible gives the truth about the whole of reality and gives a perspective for interpreting every subject matter and the purpose for human existence.

Q. “How are your teachers qualified?”
A. Our teachers meet the standards for certification through the Association of Christian Schools International, which requires a four-year degree with educational coursework, as well as additional credits in Philosophy of Christian Education and the Bible. Additionally, most of our teachers hold state teaching licenses, and 65 percent hold graduate degrees. All teachers and support staff of Norfolk Christian Schools are born-again believers who are committed to the philosophy of Christian education.

Q. “What are your average class sizes?”
A. Class sizes vary by grade level and are best represented in the following statistics:
Kindergarten: up to 18
First Grade: 18-20
Second and Third Grades: 16-20
Fourth and Fifth Grades: 20-22
Sixth and Seventh Grades: 18-22
Eighth through Twelfth Grades: 20-25

Q. “What curriculum do you use?” 
A.  Keeping in mind both state and national standards, NCS has written its own curriculum, which is supported by materials and textbooks that have been selected carefully from a variety of publishers. Our Bible curriculum, some of which is created in house, offers a program of study that includes the key doctrines of the Christian faith, how to refute false doctrines and how to integrate biblical commands and principles in one’s own life. The lower school uses Christian Schools International for its Bible curriculum.

Q. “What kind of technology do you offer?” 
A. Students in grades 1 through 5 are introduced to the basics of proper computer care and use through a weekly computer class in the lower school computer lab, and every classroom is equipped with at least one computer station for individual use (as determined by the teacher). The Upper School has three computer labs and offers instruction in keyboarding, Microsoft and other computer software applications. The library houses state-of-the art computers with flat-panel monitors. One full technology credit is required for graduation.

Q. “What are your school hours?”
A. The Lower School hours (grades K through 5) are 8:25 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., and half-day preschool hours are 8:25 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The Upper School hours (grades 6 through 12) are 8:10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Q. “Do you have before- or after-school care?”
A. Before-school supervision varies by campus; but as a rule, students are not allowed on campus before 7:30 a.m. and always must have some type of professional or parental supervision.  Each campus has an after-school care program as well as extracurricular activities. Please contact the appropriate campus for more specific information.

Q. “Do you have a hot lunch program?”
A. With a new fully equipped commercial kitchen in the upper school, NCS recently introduced a hot lunch program that provides students with the option of purchasing, in advance, hot lunches from a bi-weekly menu for the lower school and monthly menu for the upper school. The Beach campus has hot lunch available three days a week.

Q. “What extracurricular activities are offered in the Upper School?”
A. There are a variety of activities available to middle school students: interscholastic athletics, student government, honor society, chorus, band, jazz band, newspaper, drama productions and other clubs. The high school has a full range of sports teams, student government, several special-interest clubs and outreach ministries. Ministry opportunities have included overseas mission trips.

Q. “What is included in the tuition?”
A. Tuition includes all textbooks, upper school physical education uniforms, milk, retreats, pre-scheduled field trips and scholastic supervision until 3:30 p.m. Tuition does not cover unscheduled field trips, yearbooks, upper school (6-12) athletic fees, out of area outreach trips, athletic camps, band tours or chorus tours.

Q. “What is the age requirement and cut-off date for kindergarten eligibility?”
A. Students seeking placement in kindergarten must be five years of age by Sept. 30th of the enrollment year.

Q. “Do you have a preschool program? And if so, what is the age requirement?”
A. Norfolk Christian Schools currently offers a PK-3 and PK-4 program at both of our lower school campuses. Students seeking placement in PK-3 must be 3 years of age by Aug. 30 of the enrollment year and toilet trained. Our PK-3 program offers the following choices: 2 half-days, 2 full-days, 3 half-days, 3 full-days, 5 half-days and 5 full-days per week. For our PK-4 class, we offer parents the choice of a two, three or five half-day program, or a two, three or five full-day program.