Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

Is Golden Valley Charter School (GVCS) a public school?

GVCS, in existence since 2001, is a WASC accredited, public, non-classroom based program. Students are home-educated by their parents, who are the day-to-day teachers.

What grades does GVCS serve?

GVCS serves students in grades TK-12.  

What is the age cut-off for kindergarten?

A student entering GVCS for kindergarten must be 5 by September 1^st.

What is the age cut-off for TK?

A child shall be admitted to  transitional kindergarten at the beginning of a school year, or at a later time in the same year if the child will have his or her fifth birthday between September 2 and December 2.

A child who has his or her fifth birthday after December 2 shall be admitted to transitional kindergarten once he or she reaches his or her fifth birthday. 

What counties does GVCS serve?

GVCS serves students in Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, and Santa Barbara Counties. 

How much does is cost to attend GVCS?

There is no cost to families to attend GVCS.

Do I have to meet with a teacher?  How often?

Each GVCS student is assigned a CA credentialed teacher called an Education Facilitator (EF). The EF is there to support the parent and help make sure the student is making adequate and appropriate progress towards mastery of the grade level state standards. You and your student will have a face-to-face meeting with your EF at least once every 20 days. Meetings are typically conducted in the student’s home or some other agreed upon location.

What happens at a typical meeting?

The EF will review all completed work, document learning in the learning plan, collect work samples, and collect the attendance record which the parent fills out. S/he will also work with the parent to prepare a Learning Plan to cover the next 20 school days.

Do my students have to take state-mandated testing?

All GVCS students are required to participate in state-mandated testing and school-wide assessments. This includes CAASPP testing for students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11, and PE Testing for students in grades 5,7, and 9. There are also two school-wide assessments that are conducted online (one in the Fall, and one in the Spring).

What about curriculum?  Can I choose it?

Parents may choose from many types of curriculum for their K-8 student from our approved vendor list. Curriculum must be aligned with state standards and secular in nature, as we are a public school. High school curriculum is a bit more structured, with multiple curricular options and levels to choose from for each course, as described in our current High School Catalog. GVCS also has an extensive resource library that parents may visit to check out curriculum. Curriculum from the GVCS library can be used at no cost to the family.

Is there any funding?

GVCS provides instructional funds to help assist with the purchase of curriculum and educational activities from our approved vendor list. Funding varies from year to year per grade. Half of the funding is released in the 1^st semester and the other half in the 2^nd semester. Funding for the 2019-20 school year ranged from $1350.00 per semester in transitional kindergarten, to $1600.00 per semester in high school. Your EF will manage these funds and will approve all purchases you’d like to make.

How do I apply?

Visit: GVCS's online application web page to apply. Please be sure to include ALL required supplemental items (i.e. Birth Certificate, Passport, or Baptismal Certificate; Immunization Status Form; verification of residency; etc.). Your application will not be considered complete until we have all required forms.

What happens after I apply?

After a completed application is received in our office, you will receive an automated email letting you know that your student is on our waitlist. Your application will then be placed on a waitlist based upon the date the completed application was received in our office. Students are placed with a teacher on a first-come, first-served basis dependent upon EF availability in your geographic area. Students are placed based on area, not on grade.

When will I find out if my student is accepted?

GVCS will place students with available teachers throughout the school year until the end of February of each year. When you submit your application, we will look to see if we have an available EF in your area. If we do have an opening in your area, you will be assigned a teacher. That teacher will contact you to set up an initial meeting. At that initial meeting, the EF will go over the entire program with you, to make sure it is a good fit for your student. Enrollment paperwork will also be signed at this meeting.

I submitted my paperwork in March, for the Fall.  Why haven’t I heard anything?

We start placing students for the Fall in late April. If we do not have an available teacher for you at that time, your student will remain on the waitlist until we have a teacher to accommodate you. We place students all throughout the summer and even into the school year. As soon as we have an available teacher for you, that teacher will call you to set up an initial meeting. Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about you!

How long can you hold my student’s application?

We can hold an application for one school year. If your student is not placed within a year of receiving the application, a new application will need to be filled out and submitted so that we can be sure we have the most up-to-date information on the application.

My student was accepted!  How do I get my student’s records from the previous school?

Once your student is accepted, GVCS will request your students cumulative file from the previous school. We do recommend that you DO NOT withdraw your student from their current school until you have signed enrollment paperwork with a teacher at GVCS.

Who can I contact for more information?

You may contact Mary Deyo at the GVCS office at [email protected] or 805-642-3435.