COVID-19

Grace Christian Academy's Distance Learning Program

Per Governor Northam's mandate, our physical building was closed for the last three months of the 2019/2020 school year; however, during that time, our scholars received distance learning through a variety of technologies. 

All 1st -8th grade scholars were equipped with Chromebooks to use for the remainder of the school year.  All GCA Chromebooks are regularly monitored and managed by teachers and administrators via the GoGuardian web filter. 

                

All of our scholars continued to receive rigorous Biblical and academic instruction thanks to our flexible, innovative, and tech savvy faculty.  Scholars were reached through a variety of age-appropriate technologies including Google Classroom, Google Meet, Smart Board technology, YouTube, and email, combined with take-home packets that were mailed home every two weeks.  Our scholars were also given community-building experiences such as a virtual recess, and virtual spirit weeks.  The low faculty to student ratio that served us well in our school building continued to benefit our scholars with multiple channels with which they could communicate with their teachers and school administrators. 
 

 
We have partnered with our scholars' parents to create a program that offers continuity and establishes routines, while still offering flexibility.  We understand that for many families,  both parents continue to work from home,  and  that each family's situation is unique. 

As we await guidance from our state government and public health offices regarding the 2020/21 school year, we have developed plans to meet a variety of possible scenarios. We will navigate  these challenging times together to ensure that each scholar continues to receive an education that best suits their individual needs. 
 

Grace Christian Academy has been a true lifeline for our family from the start of this crisis to today. The faculty worked valiantly to get distance learning up and running, and within a week our kids had resumed classwork in key subjects, including Bible, reading/writing, and math. Teachers set up chats and video calls, both one-on-one and as classes, so that students can interact with them and see their friends. And it isn't all screens - they send home materials and resources to help my husband and me engage our kids, while being flexible enough with scheduling that we can work our full time jobs. The family oriented culture and individualized attention and instruction that make Grace so special once again put it head and shoulders above its peers. We are so grateful for the education and love we get from our Grace family!  - Melanie H.