LAKEWOOD ACADEMY is a tutorial and educational study center that has been in existence since 1978. We offer individual instruction for pre-K - 12. It is our goal to provide college preparatory assistance beginning with the earliest age. We use the Seton Home Study Program curriculum which is accredited through CITA and SACS. Children beginning this program do not have to be five to start kindergarten or six before October to start in 1st grade level work. Students receive individual attention and are encouraged to work at their own pace. We feel that children do not suddenly reach a point where they do not need special attention and can be placed in a group (such as the traditional classroom) to participate in herd learning. One of our key concerns is instilling an avid interest in reading. We concentrate in encouraging good reading skills and study habits. R.E.M . (Reading Education Matrix), written exclusively for Lakewood, is the curriculum we use for early and remedial reading. We are not a Certified School with Certified Teachers. You have only to look at the failure percentages to see what public schools with “state” certified teachers have produced over the past 40 years to see why we do not seek certification.

LAKEWOOD'S administrator credentials are as follows:
* Bachelor's Degree in Social Science
* Double minor in Psychology and Sociology
* Master's Level study in Psychology and Education

Our staff has a combined total of 60 years educational experience with additional training in Juvenile aggression, ADD/ADHD, and other learning disabilities, early learning and teen social challenges.

OPEN - Lakewood is a year-round study center. It is our philosophy that children retain knowledge much better when their education is spaced out over the year rather than with 2 or 3 month gaps. We are open approximately the same number of days as public school. If you have vacations scheduled at the same time we are in session, special arrangements can be made. To repeat, we are 100% ACADEMICALLY oriented in purpose. We do offer 4-H activities as an extra-curricular social and educational activity. Our goal is to help educate your children. We make learning both enjoyable and attainable while at the same time teaching personal responsibility. Social development is learned through student interaction, older students helping younger, special projects, 4-H, etc. If you wish your child to participate in sports or music then you may contact local recreation departments and/or private music, art, dance, swimming, and gymnastic instructors.

HOLIDAYS - Holidays will be announced on a quarterly basis. We are in session the same number of days as public school and honor most of the same holidays. If you have vacation plans at the same time we are in school special arrangements can be made for your child to be out.

HOURS - 8:30a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Studies have shown that public school students only spend an average of one and one-half to two and one-half hours “on task” (actually working on academics or critical thinking skills) during their daily 7 hour stay at school. Other time is taken up with sports, band, resource, time between classes, lunch, recess, clubs, home room, pep rallies, etc. Lakewood operates 2.50 to 2.75 hours of intensive and focused study time where attention spans can be trained and educational goals and focus can be expanded. Also included in this setting is actual “reading concentration and comprehension training”. This is excellent preparation for higher learning. We have an earned 15 to 30 minute break each day. Children must be picked up by 12:00 to avoid a $25.00 late pick up fee.

CURRICULUM - Parents will find a well-rounded program of the core subjects of Language, Math, History, and Science, as well as electives, art, foreign language, Bible, and religion. We use Seton, Horizons, Math-U-See, R.E.M., & Pimsleur.

PROGRESS REPORTS - are issued quarterly via the internet. Current quarterly grades are available (password protected) for your convenience the entire quarter. If you do not have access to the internet we will provide a hard copy of your child's grades. If you have any questions in the interim about your child's progress please don't hesitate to call. If there are any problems or missed assignments you will be notified the same day through parent communication slips or by telephone.

TUITION - Tuition is to be paid monthly for 12 months per year regardless of number of days attendance. Tuition is due by the 5th of the month. Tuition varies depending upon time student has attended, curriculum price fluctuations and freight costs. So please call for more information. We are closed for the months of August and parts of December and January. Tuition for August must be mailed in if we are not in school to avoid late charges. January tuition may be paid when we come back after the Christmas holidays.

LATE FEES/RETURNED CHECKS - A $25.00 charge will be added to your account for NSF checks and for tuition payments received after the 10th of the month, unless special arrangements have been made in advance. We will re-deposit an NSF check only one time and if the check is still not good or we receive a second NSF you will automatically be placed on a cash only basis plus incur an additional $25.00 charge.  No records will be release until tuition is paid in full.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION - Our study center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, handicapped conditions, or ancestry. We do reserve the right to refuse any child, upon interview, that we feel we cannot properly and adequately teach. We also reserve the right to dismiss any student with behavior problems that student or parent cannot quickly correct or control. Students must be able to exercise self-control.

DISCIPLINE - We maintain a wholesome, healthy environment for learning with minimal distractions. The students are extremely busy during their time here so they are more concerned about completing their daily goals than exhibiting behavioral problems. Students are taught from the beginning that their education , or lack thereof, is their own responsibility, NOT Mom's or Dad's. They are also taught that this is a center for those who WANT to LEARN. Lakewood is not a detention center for students who have performed poorly in public school although we do focus on remediating children whose educational functioning ability has been damaged by public school settings. If a student continually refuses to follow the rules, fails to complete daily goals, or is caught cheating in any way, he/she will be placed on immediate probation. If satisfactory improvement is not shown student will be suspended from our services. Students must comply with the rules of the learning center which basically consist of quiet completion of daily goals, respect, and studying for and passing tests. Academic discipline for failure in any of these areas consists of additional assignments which students quickly realize only cost them loss of time and loss of privileges. ANY BEHAVIORAL DISCIPLINE IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN. Students who are continually disruptive and/or display no desire to progress are quickly dismissed. Those who disturb others and act in a way so as to be poor role models for our younger students will be asked to report to the office immediately and parents will be called and asked to pick up their child. Writing assignments are given to those who continually fail to complete modest goals, are disrespectful to teachers and/or classmates, and refuse to exercise self- discipline by wasting time and/or daydreaming.

DRESS CODE - Students shall arrive neat, clean, and with teeth brushed. Hair is to be kept clean and combed neatly. Girls - please, no hair hanging down in or over your eyes. Constantly fidgeting with your hair is a distraction and an impediment to learning. Boys are to have short, neat haircuts with no hair in or over their eyes. Students are allowed to wear comfortable, LOOSE clothing, jeans, shorts (KNEE-LENGTH ONLY), tennis shoes, etc. Please - No Boots or Flip Flop style shoes!! No tank tops, short shorts, bike shorts, or sleeveless tops. No pants with messages across the rear. T-Shirts or tops must not have any distasteful or vulgar slogans written on them. Also baggy jeans or shorts cannot be worn below the waist! Parents will be called to either bring suitable clothes for offenders or to pick their child up for the day. If your child has outfits that are sleeveless please have them wear a T-shirt under their sleeveless top. T-Shirts must be long enough to cover the waist even when bending over. No waist skin showing - PLEASE!

ACCEPTED: Lakewood T-Shirts, regular solid or striped t-shirts, polos, and button-down collar shirts. All shirts must have a sleeve long enough so that no underarm area is visible even when the arm is raised and fully extended. Shirts with local and national sports logos, company logos, and church logos are also approved.

NOT ACCEPTED: Shirts or pants with suggestive symbols of evil, hate, war, power, fighting, drugs, partying, etc. Rock band logos, fighting or fantasy cartoon characters, i.e. Power Rangers, Transformers, Ninja's, Bratz, Barbies, etc. are also not acceptable attire for school. Also not accepted: Nose rings, tongue studs/rings, or earrings/studs. Girls may wear earrings as long as they are not offensive or long and dangling. Cell phones, ipods, and all digital music players are not allowed and should be left in the car.

This is certainly not a complete list and we can probably never really clarify plainly enough, because experience has taught us that there are always some who either “forget” or try to push the limits. (Parents included). Students not dressed properly will be warned only once.

SUPPLY LIST -
Grades 4 - 12 will need:
1 double pocket folder (plastic or cardstock),
4 single subject spiral notebooks with perforated pages
3 or more yellow or natural wood #2 pencils (NO PENS)
1 or more Large eraser
Colored pencils
A small assignment notebook
1 Box of tissue

Pre-K - 3rd grade will need:
1 spiral notebook with perforated pages
3 or more yellow or natural wood #2 pencils (NO PENS)
1 or more Large eraser
Colored pencils

Please buy CRAYOLA colored pencils ONLY!

Crayola colored pencils don't break as easy and they sharpen better saving time for both teacher and student.

Also, a word of caution about mechanical pencils for pre-high school students. They break easily because the children (even some of the older students) seem to “overwork” them, play with them, fiddle with them, lose lead, erasers, etc. In short, they usually cause them to get in trouble and to lose precious class work time. We prefer natural wood #2 pencils.

The pencils with pictures, metal paper wrap, glitter etc. usually do not sharpen properly (one sided) or the lead breaks easily. They are also very hard on our pencil sharpeners. So please try to find the natural wood pencils for your children. Thank you in advance.

ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING ONE PACKAGE OF 20# COPY PAPER (per family). This is specifically used for parent communication and special projects.