Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major goals of Maranatha Christian Schools?

MCS exists to provide a nurturing, comprehensive, Christ-centered educational program, challenging students to realize their God-given potential and equipping them to fulfill God’s purposes in their daily lives.

What makes MCS a Christian school?

As stated in our mission’s statement, MCS is a non-denominational Christ-centered educational program where Christ is to be the center of all that we do in educating students.  The families of MCS do not have to be attending a church to attend; in fact, there are a variety of religious affiliations of our MCS students & families.  In order to support what they are learning at school, church attendance should be a priority.  MCS is a ministry of Maranatha Chapel.  MCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions polices and other school-administered programs.  The mission of Maranatha Christian Schools is to equip students to fulfill God’s purposes in their daily lives.  It is our prayer that every student eventually experience Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior.  The essential element that carries out Christian education is the Christian teacher.   All of our teachers and MCS staff are committed Christian believers, dedicated to Christ.

Does MCS have a minimum age requirement for Kindergarten?

Yes, children must be 5 by September 1st.

Do you have a Preschool? 

Our Preschool is located at Maranatha Chapel on Coastwood Road.  Applications are available on the school website or you may call them at (858) 613-7803.

Does Maranatha have After School Care?

MCS offers After School Care which incorporates a variety of enrichment activities in the program.  More detailed information is available on the school website.

Does MCS have a Nurse?

Yes, we have a full-time Registered Nurse on duty.

Do students wear uniforms?

Yes, we are a uniformed school.  Our uniforms are provided by Mills and Land’s End.  In addition to purchasing new uniforms, MCS maintains a resale rack of gently-used uniforms to our families.

Does MCS have a hot lunch program?

Yes, hot lunches may be ordered from the Catering Group.  Menus, prices and information may be accessed through the school office.

Do you have a parent website?

Yes we do.  We’re excited to introduce parents to RenWeb's ParentsWeb, a private and secure portal that will allow parents to see academic information specific to their children, while protecting their children’s information from others.  Information available to view is as follows:

Attendance Daily Grades Progress Reports Report Cards Discipline Homework

Missing Assignments School Calendar School Announcements Teacher Email Addresses Teacher Websites Other Useful School Information

What is accreditation and is MCS accredited?

Accreditation is a self-study conducted by school officials, which is then verified by an outside independent agency. The accreditation process determines if the school meets clearly defined standards. The major goal of accreditation is self-improvement. MCS maintains a dual accreditation with ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). MCS holds membership in College, California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Do all of your teachers have credentials?

As part of the ACSI accreditation process, 80% or better of our teachers are required to hold the ACSI credential.  In combination with the ACSI credential, State of California credentials, and credentials from other states, nearly 100% of our teachers hold a valid teaching credential.  We have several that posses a Masters degree as well.

What is MCS discipline policy?

Our goal is to promote a high standard of personal conduct in our students. This is accomplished through respect for one another, for those in authority and through observance of rules and guidelines as expressed in the Student Handbook. We teach that students are responsible for their actions. Failure to respond to correction and disregard of warnings result in consequences appropriate to the offense. Students are not expected to exhibit perfect behavior, but growth in Christ-like behavior is our goal for each and every child.

How does MCS provide for a safe campus environment?

It is our priority here at MCS to keep our students safe, so we try to take every precaution possible. MCS offices are placed in the front of the campus so that any and all visitors on the campus are asked to sign in and take a school badge. We practice school safety drills such as fire, earthquake and lockdowns. Our playground staff uses walkie-talkies to inform the office and others on campus of any peculiar activities. Each classroom has an intercom system to be used in cases of lockdowns or other emergencies. We have developed a close working relationship with the local police department that visit our campus on a regular basis.

What are the class sizes?

Each grade from Kindergarten through Elementary is 22-26 depending on the grade.

• Junior High maximum class size is 28
• As a student moves into upper level language classes or gets involved in electives, Honors, or Advanced Placement (AP) classes, class size may decrease slightly.
• Classes Kindergarten through sixth grade have an aide
• Classes seventh through eighth share an aide
  

 

What is your boy/girl ratio?

Each year it varies somewhat by grade, but in Elementary we have 50% boys and 50% girls; JH/HS we have 60% boys and 40% girls.

What curriculum does MCS use?

MCS uses a variety of publishers to provide curriculum materials.  In each subject area, teachers and administrators evaluate the publishers to provide an up-to-date and challenging learning experience.  We follow the California state standards.  All curriculums are continuously evaluated every 3 years for integrity of content and are used with Christian interpretation and application.

Do High School students purchase textbooks?

Yes, High School students purchase textbooks through efollett.com.  The High School textbook fee is $400 - $800 per year.

Do you have a gifted program?

Not as such. Middle school students are not tracked, except for math.  In the Upper School (Grades 9-12), students may qualify to take Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes in mathematics, science, history, foreign language, and English.  Presently, 11 Honors or AP courses are offered.

If I have a student that is excelling in a subject, can your program accommodate him?

If we see that a student is excelling we will present additional work that will challenge him/her. We believe that students should use their minds to the fullest potential because it is a gift from God.

Does MCS allow parental involvement?

MCS welcomes parental involvement in a variety of ways. These ways include leadership and participation in fund-raising, volunteering time in the classroom as permitted by the teacher, donating funds to provide for programs beyond what tuition can provide, providing supervision with field trips and social activities, and participating with PAC (Parent Action Committee).

If I have a student that has special needs can your program accommodate him?

MCS reserves the right to select students on the basis of academic performance, religious commitment, lifestyle choices, and personal qualifications, including a willingness to cooperate with MCS administration and policies. However, we try to meet the needs of all our students. In some cases we will place our students on an academic contract. This is an agreement with the teacher, parent, student and administration.