Dear DCA Families,
We are excited to officially announce that we will be reopening Desert Christian Academy’s campus on August 20th for the 2020-2021 school year. We thank you for your prayers and thoughtful feedback over the past few months. We appreciate the love and support you have bestowed upon us during this challenging time. God has been so faithful, and we are blessed with the opportunity to spend another year with you.
Our desire is to serve our DCA students not only academically and spiritually, but we also want them to be healthy in every sense of the word – physically, socially, and emotionally. In order to do that, our leadership team has been diligently working and preparing to adopt and put into place new practices and procedures that will enable DCA the ability to reopen the campus.
After much prayer, research, and DCA family feedback, we strongly believe that we can best serve our families by providing a choice of learning models that meet each family’s unique circumstances.
Therefore, Desert Christian Academy is planning to offer three different learning models. We are beyond excited to not only have students back on campus, but to be able to serve our families and students virtually as well.
Conqueror Engage – On Campus Instruction
Conqueror Engage is our entirely on-campus learning model. Students will receive foundational and essential instruction in all the core subjects for both elementary and secondary. In addition, students will have opportunities to receive targeted instruction, engage in real-world problem solving, W.I.N Time, Special Classes, and FLEX. High School students who choose this model will be on track to receive a college prep high school diploma.
HIGH SCHOOL (9th-12th)
Morning – Core Instruction (English, Mathematics, History, Science, Bible, and Spanish)
Afternoon – Learning Labs and Flex
MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th)
Morning – Learning Labs, Flex and MS Math Intervention
Afternoon – Core Instruction (English, Mathematics, History, Science, and Bible)
ELEMENTARY (Kindergarten-5th)
Morning – Core Instruction (Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Bible)
Afternoon – W.I.N. Time (What I Need Time) (Grades 1 -5)
Special Classes (K-5 Art, Music, PE) (Grades 1-5 Spanish)
Conqueror Fusion – Hybrid
Conqueror Fusion is our hybrid learning model. Students will receive foundational and essential instruction in all the core subjects online and at home. Students will then continue their enrichment and learning on campus through Learning Labs, Flex, and W.I.N. Time. High School students who choose this model will be on track to receive a college prep high school diploma.
HIGH SCHOOL (9th-12th)
Morning – Core Instruction at Home
Afternoon – Learning Labs and Flex at School
MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th – 8th)
Morning – Learning Labs, Flex, and MS Math Intervention at School
Afternoon – Core Instruction at Home
ELEMENTARY (1st – 5th)
Morning – Core Instruction at Home
Afternoon – W.I.N. Time (What I Need Time) and Special Classes at School
Conqueror Core – Online Only
Conqueror Core is our online only learning model. Students will receive foundational and essential instruction in all the core subjects online and at home. This model is available for 1st-12th grade students. Conqueror Core students will continue to be a vital member of the DCA community and have the opportunity to participate in chapels, DCA athletics, and ASB student activities (i.e. game nights). High School students who choose this model will be on track to receive a general high school diploma.
HIGH SCHOOL (9th-12th)
Morning – Core Instruction (English, Mathematics, History, Science, Bible, and Spanish)
MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th)
Afternoon – Core Instruction (English, Mathematics, History, Science, and Bible)
ELEMENTARY (1st-5th)
Morning – Core Instruction (Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Bible)
Important Terms
Learning Labs: An opportunity for students to transfer and apply what they have learned by engaging in real-world problem solving while answering the essential question of: What problem is God calling me to solve? These learning labs will be less about direct teacher instruction and more about project-based learning, transfer and application of skills, and real-world problem-solving.
Secondary Flex: Provides opportunities for students to once again participate in our elective FLEX program. Students will focus on their areas of interest such as fine arts, technology, video production, leadership, etc.
W.I.N. Time: A flexible period of time that provides extra help or enrichment opportunities. Students will receive direct, skill-based, instruction based on their individual needs.
Standard High School Diploma/College Preparatory High School Diploma:
Desert Christian Academy offers two diplomas: a standard high school diploma and a college
preparatory diploma. Students who desire to attend a four-year college or university are
encouraged to pursue a college preparatory diploma. Our college preparatory diploma fulfills
all of the course requirements for admission at the University of California (UC) schools.
Additional Diploma Information
Schedule Examples
Elementary Schedule
Secondary Schedule
What is the cost of each learning model?
What is DCA doing to help provide a safe campus in regards to COVID-19?
We recognize that in a diverse community like ours, there are a wide variety of viewpoints and concerns. Therefore, please know that the decisions made have been covered in prayer and have not been taken lightly. While we cannot eliminate all risks, we are being proactive in updating protocols to reflect best practices for the overall health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and families.
As you know, the COVID-19 federal, state and county regulations and recommendations are ever changing. We will continually be evaluating information provided by the public health agencies to determine what is practical and realistic for implementation at Desert Christian Academy. We can not be 100% certain of what protective measures will need to be implemented in late August, but these are our plans as of now. Thank you for your prayers and please keep in mind the need for continued flexibility leading up to the start of our 2020-21 school year.
Will students and adults be required to wear face coverings?
All faculty and staff will be required to wear face coverings. Masks will be optional for students. We are closely monitoring information and will alert you of any changes prior to the start of school.
What enhanced health and safety practices is DCA implementing for the upcoming school year?
Enhancing the health and safety of our school in the advent of COVID-19 is a joint effort between DCA, parents, and students. Classrooms will be provided with disinfectant and hand sanitizing stations. Our maintenance and custodial crews have installed multiple sanitizing stations throughout campus. There will be ongoing scheduled restock of sanitizers and soap throughout campus. Additionally, we have increased the cleaning and sanitizing schedules of restrooms, classrooms, gymnasium, The Grove, elementary quad, and frequented public spaces such as the school offices.
What safety precautions will be implemented before, during and after classes?
Many safety precautions will be taken throughout the day including hand washing, cleaning of facilities, health screenings, staggering of release times to prevent crowding, social distancing, and much more. Students will utilize the various fields and play areas to allow for social distancing.
Will our campus be closed to visitors?
In order to mitigate the risk of possible exposure and spread of COVID-19, DCA’s campus will initially be closed to all visitors, including parents, unless an appointment has been scheduled. Should a meeting be scheduled with a teacher or administrator you will be screened and escorted to the meeting place.
Only essential vendors will be permitted on-campus during the day and all other vendors will only be allowed to come to campus after school hours. All vendors will be screened.
How can you, as parents, help mitigate the spread of illness, including COVID-19?
- Parents should closely monitor their children and keep any child with a fever above 100°F home.
- For tracking the potential spread of COVID-19, parents are required to email the school notifying them of their child’s illness and subsequent absence.
- Any student on campus who is sick with fever and/or COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated from others, provided a mask, and monitored until they can be picked up.
- That student’s classroom(s) will close for the remainder of the day and undergo a deep cleaning. (The cleaning procedure will be the same for an ill faculty/staff member.)
- All related students or faculty/staff members living in the same house will also be sent home.
- Students or faculty/staff with a confirmed case of COVID-19 may return to school after at least ten days from the onset of symptoms and after being fever and symptom-free for at least 72 hours.
Will there be before and after school care for my child?
Before and after school care will still be available for elementary children with some modifications.
When will Conqueror athletics begin?
Every school is hoping fall athletics will happen soon, but there is no definitive word yet from authorities. We are planning to begin fall practices as soon as possible within safety regulations, but CIF, state and county authorities will make the final determination.
What can you, as parents, do to help DCA during this time?
You have already made a huge contribution to the morale of our teachers and staff through your prayers, patience, flexibility, positive comments on social media, encouraging emails, willingness to share hidden blessings and your small acts of kindness. We would ask that you continue to pray for our entire school community and let us know when students, teachers, or parents are struggling and may need our attention.
To help protect our DCA community, it is crucial that we can rely on a strong, committed partnership with our families. We ask that our parents be diligent in regularly monitoring their children for symptoms of illness, keep any child exhibiting symptoms at home, and immediately notify the school of any suspected or confirmed illness. Parents will be required to sign a COVID-19 Code of Conduct prior to the start of school. When you abide by these guidelines, you will play an instrumental role in helping DCA maintain the health and safety of our entire community.
We will continue to monitor health trends, review government guidelines, and seek counsel from our healthcare professionals. We remain prayerful and intentional when making decisions regarding the reopening of Desert Christian Academy’s campus. We hope this document has answered many of your questions and ultimately provides you with peace as you prepare your children to return to school. Please be assured that we will continue to prepare with purpose so we can complete the task God has set before us. We thank you for your partnership and commitment to DCA.
