FAQs
Is Parnassus Preparatory Academy a school? We are not a public, private, or charter school. We offer high quality classes with a focus on classical education to homeschool students. We welcome students of all types of homeschooling backgrounds. Our program supports an independent study model and is of value specifically to students homeschooling through a charter, private school affadavit, or private school satellite program. Homeschooling families are responsible for filing a Private School Affadavit (PSA) with the State of California, enrolling in a homeschool charter school, or enrolling in a Private School Satellite Program (PSP) and for reporting grades and attendance.
How does it work? Our program is designed after a University Model where your child will attend two-days of classes per week with the remaining week days free to complete studies under the guidance of the parent educator. Families purchase the suggested curriculum and together we will explore a connected core curriculum which includes multi-subject academics in Latin, math, phonics and spelling, literature and poetry, writing, classical studies, geography, science, art, and music. Families are provided with curriculum pacing through a weekly lesson plan detailing assignments to complete on the days at home for partnership within the hybrid system.
But I’ve never homeschooled before. How could I do this program? Actually, you have! You are your child’s first and best teacher. We support our home educators (that’s you) with training, support materials, and help from your child’s class teacher during home days. Our chosen curriculum has been proven to adapt to the needs of homeschool parents and can be easily implemented at home.
Where is Parnassus Preparatory Academy located? We have three convenient locations in the South Bay of Los Angeles to serve you.
How long has the program been in existence? Parnassus Preparatory Academy is opened its doors in September 2018.
What kind of classes do you offer? Our classes are inspired by the classical education model, emphasizing great books and foundational knowledge across the disciplines. We offer enrichment classes in core academic subjects (like Latin, math, science, language arts and history) as well as electives (like classical studies, logic, geography, art, music, etc.). Classes are designed to support an independent study or homeschool model.
What curriculum does Parnassus Preparatory Academy use? We use a variety of homeschool curriculum from award winning classical education publishers including Memoria Press Core Curriculum (Public and Charter Schools Edition), Classical Academic Press’ Writing & Rhetoric (grades 4 and up), Singapore Math: Dimensions Math (grades K through 6), Saxon Math (grades 6 and up), and Centripetal Press Science.
Do you provide curriculum or grades?
Families purchase their own curriculum and personal supplies. While we do not issue official report cards or transcripts, however we do provide progress reports and semester grade reports for the classes. These are intended for informational purposes and are not official records. As an enrichment provider, we do not take on the role of primary educator—parents and/or charter school teachers remain responsible for overall instruction, grading, and recordkeeping.
What are the days and hours? Jr Kindergarten through 6th/7th grade students meet in three cohorts on either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday.
There is a 15-minute Morning Gathering that starts at 9:00 AM. Morning Gathering includes the Pledge of Allegiance, Student Pledge, Manner of the Week, and Core Virtue of the Month Lesson/Read-a-Loud, and parents are invited to attend.
Junior Kindergarten through Sixth grade classes meet in morning and afternoon sessions with a 40-45-minute lunch break in between sessions. Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten morning session runs 9:15-11:20 and afternoon 12:05-3:30. First through third grade morning sessions runs 9:15-11:40 and afternoon 12:25-3:30. Fourth through Sixth grade morning sessions runs 9:15-12:25 and afternoon 1:05-3:30.
Upper grades students in grades 7th through 12th meet Tuesdays and Fridays. Morning Gathering starts at 8:30 with six class periods starting at 8:50 AM and the last class period ending at 3:15 PM including a 40 minute student lunch period.
Can I use charter funds to pay for classes? What if I’m paying privately?
Yes! We are an approved vendor with several charter schools. See our charter school student page for more info. Please check with your charter teacher to confirm your instructional funds can be used. Families not using charter funds may pay directly. See our private pay student page for more info about participation fees and payment options.
What grades do you serve? How big are the classes? How are grade levels grouped? Parnassus Prep serves students in Junior Kindergarten through Twelfth grade. Junior Kindergarten students must be 4 by September 1 of the current school year and be fully potty trained. The classes are kept to a maximum of 12-15 students. Students are grouped by age and academic ability and are placed according to the curriculum rather than age or grade level.
What is the homeschool commitment for a parent or student? Parents are expected to teach and support their children on home learning days. As students progress into harder subjects, they will spend more time on their home assignments. The benefit of parent-led learning is freedom to progress at the student’s individual pace. Time will vary greatly for each student depending on their personality. Our aim is for students to spend on average three hours a day for grades K-2, four hours a day for 3-6, and five to six hours a grade for 7-12 on home assignments. This amount assumes a parent will be working with multiple children at the same time, and that students will be working more independently as they mature. Weekly assignment sheet examples are available on request.
We offer a challenging curriculum but it is not our intention to overload students with excessive amount of work. Our program allows our students, who are involved with other interests and activities outside of class, time to enjoy these activities. We also understand the importance of family and leisure activities.
What are the teachers qualifications? Do you require background checks and fingerprinting for all teachers and staff? We seek teachers who are dedicated to the craft of teaching, know and love the subjects they teach, who understand and love children, and who are prepared to model the intellectual and moral virtue we seek to cultivate in our students. Teachers need not have a teaching credential although a bachelors degree and knowledge in their subjects is desired with preference given to teachers with an advanced academic degree. A classical education background is helpful but not required.
In order to be an approved educations provider, all teachers, staff, and substitutes must have a Department of Justice background check clearance and follow child protection policies.
Is a parent volunteer commitment required? What is PEO? All families who take classes through Parnassus Preparatory Academy must also register in Parnassus Enrichment Organization (“PEO”). PEO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a learning environment and coordination site for educational vendors. PEO’s mission is to support homeschool families by fostering community and connection among students, teachers, and parents through enriching classes, events, and field trips.
A yearly student materials fee is due with registration ($150) that includes academy and classroom supplies, earthquake supplies, cardigan sweater or fleece, and online instructional video resources. Charter funds may not be used for the student materials fee. In addition, we require a PEO fundraising commitment of $800 per family. This fundraising commitment may be waved entirely for families who volunteer 20 or more hours per semester. All volunteers working directly with children must attend a volunteer orientation, complete a background check, commit to a volunteer code of conduct and agreement, and follow child protection policies.
Is Parnassus Enrichment Organization a drop-off learning center? Students must be dropped off and picked up by a parent immediately before or after each class a student takes. Parent volunteers help supervise students during lunch time with a volunteer lead coordinating the sign-up schedule. Students may not leave the premises during lunch unless accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
Are vaccines required for enrollment? PEO is an educational enrichment provider, not a private or public school. As such, we do not require proof of immunization for participation in classes.
However, families homeschooling under charter schools should be aware that charter schools must comply with California’s vaccination laws, and immunization records may be required by the charter when enrolling or renewing.
Do you provide lunch or snacks? Are there food restrictions?
No. Students must bring their own lunch and snacks. We are not a nut-free or nut-aware program, and students may bring food items that contain peanuts or tree nuts. However, for the safety of all students, sharing food is not allowed at any time. If your child has a food allergy, please communicate with their instructors and take appropriate precautions. Parents are welcome to coordinate with teachers for additional accommodations if needed.
Does Parnassus Prep have any religious affiliations? No. It is our desire to provide an excellent educational option to all homeschool families, regardless of religious affiliation. Students of all religions or without religion are welcome. Students who attend Parnassus Prep will come from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and socio-economic status. We believe that the inclusion of study about religion is important for students to be properly educated about history and cultures. If information about religion is presented, we make sure that is is taught objectively and neutrally and not to indoctrinate the students into any specific religious tradition.
Do you accept special needs students, or students with an IEP or 504 plan? We do welcome students with special needs, but please understand we are not able to offer accommodations in our classes. In our traditional classrooms, a knowledgeable, enthusiastic teacher carefully leads students into an understanding of each subject. Classrooms are quiet, orderly, and disciplined with incremental, age-appropriate, and skill developing work. Our teachers are willing to work with homeschooling parents who want to modify things at home, but our staff is not trained in special education. All students who take our classes are expected to be able to participate in classroom lectures, discussions, and activities with their classmates.
Do you offer tours or parent informational meetings? Yes. A parent information meeting is held in February. Please check the calendar for dates and times. Tours are held throughout the year. All prospective families are required a parent preview night or tour in order to determine whether our program is the right fit for your family.
How do I know if Parnassus Preparatory Academy is right for me?
Consider the following questions as parents:
Will our family benefit from having a curriculum organized for our children’s instruction?
Can we provide an environment conducive to learning within our home?
Are our family dynamics such that our children will respond to us as their teachers?
Are our family dynamics such that we can commit to the workload required at home?
Is this the best educational model for us?
Contact us. If you have questions or just want to talk about what Parnassus Preparatory Academy would look like for your family, please contact us at (310) 925-5084 and we would be happy to meet with you!