HandBook
Email: Academy.newlifebhm@gmail.com
Phone:205-903-8528
400 Roebuck Parkway Birmingham Al 35206
What We Believe and Teach
About the Bible: The Bible is the infallible Word of God and the authority for salvation and Christian living. ( II Timothy 3:16)
About God: There is one God, who has revealed Himself as our Father, in His Son Jesus Christ, and as the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is God manifested in flesh. He is both God and man. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Ephesians 4:4-6; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16)
About Sin and Salvation: Everyone has sinned and needs salvation. Salvation comes by grace through faith based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our basic and fundamental doctrine shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. (Romans 3:23-25; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:3-5; Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:20,21; Mark 16:16; Titus 3:5)
About the Gospel: The saving gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. We obey the gospel by repentance (death to sin), water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (burial), and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (resurrection). ( I Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 2:4, 37-39; Romans 6:3-4)
About Christian Living: As Christians we are to love God and others. We should live a holy life inwardly and outwardly, and worship God joyfully. The supernatural gifts of the Spirit, including healing, are for the church today.(Mark 12:28-31; II Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 12:14; I Corinthians 12:8-10)
About the Future: Jesus Christ is coming again to catch away His church. In the end will be the final resurrection and the final judgment. The righteous will inherit eternal life, and the unrighteous eternal death. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:11-15.)
DRESS / APPEARANCE
Why we have a dress code:
Students are expected to be dressed neatly, appropriately and modestly at all times.
The Bible gives several principles that apply to a Christian's dress and appearance. We are to adorn ourselves with a “meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price” (I Peter 3:4b). Titus 2:11-12 states, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Christians should not conform to worldly dress (Romans 12:2). Fashions and fads should not be the concern of separated Christians. The basic premise of this dress code is that one should dress properly in order to be a good testimony for Jesus Christ.
Uniform:
Elementary:
Girls must wear blue, black or khaki skirts or dresses which are knee length and sleeved shirts which are white, blue or gray.
Boys must wear blue, black or khaki pants and white, gray or navy sleeved shirts
Black tennis shoes are recommended, not required, for the children that will be on the playground because the mulch will discolor their shoes.
Middle - High School:
Girls must wear blue or black skirts that cover the knee (no pencil skirts) and white or burgundy shirts that are long sleeved or approaching the elbow.
Boys must wear blue or black pants and white or burgundy shirts that are long sleeved or approaching the elbow.
**School logo monogrammed shirts and sweatshirts will be available for purchase and may be worn in place of the uniform shirt.
Make-up and Jewelry
No make-up or colored nail polish. Clear is ok.
No Jewelry. This includes earrings, rings and necklaces.
Hair should be cleaned, neatly groomed, and the child’s natural color
Chapel and Prayer
We encourage children to build a relationship with Jesus through prayer. Children may speak out loud, clap, raise their hands and pray for each other.
Students will attend chapel. There will be student led service with singing, worship and devotional.
Most of our children are taught that Santa Claus isn’t real, and are encouraged to focus on Jesus as the reason for Christmas. This topic may be brought up and discussed.
Communication
Communication with teachers and staff about school related issues should be only through Procare. Please do not text or call teachers and staff about school issues outside of Procare, unless a phone conference has been scheduled during school hours. The staff will respond and communicate discipline, homework and all school related issues through Procare.
School Calendar
Go to the Procare app and click the calendar icon
Weather Policy
Safety First!
Canceling school is a complicated decision that affects students, staff and families. We will do everything we can to keep the school open, but our main goal is to keep our families and students safe.
The primary criteria we consider when making a decision include:
-The safety and well-being of students and staff
-Severity of the weather (extreme cold, flooding, etc.)
-Timing of weather (overnight, weekend, etc.)
-The ability for cars to travel safely
We continually monitor the forecast from the National Weather Service, and the administrators meet in order to make the best decision for students, staff, and families.
Notifying Families:
In the event that school is canceled due to severe weather, NLA makes every attempt to notify families as soon as possible.
Full-day school closure decisions will be made no later than 6pm the day before or 7:00 a.m. the day of if conditions have become more hazardous than expected overnight.
After-school and evening cancellation decisions affecting after-school activities will be made by 1:00 p.m. that day.
We notify families via:
Text messaging and phone calls
Emails
Procare
Social media (Facebook and Instagram)
Parents can help by making sure their contact information, as well as emergency contact information, is regularly updated with their child’s school.
POWER OUTAGES:
If power is out by 8:30 am, school will be closed. If a power outage happens during the day and will be longer than an hour, school will be closed. Administrators will contact parents through Procare.
Tuition Agreement
I agree to pay a non-refundable registration and/or book fee for the Fall/Spring 2025-2026 to New Life Academy, a ministry of New Life Church.
I understand that all fees are due at registration along with my signed Financial Agreement. Registration is $300 and includes the book fee. Tuition is due on the 1st of every month. Tuition is $2,880 for the school year if you are a member of NLC, and $3,420 for non members, and will be paid in nine monthly payments. There is a $35 late fee for tuition payments received after the 15th of the month. NLA operates solely on tuition fees. Therefore it is essential that all payments be paid promptly. This agreement pertains to any other financial obligation my child may incur during the school year such as late fees, field trip and graduation costs. In order to continually assure the highest quality of staff, equipment and supplies, we cannot offer reductions in our fees for absences due to illness, school delays, closures, holidays, inclement weather or vacations.
I understand that if I wish to withdraw my child, I must give the director a two week written notice.
I understand that if I wish to change my childcare plan(as in how many and which days/hrs my child will be attending) administration has to be notified and I will have to fill out a request for change form. I understand that I will be charged a $15 fee to change my childcare plan.
All tuition payments will be made on myprocare.com either by debit/credit card or you may choose auto withdrawal.
There is a $3.50 technology fee for Procare.
Auto withdrawal is completely free and will be submitted on the first of each month.
Attendance Policy
Absences, Tardies and Makeup Work
All children must be in class and ready to start at 9:00 am or they are considered late. A tardy bell will ring at 8:55 alerting the students that it is time to go to class. Classes will start on time and your child may fall behind if continuously tardy or absent. They will have to use PE and/or break time to catch up on daily work. If needed, the student will have homework to stay on track. Teachers will need to be given at least a week's notice to be able to send work for a planned vacation or time away. Makeup work will be mandatory and will count as a grade. You will be given 1 day per day missed to complete make up work for all excused absences.
General attendance policies
For school records, a note or excuse slip must accompany the student upon his return to school. The following should be observed:
If a note is not received within three days of the absence or tardy, it will be assumed that the absence or tardy is unexcused.
The note must give an explanation of why the student was absent or tardy with the date of the absence(s) or tardiness, and the date of the note clearly marked.
Any student with more than 5 absences. (excused or unexcused) will have a meeting with the principal to discuss further enrollment at NLA. According to Alabama state law any student who accumulates more than 7 unexcused absences is considered truant.
Homework
Monday Family Meeting:
A constructive family meeting about school goals is a supportive and collaborative conversation where everyone—parents or guardians, the student, and possibly siblings—comes together to reflect, plan, and encourage one another around the student's education. The tone of the meeting is positive and open, focused not on blame or pressure, but on growth, understanding, and motivation.
Purpose of the Meeting
The main goal of the meeting is to inspire the student and give them a strong sense of support while helping them take ownership of their learning. It’s a time to:
• Celebrate what’s going well
• Identify and talk honestly about struggles
• Set achievable goals
• Build a plan for support and improvement
• Strengthen family encouragement and connection
Structure of the Meeting
1 Celebrate the Wins
The meeting begins by recognizing the student’s successes—no matter how big or small. This might include:
◦ Improved grades or effort in certain subjects
◦ Positive feedback from teachers
◦ Better organization or time management
◦ A growth in confidence or participation
2 Starting with strengths helps set an encouraging tone and reminds the student of their capability.
3 Discuss the Struggles
With empathy and curiosity, the family listens as the student shares what they’re finding difficult. These struggles might include:
◦ Trouble understanding certain subjects
◦ Time management issues
◦ Stress, anxiety, or burnout
◦ Social distractions or challenges
4 The goal here is not to criticize but to understand the root of the problem and work as a team to find possible solutions.
5 Set Clear and Realistic Goals
Together, the family and student define what success could look like in the short term. For example:
◦ Completing homework on time for a full week
◦ Asking for help when needed
◦ Studying in shorter, focused blocks
◦ Meeting with a tutor once a week
6 These goals should be specific, manageable, and encouraging—meant to build momentum, not overwhelm.
7 Offer Support and Resources
The family discusses how they can help the student. This could include:
◦ Creating a quiet study space
◦ Helping to create a weekly schedule
◦ Checking in regularly without pressure
◦ Encouraging breaks, balance, and rest
8 It’s important that the student feels they are not alone in this process.
Inspiring the Student
Throughout the meeting, the focus is on hope, growth, and belief. This time is meant to remind the student that:
• Everyone struggles sometimes—what matters is how we respond
• They are capable of improvement and success
• Their effort is more important than perfection
• The family is there not to judge, but to support and uplift
By the end of the meeting, the student should leave feeling understood, encouraged, and empowered to move forward—with a plan and with people behind them.
A constructive family meeting like this is not a one-time event, but part of an ongoing dialogue. Regular check-ins can help keep goals on track and keep the student feeling motivated. When handled with care and consistency, these meetings can strengthen both academic performance and family connection.
Homework is typically only assigned when classwork is incomplete. When assigned, it is mandatory and consequences will follow if not completed. These consequences may include silent lunch, no recess and in school suspension. If it is a recurring issue, further disciplinary action will be taken.
Sickness Policy
The school can only accept healthy children. If symptoms of illness are observed, the child will not be allowed to stay at the school. If symptoms of illness are observed before coming to the school, parents are asked to keep their child at home. Symptoms that are a cause for keeping a child at home or a parent being called to come and get a child include: cold; sore throat; cough; fever (100.0° or higher); upset stomach; vomiting, earache which causes pain and discomfort; red eyes which are contagious (also known as pink-eye); chills; headache; skin eruptions; loose bowel movements (regardless of the reason); head lice; or any reaction to any shots the child may have received at the physician's office. These symptoms may be with or without fever. A fever is considered to be a temperature of 100.0° or above. The axillary temperature (under the arm) is taken and one degree is added to determine the child's temperature.
A CHILD CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN AT THE SCHOOL WITH A FEVER_(100° OR HIGHER) REGARDLESS OF THE REASON.
Parents will be notified to pick up the child immediately if signs of illness occur during the day. Parents are required to pick up the child within the hour. Care will be provided for the child until the parent arrives.
Children may not return to the center after a communicable disease until the doctor has released the child and all symptoms have disappeared. The child must have a doctor's written approval stating it is safe for the child to return to the center. The doctor's permission slip must be submitted to the director before the child returns to the classroom.
In the event of an accident or illness requiring emergency medical attention, the child's parents will be called immediately. If necessary, and only if the parent cannot arrive immediately, the child will be taken by a staff member and the Paramedics of the Birmingham Fire Department - who have agreed to provide emergency care and emergency transportation for the child and staff person - to the emergency room of Children's Hospital.
Parents should report to the director any illnesses or exposures to communicable diseases outside the school in order that the director can alert parents and take necessary measures.
Parents are required to obtain a blue medical form from their child's pediatrician. The Blue Immunization card is given to all children 2 months of age or older. The original Alabama Certificate of Immunization form must be kept in the child's file in the day care office. Parents are required to keep their child's medical form current. Whenever a child's file is not up to date with all necessary medical information and immunizations, a reminder letter will be sent to the parent. It is the parent's responsibility to bring the updated health records to the day care office.
Your child can return to school after being sick if they are:
Fever free for 24 hrs without medication
Free of vomiting/diarrhea for 24 fours
*Hand foot and Mouth: 5 days quarantine from school (very contagious)
Reasons why the child cannot come to school:
* Fever of 100 degrees or higher
* Cold with yellow or green nasal discharge
* Croup
* Strep Throat
* Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)
* Flu
* Persistent diarrhea (even if a reaction to antibiotics)
* Vomiting
* Ringworm
* Chicken Pox
* Hand Foot Mouth Disease (Herpangina)
* Coxsackie Virus
* Fifth Disease (Slapped Cheek Disease)
* ANY type of rash or blisters
* Mumps
* Impetigo
* Pink Eye
* Contagious Styes
* Head Lice
* MRSA
* Scabies
These are just examples of contagious illnesses when your child needs to stay out of school. Each individual case is different and may require more or less time out, but will always require a doctor's note to return stating that the child is well and not contagious in order to return. If you feel that your child is sick with a contagious illness, please verify with a doctor that your child is clear to come to school before bringing him/her to the school.
This is for the protection of your child, all other school children present and the childcare provider. A doctor's note will show that your child is cleared by a doctor, but you must abide by the school sick policies first, regarding when a child can or cannot come to school. It is our hope to keep the school as germ-free and sick-free as possible. Once ONE child comes to school sick, he or she is exposing everyone to that illness and it starts a terrible cycle.
Accident Reports
In the event a child is injured while at school, qualified personnel will determine if the injury is an emergency or if the parent needs to be notified. Regardless of the extent of the injury, a report will be provided.
Food and Lunch Procedures
We provide microwaves that can be used to heat up meals, but when cooking meals for the students, it takes up too much of the lunch time. We also ask that you send the utensils needed.
Drop off and Dismissal
Students may not be dropped off before 8:30 unless teachers or administration have been notified. Students must be picked up by 3:15 and may not stay in aftercare unless registered. Students may not stay at the church without an adult that is responsible for them. Teenagers are not responsible adults. If a student is driving, they must fill out a drivers form and must leave when school is dismissed. If students are riding home with another student teachers or administrators must be notified in advance.
General Behavior
Courtesy and respect for teachers, staff members, other students, and visitors is required. Rudeness or defiance will result in disciplinary measures.
Improper speech, vulgarity, profanity, euphemisms for swear words, and lying will not be tolerated.
Running, shoving, yelling, fighting, and undue boisterousness or “horseplay” are considered out of order at all times.
No student is to be off the school grounds at any time during the school day without a parental note granting specific permission or special permission from the Principal. No student is to be away from class or the Learning Center without proper permission.
Stealing or cheating will result in severe disciplinary action which may include immediate suspension. Whether information is given or received during a test, examination, quiz or assignment, the offense is the same. This includes intentional scoring violations and any altering of computer settings and/or passwords.
Students are forbidden to smoke tobacco, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Further, students are prohibited from possessing these items or even talking favorably about them.
Students are not allowed to get tattoos, body-piercings, unnatural hair coloring, and other worldly styles.
Firecrackers, explosive devices of any kind, matches, lighters, knives, and weapons of any kind are not permitted to be brought to school.
Articles which distract the attention of the other students are not to be brought to school. These include all electronic devices, unless approved by staff.
Cell phones are not allowed to be turned on or used at school. If a student needs one at school, it must remain turned off and turned in to the teacher. Phone calls that must be made require permission from a teacher.
Littering is prohibited and students are expected to keep their desk area clean and neat. If school or church property is destroyed or damaged, parents will be expected to cover all repair and replacement costs.
Banned Apps List:
Administration reserves the right to ban any app deemed to be out of harmony with NLA's values.
Specifically, banned apps as of the revision date of this handbook are as follows:
• Afterschool
• Backchat
• Chance
• Charm
• Cyber Dust
• DigitCalc
• Discord Page
• Glide
• Gogii Games
• Group Me
• Jiggler
• KIK
• Lulu
• Omegle
• Secret
• Slingshot
• Sneek
• Snapchat
• Tenderly
• TikTok
• Timehop
• Yik-Yak
• Zoosk
We require that all students refrain from the use of these apps while registered at NLA. We are developing students and helping them reach their potential. The above apps are not adding to our students development or leading them in the paths or righteousness.
Although we recognize that we have no direct control of students when they are away from the school, any violations of accepted behavior of NLA students will be considered serious. The testimony given forth by students in public is a reflection on the Lord and on this church and school.
Discipline Policy
Students will be given 1 warning in classroom.
Students will be sent to the principal if warning does not change the behavior. The level of discipline will depend on the level of behavior and will be decided by the principal and teacher. A note will be sent in Procare to parents to inform them about behavior and level of discipline. We will want to work closely with parents to prevent behavior that will impact the student and classroom negatively and work toward resolution.
Level 1 - Silent lunch / partial recess
Level 2 - Silent lunch and no recess
Level 3 - In school suspension
Level 4 - Suspension
Level 5 - Expulsion
Suspension
In-School Suspension: During an in-school suspension the student will come to school but will be isolated from friends all day. The student is responsible to keep up with school work during his/her suspension. In certain instances, the administration may provide specific tasks for the student to accomplish during the suspension.
Out of School Suspension: A student is expected to keep up with school work and any assignments missed during his suspension. A suspended student may not return to class until his parents have met with the principal after the suspension has been served.
Expulsion
A student may be expelled for cheating, repeated minor offenses, drugs, weapons, and fighting/hitting.
A student may be expelled immediately for serious misbehavior, regardless of if it occurs during school hours or on school property.
Expulsions shall be made a part of the student's permanent record. The notation would simply be “expelled on (date).” The reason for the expulsion would not normally be released unless required by proper authorities.
An expelled student who wishes to re-apply for admission to NLA may be considered on a probationary status following the completion of a school-directed restoration program.