The Family Hub on GCA’s website is the best place to find helpful information prior to and throughout the school year. Here you will find details about all kinds of things: how to order lunches, how to register for the bus, the school calendar, dress code information, handbooks, and much more. Any forms that need to be completed prior to the start of the school year will also be available at Back to School Night events.

The FACTS Family Portal (District Code is GCA-IN) is another resource for important school functions. Under School/Web Forms, you can update demographic information and emergency contacts. Under the Student tab, you can check grades and order lunches.

GCA High School also has a mobile app available containing high school-specific information. To access it, search “Greenwood Christian Academy” in your app store, download the app, then choose “High School” in the upper right corner. Check out the app to see daily announcements, lunch menus, event and athletic calendars, photos, and more.

You can find supply lists by grade here: https://www.gcak12.org/supplies

Lunch menus will be available to order on your FACTS Family Portal for two months at a time. Menus will be released on the 15th of the month prior to a new ordering cycle.

To place a WEB ORDER, sign in to your Family Portal, click the STUDENT tab > LUNCH. Select which student you will be ordering for, then click +CREATE WEB ORDER at the top of the page. That will take you to the ORDER page, click on your student's name to select the date you would like to order - this will reveal the items available to purchase on that date. If you would like to look at the entire menu by month, you can view it on the LUNCH HOME page by selecting MONTH for the calendar format. The deadline to order a lunch is 1 week prior to the day the lunch is needed. For example: If you would like to order Chick-fil-A on Monday, August 23, you will need to order that lunch by Monday, August 16. Please note that we place orders with our vendors for ONLY the amount ordered, so we don’t always have extras. Make sure to pack your child a lunch if you did not order.

All elementary meals come with a drink (juice, water, or milk) except on Fridays when all items are a la carte. If your MS/HS student would like to purchase a milk/juice/water, please make sure you select the *MS/HS/Extra Drink for each day they would like to order.

If you have any questions about lunches or ordering lunches on FACTS, please contact our Lunch Coordinator, Amy Willis at awillis@gcak12.org.

Dress Code Principles

#1 Parents are the authority over their children. (Exodus 12, Colossians 3, Ephesians 6)

#2 GCA must do its best to have a biblical, safe, and thriving school community that avoids exposing students to anything that might cause them to sin. (1 Cor 8, Luke 17; Philippians 4)

#3 GCA will do its best to balance Principle #1 and Principle #2. Teachers may alert the administration of any dress code concerns. The administration reserves the right to interpret all dress code policies and make final decisions regarding student attire. The ultimate goal of this policy is to create a school atmosphere that both honors the Lord and provides an excellent atmosphere for learning.

Dress Code Education

Part of each student’s education in Bible classes will be a discussion on what is appropriate to wear from a biblical standpoint, focusing on the responsibility of both genders to discipline themselves when it comes to peer influence, negative influences, and lustful thoughts or actions. This discipline will be necessary outside the walls of GCA, so parents and staff must work together to teach students how to handle themselves in the world.

Dress Code Guidelines

Student appearance should be: ARM

1) Appropriate (safe; no promotion of sinful, evil, dark, illegal, or negative ideas)

2) Respectful (honoring to the Christian faith and conducive to a Christian learning environment)

3) Modest (avoiding undue attention and tight-fitting clothing, no undergarments, stomach, or cleavage showing, no spaghetti or strapless tops)

FAQ’s

1. Are athletic shorts and sweatpants permitted? YES, as long as the ARM guidelines are followed.

2. Are leggings/yoga pants permitted? YES, as long as a top/shirt is worn that reaches mid-thigh.

3. Can boys wear earrings? Yes.

4. Can students have body piercings other than ears? No.

5. Can jeans have holes and frays? Yes, as long as the ARM guidelines are followed.

Bus Registration Form. Please complete and bring to Back to School Night or return to your child’s classroom or 1st period/block teacher.

The Southport Route meets at Doxa Bible Church at 5905 E. Southport Road in Indianapolis (Arlington Ave. and Southport Rd).

Morning Pickup Time is 7:15-7:25am

Afternoon Drop off Time is 3:50-4:00pm

Students in Grades PS-4 who ride the bus in the morning must go to Before School Care upon arrival at school if it is before 8:00 AM. Students will be dismissed to class at 8:00 to put belongings in the proper places and go to their classrooms. Students riding the bus and going to Before School Care will not incur a charge.

Lower School students who ride the bus home in the afternoon will report to carline and be walked out to the bus by a staff member at 3:20 PM. Once they have been walked out to the bus, they will not be permitted to re-enter the building. No student will be permitted to be left at the drop-off area if the person responsible to pick them up is not there. A student will be brought back to school should their ride not be there and placed in the After-School Care program. There will be a charge for the time spent in After School Care.

All departing vehicles should exit via the main north entrance and turn right. If you need to travel west, use the roundabout at Worthsville and Averitt.

Lower School

Morning Drop-off for PS-4th Grade: 8:00 am - 8:20 am

Enter GCA through the west side entrance and follow the path through the parking lot until you arrive under the awning. Staff will help your child out of the vehicle and escort him/her into the building. Do not exit your vehicle at any time.

Wait until the cars in front of you are ready to leave before exiting GCA. Do not pull around cars and leave.

Afternoon Pick-up for PS-PK: 2:30 pm - 2:50 pm

Enter through the main north entrance. Stop in front of the building and a staff member will help your child into your vehicle and buckle them in. Please stay in your vehicle.

Wait until the cars in front of you are ready to leave before exiting GCA. Do not pull around cars and leave.

Afternoon Pick-up for KG-4th Grade: 2:50 pm - 3:15 pm

Enter through the west entrance. Move your vehicle up into one of the four queue lines available. Have your pickup number in windshield and visible at all times.

Stop in front of the building and a staff member will help your child into your vehicle. Please stay in your vehicle.

Wait until the cars in front of you are ready to leave before exiting GCA. Do not pull around cars and leave.

Middle School

Morning Drop-off for 5th-8th Grade: Before 8:00 am

Enter GCA through the main north entrance. Drop student off in front of the building.

Afternoon Pick-up for 5th-8th Grade: 3:15 pm

Enter through the main north entrance. Pull out to leave when ready. IF the pickup line is out to Worthsville Road, please drive past, and access our property from the other west side entrance. Do not stop traffic or form a line anywhere on Worthsville Road.

The parking lot in the northeast corner of our property is still a park-and-wait lot for Middle School families. Your student will walk out to your car when released.

South Campus siblings in two or more divisions

Drop off at your earliest option and pick up during your latest section.

High School

The North Campus features a large parking lot and easy access via Main Street. Before school, students can be dropped off under the awning or can park in spots on the west side (right side) of the parking lot. Seniors can pay to reserve (and paint) a parking spot that is theirs alone.

After school, parents picking up students should park in either of the innermost rows so they can pull directly out after picking up students. It is very intuitive; just do what makes sense!

The BSC/ASC Registration Form is available on the Family Hub.

Before School Care (Preschool-4th grade)

Our Before School Care (BSC) program is open to Lower School (Preschool-4th grade students) and meets in an assigned area beginning at 7:00 a.m. Please have your student eat breakfast before coming or provide something for them to bring in to eat. Students will not be allowed to go to their classrooms during this time or roam the hallways. Lower School students arriving before 7:40 a.m. will incur a charge ($5.00 per day) for this program. All students utilizing BSC must be signed in by an adult unless they are a bus student. Children who ride the school bus do not incur a charge.

Middle School students who arrive between 7:00-7:40 a.m. will not incur a charge and will wait for dismissal in the main lobby.

After School Care (Preschool-4th grade)

Our After-School Care (ASC) program meets in an assigned area from classroom dismissal until 5:30pm. Students must be registered for ASC prior to using the program. Cost for the program is $3 for every half hour. A $1 per minute late fee will be added if a child is not picked up by 5:30 p.m. Upon arrival in the designated area, attendance will be taken and the students will be dismissed for study or play. Under no circumstance will students be permitted to be in any area without adult supervision. Parents or other individuals on the approved pick-up list must sign out students from ASC personnel in the South campus entryway.

Middle School students who are not picked up at the time of dismissal will not incur a charge and will be supervised in the main lobby until they are picked up — no later than 5:30 p.m.

Blocks alternate between Blue and White Days, regardless of what day of the week it is.

MONDAY/TUESDAY

Block 1 - 8:15-9:37

Block 2 - 9:42-11:05

Cougar Time - 11:10-11:30

Lunch - 11:35-12:05

Block 3 - 12:10-1:32

Block 4 - 1:37-3:00

WEDNESDAY*

Block 1 - 8:15-9:25

Block 2 - 9:30-10:40

Block 3.1 - 10:45-11:30

Lunch - 11:35-12:05

Block 3.2 - 12:10-12:40

Block 4 - 12:45-2:00

*Except for August 9 and May 22, which are Non-Early Release Wednesdays.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY

Block 1 - 8:15-9:32

Block 2 - 9:37-10:55

Cougar Time - 11:00-11:40

Lunch - 11:45-12:15

Block 3 - 12:20-1:37

Block 4 - 1:42-3:00

Cougar Time will consist of the following: Monday and Tuesday will be clubs or resource times for students to get assistance from a teacher as needed. Thursday will be Chapel, and Friday will be Cougar Den meetings (our mentor groups). There is no Cougar Time on Wednesdays.

Regular 7th/8th Grade Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Period 1 - 8:00 - 8:48

Period 2 - 8:52 - 9:39

Period 3 - 9:43 - 10:30

Period 4 - 10:34 - 11:20

LUNCH - 11:20 - 11:48

Period 5 - 11:51 - 12:38

Period 6 - 12:42 - 1:30

Period 7 - 1:34 - 2:22

Period 8 - 2:26 - 3:15

Wednesday Chapel Schedule with early release at 2:15pm

Period 1 - 8:00 - 8:26

CHAPEL - 8:30 - 9:10

Period 2 - 9:14 - 9:52

Period 3 - 9:56 - 10:33

Period 4 - 10:37 - 11:15

LUNCH - 11:20 - 11:48

Period 5 - 11:51 - 12:23

Period 6 - 12:27 - 1:00

Period 7 - 1:04 - 1:37

Period 8 - 1:41 - 2:15

5th and 6th Grades will not follow the MS bell schedule, but instead, will travel as classes between rooms for each subject. Their lunch is scheduled for 10:45 am - 11:15 am.

Lower School hours are from 8:20 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. Students are not to enter the building before 8:00 a.m. unless they are in the Before-School Care program or if they have a Middle or High School sibling. Students who arrive before 8:00 a.m. MUST go to Before-School Care, and their parents will incur the appropriate fee for the time there. Students who arrive after 8:20 a.m. will need to be signed in by a parent/guardian at the front desk and will be counted tardy. Lower School carline will begin at 8:00 and end at 8:20.

A student will only be released to a parent or other adult on the student’s approved list. If a person on the student’s approved list is to pick up the child, that person will need to sign him/her out. Proof of identity will need to be provided. If a person who is not on a student's approved list is to pick up a child, the office must be notified in writing or by phone ahead of time. Afternoon carline will begin at 2:50 p.m. and run through 3:10 p.m.

Nothing changes with start times; end times move back exactly one hour. The only exceptions to these Wednesdays are during the first and last weeks of school.

After School Care is still available until 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Yes! There is a bus that goes from the South to the North campus every morning, leaving around 7:50 am.

In the afternoon, there is a bus that goes from North to South, leaving North around 3:05 pm.

Jason Klingerman is a certified counselor on staff at GCA; he also teaches High School Bible classes. He is reachable at jklingerman@gcak12.org. His services would be for short-term needs.

For longer-term counseling, Click the link here!

Visit the Family Hub to see handbooks for the High School, Middle School, and Lower School.

Please see the Student Handbook for each school, which can be found on the Family Hub.

Dress Code Principles

#1 Parents are the authority over their children. (Exodus 12, Colossians 3, Ephesians 6)

#2 GCA must do its best to have a biblical, safe, and thriving school community that avoids exposing students to anything that might cause them to sin. (1 Cor 8, Luke 17; Philippians 4)

#3 GCA will do its best to balance Principle #1 and Principle #2. Teachers may alert the administration of any dress code concerns. The administration reserves the right to interpret all dress code policies and make final decisions regarding student attire. The ultimate goal of this policy is to create a school atmosphere that both honors the Lord and provides an excellent atmosphere for learning.

Dress Code Education

Part of each student’s education in Bible classes will be a discussion on what is appropriate to wear from a biblical standpoint, focusing on the responsibility of both genders to discipline themselves when it comes to peer influence, negative influences, and lustful thoughts or actions. This discipline will be necessary outside the walls of GCA, so parents and staff must work together to teach students how to handle themselves in the world.

Dress Code Guidelines

Student appearance should be: ARM

1) Appropriate (safe; no promotion of sinful, evil, dark, illegal, or negative ideas)

2) Respectful (honoring to the Christian faith and conducive to a Christian learning environment)

3) Modest (avoiding undue attention and tight-fitting clothing, no undergarments, stomach, or cleavage showing, no spaghetti or strapless tops)

FAQ’s

1. Are athletic shorts and sweatpants permitted? YES, as long as the ARM guidelines are followed.

2. Are leggings/yoga pants permitted? YES, as long as a top/shirt is worn that reaches mid-thigh.

3. Can boys wear earrings? Yes

4. Can students have body piercings other than ears? No

5. Can jeans have holes and frays? Yes, as long as the ARM guidelines are followed.

We ask that high school students log 20 hours per year, middle school students only 10, none for 4th grade and below. The Bible teachers take these as they come in and track them for the students; it is in fact a small part of their 4th quarter Bible class grade (for accountability purposes).

GCA has a 1:1 Chromebook ratio for students in grades 3 through 12. 6th grade through 12th grade students are allowed to take the Chromebooks home overnight. All Chromebooks are turned in at the end of the year and reissued the following August.

Here is the summary of the protections that we have in place. There are three overlapping systems.

#1 GCA uses Securly (www.securly.com) as a way to monitor Chromebook usage at school and at home. Teachers are able to monitor screens during class, pause students during usage, send direct messages to the students ("Hey, close this tab and get to work, please!"), and close tabs themselves if needed.

#2 We use DNSFilter to filter what websites the students have access to when connected to the school's network. Through DNSFilter we block any websites that are categorized as Abortion, Drugs, Games, Social Networking, Terrorism & Hate, Adult Content, Weapons, Alcohol & Tobacco, Dating & Personals, Gambling, and Hacking & Cracking. In addition to those, we block any websites teachers feel are inappropriate for students.

#3 GCA Gmail email addresses (any that end with @student.gcak12.org) are set up for minors and have Google's inherent Safe Search restrictions on those accounts. There are also some sites restricted specifically on the Chromebooks and for student accounts through those Google Management tools. Those have been requested by GCA and are also in place outside of GCA's network. We also block non-GCA Google accounts from signing in on the Chromebooks. This helps make sure those restrictions stay in place and aren't circumvented by signing into a non-managed personal account.

In addition, we outsource our IT to a local Christian company who is constantly monitoring for new threats and closing loopholes that inevitably occur in the larger world of cyberspace.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer in the school or attend field trips will need to have a background check on file with the school. Please contact Callie (cfisher@gcak12.org) to complete your background check.

Simply login to your FACTS account, where you will be able to see your student(s) grades. If you have further questions, please contact the teacher!

All students 5th grade and above should get in the habit of doing this.

Students will need to create their own FACTS account (separate from parents) in order to see grades. Go to www.factsmgt.com, click the Parent Login in the upper right and choose FACTS Family Portal. It'll take you to the login page; be sure Student is clicked (not Parent or Staff) and then click Create New Account. The District Code is GCA-IN. Enter your GCA email address (firstname.lastname@student.gcak12.org) and it'll send one to your Gmail. Go there, click the link. It'll take you to a new page; create your own username and password (I usually encourage firstname.lastname as user name). Save it and then go back to the login page. Create a bookmark of the login page while you're there! Have any problems creating this? Simply email facts@gcak12.org for assistance!

Middle School and High School teachers all utilize Google Classroom. Assignments, upcoming quizzes and tests, and announcements can all be accessed here. Parents can be added to the classrooms of their students so that they can see what their student sees and be as involved as desired. Students or teachers can invite their parents by going to the People section of each Classroom and checking the appropriate box!

You can find our calendar here: https://www.gcak12.org/schoolcalendar

You can sign up to receive sports schedules and time change notifications using EventLink; sign up here: https://eventlink.com/login/

There may be academic class field trips that occur throughout the year at minimal cost. Information on these will come from individual teachers as appropriate. We do our best to keep these kinds of trips at a minimum cost for our families!

At all levels, there are yearly grade-level-wide field trips that will incur some cost ($75 or less, sometimes much less).

High School

Seniors - Senior Trip in April (cost usually $750-800)

Juniors - Cultural Experience Field Trip (not overnight, usually in the Indy Area at the IRT, Palladium, Art Museum, etc.)

Sophomores - College Roadtrip (students visit a college or two, not overnight)

Freshmen - Across the River Field Trip (to Louisville Slugger Factory, Falls of the Ohio Park, not overnight)

Prom - For Juniors and Seniors in April, ticket price is between $200-250.

High School Homecoming Dance - occurs in January, ticket cost approximately $75.

Middle School

8th Grade Back-to-School Lock-in - every August before school starts, cost is $15

8th Grade Red Carpet Dance - every fall, ticket price is around $65

8th Grade - Washington, DC Trip, every spring, cost is approximately $800

7th Grade - Marengo Cave, single day, cost is approximately $25.

6th Grade - The Ark & Creation Museum trip, overnight, cost is approximately $100.

5th Grade - Bradford Woods, 3 days, 2 nights, cost is approximately $150.

Lower School

Trips vary by grade level and are covered by tuition and fees.

Lower School students take music classes and perform a Winter and a Spring Concert. They can also take part in a Spring Talent Show.

Middle School students perform a drama or musical every spring. They can also take Band or Choir and can be part of the GCA Chapel Band as well as taking part in a Spring Talent Show.

High School students perform a drama or musical every fall. They can also take Band or Choir and can be part of the GCA Chapel Band.

Elementary Art

Elementary art classes explore a wide variety of art styles and mediums throughout each year. Students are encouraged to use their creativity for their art while studying art from around the world. There are also a few opportunities for the students to show their work at the music programs and at the fine arts symposium.

Middle School Art

Middle school art gives the students a chance to develop their skills and explore different kinds of art that they didn’t explore in elementary. Students will create digital art and learning more about art careers while also continuing to learn about art from around the world. They also have opportunities to share their work at the middle school music programs and the fine arts symposium.

High School Art

Each semester, students will have the opportunity to choose from four different visual art classes. For the 2023-24 school year, art classes include Drawing 1, 2 & 3, Painting 1, 2 & 3, 2-Dimensional Art, 3-Dimensional Art, Ceramics, and Photography.

All students in grades 5-12 who plan to participate in athletics will need to have an account in FinalForms. This is the site that we use to submit athletic paperwork and track eligibility. Student athletes will also need to have an IHSAA sports physical on file with the Athletic Department before the first day of practice. Middle school physicals are good for one year, but high school physicals must be performed between April 1 and the first day of practice with a GCA team.

FinalForms - https://greenwoodchristian-in.finalforms.com/

IHSAA sports physical - IHSAA Pre-Participation Physical Evaluation Form

Fall - 5/6 Soccer; 7/8 Soccer; 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Volleyball; Cross Country

Winter - 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Boys Basketball; 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Girls Basketball; Cheerleading; E-Sports; Archery

Spring - Baseball; Softball; Track & Field; Golf

Fall - Girls Volleyball, Soccer, Girls Golf, Cross Country, Football

Winter - Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Cheerleading, E-Sports, Archery, Bowling, Swimming (Swimming is not offered every year. Contact the athletic department for more information if you are interested!)

Spring - Baseball, Softball, Track & Field, Boys Golf, Boys Volleyball, Girls Tennis

SERVE is our parent-teacher fellowship organization. Its goal is to plan events and encourage gatherings that bring together the GCA Family, as well as show appreciation to teachers and staff at GCA. SERVE sponsors an annual full-school carnival in the winter. Click here for more information or email serve@gcak12.org with any questions.

We do! You can join here: GCA Booster Club

For Booster Club questions, email boosterclub@gcak12.org.

During GCA's 21st anniversary year, we asked parents to sign up for prayer slots on the :21 minute of every hour of every day of the week. We send out periodic prayer requests as needed to this group, but in general we just ask that families pray for GCA and the students, parents, and staff. If you would like to join this team, please use this link:

Join the GCA Prayer Team!

Numerous times throughout the school year, we receive questions from families who ask one of two things:

#1 "Do you know anyone who (_____)?" These are GCA parents seeking connections, advice, or help from someone reliable and trustworthy and someone known and recommended.

#2 "We need help. Can you (___)?" These are GCA parents humbly seeking help through a crisis.

We would love to connect our needs with our resources. But first, we need to know our resources!

There are 2 ways to help.

#1 Helping Hands Call Me Team

Do you have mechanical skills? Do you run a daycare? Do you own rental properties? Do you mow lawns? Do you repair bikes? Give guitar lessons? Own a food truck? If you would be willing to offer your services to the larger GCA community whenever they are seeking a resource, we'd love to have that information so that we can direct business your way instead of a stranger.

To be clear, we are not asking you to sign up to donate your services (although you are free to do so). You are signing up as a place for us to point when someone asks us that question, "do you know anyone who ___?" Pro bono or discounted fees are up to you; full price is also fair. It's always better to pay full price to someone you trust and know!

If you would be willing to contribute your info to the HHCMT, please use this link: HHCMT There is no commitment required of you and we will only contact you if someone needs help in an area where you might be able to offer it.

#2 Helping Hands Financial Assist Team

This group is designed to do just that: provide a helping hand to any GCA family in need. The process is simple; if anyone in the GCA Family reaches out with a need, it is passed along (anonymously) to the Helping Hands team. Team members contribute as they are able (also anonymously) to the need until it is met. Typically, these are small financial needs that our families incur, such as rent/mortgage/tuition payments that can't be made due to a job loss, a car or home repair, a medical bill, an appliance dying, or a resource need such as a place to rent, etc.

If you would like to join the Helping Hands Financial Assist Team, use this link. HHFAT. Signing up means that you are committing to receiving emails (as needs arise, maybe an average of 1 a month) about needs. If you are able to help, you sign up (anonymously) and send money via PayPal or check to GCA. If you are unable to help at that time, you just ignore the email. This group has met about a dozen needs in the past 2 years that have been life-changing for the families on the receiving end.

If you find your family in need of help from either side of Helping Hands, just send an email to help@gcak12.org or kjackson@gcak12.org with the details!

Official GCA clothing and other items are available from two vendors:

GCA Spirit Wear from SERVE

BSN Sports

First, check the GCA Glossary for possible answers!

If you don’t even know where to direct the question, send it to help@gcak12.org and it will be funneled to the appropriate person.

New to GCA this year and interested in connecting with a Parent Ambassador? Just contact Kevin Jackson for more information (kjackson@gcak12.org).

You can reach the entire school board here: gcaboard@gcak12.org

Kevin Jackson (kjackson@gcak12.org)

Angelique Randall (arandall@gcak12.org)

High School: Angelique Randall (arandall@gcak12.org)

Middle School: Mark McIntire (mmcintire@gcak12.org)

Lower School: Jordan Johnson (jjohnson@gcak12.org)

Middle School: Sean Branch (sbranch@gcak12.org)

Kelly Nichols (admissions@gcak12.org)

For South Campus absences, email southattendance@gcak12.org

For North Campus absences, email northattendance@gcak12.org

North Campus: Kim Olnick (kolnick@gcak12.org)

South Campus: Amanda Westurn, (awesturn@gcak12.org)

facts@gcak12.org

Tracy Snell (tsnell@gcak12.org)

Diane Goins (dgoins@gcak12.org)

HS Athletic Director: Shon Cottle (scottle@gcak12.org)

MS Athletic Director: Robert Salazar (rsalazar@gcak12.org)

Athletic Secretary: Brooke Wall (bwall@gcak12.org)

High School: Jennifer Jackson (jjackson@gcak12.org)

Middle School: Kaedra Clark (kclark@gcak12.org)