JCS Manzanita Home Study (TK-12)
About our Home Study Program
Parents who wish to play a more significant role in their student’s education choose the home study program. JCS Manzanita Home Study provides the most flexibility for students and parents, including choices for text-based, online or blended learning, but it also requires the greatest responsibility and self-direction. Students work primarily at home under the guidance of their parents to learn content and complete assignments created by credentialed teachers. Students have monthly meetings with their teachers to turn in work, and receive new assignments. Additional support via mentors can be provided as needed, as well as course tutoring. Middle and high school students also have access to academy classes that are available at varying levels based on the interest and the needs of our home study families.
We empower parents to become partners in their child’s education and equip them to inspire their child’s love of learning and excel academically.
Learning Center
Students in our TK-8 Home Study program are welcome to attend our Friday Learning Center. This enrichment program provides learners a place to interact socially and academically with other home study students. Throughout the day, students engage in STEM, art, music, PE and more.
Students in grades 6-8 can participate in selected Academy classes depending on availability and need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students learn at home under the supervision of a parent and the support of credentialed teachers and community partners.
Parents choose to home study for a number of reasons.
- For additional one on one support from a parent
- To work at a faster or more challenging pace
- For more flexibility to participate in extracurricular activities (club sports, acting, etc.)
- For social reasons such as extreme anxiety or past bullying experiences
- For health reasons including refusal to vaccinate
- For personal beliefs and values
We feel that this opportunity to see your children’s strengths and needs can lead your family into an educational journey of confidence and growth.
Parents and the Educational Facilitator (EF) together review the needs of the student and determine the assignments based on California standards. High school students receive assignments from subject area specialists.
While an EF is a tremendous help for families, ultimately the parent is the child’s parent-teacher. This includes providing a workspace that is conducive to learning, creating a routine for students, facilitating, and grading lessons.
Parents are provided answer keys and are responsible for grading work that is paper based. Some work is completed using technology and is often automatically graded. High School students have specific benchmark assignments that are turned into a teacher and graded.
JCS Manzanita has worked hard to choose and adapt curriculum that can be used successfully in a home study environment. The EF will partner with the parent to select a grade-level curriculum that will help your child succeed.
While parent choice is given strong consideration when selecting curriculum, it must be secular (non-religious) and meet the Common Core Standards.
Resources and can be ordered from and picked up at our Resource Center located in La Mesa.
Every child and family is different, but you should expect a student to spend at least four hours per day learning.
Because each student is different, a typical day may look different from one family to the next. Families find the flexibility to create a schedule that works best for them very appealing and allows them to explore unique interests through lessons, classes, and study trips.
Before school starts, the parent and student meet with their Educational Facilitator (EF) to start creating a learning period 1 assignment sheet, order needed curriculum and talk about the details of home study at JCS Manzanita. During subsequent meetings, the EF will review completed/graded school assignments, and create the next learning periods assignment sheet.
Parent and student will continue to meet with their EF every learning period, approximately every 20 school days. EF meetings take place typically at 5150 Jackson Drive.
Yes. It is our desire to keep families with the same EF.
Students in grades 6-8 are welcome to take one or two classes at the academy.
At JCS Manzanita, home study students can attend field trips and several all school events like our back to school celebration, fall festival, family nights, book fairs, and more. Middle/High school students can also participate in our coed intramural sports and 6th-grade camp. Our TK-5th home study students have the option of attending our Friday Learning Center classes. These half-day enrichment classes give students the opportunity to be in a classroom setting with students of similar ages.
JCS Manzanita does not “offer funds” of any kind. The EF and parent work together to determine what is needed for a particular child’s education. The EF requests the additional lessons or tutoring with an explanation for authorization. Parents will then be provided with the information on which Educational Enrichment Partner has been vetted and approved for classes.
The EF is source of great support. They can provide guidance and additional resources to a parent. High school students also have access to subject area specialists.
Tutoring can be provided through our Community Partners and high school students can attend office hours with their subject area specialists.
We have an intervention process that identifies struggling students and provides additional support to help them accomplish grade level expectations.
It is essential to our authorizers that we demonstrate student growth. For the continuation of our charter and the need for our school to measure student progress, we ask all students in grades 3-11 to participate in State Testing.
- Students in grades K-1, complete a Kindergarten Inventory assessment.
- Students take a reading and math assessment in grades 2-6
- Students in grades 3-11, take a computerized assessment called MAP (Measures of Academic Progress).
The EF with the parent determines the grades for students in TK-8th. The EF and specialist determine grades for high school students.
Home study students are not required to be immunized; however, if a student wishes to attend the learning center, they must be fully immunized.
If there is room, a student can transfer to an academy. Some grade levels have a waitlist, so the student will be added to the waitlist.
Yes. If a student is diligent in learning and the parent works closely with the EF, we would expect a student to be prepared for the next grade level.