Dear New Families,
We are so excited to welcome you to Charleston Bilingual Academy! We know starting a new school can be both exciting and intimidating. As the Parent/Teacher Fellowship, our desire is to help build community at CBA. We hope this helps you and your family navigate your first year at Charleston Bilingual Academy. Below you will find some helpful information about CBA, as well as contact information for our New Family Ambassadors within the CBA Parent-Teacher Fellowship (PTF).
Early Childhood (EC) – 2 yo – Kindergarten
Campus – Friendship Baptist Church (FBC)
- 2 yo – 4yo class hours are 8:30-12:00.
- 5K Kindergarten meets from 8:15-12:45.
- Many parents gather on the playground to play before school. This is a great time to meet other parents!
- If you see a wagon near your drop off area, that is most likely where your teacher collects students’ backpacks to easily bring into the classroom
The following after-school options are available:
- Lunch-Bunch (12:00-12:25pm) for 2yo-4yo
- After-school care for 5K (12:45 – 3:15pm)
- Sports for ages 3+ (parent must be present)
You can find more information about these options on the school website, charlestonbilingualacademy.org under “Our School.”
When you sign up for lunch bunch, confirm the pickup location with your teacher. The lunch bunch pick up area may be different from the regular pick up area.
- On rainy days, your Early Childhood class will not receive or dismiss students outside; they will receive at the front and back door. Be alert for announcements.
Elementary and Middle School – Grades 1 – 7
Campus: Holmes Avenue Baptist Church (HABC)
- Elementary: Gr 1 – 4 Middle School: Gr 5 – 8
- Elementary and middle school hours are 8:15am-3:15pm.
- Students may start entering the building at 8:05am.
- Morning assembly begins promptly at 8:15.
- Some parents and children gather for a few minutes of playground time before the doors open. This is a great way to get to know other families.
- As we get closer to the start of school, be on the lookout for information regarding school drop off and pick-up.
Elementary and Middle School students wear uniforms. Details can be found in the Parent/Student Handbook and posted on the school website.
Sports and clubs are available after school. You can find these options on the school website, charlestonbilingualacademy.org under “Our School.”
New Family Ambassadors
These families have volunteered to be available and assist you with questions you may have as you start your journey at CBA. Please feel free to reach out to them with any questions or to arrange a playdate for your new student(s)!
Jen Whitewing is our Parent Volunteer Coordinator and will be able to put you in touch with your Room Parent, who will also be able to connect you with others in your class if you are joining mid-year. jennwhitewing@gmail.com
Marli Palarino
843-730-0307 | Mallory Cummings
318-426-1319 | Dana Pappas-
508-574-9744 |
Nicole Tokarsky
843-864-6002 |
Staying Connected
Email – Ensure your email address in the FACTS Family Portal is up-to-date. Announcements and important information will be sent via email.
School-wide Weekly Newsletters are emailed every Monday. This is where you will find all of the information about important upcoming events. If you are not receiving the newsletter via email, please reach out to Erica Van Buskirk at news@charlestonbilingualacademy.org.
Parent Connect Meetings are held once a month on either the HABC campus or the FBC campus. Mrs. Lane, Dr. Johnson, or Mrs. Hart discuss important school information and share resources with parents during the meetings. These meetings are a great opportunity to meet other parents!
Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) meetings are held quarterly and everyone is welcome to join! Megan Cannon will address upcoming school community events, fundraisers, and ways you can get involved at CBA.
You can find the schedule for these meetings on the school calendar here.
More Ways to Get Connected with CBA Families:
CBA website PTF page: Check here if you are looking for ways to get involved at CBA.
Facebook: Join the Charleston Bilingual Community Connections Facebook page.
Volunteer: Another way to get ‘plugged in’ to the CBA community is to volunteer! You are invited to look for opportunities to volunteer at special events, help your child’s teacher in the classroom, and support the front office. Much of CBA’s success and growth is due to amazing parent and grandparent involvement. Please let us know your talents and interests because CBA truly desires to partner with families. From marketing and fundraising to landscaping, there are ample opportunities to become involved! More information will be available at the “Meet the Teacher” events at the beginning of the school year.
FBC: Pastor Mark Timmons welcomes you to Friendship Baptist Church and invites you to worship with them each Sunday at 11 am. Bilingual services are held in English and Spanish on the 1st and 3rd Sunday every month. On all other Sundays, Pastor Mark Timmons leads the English-language service and Pastor Luis Carreon leads a Spanish-language service. A fun and engaging children’s program is held during the service. Find out more by emailing Pastor Mark directly (mtimmons@friendshiptoday.org), calling FBC (843-225-1434), or going to the FBC website. Each of the services also stream on FB live.
HABC: Pastor Bryan Ayers welcomes you to visit Holmes Avenue Baptist Church to worship with them on Sundays at 11 am. Holmes Kids gather during the worship time for age-appropriate worship and teaching from newborn through grade 4. You can learn more about HABC at holmesavenue.com or email Pastor Bryan directly at: bryan@holmesavenue.com. Each weekly worship service is also streamed on their Facebook page.
