FAQs

We are not a traditional public, private, or charter school; we are a non-profit organization offering a distinct and independent drop-off program aimed to nurture creativity and artistic growth while enhancing academic excellence. Our core programs run for 30 weeks, from September through to May.

Your student can take one, two, or all three of the programs we offer!

Through our innovative approach, we seamlessly integrate hands-on application into every subject, cultivating a dynamic and enriching educational environment for children from TK/Kindergarten through 8th Grade.

Terra Classical Theater Inc. (DBA Terra Arts Foundation) is a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN: 45-3653198.

We offer three distinct programs: Foundations Day, Thinker Day, and Doer Day.

Foundations Day is currently offered on Mondays. Students will focus on Math, Reading Skills, Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing, and Spelling.

Thinker Day is currently offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You may select either Tuesday OR Wednesday to attend Thinker Day depending on your preference and our availability. On Thinker Day, TK-5th grade students focus on History with Art, Reading & Literature, Geography, Science, and Fine Arts. Students in 6th-8th grade focus on History with Art, Reading & Literature, Science, and Foundations in Music. In this program, students receive a blank sketchbook on their first day of class to showcase all the artwork they create throughout the year. By the end of the academic year, your student will have written and illustrated a 30-chapter book that highlights the history connected to that year’s theme. Thinker Day follows a five-year historical rotation, exploring a different era of history each year through our comprehensive educational themes: Thy Ancient Experience, Thy Medieval Experience, Thy Age of Discovery, Thy American Experience, and Thy Modern Experience.

Doer Day is currently offered on Thursdays and Fridays. You may select either Thursday OR Friday to attend Doer Day depending on your preference and our availability. On Doer Day, students will focus on Theater, Entrepreneurship, and two additional classes that are subject to change each year. Theater makes up half of the Doer Day program, with three rotating Theater classes in the Fall, which combine and transition into rehearsal time in the Spring. Just before the Spring Semester begins, your student will audition for a junior production of a musical theater show selected by the Terra Arts team. Your student will be assigned to a cast based on their grade level and have the opportunity to perform their junior production during two weekends in May. For reference, we have done productions like The Sound of Music: Youth Edition, Singin' in the Rain Jr., and Beauty and the Beast Jr. Doer Day follows a five-year historical rotation, exploring a different era of history each year through our comprehensive educational themes: Thy Ancient Experience, Thy Medieval Experience, Thy Age of Discovery, Thy American Experience, and Thy Modern Experience.

For Doer Day specifically, Kindergarten through 2nd Grade are included in our junior theater productions as "The Choir," this means they come out three times during their scheduled theater shows and sing three songs.

We are a drop-off program that runs from 8:30am to 2:00pm for each of our program days. Each day includes a scheduled snack and lunch break supervised by Terra Arts staff. Families are responsible for ensuring their student brings a backpack, water bottle, and packed lunch.

The program you sign up for determines which day of the week your student will attend.

For example, Foundations Day is currently only offered on Mondays, so students enrolled in this program attend once a week on Mondays for 30 weeks from September through May.

Thinker Day, on the other hand, is offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. However, this does not mean students attend both Thinker Days. Instead, when registering, you will choose either Tuesday or Wednesday based on your preference and our availability. So, students enrolled in this program attend once a week on Tuesday OR Wednesday for 30 weeks from September through May. This also applies to Doer Day.

Doer Day is offered on Thursdays and Fridays. However, this does not mean students attend both Doer Days. Instead, when registering, you will choose either Thursday or Friday based on your preference and our availability. So, students enrolled in this program attend once a week on Thursdays OR Fridays for 30 weeks from September through May.

Please note: Once you've selected your preferred day at registration, you must stick with it. For example, if you enroll in Tuesday Thinker Day, you cannot start attending Wednesday Thinker Day instead.

Yes! Terra Arts does accept charter funds. We currently have students from the following charters (in alphabetical order):

BEST Academy
Blue Ridge Academy
Cabrillo Point Academy
Compass Charter Schools
Epic California Academy
Excel Academy
Granite Mountain Charter School
iLEAD Hybrid Learning Studios
Mission Vista Academy
Ocean Grove Charter School
Pacific Coast Academy
Sage Oak Charter School
Scale Academy
Sky Mountain Charter School
Springs Charter School
Suncoast Preparatory Academy
Taylion High Desert Academy

If you don't see your charter listed, contact us via our CONTACT page.

A purchase order (PO) is not an actual payment; it is a promise from your charter school to pay for your child’s instruction. While we gladly accept POs, it’s important to understand that we do not receive those funds right away. Most charter schools issue payment 30 to 45 days after instruction takes place.

This means we teach your student first, then bill your charter school each month for completed instruction. If, for any reason, the charter does not fulfill that promise, the responsibility for payment ultimately falls to the family.

To use charter funds for our program, you must first enroll through our website and enter the appropriate promo code (listed on the homepage) at checkout BEFORE submitting any purchase orders. If your charter is also covering the registration fee, please reach out via email at Invoicing@TerraArts.org. Once enrolled, you are responsible for submitting your purchase orders. Terra Arts Academy does not communicate directly with charter schools to obtain POs; you will need to request them from your Education Specialist or Facilitator. Purchase orders will not be accepted if you are not enrolled.

If your charter does not cover your tuition in full, you are financially responsible for any remaining balance. Please note that all financial agreements are made directly with you, not your charter.

To maintain transparency, our Admin Team sends monthly invoices so you can easily track your charter’s payments. This ensures there are no surprises if payments are delayed or not received. We take a leap of faith by covering the upfront costs of your student’s education, including teacher pay, classroom space, and supplies, before receiving any funds.

We truly see ourselves as your partner in this process and appreciate your help in submitting timely purchase orders. Your diligence makes a meaningful difference in helping us provide consistent, high-quality education for your child.

Yes! We are happy to support you in your homeschooling journey. If you would like to enroll in a monthly billing plan, you may use the appropriate promo code for your selected program at checkout. All promo codes are listed on the bottom of the homepage. Payments can then be made monthly through our attendance and billing site.

Payments are due by the 15th of each academic month, with the final payment due by May 1st.

The registration fee helps us ensure a smooth and thoughtful enrollment process. It not only secures your child’s spot in the class but also allows us to plan ahead by staffing our programs appropriately, purchasing materials, and preparing for a successful academic year. In addition, it helps cover essential operational expenses such as administrative processing, software systems, and classroom resources that support all Terra Arts programs.

This fee also reflects a family’s commitment to the program, which helps us minimize last-minute changes that can impact other students and the overall classroom experience.

If you are using charter funds, please check with your charter school to confirm how they submit payment. Some pay by the semester, while others pay monthly.

Each of our programs are the same price. For example, if a program costs $2100 for the year, your charter may divide that into nine monthly payments of $233.33 from September through May. Alternatively, if your charter pays by semester, they may submit $1050 for Fall and $1050 for Spring.

Using this same example, if you are enrolled in two programs, the total annual cost is $4200. Your charter may choose to pay this as nine monthly payments of $466.66 from September through May. Alternatively, if your charter pays by semester, they may submit $2100 for Fall and $2100 for Spring.

Please note: all numbers included here are only examples and do not currently reflect our price points for the current academic year.

If you are not using a charter and plan to pay out of pocket, you can opt into a monthly billing cycle running from September through May.

Yes, we do allow enrollment mid academic year, depending on availability.

If you enroll mid academic year, you are financially responsible for program fees starting on the date you register through our website. The yearly program amount will be prorated based on your enrollment date.

Please note that billing begins at the time of registration, not the first day of attendance. For example, if you enroll in January but plan to begin attending in March, you will still be financially responsible for program fees starting in January.

Our waitlists operate like a lottery notification system. When a spot becomes available, all waitlisted families are notified at the same time via email. Enrollment is then available on a first-come, first-served basis for those notified families who are able to register.

While we cannot guarantee that a spot will open, each waitlisted family has an equal opportunity to enroll when an email notification is sent.

The Terra Arts Prep Work Book is required only for students enrolled in our Thinker Day program. A sketchbook will be provided on the first day of classes. We have also created a Prep Work Book for Doer Day, which families can use to follow along with classroom activities.

The Thinker Day Prep Work Book is designed to help families stay informed about class content and complete any necessary work beforehand. Sections labeled “Before Class” indicate tasks that should be completed prior to attending, while sections labeled “On Campus” cover material that will be explored during class.

Once your student is enrolled in Thinker Day, you will receive a password to access and download the Prep Work Book from the “Success at Terra” tab. We highly recommend printing a copy at home to help your student stay on track. Please note that there are two versions of the Thinker Day Prep Work Book, one for Elementary and one for Jr. High.

If your student has special needs or requires additional support to participate independently in any of our drop-off programs, including Foundations, Thinker, or Doer Day, or in an Afternoon Course, a parent or appropriate aide must remain with them.

Please let us know before the first day of class if your student may need extra assistance. If we are not informed in advance and your student requires more support than expected, we will contact you to return and pick them up.

At Terra Arts, we strive to maintain a safe, respectful, and positive environment for all students. When behavioral issues arise, we follow a structured process to address them appropriately:

Initial Disrespect: Staff will address the student respectfully, reminding them of classroom rules and expectations. An incident report may be filed.
First Offense: The issue will be reported to the program coordinator. The program coordinator will determine if the student's parent or guardian needs to be contacted. An incident report is filed.
Second Offense: The issue will be reported to the program coordinator. The coordinator will contact the student’s parent or guardian, and the student will be sent home for the day. The parent or guardian will be required to accompany their student to their next class session for the full day. An incident report is filed.
Third Offense: The student is withdrawn from all Terra Arts programs.

We may escalate consequences based on the severity of the behavior.

Exceptions: Purposeful physical violence may result in immediate removal from the program at the discretion of Terra Arts.

All Terra Arts teachers and staff are required to complete a Department of Justice background check before working on site. Our campus is located at a functioning church, and the church staff have also undergone Department of Justice clearance to be present during our operating hours.

The Terra Arts campus is gated and monitored by a security guard who ensures that no unauthorized individuals enter during class hours.

Enrollment in the Foundations, Thinker, or Doer Day Program at Terra Arts is a year-long commitment, spanning 30 weeks from September through to May of the academic year.

Families are responsible for paying the full balance for the academic year regardless of attendance if a withdrawal occurs after the July 1st drop date, unless your student falls into one of the following categories:

Your student is being enrolled in a public or private school and/or homeschooling is completely discontinued.
Your student has a serious medical condition that prevents attendance.
Your family is moving more than 50 miles from Terra Arts.

If you fall into any of the above categories, you must provide supporting documentation of these changes to Terra Arts. In this case, you are only responsible for paying for the next 30 days of classes. After which, you would no longer be financially responsible for the remainder of the academic year.

For Afternoon Courses, families are required to pay by the semester of enrollment. Withdrawals are only allowed at the end of the first semester. In this case, you are only responsible for paying for the first semester. After which, if a withdrawal occurs mid-semester, families will still be financially responsible for the full semester's fees.

If you enroll mid-year, you must agree to the terms of this withdrawal policy, which will apply starting from the date you register for the current academic year. You will also be financially responsible for all program fees starting from the date of registration through our website.

For families enrolling mid-year, billing will begin on the date you register. For example, if you enroll in January but do not plan to attend until March, please note you will be financially responsible for all program fees starting in January, as if you began attending in January.

We deeply appreciate and rely on the generous volunteer efforts that help make Terra Arts Academy a vibrant and successful part of your homeschooling journey. Whether you serve on the board, make a tax-deductible donation, or lend a hand at Terra Arts events such as Jr. High Dances, the Gala, the Fair, or Theater Performances, your support makes a lasting difference.

For families enrolled in our Doer Day program, volunteering is mandatory for our theater productions. Your participation helps support the students and ensures that each production runs smoothly and successfully. All volunteers and educational aides are required to sign the Classroom Visitation Policy before participating.

Thank you for helping us create an exceptional experience for our students!

You do not need to complete a visitation form when registering your student. However, if you ever plan to Volunteer or serve as an Educational Aide, this form will be required. If the volunteer or aide is not the student’s parent or guardian, both the parent/guardian and the aide must sign the form. We have opportunities for you as an aide in TK through 8th grade in all drop off programs.

If your student has been disruptive in any class or program day, we might have requested that you attend as a Behavior Aide. Your goal is to help your students understand expected classroom behavior.

These visitor policies apply in all situations.

We welcome parent and community involvement at Terra Arts. We are not a public or private school, so our rules will differ from those you might be familiar with.

Please submit your request to volunteer or be an educational aide in writing. Because the main purpose of our program is to provide education to all students, limiting classroom visitors is one way in which we carefully strive to maintain student privacy. Our policy states:

"No person shall visit or audit a classroom or other school activity, nor shall any person remain on our premises without the advance approval of the Director of Terra Arts or authorized representative.”

1.Under the law, learning centers are not considered open to the public or a public forum, such as a public park or sidewalk. Instead, we are considered a “limited public forum” and may limit public access per reasonable regulations.

2. Visitors must sign in and out daily and wear an identifying visitor name badge on campus.

3. Terra Arts prohibits photographs from being taken by visitors on Terra Arts premises, particularly of students, without prior authorization.

4. Campus administrators have legal support in responding if a disruption to the educational program or campus operations occurs. The California Constitution requires all learning environments to ensure a safe, secure, and peaceful environment for students and employees.

5. Should a disruption occur, the Director can demand that the disruptive party stop the behavior and/or leave the campus. If the disruptive party fails to leave the campus at the direction of the Director, the Director may contact law enforcement, and the disruptive party may face criminal charges.

6. While sitting with your student or in the back of the classroom, we ask that you refrain from answering the teacher's questions and from
engaging the teacher in private conversation.

7. Do not converse with the student or other adults while the class is in session, whether in person or on your phone.

8. Please inform our Director if your student has any special needs. We will keep this information confidential within our staff and only use it
to accommodate your students if possible.

9. Do not correct your students, do their work for them, or take the writing or art materials from their hands to do it correctly yourself. Do not
write on their work.

10. You may use a separate sheet of paper to draw or write an example of your own that your student may copy.

11. Be an excellent example to all with your kind, respectful attitude.

12. You may not bring any unenrolled students when you come to assist your student.

13. No student at Terra Arts is allowed to opt out of any classroom activity. Inclusion and participation are required. The classroom rules apply even if you might have different expectations at home, with these exceptions: We will accommodate students who need to step out of the class if the sounds or smells are distressing them, and we will allow students to opt out of physical activity, when necessary. Additionally, we understand that students may ask to refrain from doing animal dissections, and we will allow them to refrain from participating on those days (we plan to have an alternate worksheet or project for them to work on, when applicable).

14. Non-staff adults are not allowed to enter student restrooms except for when a parent or guardian is assisting their Kindergarten student. Please do not allow your student to use the adult restroom.

15. We appreciate and support you in your effort to provide an excellent education for all students. Please communicate with us privately if you have any questions or concerns.