Frequently Asked Questions

General Information
Enrollment
Curriculum
Extracurricular Activities
New, Military, or Special Needs

General FAQs

Yes, we hold the highest accreditation possible. We are jointly accredited by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and AdvancED (www.advanc-ed.org), which is a rigorous process that requires CCS to meet 11 standards, including a continuous improvement standard. The State of New Mexico recognizes and rewards us with an accreditation certificate based on meeting these high standards and achieving, as well as maintaining, accreditation status. As a result, CCS awards the same high school diploma to its graduates that all New Mexico public and charter schools award. In April 2017, CCS earned a five-year accreditation renewal from ACSI/AdvancED, meriting several commendations for its quality educational programs and practices, including a strong focus on continuous school improvement.

Our 4-year high school graduation rate is 100%. At the same time, our four-year average percentage of students attending college is 71%. When considering our 2017 and 2018 graduating classes, 73% attend college, 7% are in the military, and 20% are employed. 100% of our 2014, 2015, and 2016 graduating chose to attend college. When it comes to the ACT, our 4-year average is 21.28. Several of our students have posted ACT scores ranging between 30 and 34. Every senior at CCS garners at least one college scholarship, and, in some cases these cover the full cost of tuition and fees when choosing a New Mexico college or university.

Family-Centered Environment: CCS is a family-centered environment. Parents come and go freely and play a highly active role in their children’s education. CCS recognizes parents as the first and foremost educators in the lives of their children. We consider ourselves blessed and honored to be their partners in education. Our Parents Assisting in Christian Education (PACE) group is a prime example of the best in parent involvement. These parents support classroom learning and activities, coordinate special events, raise needed funds for the school, and engage in strategic and action team planning to move the school forward.

Focus on the Whole Child: CCS focuses on developing the whole child: intellectual, spiritual, physical, and social. As a Christian school, we are able to teach to the Holy Spirit who resides in the life of a Christian child. This is unique to Christian education. Through Christian, Biblically-based lessons and activities, students at CCS learn to live in accordance with a Christ-like lifestyle that reflects an unchanging standard against which they can measure their words, decisions, and actions.

Reading & Writing Across the Curriculum: In grades 7-12, students read the classics and write research papers, as well as continually engage in expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative writing across the curriculum. We teach MLA, Chicago, and APA citation styles. In grades Pre-K-4, Interactive Writing is a signature approach to writing success at CCS. CCS also teaches cursive writing, a lost art form in many schools today. Cursive begins at grade 2 and continues to be developed and refined until students master this form of writing.

Small Class Sizes: CCS offers small class sizes, with an average of 11 students in grades 1-3, 16 students in grades 4-6, 11 students in grades 7-8, and 9 students in grades 9-12. Pre-K never exceeds a maximum of 20 students, and we are currently averaging 10 students per class, with an educational assistant assigned to the classroom when there are more than 10 students enrolled. We maintain the same maximum number of students in kindergarten, although our average is 15 students. Each kindergarten classroom of at least 15 students is provided with an educational assistant.

Athletics: CCS is the only school in southeastern New Mexico to offer an archery program. Students in grades 4-12 may participate in this exciting activity.

Yes. Our CCS school bus transports children to and from CAFB and Portales daily. The pick-up and drop off point for CAFB is the Youth Center. The pick-up/drop off point for Portales is in the Wal- Mart parking lot behind the Hibbett Sports building.

No, CCS has never required students to wear uniforms. We follow a conservative dress code that recognizes individual fashion preferences while adhering to modesty and propriety that is becoming of a Christian.

CCS has experienced success on various levels.

We have performed well on the TerraNova3 test beginning with its implementation in 2012. In spring 2018, our 10th grade class scored between the 71st and 79th national percentile in all tested areas with an average total score at the 80th national percentile. Our freshman class scored between the 62nd and 76th national percentile in all tested areas, with an average total score at the 77th national percentile. Grades 5, 7, and 8 have also demonstrated academic excellence, with an average total score at the 70th national percentile for grade 5, 76th national percentile for grade 7, and 64th national percentile for grade 8. Grade 3 scored between the 66th and 74th national percentile in all tested areas, with an average total score at the 76th national percentile.

CCS considers two key academic performance criteria when identifying and recognizing students meriting the President’s Award for Educational Excellence: 1) individual performance on a nationally recognized standardized test (TerraNova3) in the areas of math and/or reading, and 2) academic excellence as reflected by each individual’s GPA for the current school year. Due to increasing levels of student performance on the TerraNova3 in 2014, CCS raised the benchmark for Gold and Silver Level Presidential Awardees to the 90th percentile or above. At the annual awards ceremony, CCS now recognizes three levels of educational excellence:

  • Gold Level President’s Award for Educational Excellence:

o Held a 3.5 to a 4.0 GPA during the current school year
o Performed in the top 10% of the nation on the TerraNova3 in the areas of math and reading

  • Silver Level President’s Award for Educational Excellence:

o Held a 3.5 to a 4.0 GPA during the current school year
o Performed in the top 10% of the nation on the TerraNova3 in the areas of math or reading

  • High Academic Award for Educational Excellence:

o Held a 3.5 to a 4.0 GPA during the current school
o Performed in the top 15% of the nation on the TerraNova3 in the areas of math or reading

CCS students have also garnered other academic or athletic awards:

  1. In 2013, a CCS 5th grader won both the Curry County and State Scripps Spelling Bees and placed 43rd in the National Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. One year later, CCS placed 1st and 3rd at the Curry County Spelling Bee and placed fourth at the State Scripps Spelling Bee. CCS won the Curry County Spelling Bee from 2012 to 2016, with a single student reigning as the Queen Bee, making five consecutive trips to the state championship. By 2016, she had won her 2nd state spelling championship, and had also garnered one 3rd place and two 4th place finishes.
  2.  At the Regional Science Fair, we have had students take first, second, or third place in their respective categories.
  3.  CCS students have merited various awards at the local and state level. CCS began competing in the Martin Luther King, Jr. citywide competition in 2014. Since that time, CCS has fared extremely well, garnering first, second, and/or third place honors in the speech, essay, and art contests at all levels. CCS students have also merited awards at the state level, including a 5th grade student who garnered 1st place in the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest in 2016 and a senior placing 3rd in the Veterans of Foreign Wars essay contest in 2019. In fall 2018, one of our students was published in El Portal for his winning poem, “No Time for a Sonnet.”
  4.  In regards to athletics, CCS is in a rebuilding phase for its basketball and volleyball programs as we recently experienced redistricting by the NMAA. We have frequently achieved district championship status in track.
  5.  2013-14 marked our first year in archery. Out of 30 teams competing at the state championship, CCS garnered 4th place. At the 2016 NM State Championship NASP Tournament, our high school archery team garnered 3rd place, while our elementary archery team won the state championship with a team score of 2,857, making this the highest elementary team school score in the NASP Tournament history! In addition to having six shooters make the top ten shooters list, we earned Top Shooter Elementary boy, out of 226 elementary boys, and Top Shooter Elementary girl, out of 192 elementary girls. Both of these elementary school shooters set a new state record for earning the highest scores of any male or female competing at the elementary level. In 2019, our elementary archery team won the state championship for the second time. The high school archery team garnered 2nd place and middle school placed 4th. In addition to having four shooters make the top ten shooters list, one CCS elementary boy was named State Champion for being the top shooter out of 196 elementary boys. This sports program continues to grow and experience even more success, as almost 60 student athletes have taken up the desire to be archers of CCS.

Enrollment FAQs

You may register your child 12 months out of the year between the hours of 7:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday, when school is in session, and 8:00 to 4:00, or by special appointment, Monday through Friday, during the summer months.

To tour CCS, you simply need to call our office at 935-2279 or contact us via email (jdansby@cloviseagles.com) or (cbahrs@cloviseagles.com). We welcome the opportunity to showcase our school at a time that is convenient for you!

Yes. There is a rigorous interview process to enroll your child at CCS, which involves reviewing and discussing the student’s completed application, academic record, high school transcript (when applicable), standardized test scores, and discipline records. In addition, we may elect to administer course placement tests or the WRAT test, which can take up to 1.5 hours total time. These assessments provide immediate results, which we share with parents and the students in determining the best placement. We also discuss the student and family’s Christian faith and church attendance/involvement. We provide an overview of Clovis Christian Schools’ statement of faith, mission, objectives, Parent’s Pledge, and Student Code of Honor (grades 7-12) to ensure the school is a good fit for prospective families.

The enrollment cost is as follows:

  • Pre-K = $3,950 + $185 early bird registration fee (late registration $235)
  • K-6 = $4,275 + $185 early bird registration fee (late registration $235)
  • 7-12 = $4,675 + $185 early bird registration fee (late registration $235)

We offer the following payment options:

  • Single payment plan due by mid-August each year ($100 discount)
  • Semester payment plan, with the 1st payment due by mid-August and the 2nd payment due by January 31 of each school year ($50 discount)
  • Monthly draft payment plan. Payments are budgeted over 12 months or less, and an annual bank draft transaction fee of $43 is required. The monthly payment can be set up either on the 5th or 20th of the month. It can also be split in half and paid on both the 5th and the 20th.

Clovis Christian Schools also offers multiple student discounts. Families with more than one child attending CCS receive the following tuition discounts:

  • 1st child (oldest) pays full tuition
  • 2nd child receives 10% discount
  • 3rd child receives 10% discount
  • 4th or 5th child receives 75% discount

Clovis Christian Schools partners with a third-party vendor, (FACTS). FACTS does not decide whether financial assistance will be given or how much to give; rather FACTS provides a need-based financial aid analysis service which includes a recommendation of what a family should reasonably contribute toward tuition. All information from FACTS is kept confidential. The Financial Aid/Scholarship Committee reviews the results based on available funds in the scholarship account. The Chief Financial Officer notifies families of the financial aid offers. Because CCS realizes the mobile nature of our military families, we set aside a portion of all scholarship donations for those applicants who may qualify for financial assistance.

You can have records sent to CCS as soon as you complete the enrollment process and have signed the Release for Transfer of Records Form. For students who are completing their current year at one school but looking to begin the new school year with CCS, we can request records once all promotions, high school credits, and final attendance records have been recorded.

Curriculum FAQs

CCS does not teach religion or any religious doctrine that reflects a specific denomination. We focus on what unifies us, not what divides us. We are an interdenominational, Christian school that serves at least 12 different denominations. We teach Christ and His gospel through two avenues: an integrated Christian, Biblical worldview and Bible classes, which occur at every grade level, PK- 12.

We have traditionally offered Spanish in grades 8-12. This year, we were unable to locate a Spanish teacher; however, we did have an online option available at the high school level. We have posted the position again for the 2019-2020 school year and are believing God is calling a new Spanish teacher to CCS. Our juniors and seniors also have an opportunity to enroll in any foreign language offered through CCC or ENMU.

Yes, we engage in various field trips by grade level that are relevant to units of study. These occur locally, regionally, and out-of-state depending on the grade level. In grades PK-4, we have two field trips each year. Fifth grade takes one field trip per year and that is usually an area event. Science classes, in grades 7-12, have traditionally taken a field trip in Earth Science, Life Science, and Zoology when offered. Our apologetics students have also traveled to Lubbock, Texas to see special biblical exhibits.

Yes. We offer concurrent enrollment beginning as early as 9th grade and continuing through the student’s senior year. CCS has an agreement with Clovis Community College, ENMU, and ENMU-Roswell to provide college classes to our students at no cost. All ENMU-Roswell courses are provided online, while ENMU and CCC provide in-class and online opportunities. It is important to note that every student who is a candidate for concurrent enrollment courses must pass the Accuplacer, a college readiness exam. We require all sophomores to take this assessment before their junior year begins.

Absolutely! We believe each student’s academic program of study should reflect his or her mastery of knowledge and skills rather than moving students through grade levels or courses according to the traditional age-grade level model. As a result, we have had 6th grade students complete Pre-Algebra, 8th grade students complete Algebra I and move into Geometry by grade 9, 8th graders completing World History, traditionally a 10th Grade course, and some of our sophomores carrying a junior-class load in all but two of their classes.

Yes. We have offered AP classes in history, math, and English in the past. However, most of our students and families are now opting for dual credit/concurrent enrollment courses since they can earn college and high school credit simultaneously. College courses are considered honors courses at CCS in the core content areas and are on a five-point rather than a four-point scale.

Our curriculum is set at every level. CCS is not a textbook-driven school that allows a selected textbook adoption by grade level or teacher to determine student-learning goals. Instead, we follow a specific set of standards that reflect rigor and cultivate analytical thinking. All instructional materials or resources are evaluated and then selected with the sole purpose of effectively implementing and staying true to our challenging student learning outcomes.

We aligned our curriculum to the Virginia Standards of Learning (VSOL) after “test-driving” the Common Core State Standards for three years. Before that time, we had aligned all curricula to the New Mexico State Standards. We found that gaps existed in both sets of standards, as well as lacking the desired rigor for students excelling in mathematics, science, and the language arts. We will continue to follow the New Mexico State Standards in the teaching of New Mexico history. As we aligned to the VSOL, we also integrated Christian, biblical worldview learning objectives to every curriculum map and enhanced the VSOL to include some additional learning outcomes that we believe are essential but lacking in state-adopted standards. We continue to revise/refine curriculum as needed in response to student performance as measured by standardized assessments.

CCS currently administers the TerraNova3, a standardized, norm-referenced test, annually in grades 3-10 to determine student achievement and growth. In grade 10, we also administer the PSAT and in grades 11-12 students take the ACT Exam. Please note that all students at CCS must score at least a 20 on the ACT to graduate.

Extracurricular Activities  FAQs

We currently offer the following sports at CCS:

Coed Archery (4-12) Coed Golf (6-12) Coed Soccer (8-12) Coed Varsity (9-12) and Middle School (6-8) Track Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball (9-12) Boys and Girls Middle School Basketball (6-8) Girls Varsity (9-12) and Middle School (6-8) Volleyball

Yes. We have traditionally offered a music and movement program provided at grades Pre-K-4, and an honor choir as an elective in grades 5-7. Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, we were unable to locate and hire a music teacher. We have reposted the position for the 2019-20 school year and are being aggressive in our efforts to find a qualified music teacher.

Yes. We have an art program in grades K-4 and offer art as an elective in grades 8 -12.

Yes. Student government and National Honor Society (NHS) either meet during the day or after school. Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Campus Ministry meets at least once a month. The Students Standing Strong (S3) group meets at least twice a month on Tuesday. It is also important to note that CCS offers most of its athletics classes outside the school day to allow students the opportunity to engage in more course offerings during the day.

New to the Area, Military Families & Special Needs FAQs

At Clovis Christian, we evaluate every student with an active IEP or special need who would like to come to CCS. Every student is unique, and, as such, each student has to be evaluated on an individual basis. When a student comes with an active IEP, the Student Assistance Team (SAT) meets to review the IEP and determine if the student’s needs can be met at CCS. The SAT committee is comprised of one of two principals, a master teacher, and a Certified Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology. A student who meets level A criteria would be accommodated at CCS, as by definition a level A student would qualify for speech-language therapy or be on an academic monitor. A student who meets level B criteria would need to be evaluated to determine if he/she is academically at a level where he/she could handle the rigor of academia at CCS. Some students at level B might have a strong enough foundation where their needs could be met through accommodations and modifications; however, this would have to be determined on an individual basis.

CCS teams up with Eastern New Mexico University to provide speech-language pathology services through internship placements of master level students. Services provided by ENMU are on a voluntary basis and are provided without charge; however, it should be understood that these services are a blessing to the school and are not guaranteed from year to year. Services that are provided by the SLP staff include the following: Speech sound disorders or articulation (difficulty pronouncing sounds); language disorders, which reflect receptive language— challenges due to difficulty with what children hear and expressive language—challenges children experience in expressing themselves with words; cognitive-communication disorders, which relate to thinking skills, including perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect, and imagination; stuttering (fluency) disorders, which reflect an interruption of the flow of speech that may include hesitations, repetitions, and prolongations of sounds or words; and voice disorders, which relate to the quality of voice that may include hoarseness, nasality, and volume (too loud or soft).

CCS is exceptional in this regard. We carefully review each child’s records (including report cards, transcripts, and standardized test results), consider out-of-state specific courses and how we can transfer them to the CCS transcript, conduct an in-depth interview with each family, and place students in classes according to their demonstrated knowledge, skills, and ability. We do not place students in a CCS program of study according to their age. Each program of study is tailored to the student’s individual needs and respects the mobility of military children.

Yes! As it directly affects military children and their families, we endeavor to recognize and honor Articles I-VII of the Interstate Compact. These seven articles, as understood by CCS, are as follows: Purpose, Definitions, Applicability, Educational Records & Enrollment, Placement & Attendance, Eligibility, and Graduation. Although CCS is a private, Christian school, we also understand and respect the remaining Articles, VIII-XVIII, which directly relate to the organization, operation, powers, and duties of the Interstate Commission in each member state.

We believe military children attending CCS will be well prepared for their next move with regard to curriculum and testing. We have found that many students who are new to CCS are one year behind our program of study at each grade level. This is due to our advanced core curricula. As outlined throughout this FAQ, our curricula in grades PK-12 reflect academic rigor and relevance, higher-order thinking skills, and challenging learning objectives. In grades 8-12, the TerraNova 3 and ACT Assessment ensures every student is college ready due to mastering the knowledge and skills needed for college entry. Likewise, by employing the Accuplacer Test, CCS can determine which of our students meet the cut scores required for successful placement into college courses and use this data, when needed, to plan remedial college courses to overcome learning gaps. This ensures that students and parents do not expend financial resources on leveling courses upon entry into college.