FAQ

Is Valley View Adventist Academy accredited?
Where is the school located?
How do I enroll my child?
Do I have to be a member of the church for my child to attend?
What are the uniform requirements for school. What happens if my child does not have a uniform?
What supplies does my child need for class?
What are school hours?
What happens if I cannot pick up my child on time?
Who do I call if my child is sick?
How much are tuition and other fees?
Can I pay tuition and fees online with a credit or debit card?
Why is Valley View affordable?
Does the school have a lunch program and how much does it cost?
What is the MAP test?
What is the minimum age for admittance to kindergarten in California?
Who are Adventists?
What does the name “Seventh-day Adventist” refer to?
Will an Adventist school try to turn my child into a Seventh-day Adventist?

Is Valley View Adventist Academy accredited?

Yes, Valley View Adventist Academy is accredited by the Council for Private School Accreditation. We also have a Certificate of Evaluation from the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. In addition, the church office of education also operates a comprehensive accrediting process to maintain a high standard of excellence in all Adventist schools.

If you’re interested in a particular Adventist school, feel free to contact that school and ask to be put in touch with students and parents who attend that school to get a sense of what the education is like. We think you’ll find, as an ongoing study is finding, that on average Adventist schools are better places to learn than any other.

Where is the school located?

The school is at 230 Vernon St., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 Click here for driving directions.

How do I enroll my child?

• Call the school office at 805-489-2687 or
• Go to the Admissions dropdown menu on the homepage.

Do I have to be a member of the church for my child to attend?

Families from all faiths and belief systems are welcome to enroll.

What are the uniform requirements for school?

School uniforms are a requirement at Valley View. Your child must wear a uniform to attend class. Our school standards are to project a positive Christian image of modesty and simplicity.

• Valley View’s uniform polo shirt is navy with the school logo. The shirt is required to be worn for school pictures and field trips.
• Each student is required to have at lease one Valley View polo with logo. Parents or guardians may order the shirt from Land’s End. Information is available at the school office.
• Shirts: Additional uniform style polo shirts are allowed in any solid color. Logos must be small and inconspicuous.
• Pants: Uniform style pant or short in any solid color.
• Dresses, skirts and skorts may be purchased from any uniform line.
  • They must be solid in color and be no shorter than 2 inches above the knee.
• Sweatshirts and Jackets must be solid in color without pictures or graphics. Logo must be small and inconspicuous.

What supplies will my child need for class?

• Teachers for each grade will provide a copy of the supplies your student will need for class.

What are school hours?

Classes begin daily at 8:00 AM.

• Monday through Thursday: 8 AM – 2:55 PM
• Friday: 8 AM – 12:30 PM

What happens if I cannot pick up my child on time?

• Please contact a relative or friend to pick up your child.
• Call the school office to inform of the change of plan.
• Give the name, relationship, and phone number of the person who will pick up your student.
• NOTE: Your child will not be released to anyone who is not on your student’s safe release card without your specific update.

Who do I call if my child is sick?

The following options are:

1. You may call the school office at (805) 489-2687 to let the Office Administrator know that your child is absent and the reason.
2. You may contact the teacher to give the reason your child will not attend school.

How much are tuition and other fees?

Every year, a non-refundable Registration Fee is required for each student every year.  The fee helps teachers estimate and covers the cost of  books and other papergoods (workbooks, etc.,) needed to order for the school year.

Tuition is based on the grade your child is in.  Younger children have a lower amount than the older students because courses are more expensive as your child progresses through school.  Tuition may be paid in a lump sum at the beginning of the school year or over a ten month period from August through May.

Applications for financial aid are available on request. The application and your most recent tax return will help the Finance Committee determine how much help is available for you. All financial aid is donor based and amounts may differ from year to year.

Can I pay tuition and fees online with a credit or debit card?

Yes, credit and debit cards may be used to pay tuition and fees online. Another option is to use your bank online webpage to send your payment online.

• Visa, MasterCard, and credit enabled Debit cards are accepted for payment.
• An additional 4% charge will be added to each credit or debit card payment for tuition and fees.
  • Valley View is a non-profit organization operating on a lean budget. Credit and debit card fees add up quickly, taking funds from budgeted school programs.
• American and Discover cards are not accepted payments.
• Donations are exempt from the 4% charge.

Why is Valley View affordable?

The cost to attend Valley View may seem high but the value in terms of safety, nurture, academics and other facets which make your child successful is immeasurable. Valley View is a private school operating as a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation. Therefore, the school strives to make the tuition and fees affordable. Some factors to be mindful of:

• Private schools are not subsidized as are local public schools. However, the Central California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and other local Adventist churches help supplement the education of Valley View students to alleviate some of the cost.
• Valley View students have additional options, including integrated technology, Lego robotics, and an expanded library. 
• The cost for current textbooks, up-to-date technology, and physical plant upkeep has escalated at a higher rate than inflation.
• Rising insurance costs, to cover liability on the playground and on field trips, for example, take a sizable chunk of school budgets.
• We believe that your child gets a better education when he or she can spend more personal time with the teacher. Valley View boasts a low teacher-student ratio (maximum 24) because we place personal attention as a priority.

Does the school have a lunch program and how much does it cost?

Friday is Pizza Day!  A count of students who plan to buy pizza is taken each Thursday.  Pizzas are ordered, then picked up and delivered to hungry kiddos at 11 AM lunch time on Friday.  Each lunch is 2 pieces of pizza, fruit or vegetable, and a treat.  Lunch tickets are $6.00 each and must be purchased from the school office.  (2023-2024)

NWEA MAP Tests – MAP Growth

Children learn better—and faster—when teachers have a clear picture of what each student knows and is ready to learn next. That’s why a group of educators and researchers founded NWEA®, a not-for-profit organization that has created some of the most trusted and reliable assessment solutions available. More than 9 million students in the US and in 140 countries worldwide use MAP® Growth™.

First, what is MAP Growth? Unlike the paper-and-pencil tests of days gone by, where all students were asked the same questions and spent a fixed amount of time taking the test, MAP Growth is a computer adaptive test—which means every student gets a unique set of test questions based on their responses to previous questions. The purpose of MAP Growth is to determine what the student knows and is ready to learn next.

MAP Growth tracks student growth over time – wherever they are starting from and regardless of the grade they are in. For instance, if a third grader is actually reading like a fifth grader, MAP Growth will be able to identify that. Or, if a fifth grader is doing math like a third grader, MAP Growth will identify that, too. Both things are incredibly important for teachers to know so that they can plan instruction efficiently.

Learn more about MAP Growth here.

What is the minimum age for admittance to kindergarten in California?

A child shall be admitted to a kindergarten maintained by the school district at the beginning of a school year, or at a later time in the same year if the child will have his or her fifth birthday on or before September 1 (EC 48000[a]):

Who are Adventists?

Seventh-day Adventists are a Protestant Christian denomination who accepts the bible as the only source of their beliefs. They believe in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and follow most of the beliefs of conventional conservative Christianity.
Click here to learn more about Adventists.

What does the name “Seventh-day Adventist” refer to?

The name “Seventh-day Adventist” refers to two core beliefs. Respecting the fourth of God’s Ten Commandments, Adventists worship on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. “Adventist” refers to Jesus Christ’s promise to return and take his followers home to heaven. Adventists believe in the imminent advent, or return, of Jesus Christ. You can find out more about Adventists at www.adventist.org.

Will an Adventist school try to turn my child into a Seventh-day Adventist?

At an Adventist school, students’ freedom to think for themselves is respected and nurtured, and students are encouraged to learn how to make good moral decisions regardless of their creed or belief system. One key Adventist principle is that no one should be pressured into church membership. In Adventist families, children may become baptized church members when they are developmentally mature enough to make the decision themselves.