Homeschool Umbrella School
Family Handbook
Motto: “Teachers of Good Things” Titus 2:3
Welcome to Titus 2 Academy!!
Dear Students, Parents, and Staff,
On behalf of the entire Titus 2 Academy community, it is with great pleasure that I extend a warm and heartfelt welcome to all our students, as well as their families and our dedicated staff members.
At Titus 2 Academy, we believe that education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about nurturing the minds and hearts of our students to become responsible, compassionate, and lifelong learners. Our school is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and inspiring learning environment where each student can flourish and reach their full potential.
As we embark on this new academic year, we are excited to continue our journey together, creating meaningful experiences and fostering a love for learning. We have an exceptional team of counselors and staff who are passionate about their work and dedicated to guiding our students on their educational paths.
Blessings,
Lani Carey, Principal and Counselor
ABOUT TITUS 2 ACADEMY – AN OVERVIEW
Who We Are –
● We are the Church-Related Umbrella School associated with the non-profit charity “Words of Wisdom Family Ministry.”. As such, we are a TN approved non-public school, accredited by the State of TN Board of Education, #9233.
● We are Christians who are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe that he is the only begotten Son of God, that he died for the sins of the world, rose on the third day, and will come back to gather his church, as he has promised. Our mission field is the world, including Christians and families of every religion, race, and creed. We do not discriminate against anyone, and we believe that everyone is related through the first man and woman, Adam and Eve; therefore, we treat everyone as family!
What We Do –
● We provide legal covering for TN homeschooling families by reporting our students and their attendance to the Board of Education.
● We provide counseling through the Homeschool Counseling Team – Margie Abbitt, Lani Carey, Marta Weaver, and Pat Wesolowski are four veteran homeschool moms are also experienced homeschool counselors with over 150 years of experience collectively. They are dedicated professionals who are passionate about counseling and committed to enabling parents and inspiring students to become lifelong learners. They provide curriculum counseling, career-path help, mentoring, and de-stressing parents and students. They can come alongside you to provide support and options that you did not know existed.
● We provide record-keeping services through our Academic Portal G.A.P., where student grades, attendance, and portfolios are housed. Parents can enroll students, submit attendance and grades, and add entries / upload documents to the student’s portfolio. We provide Report Cards at the end of each semester for all students that have submitted grades. The school counselors can provide Transcripts and Diplomas, as well as Letters of Recommendation and Scholarship forms when requested.
● We keep it simple and affordable – no hidden costs.
● Tuition and Fees: $125 per family
What We Do Not Do –
● We do not provide a curriculum.
● We do not use AI in our counseling advice. We are real homeschool moms with real experience, wisdom, and solutions that will work for you.
● We do not require or provide testing.
● We do not require a Statement of Faith.
● We do not require immunizations, in accordance with T.C.A. § 49-6-3050.
Biblical Mandate – Deuteronomy 4:9 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren.
Vision Statement -To be a beacon of educational excellence, where every student is inspired to reach their fullest potential and become responsible global citizens.
Our vision is to empower families across diverse communities with an accessible, flexible, and high-quality online homeschooling experience. We strive to create a supportive environment where each student’s unique gifts, talents, and learning styles are celebrated and nurtured.
Core Aspirations
● Personalized Learning: We strive to help every student receive an education tailored to their needs, interests, and pace, allowing them to reach their fullest potential.
● Academic Excellence: By helping parents integrate flexible teaching methods and quality, personalized curriculum, we help prepare students for success in higher education, careers, and as engaged citizens.
● Holistic Development: We prioritize the development of character, creativity, critical thinking, and emotional well-being alongside academic achievement.
● Parental Partnership: Parents are valued as essential partners, actively involved in their children’s learning journey with support from dedicated educators and staff.
Mission Statement – To provide a stimulating and caring environment that ignites a love for learning and encourages curiosity and exploration.
The mission of Titus 2 Academy umbrella school is to provide a supportive, flexible, and nurturing educational environment that empowers families to pursue personalized learning journeys. We are committed to partnering with parents and guardians to ensure academic excellence, encourage curiosity and critical thinking, and foster the development of each student’s unique talents and interests.
Looking Ahead
We envision an online homeschool umbrella school that adapts to the evolving needs of families, leverages technology responsibly, and remains committed to student-centered education. By building a foundation of trust, respect, and innovation, our school seeks to inspire lifelong learners and compassionate leaders for tomorrow’s world.
1. Excellence: Through our team of experienced counselors, we aim to empower our students to excel in their chosen fields and be leaders of tomorrow.
Core Values
2. Respect: We celebrate individual differences and encourage an atmosphere of kindness and compassion.
3. Integrity: We encourage our students to uphold ethical values and take responsibility for their actions.
4. Innovation: We nurture creativity and critical thinking, preparing our students to adapt to a rapidly evolving world.
5. Community Engagement: We encourage students to be active participants in community service and make a positive impact on society.
GETTING STARTED
What are the requirements to register a child for a church related umbrella school? A parent may enroll their child in a church related school and participate as a parent teacher under the supervision of the school’s director for the purposes of home schooling their own children, under Tennessee code annotated 49-6-3050(a)(3) parent teachers are subject to the requirements established by the church related school for home school teachers. Parent teachers whose students are in grades nine through 12, must possess at least a high school diploma or a high school equivalency credential approved by the State Board of Education as a nonpublic school. The church related umbrella school is responsible for student record keeping, attendance reporting and testing requirements. (per Sandy Couch, home.school@TN.Gov)
Who do I notify that my child is enrolled in the church related umbrella school? An intent to homeschool form is not required for students enrolled in the church related umbrella school or private school. Instead, upon withdrawal from a public school, parents or legal guardians may be required to provide proof of enrollment in the church related school to the local school district. Home school students enrolled in a church related umbrella school are subject to mandatory attendance under Tennessee Code annotated 49-6-3007. (per Sandy Couch, home.school@TN.Gov).
ACADEMICS/CURRICULUM
The school does not provide curriculum, but our counselors can help parents choose resources that emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. In the elementary grades, the core subjects of math and language arts are required every year, in addition to several electives such as social studies, science, P.E., art, music, sports, and other interests the student might have. In high school, English and math are required each year, along with one year of US History, one year of P.E. and one semester of personal finance. Three science credits are recommended, two additional social studies credits, and 2 foreign language credits if the student is planning on attending a 4-year college.
Planning Sheets for high school are available from the Homeschool Counseling Team.
Grade Levels
Titus 2 Academy enrolls students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. A student must be 5 years old by August 15th in order to enroll as a Kindergartener. We leave it up to the parents to determine their students’ grade level, but we do not generally recommend skipping grades. Also, a student does not have to graduate in four years of high school but can graduate early or take one or even two additional years if needed. Our counselors are here to help with these decisions.
Grade Reporting
Titus 2 Academy requires Grades and Attendance totals to be reported twice per school year (in January and June) in the G.A.P. Academic Portal. Report Cards, Attendance, and Portfolios can be accessed by parents and printed. The Homeschool Counseling Team can provide Transcripts and Diplomas, as well as Letters of Recommendation and Scholarship forms upon request.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Academic Year: 2026-2027
Fall Semester 2026 – 90 days
School Year begins August 3, 2026
Classes begin at parent’s discretion, usually in August or September.
Spring Semester 2027 – 90 days
Classes Begin: 1st or 2nd week in January, 2027
Last day of school year: May or June, 2027
Summer Session 2027
NOTE: Some parents choose to homeschool year round, with vacations and breaks throughout the school year. This is perfectly acceptable, as long as the minimum number of instructional days (180) and minimum number of hours per day (6 ½) is met.
POLICIES AND CONDUCT
Academic Policies
1. Grading Policy: Grading scale is: A 90-100, B 80-90, C 70-80, D 60-70, F below 60. Honors, Dual Enrollment, CLEP, and AP courses are weighted.
2. Titus 2 Academy requires grades to be reported twice per school year (in January and June) in the G.A.P. Academic Portal of each family’s account.
3. Transfer Credit Policy: Transfer credits from other institutions or external programs are evaluated and accepted towards a student’s degree requirements. If a student attends a public school after homeschooling, they may be required to take placement tests.
4. Homeschool Graduation Requirements –
● In Tennessee, there are no specific graduation requirements for homeschooled students. It’s up to you, the parents, to determine when your child has completed their high school education.
● Many homeschooling parents opt to stick with their state’s public school graduation requirements. Usually, this means students need to earn around 22 credits in subjects like English, math, science, and social studies.
● But as a homeschooler, you have the flexibility to set your own graduation requirements based on your child’s individual goals and abilities.
Attendance Policies
1. Titus 2 Academy complies with the requirement of T.C.A. § 49-6-3007 that the names, ages, and addresses of all pupils in attendance will be reported by the school to the director of schools of the public school district in which the student resides.
a) Titus 2 Academy complies with T.C.A. § 49-6-3007(e)(1) by also providing this written notice to the parent, guardian, or person having control of a student subject to compulsory attendance that the parent, guardian, or other person having control of the student, that they must monitor the student’s school attendance and require the student to attend school.
b) T.C.A. § 49-6-3007(d) requires keeping daily reports of attendance, verified by the teacher making the record, which shall be open to inspection at all reasonable times by the director of schools of the LEA in which the school is located, or the director’s duly authorized representative. Titus 2 Academy requires Grades and Attendance totals to be reported twice per school year (in January and June) in the G.A.P. Academic Portal. The attendance is to be entered in the system’s daily calendar.
c) This written notice hereby informs the parent, guardian, or other person having control of a student that a student who accumulates five (5) days of unexcused absences during the school year is subject to the LEA’s progressive truancy interventions and that continued unexcused absences may result in a referral to juvenile court. (NOTE: Every day, including days when the homeschooled student is sick or on vacation, can be counted as “school” days if any type of educational activities are being engaged in).
2. Titus 2 Academy ensures students entering Kindergarten have reached five (5) years of age on or before August 15 pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-6-201(b)(3), unless the principal or head of school finds through evaluation and testing, at the request of the parent or legal guardian, that a child who is five (5) on or before September 30 is sufficiently mature emotionally and academically to enter Kindergarten and the school has a policy permitting testing by the principal or head of school to obtain early admission to Kindergarten.
3. Compulsory attendance law applies to home school students until they reach seventeen years of age or complete high school and hold a high school diploma.
4. Titus 2 Academy requires its teachers (parents) to maintain an operating schedule that includes the minimum number of instructional days (180) and minimum number of hours per day (6 ½) required of public schools. TN students are required to be involved in learning activities 6 1/2 hours per day 180 days per year. This can include books, workbooks, chores, hands-on activities, physical activities, and more.
5. Titus 2 Academy complies with T.C.A § 49-6-3009(k) by hereby notifying parents that failure to comply with the State of TN’s and Titus 2 Academy’s attendance policies may result in being withdrawn from the school with no refund. Additionally, the director of schools or the attendance supervisor in the LEA where the student’s home of record is located will be notified in the event that a student at Titus 2 Academy is expelled or withdraws from school.
Code of Conduct
1. Respect and Civility: Counselors, Staff, Parents, and others will be treated with respect and civility, regardless of differences in background, beliefs, or abilities.
2. Anti-Bullying and Harassment: This code prohibits bullying, harassment, and any form of discrimination, promoting a safe and inclusive atmosphere.
3. Academic Integrity: This code emphasizes the value of honesty and integrity in all academic activities, forbidding cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty.
4. Attendance and Punctuality: Expectations for regular attendance and punctuality in homeschool classes is required. The state of TN requires a minimum of 6 ½ hours of educational instruction per day. This does not mean that students are required to sit at a desk all day. “The world is their classroom!” Additionally, in compliance with T.C.A § 49-6-3009(k), Titus 2 Academy shall provide that the director of schools or the attendance supervisor in the LEA where the student’s home of record is located will be notified in the event that a registered student is expelled or withdraws from school.
5. Disciplinary Procedures: If any parent or student violates any part of our Code of Conduct, they will be withdrawn from the school with no refund.
HOW TO CONTACT US
Through our website – there is a wealth of information about each counselor and what we provide, and also provide a way to pay or request information at Home – Titus 2 Academy
You can call us at 931-442-5026 to leave a message or email info@titus2academy.com. Once we have your contact information, we will provide you with our personal counselor phone numbers and Calendly links for scheduled phone calls.
If you would like to speak directly to one of our counselors, here are their email addresses and Calendly links for scheduled phone calls.
The Homeschool Counseling Team
Margie – https://calendly.com/margie-hct, margie@homeschoolcounselingteam.com
Lani – https://calendly.com/lani-hct, lani@homeschoolcounselingteam.com
Marta – https://calendly.com/marta-hct, marta@homeschoolcounselingteam.com
Pat – https://calendly.com/pat-hct, pat@homeschoolcounselingteam.com