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ABOUT CBC ACADEMY
CBC Academy is a Christian homeschool program. Our mission is to help parents educate their children about God’s world within community. CBC Academy meets once a week on Tuesdays for 28 weeks from August to May.
The elementary program starts at pre-K through 6th grade students. We also have a junior high program for 7th/8th grade students (please see labeled tab, “Junior High” for more info). There is a nursery available for children under 4 years of age as of September 30th that have an older sibling that is age eligible for the program.
Our desire is to support fellow Christian homeschool families, engage in classically-based education as a community, provide children with opportunities that are more difficult to do in a home-based setting and to enhance subjects that tend to be “materials heavy.”
our teaching materials
Included subjects for the elementary program are memory work, science, public speaking, fine arts for all students and writing for 4th-6th graders. Because we are a supplemental homeschool program, core subjects are not covered, such as a complete math curriculum or language arts/grammar. We will also not be teaching children how to read or write. They should be expected to know how to write by the time they enter the writing program in 4th grade.
our schedule
The morning section of the program starts at 9:00a and end at 12:00p for a lunch hour. The afternoon section of the program is for 4th-6th graders.
We will start the morning with assembly where all the families will gather in the sanctuary for prayer and announcements. We will also go through a passage in Scripture and/or a hymn. Currently, we will be learning various Psalms set to song. After morning assembly, parents will take their children to their classrooms. The classes will be arranged into 3 groups on a rotating schedule to allow for all classes to partake in a fine arts class.
During the lunch hour, families will be given 20 minutes to eat their food. At 12:20, we will have activities available in the fine arts room for the rest of the lunch hour (families will be put on a rotation to oversee the activity room(s)). The assigned activity rooms are because there is unfortunately no playground.
Beginning at 1:00p, 4th-6th graders will go to their writing class. We will be using Institute for Excellence in Writing. (https://iew.com/). The IEW portion of the afternoon class will last approximately one hour long.
our subjects
Memory Work
Memory work consists of a compilation of facts consisting of Timeline, Latin, English Grammar, Math, History and Geography that is split into 28 weeks. We will also be adding in catechism questions from the New City Catechism. Tutors will teach this information via songs, hand motions, exercises and various other fun activities.
Children will have a presentation segment where they will each be given approximately 3 minutes to present on whatever they want. It can be a show-and-tell with a toy from home, a recitation of a Bible passage, poem, song, etc., a story about an event they experienced such as a birthday, etc. They will be given an optional “Bingo” card with presentation topics and if they choose to do a “black-out” and present on all topics, they will be awarded as “most versatile” public speaker! Presentation hour will also be a time for students to have their snacks when they are not the ones presenting.
Fine Arts
There will be an art class for fine arts this year, taught by two separate teachers. One teacher will teach 4th-6th grade and the other will teach preK-3rd grade.
Science
For the science portion, it will be the parent’s expectations to have the reading assignments done before Academy day. The experiments related to the assigned reading will be done in class.
Because we believe that community and fellowship matters, we will also have opportunities for additional events. We will have quarterly field trips, moms nights out (and possibly dads nights out).
The week before Christmas break, the children will also have an opportunity to try being an entrepreneur through our Christmas market! During the lunch hour, children (and parents) are encouraged to sell a product they wish and the community will shop at their booths.
All of our tutors have fingerprint clearance cards and all other families in the program have undergone background checks to ensure safety for our community.
Our Philosophy of Education
CBC Academy follows both the classical model and Charlotte Mason model of education.
The classical model is composed of three stages of learning:
Grammar, Dialetic (Logic) and Rhetoric.
The grammar stage is when you learn words and basic facts through memorization. We will do this through songs, hand motions, exercises, games and other various activities. This is the stage we will emphasize in the elementary-aged students at Academy.
The dialectic stage, also known as the logic stage, trains you to sort and understand those facts and how they work together.
The rhetoric stage is where you winsomely present the truth and knowledge to others. This can be done in a program through giving a speech, going through a math problem, writing a poem, etc.
The Charlotte Mason method uses “living books” rather than textbooks to teach material, which are written in narrative form, to make the information more engaging for the learner.
Why have we chosen a faith-neutral science curriculum
Using a faith-neutral, rigorous science curriculum is a better choice for preparing elementary and middle school children because it equips them with a solid foundation in critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and scientific literacy—skills essential for success in higher education and an increasingly globalized, technology-driven world. While a Christian-based curriculum may align with specific spiritual values, if it lacks academic rigor, it can leave gaps in students’ understanding of key scientific principles, limiting their ability to engage meaningfully in advanced STEM fields. A faith-neutral curriculum, by focusing on universally accepted scientific methodologies and concepts, ensures students are well-prepared to excel in any academic or professional environment, while still leaving space for families to incorporate faith-based perspectives outside of the classroom. This approach respects both intellectual and spiritual development, fostering well-rounded, competent learners who can critically engage with a diverse and complex world.
Our Director And Tutors
Meet Our Director
Dianne Settlage has been a member of CBC since 2014. She was born and raised in Arizona, is an ASU sun devil and completed a doctor of optometry from Midwestern University. She has been married since 2014 to Caleb and together, they have 4 beautiful children. She has stepped down from optometric clinical care to focus on raising, discipling and homeschooling her children. She has been assistant teaching as adjunct faculty at the Arizona College of Optometry at Midwestern University since 2017. She was a previous director at another homeschool program and was given the honor to help CBC start its own homeschool program in 2023. She loves reading, crafting, playing pickleball, and health/nutrition
Meet Our Tutors
Phil Iwinski
Phil Iwinski
Phil Iwinski has been a supporter of homeschooling children since the early 1990s. As a dad of nine, his wife, Debbie, and he have engaged in the homeschool journey with all their children beginning in 1992. As a graduate in engineering from Kansas State University, along with a masters in international business from the University of South Carolina, his passion is mentoring children to build their faith and to think critically.
He enjoys cross cultural experiences, golf, AI related subjects and building community in education.
Abby Weigand
Abby Weigand
Abby Weigand grew up with her nose in a book. After high school, she pursued an education in creative writing and graduated from The Author Conservatory with certificates in writing and business. Homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade, Abby had time to explore her passion for literature. She’s written three novels, published two short stories, and edited a memoir.
Abby started attending Christ Bible Church with her family in 2021 and now serves in Sunday school.
Christina Burz
Christina Burz
After being a part of CBC Academy last year, Christina is excited to be teaching this year! She was married in 2014 and has three children ages 6, 7, and 9. Her two older children started out in public school but were soon pulled out to homeschool which has helped her family flourish, creating more bonding time together. She has a bachelor's degree from ASU in Psychology and has worked as a data entry specialist for several years. She decided to be home with her kids to help educate them and bring them closer to God. She loves reading, playing board games and being active with her children.
Charlotte Atkins
Charlotte Atkins
Charlotte has a passion for learning and loves teaching children. She began teaching nearly 7 years ago with a home based piano and voice studio. As a previously homeschooled student herself, she enjoyed helping tutor her younger brother which cultivated a passion for the education style and benefits homeschooling brings. Currently she is in school as an Elementary Education major with a year at Pensacola Christian College, but now enrolled locally. Outside of school she sings in the choir at her home church, Northwest Community, and volunteers at their Justice Clinic Law ministry. She enjoys editing her friend’s college papers, planning hikes and outings with her young adults group, and loves playing pickleball with friends.
Benita Toma
Benita Toma
Benita Toma has a BA in Biology and certificates in European and Russian Studies from Arizona State University, and she's now pursuing an AAS in Occupational Therapy Assistant Studies. Her teaching career spans from preschool to tutoring special needs students. Beyond her academic and professional endeavors, Benita is deeply involved in her community through her roles at Christ Bible Church as a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, and choir director. In her free time, Benita enjoys playing cello, indulging in fantasy literature, exploring genetics, and practicing embroidery and crochet.
Tatianna Botea
Tatianna Botea
Tatianna Botea has loved homeschooling since her oldest started seven years ago. She's been married to her husband since 2011, and together they've been raising 3 wonderful kids: George, Malachi, and Hannah. Among other things, she enjoys reading books with her kids, managing a small chicken farm, and learning about native plants & permaculture. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Geography with a focus on Meteorology from Arizona State University. She has been integral in starting CBC Academy in 2023 and is excited to be a part of CBC Academy again this year.
Marcie Lund
Marcie Lund
Homeschooling became legal in Washington State in July 1985, just in time for Marcie Lund to begin kindergarten that fall. Today Marcie is a 2nd generation homeschooler to her three children: Keegan, Therrin, and Meadow. She and her husband Scott both grew up in Southwest Washington, where many of their family members still reside. The Lunds look forward to escaping the Arizona heat to visit them for a few weeks every summer. Marcie received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Washington State University, where she also played Division I tennis. In her limited spare time, Marcie enjoys reading many different book genres, cooking creative, nutritious meals for her family, playing pickleball, and socializing with friends and family through board and card games.
Laura Delgado
Laura Delgado
Laura Delgado has been a tutor for the last 2 years and looking forward to tutoring the 2nd graders this year. She and her husband, Jacob have 4 daughters, and have been homeschooling since 2013. She graduated from Geneva College with an B.S in Elementary Education. She has been a member of CBC since 2021, when she moved here from Ohio.
Laura is also CBC Academy’s Assistant Director and has been a blessing to the director!
Academy Schedule
curriculum and cost
K-6th grade
$1,400 per student per year
$725 Per Semester
Kindergarten
$1,250 per student per year
$650 Per Semester
Pre-K
$410 per student per year
$230 Per Semester
Nursery
$249 per child per year
$147 per semester
Or $10.50 a day for 3 hours.
IEW
$200 per student per year
$100 per semester
This price includes the teacher/student combo workbooks.
The tuition covers the materials for the science curriculum, fine arts supplies and IEW books and materials. Tuition will NOT cover the books for memory work or science that is done at home. Tuition will be due either by year, semester, or quarter (depending on the parent preference). We are ESA eligible and are ESA vendors as “Christ Bible Church Academy.”
Junior High
Welcome to our junior high program! Below, you will find an overview of our structured schedule, divided into morning and afternoon segments, along with year-round elective options and special projects designed to enrich the student experience.
Junior High is where CBC Academy incorporates critical thinking, the logic stage of the Classical teaching model. Our program is designed to inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for learning. We look forward to guiding your students on this educational journey.
our schedule
Morning Segmant
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Hymn with Assembly
Each day begins with a hymn during assembly, fostering a reflective and focused start. This assembly includes the elementary aged students of CBC Academy.
Creed Memorization
After the hymn, the junior high students will go back to their classroom and work together as a class to memorize multiple creeds, building unity and shared values. Creeds include the Apostles Creed, the Nicaean Creed and the Westminster Confession.
Science (45 minutes)
We utilize the Elemental Science: Classical Series Logic Stage curriculum, a rigorous and classical-style curriculum. Learn more about Elemental Science.
The 2025-2026 academic year will be going through “Earth Science & Astronomy.”
History and Geography (45 minutes)
The Classical Historian curriculum serves as the backbone of this segment, emphasizing Socratic discussions in history.
History will be the only subject that is on a 3-year cycle; Topics include:
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Ancient History
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Medieval Civilizations
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American History
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This does mean that junior high students will only go through two of the three subjects, depending on when they are in the program. Parents are welcome to go through the third subject during the student’s 5th grade academic year at home.
Geography will be seamlessly woven into the history curriculum for a well-rounded perspective.
Rotating Electives (45 minutes)
Year 1: Logic
Students will delve into Introductory Logic by Canon Press, a foundational course designed to develop critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Year 2: Cartography & Faith-Based Study
Through Mapping the World with Art, students will explore geography interactively, combining creativity with cartographic skills.
Pastor Chuck and Pastor Randy are developing a custom curriculum for an enriching faith-based learning experience.
Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Students will have a 1-hour lunch break that they can spend in their classroom or in the designated outdoor space. There will be the occasional opportunity to participate in sewing projects or other activities that will be offered throughout the year. Parent volunteers will assist with outdoor supervision for grades 5 and up.
Afternoon Segment
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Writing and Literature
Persuasive writing will be taught using The Lost Tools of Writing, Level 1. Literature study will include discussions on books, short stories, poems, and longer works, many taken from The Lost Tools of Writing prompts.
Recommended resources include:
It is required to be enrolled for both the morning and afternoon segments to enhance the learning process for all students in the junior high program.
Year-Long Projects
Each year, students will work on either a science experiment or a country to research and present their findings at the end of the 3rd quarter:
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Year 1: Science Fair
Students will design an experiment, develop a hypothesis, write a research paper, and present their findings at an evening event. -
Year 2: Culture and Geography Fair
Students will research a country of their choice, write a research paper, present their findings, and offer a culinary sample representative of the country.
Extra-Curricular Activities
We encourage students to join Christ Bible Church’s youth program to have fellowship and develop community with other youth from our church in the same age group.
We hope to offer volunteer opportunities throughout the academic year to allow the students to serve those that are less fortunate.
Quarterly field trips will be offered to all of CBC Academy students, elementary or junior high aged.
Enroll in CBC Academy
All families at CBC Academy are required to fill out an application for students in order to attend. Please click the link below to access the application to fill it out.
Please email completed application to academy@christbible.church.
