Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the goals of the Cabrera Christian?
. Graduates of the Cabrera Christian Classical Academy will
be wise, virtuous, and fluent in both Spanish and English
understand and conversant in the great ideas of western civilization including art, history, mathematics, music, philosophy, and scripture
be committed to glorying God by living the Christ-like values and leadership traits defined by God’s truth presented in the Holy Bible
What is the school’s teaching approach?
The teaching approach of Cabrera Christian is based on the long-standing classical approach to education, focusing on the classical trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric relying on the great works of art, history, philosophy, and science with a heavy emphasis on developing students’ character and leadership skills as described by God’s word.
The early years are the grammar stage where we focus on phonetic reading, math fluency, geography, and all of the other facts that students need to know in order to be able to think in a meaningful way.
The middle school years are devoted to additional knowledge building and the development of questioning and argument. Not all questions are good questions, and not all arguments are well-developed. This is the stage where we learn to do those things well.
The high school years are devoted to additional knowledge building, and to the development of expression. At this point, students have encountered great works of art and literature, and they have come to know great historical figures and the wonders of creation. They have something to talk about! Now it’s time to put their skills together into logical, winsome, and persuasive works of their own.
The word of God is woven throughout the curriculum.
What is the language of instruction in this bilingual school?
The dominant language of instruction at Cabrera Christian is English, but all students quickly learn to be fully fluent in both English and Spanish through both formal and informal instruction.
Students who lack English language proficiency can attend the preparatory campus until they are ready for English language instruction.
Within CCCA, non-Spanish speakers focus on oral, conversational Spanish through the primary years. When ready, students begin formal Spanish instruction, including reading, writing, and speaking.
Where is Cabrera?
Cabrera is a farming and tourism-oriented community of about 40,000 people on the north-central coast of the Dominican Republic. It is a stunningly beautiful part of the country with endless sandy beaches and comfortable temperatures. Because of the nearby mountain ranges, Cabrera is often safe from Caribbean hurricanes.
The nearest airports are: Santo Domingo (SDQ) about 2 ½ hours to the south; Santiago (STI) about 3 hours through the mountains to the southeast; Puerto Plata (POP) about 1 ¾ hours to the west; and Samana (AZS) about 2 hours to the east. Santo Domingo airport is probably the most frequently used airport because of its bus availability.
Cabrera Christian is located a few miles west of Cabrera.
How many students go to Cabrera Christian?
While waiting for the construction of the new school building, Cabrera Christian is capping enrollment at 20 students for 2023-2024.
What do the Board Members, Teachers, and Staff believe about God?
Please see our school’s adopted Statement of Faith, found elsewhere on the school website.
What denomination is Cabrera Christian?
We are Christians. That’s it. Our Board, administrators and staff come from many different Christian faith backgrounds.
What doctrine does Cabrera Christian teach?
We don’t teach doctrine.
We approach the Bible as a library of works that have tremendous historical, literary, and spiritual value. We teach the Bible as texts that are True, and that have inspired the best of our civilization’s law, art, science, and human behavior.
While we do not require our students and families to be practicing Christians, we do require that they engage with faith in a respectful, and open manner.
How much does it cost to go to Cabrera Christian?
tuition for 2023-2024 is scheduled to be $190/month with a $190 start-up fee to cover consumable materials, snacks, etc. Students bring their own lunch.
We often have donors that cover portions of this amount. Financial aid is often available to families with demonstrated financial need.
Does Cabrera Christian offer a dormitory?
No.
Do students at Cabrera Christian wear uniforms?
Yes, students at Cabrera Christian wear uniforms, beginning in 2023-2024. Uniforms are the CCCA t-shirt and khaki bottoms. Shoes are required. Hair should be groomed and in a natural color.
What is the school calendar schedule?
The Cabrera Christian school year begins on the first of September and concludes at the end of May, with Columbus Day, Christmas, and Easter breaks. Summer class sessions are also available. Traditional classroom instruction occurs Monday through Thursday for all students, with Fridays being devoted to field days and academic review days. The school day for students usually runs from 8:30am until 2:30pm. These dates and times are subject to change.
How does a student enroll in Cabrera Christian?
Please contact the School Headmaster at c3a.headmaster@protonmail.com
Which curriculum materials do you use?
For 2023-2024, reading, writing, history, and classical and Christian studies will use the Memoria Press curriculum. Conceptual math instruction is taught using Singapore Math, while we use Rocket Math to teach math fluency. Music and art instruction uses a mixture of materials to provide theory, appreciation, and skill instruction. Physical education is taught by local instructors. (Swim instruction is provided and all students are required to pass swim proficiency skills tests.) Bible stories and memorization uses a variety of translations including NIV, NAS, and KJV.
How can I support Cabrera Christian?
What is most needed now to bring much needed classical Christian education to students in the Dominican Republic include the following.
1. Prayer. As we follow the bold pathways that God has laid out before us, our students, parents, volunteers, teachers, administrators, staff, and donors need your ongoing prayers for strength, fortitude, perseverance, faith, guidance, and generosity in supporting our mission to bring Bible-based schooling to the families of Cabrera.
2. Funding for Operations. The school has an annual operating budget of about $250,000 USD per year. This might seem like quite a large budget to some individuals, but exceedingly small to others. Student tuition is about $2,000 USD per year. Because the expense of living and the extent of wages in the Dominican Republic is relatively low, our school requires significant support from generous donors to meet its financial obligations. Annually, we solicit donations for student tuition, ongoing facilities and maintenance costs, an “adopt a teacher” contribution program, nominal administration and operations costs, and contributions to our long-term endowment program, that has a goal of $6M USD. Contributions can be made at https://givebutter.com/8tQK9a and other donation opportunities can be found elsewhere on our website.
3. Teachers & Volunteers. The foundation of a school is talented teachers and volunteers. We are actively seeking Christian teachers who want to share God’s good news with students, to support students in learning how to walk the bold pathways God has designed for them and teach students the great ideas and aesthetics of Western Civilization from a classical education posture.
Teachers do not need to be fluent in Spanish but do need to be committed to living a Christian lifestyle and committed to learning alongside the students. Teachers do not need to have a formal teaching certificate or license. Some of our teachers teach part-time. Many of our teachers come to the Dominican Republic for short periods with financial support from their home churches. To apply, please find the employment opportunities section of our website.
4. Financial Aid for Families in Need. Currently, tuition for one student for one year is about $2,000 USD. This represents a significant commitment for local families in a community where the average family income is about $8,000 USD per year. We are actively praying for and seeking donors to provide significant tuition subsidies for committed and talented Dominican students. https://givebutter.com/8tQK9a
5. Sharing the Good News. The success of our school depends in part on how many people know about its existence and are aware of the opportunities to contribute either as financial donors or as teachers and volunteers. We enthusiastically encourage you to share information about our school and its mission through social media and with your congregations, as we benefit greatly from your ongoing prayers and support.
Contact Information:
Additional information is being uploaded to our nascent website at www.cabrerachristian.org as it becomes available.
To work with and support Cabrera Christian, please contact interim headmaster, Dr. Tim Slater. His US phone/txt number is 520-975-1373, his DR WhatsApp phone number is WhatsApp is 829-487-4800, and his email address is c3a.headmaster@protonmail.com.