Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education Redeemer Academics & Collaborative Education
 

FAQs



Q:

What is Redeemer?

A:

  • Redeemer is a unique home-based learning initiative designed to enhance a student's academic journey through collaborative education.
  • It is a fast-paced group that relies heavily on students who are actively engaged, willing to contribute, read during class, and participate in discussions.  It is designed for self-motivated students who enjoy group dynamics and interaction.
  • Collaboration Groups meet weekly at a fraction of the cost of online classes or private school tuition.
  • The current academic schedule has been designed for grades nine through twelve.
  • Students can enroll in single or multiple classes and register for single or multiple days depending on their academic needs.
  • Virtual classes meet live via Google Meet and can be recorded for students who are unable to attend the live sessions.

 

  • Classes focus on higher-level sciences, history, and language arts along with engaging electives to enrich the student's high school transcript.
  • Daily homework assignments, essays, projects, and tests are assigned weekly and reviewed during Collaboration Group sessions.
  • Private tutoring, homeschool curriculum development, and college planning are also available.

 

Redeemer's Director and exclusive instructor is Donna Testa, a veteran homeschooler with a lifelong passion for teaching and learning.  She has taught hundreds of children over two decades in the homeschool community. Before starting Redeemer, Donna led a co-op for several years in Lafayette and assisted in the formation of a new co-op in Mount Olive.  When not teaching, she works as a radiologic technologist, specializing in mammography. 

From Pre-K music to high school sciences and literature, Donna has taught a multitude of subjects among various grade levels and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Redeemer.  With the full support of her family and encouragement from her students and friends, the vision of Redeemer became a reality in 2021. Donna is committed to providing a nurturing and solid foundation to the next generation of homeschoolers who seek higher-level learning through collaboration with other students.  

 

Q:

What is expected of a student who enrolls at Redeemer?

A:

  • Redeemer is designed for self-motivated students who enjoy group dynamics and interaction.
  • Each student is required to sign a student-teacher contract.
  • Every student will need a personal e-mail in addition to a family e-mail. Homework assignments will be sent to parents and students alike. It is the student's responsibility to access these weekly assignments and complete them in their entirety.
  • Access to a printer and scanner is crucial. Many assignments will be posted as attachments on the Forum; most homework assignments and tests will need to be uploaded to the Classroom Dashboard.
  • A Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator will be required for all students enrolled in Chemistry, Physics, Consumer Math, and Personal Finance: Amazon.com : Texas Instruments TI-30Xa Scientific Calculator : Office Products (Unfortunately no substitutions will be allowed as data entry varies too greatly among scientific calculators.)
  • It is the student's responsibility to personally contact the instructor for any reason that homework will not be completed on time before the next class meets. Students who are continually unprepared for class may be removed from the roster.  No tuition reimbursements will occur.
  • Students must attend all classes with their books, binders, and supplies on hand: do a mental checklist ahead of time and remember what is needed. This is especially true for in-person classes.
  • Students should periodically consult their online classroom dashboard and contact the instructor with any difficulties or challenges they are experiencing.
  • Students are expected to be actively engaged, willing to contribute, read during class, and participate in discussions and labs.
  • Honesty and responsibility are expected of all students. A lot of time and planning goes into each and every class at Redeemer and students are expected to be prepared, on time, and ready to learn.

 

 

Q:

When do the Collaboration Groups meet?

A:

  • Redeemer will meet for thirty-one weeks (September through May).
  • Each day has a different schedule of classes with some classes meeting for only one semester.
  • Daily homework assignments, essays, projects, and tests are assigned weekly and reviewed during Collaboration Group sessions.
  • Students have the choice of enrolling in single or multiple classes and enrolling in single or multiple days depending on their academic needs.

Q:

Where is Redeemer located?

A:

In-person classes for Redeemer's Collaboration Groups meet in a private home in Mount Olive, New Jersey.  (Home is smoke-free and pet-free.)

Virtual classes are accessed via private Google Meet links.  These meet in real-time or can be recorded for students who are unable to attend the live sessions.

 

Private tutoring sessions, college planning, and homeschool curriculum development are available in-person or through Google Meet.

 

Q:

What are the fees and tuition?

A:

Payments are non-refundable once submitted

  • There is a $35 annual fee per family to join Redeemer for the academic year.
  • 25% of the total tuition is due by July 1st, 2024. 
  • The balance will be divided into three equal payments and due on Sept. 1st, Nov. 1st, and Feb. 1st
  • Classes range in price from $16 and up per class period.  This is highly competitive compared to other teaching platforms which range in price from $19-$27 per class period.
  • Students must also purchase the curriculum and any additional supplies required in the class descriptions (viewable only to members).
  • Additional fees for supplies and lab kits vary by subject.

 

Homeschool Curriculum Development, Private tutoring, and College Planning incur other fees that can be viewed under the Class Registration tab (viewable only to members).

 

All payments are non-refundable once submitted.  Please do NOT use the PayPal button on the invoice for payment.

Additional payment details will be sent to members once their memberships/registrations have been approved.

Redeemer accepts Pay Pal, Venmo, cash, and personal checks for payment.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q:

What makes Redeemer's Collaboration Groups unique?

A:

  • Small classes, personalized attention, and student-teacher contracts are the hallmark of this endeavor.
  • Mid-term and End-of-year assessments will highlight each student's strengths and recommendations for academic, social, and personal improvement.
  • Online access to student's academic progress will be visible to parents and students.
  • Reading less, writing less, and retaining more are at the foundation of Redeemer's philosophy.

 

  • Redeemer is an in-person and virtual program with no parental commitment required.  
  • Parents and siblings are not able to remain onsite during in-person classes.  Please be punctual with having students arrive and depart on schedule.
  • Students are expected to be able to work independently and be self-motivated, responsible, and able to contribute to a fast-paced collaborative group dynamic.
  • Students may enroll in single or multiple classes and enroll in single or multiple days to meet their academic needs.
  • Given the fast-paced nature of the Collaboration Groups, students with learning and/or behavioral issues are better suited to register for private tutoring sessions.

 

  • A Creationist viewpoint will be maintained in all subject areas.

 

 

Q:

How do I join Redeemer and/or register for classes?

A:

  1. Click JOIN at the top right of the main page to request membership: membership is free for the first 30 days and enables full access to the website.
  2. Once the membership request has been approved via e-mail, click the Class Registration tab to view the days and classes being offered.
  3. A Google Meet appointment with the Director is required for all new families before registering:
                                                                    https://meet.google.com/bpi-poni-zvd
  4. To officially join Redeemer, pay the $35 annual fee by June 1st.
  5. Return to the Class registration tab and select the desired class. Then, select the student who will be taking the class and click REGISTER.
  6. Follow the same process for each class and each additional student registration.
  7. 25% of the total tuition is due by July 1st, 2024.
  8. The balance will be divided into three equal payments and due on Sept. 1st, Nov. 1st, and Feb. 1st
  9. Redeemer utilizes a different approach to education where students read less, and write less, but learn and retain more.
  10. Student-teacher contracts make Redeemer a unique learning opportunity.
  11. Students are expected to have all curriculum by August 15th as assignments will be due on the first day of classes.

 

All payments are non-refundable once submitted.  Please do NOT use the PayPal button on the invoice for payment.

Redeemer accepts Pay Pal, Venmo, and personal checks for payment.  

Additional payment details will be sent to members once their memberships have been approved.

 

Q:

What else does Redeemer offer?

A:

In addition to Collaboration Groups, Redeemer offers:

  • Private tutoring sessions: 

    English, Essay Writing, and Math are the most commonly requested subjects.  Pre-Algebra and Algebra I are the only high school math classes offered at this time.  In-person or Google Meet sessions are available.  Register for a single session or purchase a ten-session discount bundle.

 

  • Standardized testing: The (ITBS) is offered annually in June. Tests require students to be in-person and require several days to complete.  Test sections include  Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, Spelling, Capitalization, Punctuation, Usage and Expression, Math Concepts and Estimation, Math Problem Solving and Data Interpretation, Math Computation, Social Studies, Maps and Diagrams, and Reference Materials.   Results are typically available three weeks after testing.  Additional test prep and practice tests are available by registering for Private Tutoring Sessions. 
  • Grades 9–12 (Levels 15-17/18): 4 total hours

 

  • Homeschool Curriculum Development:  Take the guesswork out of setting up a homeschool.  This multi-faceted approach includes an interview with the primary caregiver/teacher and student, a personalized academic evaluation, an exploration of the student's learning style, guidance to curriculum selection, and assistance with setting up a manageable schedule.

 

  • College Planning: Receive assistance with writing transcripts, college searches, submitting college applications, completing financial aid forms, and formatting résumés, etc.  In-person and Google Meet sessions are available.

 

  • Field Trips: Membership is required to attend Redeemer's field trips.  They can be viewed under the Calendar tab, but the full details are only viewable by members.

 

For pricing on any of these services, please click the JOIN button at the top of the page and request membership.  There is no membership fee for the first thirty days. 

 

 

 

Q:

How can the curriculum, schedule, fees, and tuition be viewed?

A:

  • Class descriptions, fees, and tuition can only be viewed once a family has been approved for membership consideration.
  • Please click on JOIN at the top of the webpage and request access to the full website.  There is no fee to gain access to the website for 7 days.
  • A Google Meet appointment with the Director is required for all new families before registering.

 

All payments are non-refundable once submitted.  Please do NOT use the PayPal button on the invoice for payment.

Redeemer accepts Pay Pal, Venmo, and personal checks for payment. 

Additional payment details will be sent to members once their memberships have been approved.

 

 

 

 

Q:

Does Redeemer plan to add any additional days or classes to the schedule?

A:

Yes!

 

Based on the needs of the members and students, Redeemer is a dynamic program that has the ability to add additional classes, days, and workshops to its calendar.

 

Please consider sending an e-mail with the current academic need or class request to Donna at: RedeemerAcademics@gmail.com

 

Q:

What if I am new to homeschooling and don't know where to begin?

A:

Redeemer offers Homeschool Curriculum Development:

Take the guesswork out of setting up a homeschool.  This multi-faceted approach includes an interview with the primary caregiver/teacher and student, a personalized academic evaluation, an exploration of the student's learning style, guidance to curriculum selection, and assistance with setting up a manageable schedule.

Q:

My student is/has graduated, now what?

A:

Redeemer offers assistance in the college planning years. In-person and Google Meet sessions are available by appointment. 

Each registration includes two hours of assistance with any of the following: writing transcripts, college searches, submitting college applications, completing financial aid forms, formatting résumés, etc.*

 

*Many of these topics are taught during the fall and spring sessions of 21st Century Career Exploration and Development: NJ Graduation Requirement

Q:

Need more information?

A:

Send an e-mail to: RedeemerAcademics@gmail.com

Text or leave a message for Donna at 973-349-9999