Frequently Asked Questions

The school day is from 8am – 3pm for all grades K-12. Please note that school starts promptly at 8am.

The car line drop-off begins at 7:45am. We recommend arriving early to avoid last-minute congestion and allow students appropriate time to find their classroom, settle in, and be ready for class to start at 8am.

• Students are permitted to be dropped off for school at 7:45am and will be released for pick-up at 3:00pm.
• When dropping students off, parents should utilize the designated drop-off points and have their child(ren) exit the vehicle as directed by staff.
• K-5 students should be dropped off in front of the Field House. DO NOT block the lane that allows cars to flow. Blocking the road slows the entire process down.
• Middle/High students should be dropped off in front of the High School in between the shelter and school.
• Parents with students at both schools will proceed through the K-5 line.
• No parking is permitted in the carlines. If there is a need to bring something into the school, please park in an appropriate designated parking spot and proceed to the front office.
• When picking-up students, students and staff will be assisting at the curbs to help get students to their vehicles.
• No parking in the carline is permitted.
• No use of cell phones will be permitted in the carline due to safety. If you have an emergency, please pull out of line and park, complete your phone call, and reenter the line. Safety is our top priority.
• The lightning status link can be found on the parent webpage or by going directly to this link: http://babcockneighborhoodschool.thormobile2.net/
• In the case of inclement weather dismissal may be delayed until it is safe for student pickup to resume.

In order to enter the buildings, you will need to present your driver’s license or other personal identification at the door. A visitor pass will be issued if you are expected outside of the office area.

• Bike riders (including skateboards) under the age of 16 MUST wear a helmet to and from school.
• Parents of K-5 students must sign a Bike Rider/Walker Permission Form granting permission prior to being able to leave school. Permission will be granted by the administration.
• Students biking or walking MUST be a resident in Babcock Ranch.
• Parents of Middle/High students will be dismissed and able to leave school grounds upon the conclusion of the school. Please communicate transportation plans with your student(s).
• Bikes and skateboards must be placed in the designated areas on each campus.
• Students are responsible for securing their bicycles with their own locks.
• Biker riders and walkers will be dismissed at the same time as carline students and proceed directly to a designated area to be released.
• Once off campus, students should proceed directly home and are only allowed to return to the campus in case of emergencies or for scheduled school events in which they are participating.
• Bike riders must walk their bikes to the sidewalk at the roundabout. Walkers and bike riders are NOT under any circumstance permitted to enter the parking area while leaving school property.
• Walking and riding a bike to school is a privilege and is revocable at any time.

• Students must sign and agree to the Babcock High School Parking / Traffic Rules and Regulations.
• Students must have a parking permit.
  • Students need to bring in their driver’s license, car registration, and proof of insurance to the front office to obtain a parking permit.
  • Permits will be $10.00.

• Golf cart drivers under 18 will have to be at least 15 with a learner’s permit or 16 with a driver’s license to legally operate one.
  • Golf carts must also have a parking permit, which can be purchased in the front office for $10.
• Student drivers must park on campus in the designated student parking area with their decal clearly displayed.

Please make sure to schedule appointments, vacations, and other activities during non-school hours whenever possible (this is part of the purpose for the two week breaks in the fall, winter, and spring).

If an absence is unavoidable, please report an absence here to notify staff that your child will be absent. This step will not excuse the absence under this policy, but it will help staff to accurately record and identify student attendance in a more timely fashion. The student and parent should work cooperatively with the teacher(s), prior to the absence if possible, to complete missed work.

Excused absences may be considered if there is an illness, family emergency, funeral, legal matter, or religious holiday. If a student will miss school for three (3) or more days due to illness or injury, the student must provide a note from a doctor or nurse specifying the amount of time excused.

The project-based and place-based nature of the Babcock Neighborhood School program makes school attendance critical. Multiple absences will impact student learning due to the nature of the project-based learning environment that Babcock Neighborhood School is striving to create.

Babcock Schools do not offer transportation.

Yes! You can find out more information about Trailcare here!

You can find links to all apps and software platforms here.

Yes. You can view our dress code here.

Uniforms can be ordered from our current vendor Signature Threads in North Fort Myers.

You can find the 2024-2025 school supply list here. K-5 grades have downloadable lists. Middle and high school students will be provided supply lists by their teachers as needed based on their individual schedules and course needs.

A weekly breakfast and lunch menu can be downloaded here.

The current meal pricing can be found here. Lunch money can be added to the MySchoolBucks app. You will need student ID numbers to set up an account.

Yes. You can apply for free or reduced lunches here.

Babcock Schools utilize OTUS as the learning management system. Beyond a digital gradebook, OTUS was developed to house the curriculum designed by the teacher, provide transparency to the learner and their parents for continuous improvement, support a standards-based approach to measuring growth against state standards, and allow in-depth data for a deeper analysis of instruction over time for the school and individual students.

Babcock Schools are Standards-Based Grading schools. We strive to ensure that students meet all the standards for each year, rather than base their performance on an average. This can be a challenge for students who are used to seeing an average, but this approach allows students to clearly see where they need to improve and what areas have been mastered. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery learning of standards over rote memorization. Students are permitted in coordination with the educator to determine various strategies to demonstrate learning. Performance is measured, but it looks different than a traditional A-F grading. Instead, students are graded on 1-4 number scale which represents the student’s progress on each standard at that time

1 – The student has an Emerging understanding of the standard content, but may be performing below expectations later in the year.

2 – The student is Developing some understanding of standard content and has mastered part of the standard.

3 – The student is Proficient with the entire standard. Achieving a level 3 on a standard demonstrates proficiency at Babcock Schools and is the goal for all students for each standard assigned.

4 – The student is Exceeding Expectations beyond what is expected of the standard content.

Learn more about standards-based grading here.

The standards-based grading system is becoming increasingly utilized across the country and has gained much traction in the last few years due to the impact of rising academic gaps and the need to understand exactly what the student knows and needs to know to be successful.

The grades entered into FOCUS, Charlotte County’s student information system, represent the student’s progress at that time and serve as a projection of where the student should be at the end of the year if their work ethic is maintained. The final numerical grade for FOCUS is obtained by utilizing grading scale below. All courses for high school credit will have a converted score from the platform for their official transcript.

Florida Uniform Grading Scale for grades 9-12 is as follows:

Parents have full access to the student’s assignments, checkpoints, and evidence submitted to demonstrate mastery and performance within OTUS.

Babcock Schools offer a unique, project-based academic environment. The mission of all schools is to provide students with a rigorous and relevant academic experience that embeds standards and skills in a meaningful educational experience. The ultimate goal is to ensure that students are growing in their learning.

This is accomplished through a unique learning experience that includes Cambridge AICE Curriculum and allows teachers to have autonomy in how they utilize curriculum resources. We utilize a Learning Management System (LMS) that will allow our teachers to develop essential skills, personalize learning, and culminate evidence in a meaningful attachment to the standards. Our blended learning environment provides a personalized approach to learning while ensuring the academic foci are being accomplished in tandem. The PBL (Project-Based Learning) experiences are designed to engage the community at various levels and make meaningful connections for our learners.

These experiences are showcased throughout the year through a variety of opportunities that include community and families as appropriate. Students are required to participate as these experiences are an integral component of Project-Based Learning units and a time for the student to demonstrate their learning.

PBL requires students to be solid in their core academic standards. There are components to PBL that are hands-on, but those experiences are not without extensive reading, writing, math, and application of content knowledge.

Teachers at BNS and BHS go through three years of training and ongoing professional development to ensure their understanding and implementation of PBL is highly effective and quality. In year three, teachers are expected to obtain their official PBL certification from Magnify Learning, our partner in the work.

We are the 1st PBL Certified Demonstration site in Florida.

Babcock Schools are public charter schools of choice. Our staff works collaboratively with the school district to ensure that all students’ needs are met. If your child has an IEP or an IEP is in progress, please contact the school directly to determine placement. 

Students who have been identified as gifted or talented will be serviced through classroom experiences designed by the classroom teacher in consultation and coordination with the Gifted/Talented teacher. Students with academic gaps will be placed in intervention to ensure they are ready for their next grade-level. Babcock Schools offers an inclusion model.

Yes, we have a wide variety of electives offered at each grade level and vary from year to year.

High school course selection should be based on information that students receive from their school counselor, teachers, and parents. A careful review of available electives will benefit students in preparing for what they plan to do beyond high school.

Babcock Neighborhood School, Inc. is a public charter school and is required to take all Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) Assessments. The progress monitoring model instituted with the FAST Assessment provides the opportunity for measuring learning three times each school year. The data from these assessments are critical to ensuring continuous improvement for all students and our schools.

It should be noted that the state of Florida has implemented certain statutory requirements regarding 3rd-grade retention to ensure that students are proficient in reading before advancing to the 4th grade (F.S. 1008.25 (7)(b)(3)). These requirements are part of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) and aim to ensure that students have the necessary skills to succeed academically. While the retention policy may seem daunting, please remember that it is in place to support your child’s educational development and set them up for future success. Keep in mind that if a 3rd-grade student does not achieve a satisfactory score on the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the FAST, they will be subject to retention. Please note that retention is automatic if a child receives a Level I on Progress Monitoring 3 (PM3, spring assessment) and does not receive a passing score in 45th percentile on the SAT10. The SAT10 assessment will be administered to students who score a Level 1 on the PM3. Students will be given two opportunities to take the SAT10:one following the failed PM3 assessment and at the conclusion of Summer School. All students in 3rd grade who do not pass the PM3 with a Level 2 or higher, will be offered an opportunity to attend after school tutoring and Summer School.

This same premise applies to 10th grade students as it is a high school graduation requirement to pass the FAST ELA (or achieve a concordance score) and the Algebra 1 EOC (or achieve a concordance score).

English: 4 Credits, Must Pass 10th grade ELA Florida Standards Assessment

Math: 4 Credits which includes Algebra I* (Must Pass EOC) and Geometry* (or Florida Standards Assessments, if applicable)- 2 credits may be substituted with allowable industry certification courses that lead to college credit.

Science: 3 Credits, which includes Biology*, and 2 more courses equally rigorous as Biology – 2 of the 3 courses must have a lab component and 1 credit (excluding Biology) may be substituted with an allowable industry certification course that leads to college credit.

Social Studies: 3 credits as follows; 1 credit World History, 1 credit US History*, 0.5 Credit US Government, 0.5 Credit Economics

World Language: No requirement for diploma, but 2 credits (same language) required for State University admission

Fine Arts: 1 credit in Fine or Performing Arts or Practical Arts

Physical Education: 1 credit to include integration of Health (HOPE)

Digital Learning: 1 credit in an online course

Electives: 8 credits

GPA: Cumulative unweighted 2.0 on a 4.0 scale

Total Credits: 24

*END OF COURSE EXAM. THESE COURSES REQUIRE THE STUDENT TO TAKE AN END OF COURSE EXAM THAT IS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE AND WILL COUNT AS 30% OF THE STUDENT’S COURSE GRADE.

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment is a program that allows high school students to simultaneously earn college or vocational credit toward a postsecondary diploma, certificate, or degree at a Florida public institution while also earning credit toward a high school diploma. Dual Enrollment courses are free to students who attend a Florida public college, technical college, or university; this includes registration, matriculation, or laboratory fees for courses taken through Dual Enrollment.

Instructional materials (such as books) are provided to public school students free of charge. To qualify for Dual Enrollment, a student must meet the criteria that are established by the District/School articulation agreement and which are included in the Inter-institutional Articulation Agreement with the other institution.

Early Admission Program

Early admission shall be a form of Dual Enrollment through which eligible secondary students enroll in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis in courses that are creditable toward the high school diploma and the associate or baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled pursuant to this subsection shall be exempt from the payment of registration, tuition, and laboratory fees.

Unique programs exist at Florida Gulf Coast University, the Accelerated Collegiate Experience, and Florida SouthWestern State College. Interested students should speak with the school counselor for additional information.

When students leave high school as Early Admission Program students, they may participate in graduation exercises with their graduating class and may be ranked in class using District/School policy regarding weighting of Dual Enrollment classes.

Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE)

The Cambridge AICE program provides an advanced academic pre-university qualification for students who are studying Cambridge International A and AS Levels. The Cambridge AICE program offers students the opportunity to tailor their studies to individual interests, abilities, and future plans. The program combines breadth of study with choice and flexibility. The Cambridge AICE program involves the selection of subjects from three curriculum areas: Mathematics and Science, Languages, and Arts & Humanities.

Cambridge AICE is an international pre–university curriculum and examination system, which emphasizes the value of broad and balanced study for academically able students. Program strengths lie in the flexibility and structure of the curriculum encouraging in–depth, working knowledge of each subject, and in essay–based examinations as assessment of that knowledge and skill mastery. There are three secondary course levels:

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

 The Advanced Placement Program provides college-level courses and exams in various subject areas for students in secondary schools. More than 2,900 universities and colleges worldwide grant credit, appropriate advanced course placement, or both to students who have performed satisfactorily on the exams, and approximately 1,400 institutions grant sophomore standing to students who have demonstrated their competence in 30 credits or more. Approximately 14,000 high schools throughout the world participate in the Advanced Placement Program.

AP Exams are taken each May and are paid for by the school provided that the student is enrolled in the corresponding AP class. Students are required to take the AP assessment. If the AP assessment is not taken, the student is responsible for the cost of the exam. Speak with your counselor or teachers about AP Program offerings and eligibility.

For further information visit the College Board website at: www.collegeboard.com or contact: College Board, Southern Regional Office, 3700 Crestwood Parkway, Suite 700, Duluth, GA. 30096-5583, phone: (770) 908-5460.

Florida Virtual School (FLVS)

The number of credits that may be earned in Florida Virtual School (FLVS) toward meeting the high school graduation requirements is unlimited. Students who are currently enrolled full-time in Babcock High School may use Florida Virtual School to supplement their school coursework. It is recommended that students enroll in only one FLVS course at a time.

Babcock High School (BHS) will not deny access to a course offered by FLVS assuming the desired online course is an appropriate placement based on the student’s academic history, grade level, and age. In assessing whether a course is an appropriate placement, school counselors will use the FLVS placement parameters and prerequisite/grade level requirements.

Charlotte Technical College (CTC)

Technical Dual Enrollment students must be assessed and advised as appropriate A.S. or technical certificate career pathways at the College. A Technical Dual Enrollment student must be concurrently enrolled in a high school program with a minimum 2.0 unweighted high school GPA. The technical college dual enrollment program is designed to provide career training for qualifying high school students. Transportation is not provided.

Successful coursework in these programs help prepare students for employment and will propel students to advanced standing at Florida public technical colleges. It may also lead to advanced standing at many Florida colleges through articulation agreements. For more information please visit www.charlottetechcollege.net or call 941-255-7500.

Enrollment is selected by a lottery system with a preference for students in Charlotte County. Babcock Ranch is located in Charlotte County.

Yes. You can contact us to set up a tour and decide if BNS/BHS if the right fit for your student and family. Call the school at 239-567-3043 or email [email protected].

Sign up for the lottery here to begin the enrollment process. Enrollment is subject to current capacity and waitlist standings. Please contact our Data Technician, Erica Childers at [email protected] who handles our initial admissions process.

Yes. Babcock Neighborhood School and Babcock High School are both public charter schools of choice for families.

Mission: Growing World Changers

Vision: Babcock Schools will design meaningful learning experiences that: develop effective communicators, resilient learners, and global citizens, to become tremendous Trailblazers.