F.A.Q.

1. What is your Lutheran Affiliation? The Association Free Lutheran Congregations(AFLC) is a strong Bible based, evangelical church association. While HCA honors its sponsoring evangelical Lutheran Church, the Bible teaching is the actual word of God and Biblical principles emphasize the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ and growing in Christian character. Follow this link for more information about the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations.

2. How many students are in the school? What are your class sizes? There are over 460 students. We aim to have one teacher for every 25 students with aides assisting in Pre-K through second grade.

3. Do you have a strong music program? Yes, we have music instructors that teach music appreciation, 3 times weekly, to students in grades KD-5, as well as 6-12 as an elective. In the secondary school, various performance group options are also available.  There are instructors for Band (beginning in grade 5) and Orchestra (beginning in grade 3) with the option of personal or group lessons.

4. How long has the school been in existence? HCA/MLLA was founded in 1981 by the Medicine Lake Lutheran Church(now Grace Free Lutheran) of Plymouth, Minnesota.

5. How do I apply? Please call our Admissions Office at 763-463-2223 to request an application. There is a non-refundable application fee of $25 per application.

6. Are foreign languages taught? Yes, at this time we have Spanish available as a secondary elective. Additionally, elementary students enjoy weekly Spanish instruction.

7. What is HCA's tuition? Below is a link to our financial information. Financial Information

8. How can I get information? You may call our Admissions Office at 763-463-2223, or email us at Admissions

9. May I visit the school and classroom, and/or visit with an administrator? You are welcome to schedule a tour with our Admissions staff by calling 763-463-2223. When/if an opening for your child occurs, an interview time and a classroom observation may be scheduled. We encourage both parents to be present if at all possible. Your child(ren) is/are welcome to be with you at the interview and observation. Prospective secondary school students are always an important part of the interview process.

10. Is tuition assistance available? Tuition reduction is available for families with multiple (3 or more) children at HCA. Tuition assistance awards are based on an objective assessment of family need. Application is required which includes pertinent data on the parents' income, assets, liabilities and expenses. Call the school office and request a Tuition Assistance Application. This process requires a new application each year.

11. What kind of religion classes do you have? HCA believes in regular or daily Bible instruction. HCA's Bible curricula comes directly from the Bible, God's Holy Word. Bible stories, Scripture memorization, and studies in the Bible take place. We teach specific doctrines outlined in the ACSI Statement of Faith located in the handbooks. Many different churches are represented at HCA. Our goal is to keep God as our center focus in life, which includes family, school, and church. It is our desire for each student, family, teacher and staff member to have personal faith in Jesus Christ and to be a growing Christian. We also have regular chapel times for the secondary and elementary students. HCA believes in the importance and application of the Bible to every area of life; therefore, each area of instruction is impacted by Biblical integration.

12. How do I get into the candidate pool? Why is it a good idea to at least take an opening for one of my children if there isn't an opening for my other(s)? As soon as we receive an application along with the application fee, the applicant is added to the candidate pool for the desired grade level. Later, an interview may be arranged. If no openings occur and you are not placed at HCA for the desired school year, a new application will be required for each ensuing year that enrollment is desired. If one of your students gets into his or her class, additional children in your family will gain priority consideration for later acceptance.

13. What are school hours? Kindergarten Development through 5th Grade 8:05 AM - 2:45 PM, 6th Grade through 12th Grade 8:00 AM - 2:55 PM

14. What kind of computer program do you have? We introduce keyboarding in the fourth grade and Word Processing in the fifth grade. Keyboarding and word processing are taught in the sixth and seventh grades respectively. High School students are able to choose from a variety of computer electives including HTML, MS Office Suite, Stats and Computer Aided Design.

15. Do you offer bus transportation? At this time, all HCA families carpool.

16. What is the dress code? Dress Code is outlined in the Student Handbook. 

17. Will my child find the transition academically difficult after being at public school? Will my child fit in? We are pleased at our academic success and rate of learning at HCA. We do tend to be ahead of some schools for more than one reason. Our curriculum and classroom structure moves the children through a large amount of learning. Respect and joy of learning in turn move the children forward at what seems to be a more aggressive rate than some schools. Regarding fitting in or being able to keep up with our students, there are options for your child. Many immediately blend in with the level of the class. At the beginning of each year our teachers spend a time reviewing from the previous year. This is helpful to current and new students. If your child does seem to be behind in a certain subject, tutoring may be an option during the school year and in the summer months. Another option may be to pursue some home tutoring. Socially, our students are encouraging and welcoming to new students. Our teachers and staff are sensitive to the needs of new students and will seek to make the transition comfortable.

18. Are there provisions for students with special needs? We have high standards and because we believe we have a responsibility for the success of every student at HCA we recognize our limitations in being unable to meet the needs of some students. We adhere to our policy of admitting limited numbers of students requiring academic/behavioral interventions.

19. What extra-curricular activities does HCA have? At this time we offer basketball from 3rd Grade on up. In 6th grade we expand to offer soccer, volleyball, baseball, softball, cheerleading, and football.  Additional sports that become available in high school are cross-country, track and field, football, tennis, golf and hockey. We also have a number of clubs that meet during the school day for secondary school students. Additionally, chess, art, Destination Imagination and Lego League are available for elementary students after school.