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Charleston Bilingual Academy

United States, Charleston

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Spanish, Mandarin
Fees Fees not listed
Ages Not listed
Pupil numbers 314
Type Co-educational
Opened 2014
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, Christian Curriculum
Taught languages Mandarin, French, Portuguese
Typical class size 15
Strengths Sport, STEM, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Preschool, Elementary, Middle School, High School
Introduction

Charleston Bilingual Academy is a Christ-centered, intercultural language-immersion school serving students from age 2 through high school. The Early Childhood program operates at the Friendship Baptist Campus on Lackawanna Boulevard, while the Elementary and Upper School programs are at the Holmes Avenue Campus. A new Centerpoint Campus is under development to house the Upper School with a main classroom building and collaborative spaces, and it includes athletics facilities as part of ongoing renovations. The curriculum centers on Spanish immersion and bilingual leadership, with elementary students mastering core subjects and attaining high-level fluency through project-based learning; the Early Childhood program emphasizes play-based, language-immersion education; and the Upper School focuses on preparing students for world-class universities. The school serves 400+ students from 30+ nations and has awarded over $2 million in scholarships. The mission is 'Inspiring World Changers' through Christ-centered, intercultural education in partnership with parents. The Centerpoint Campus is actively developing.

5032 Lackawanna Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29405, United States

The Essentials

Charleston Bilingual Academy has 314 pupils, typical class sizes of 15, instruction in Spanish, Mandarin.

Location
Three campuses in North Charleston, South Carolina. Early Childhood (2yo-5K) is on the Friendship Baptist Campus, 5032 Lackawanna Blvd, North Charleston, SC 29405. Elementary is on the Holmes Avenue Campus, 4602 Durant Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405. Upper School is on the Centerpoint Campus, 4901 Centerpoint Dr, North Charleston, SC 29418.

Stages
Early Childhood (2yo-5K); Elementary (Grades 1-5); Upper School (Grades 6-11).

Type
Christ-centered intercultural language-immersion education.

Additional learning support
Spanish language support is available with associated costs.

Religious affiliation
Baptist (Christian).

School day structure
Full-day program with occasional early-release days at 12:45 PM.

Bus service
CBA bus used for field trips; transportation may also be provided by chaperones' personal vehicles.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Starting in Grade 1, uniforms are required; Boys (Gr. 1–12) wear light blue, navy, pencil yellow, or white shirts with khaki or navy bottoms, while Girls (Gr. 1–12) wear light blue, navy, pencil yellow, light purple, or white shirts with khaki or navy bottoms. Most uniform items can be purchased from Amazon (Children's Place or French Toast) unless noted 'School Office Only', and soft-soled tennis shoes are required daily (some items, including PE T-Shirts and Upper School hoodies, are sold through the School Office).

Food Options
Lunch Bunch provides lunch for Early Childhood (2-4 years) at the Friendship Campus from 11:55 AM to 12:25 PM. The daily rate is $9, with monthly options (1 Day: $25; 2 Days: $40; 3 Days: $55; 4 Days: $70; 5 Days: $80). Space is limited.

Governance and Ownership
Dr. Nathan Johnson is the founder; the school operates in partnership with parents.
Fees
Application fees

- Early Childhood (ages 2–5K): USD 30.
- Grades 1–5: USD 50.
- Grades 6–10: USD 75.
- Application fees are submitted through the FACTS family portal and are processed with any associated card-processing charge.

Tuition fees (2026–2027 academic year)

Early Childhood Education (hours noted where applicable):
- 2 years old (on Sept 1) — 8:30am–11:55am:
- 2 days/week: USD 4,100 per year (USD 373/month, billed in 11 payments).
- 3 days/week: USD 5,150 per year (USD 468/month, billed in 11 payments).
- 5 days/week: USD 7,250 per year (USD 659/month, billed in 11 payments).
- 3–4 years old (on Sept 1) — 8:30am–11:55am; must be potty-trained:
- 2 days/week (3yo only): USD 3,900 per year (USD 355/month, billed in 11 payments).
- 3 days/week: USD 4,950 per year (USD 450/month, billed in 11 payments).
- 5 days/week: USD 7,000 per year (USD 636/month, billed in 11 payments).
- Kindergarten (5 years old on Sept 1) — Mon–Fri, 8:15am–12:45pm: USD 7,400 per year (USD 673/month, billed in 11 payments).
- Optional Kindergarten Afterschool / extended programs have separate monthly fees (see Other costs).

Elementary & Upper School:
- Elementary (Grades 1–5) — 8:15am–3:15pm: USD 9,890 per year (USD 899/month, billed in 11 payments).
- Middle School (Grades 6–8) — 8:15am–3:30pm: USD 10,500 per year (USD 955/month, billed in 11 payments).
- High School (Grades 9–10) — 8:15am–3:30pm: USD 13,500 per year (USD 1,227/month, billed in 11 payments).
- A half-day option for 2026–27 is offered for certain grades (example listings shown): USD 7,348 per year (Grades 1–5 half-day, billed in 11 monthly installments of approximately USD 668) and USD 7,700 per year (Grades 6–8 half-day, billed in 11 monthly installments of approximately USD 700).

Billing schedule and payment terms

- A USD 255 non-refundable downpayment is required at enrollment.
- Annual tuition is billed as installment invoices across 11 monthly payments (June through April). Monthly-installment amounts are shown above next to each program.
- Families receive monthly invoices emailed from the school's QuickBooks/finance partner; charges for optional services (afterschool, Lunch Bunch, sports, clubs, music lessons, etc.) appear on those invoices.
- Families are registered in the billing system upon enrollment and must follow the invoice links to view the PDF breakdown and complete payment.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not offered; programs are day school only for ages 2 through high school.

Other costs and typical additional fees

- Kindergarten Afternoon Program (extended hours, Spanish immersion): one-time enrollment & supply fee USD 50; recurring fees (examples for CBA-enrolled families in 2025–26): 5 days/week USD 310/month, 4 days/week USD 271/month, 3 days/week USD 224/month, 2 days/week USD 172/month, 1 day/week USD 115/month; drop-in rate USD 35/day.
- Lunch Bunch (Ages 2–4) daily and subscription pricing is available; sample rates include USD 9/day or subscription tiers (1 day: USD 25/month; 5 day: USD 80/month).
- Afterschool activities, clubs and sports carry registration or supply fees and monthly or seasonal charges. Examples previously listed include: music private-instruction registration fee USD 37 one-time and lesson tuition USD 100/month; sports/clubs registration fees commonly USD 35 (CBA students) or USD 50 (non-CBA), with monthly participation fees often in the USD 30–70 range depending on activity.
- Uniforms: uniforms are required from Grade 1 upward; many uniform items are purchased through retail vendors (Children's Place, French Toast, Amazon) and certain branded items (PE T-shirts, specified hoodies) are sold through the school office. Prices for uniform items vary by vendor and are paid by families at purchase.

Refund information

- The USD 255 enrollment/tuition downpayment is explicitly non-refundable.
- FACTS Management charges a non-refundable processing fee for financial-aid applications (amount stated on the school's financial-aid information).
- In specific circumstances related to financial-aid outcomes, a registration/enrollment payment has been refunded when expected aid was not approved through FACTS/ClassWallet processes; families should note the school's stated refund handling for aid-related registration payments.

Fee payment options

- Venmo payments accepted to the school Venmo account (no additional Venmo fee when using debit/bank).
- Checks: payable and deliverable to the campus office or placed in the office drop-box.
- Direct deposit / bank transfer: families may request a QuickBooks invoice to pay via direct deposit from their bank.
- Credit card: credit card payments are accepted via an authorization process; a credit-card processing fee applies (example published processing fee: 6% on card transactions).
- Money order: card/processing surcharge may also apply.
- 529 plan payments: Kindergarten through Grade 6 may be payable using 529 college-savings funds where applicable.

If you require the listed fees formatted for an external database, the above items cover application charges, detailed annual tuition and monthly-installment amounts (per program), billing cadence and payment methods, boarding policy (not applicable), common additional program fees, refund notes, and available payment channels. End of fees overview.
Academics

Charleston Bilingual Academy teaches Bespoke Curriculum, Christian Curriculum.

Curriculum
The school provides a Christ-centered, intercultural, language-immersion-based education for students aged 2 through high school. Elementary emphasizes mastery of core subjects while achieving high-level fluency in Spanish through a Christ-centered, project-based model. Early Childhood provides a Christ-centered, play-based, language-immersion education. Upper School focuses on bilingual leadership, currently serving grades 6–11 with expansion toward 12th grade. Spanish immersion is central to the curriculum.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school emphasizes Christ-centered character formation and intercultural understanding as part of its learning model, with a project-based, language-immersion approach that aims to develop empathy and leadership alongside academics.
Parent Experience

History
Charleston Bilingual Academy was founded by Dr. Nathan Johnson based on his doctoral research on bilingual and intercultural education, with the mission 'Inspiring World Changers' through Christ-centered, intercultural, language-immersion education. In partnership with parents, the school exists to inspire world changers through this education. The school serves 400+ students from 30+ nations and has awarded over $2 million in scholarships. The Early Childhood program operates at the Friendship Baptist Campus (5032 Lackawanna Blvd) and the Elementary & Upper School programs operate at the Holmes Avenue Campus (4602 Durant Ave).

Community
The CBA community is built on a Christ-centered, intercultural, language-immersion education that welcomes families from many cultures. It serves 400+ students representing 30+ nations, reflecting a diverse, global learning environment. The two campuses anchor the community: Friendship Baptist Campus (5032 Lackawanna Blvd) for Early Childhood and Holmes Avenue Campus (4602 Durant Ave) for Elementary and Upper School. Families stay connected through impact stories and campus news as part of the school's community offerings.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) invests in our teachers, connects families, and inspires world changers—together. Every CBA parent is a member, and the PTF Leadership Team includes Kelsey Willey, Ashlee Henney, Jackie Hammes, and Caroline Campbell; ptf@charlestonbilingualacademy.org. Recurring initiatives include Pack the Pantry, Pizza Fridays, and Moms That Pray. The Annual Roadmap features Fall Season events (Welcome Breakfast & App Training, Mom's Night Out & Sip and Serve, Fall Festival & Swap & Shop, Book Fest & Thanksgiving Feast Support), Winter Season events (Family Field Trips & Mother/Son Event, Father/Daughter Dance & Teacher Of The Month), and Spring Season events (Fun Run & Parent Connect Mixers, Teacher Appreciation Week & Field Day, Kindergarten Graduation & Classroom Breakdown). Get involved today via the Cheddar Up Portal or by logging volunteer hours; more information is available through the PTF resources.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Charleston Bilingual Academy operates on two campuses: the Friendship Baptist Campus for Early Childhood (2 years to 5K) on 5032 Lackawanna Blvd and the Holmes Avenue Campus for Elementary and Upper School on 4602 Durant Ave. The Upper School is currently renovating a new innovative Centerpoint Campus on Remount. The Centerpoint Campus will house the Upper School with a Main Classroom Building, classrooms, and collaborative spaces, and will include athletics facilities. Athletics facilities are part of the Centerpoint Campus. The school pursues a Christ-centered, intercultural, language-immersion education across its campuses.

Sports Facilities
Centerpoint Campus hosts the Upper School's athletics facilities. The Upper School Campus includes dedicated sports facilities as part of its Centerpoint Campus amenities. The Centerpoint Campus renovation emphasizes athletic facilities as part of its ongoing development. Exterior and interior views of the Centerpoint Campus are part of its facilities.

Academic Facilities
Centerpoint Campus includes a Main Classroom Building for Upper School instruction. Collaborative Spaces are part of the Upper School facilities. The Upper School Campus is located within the Centerpoint Campus, which is undergoing renovations to support modern academic spaces. The Centerpoint Campus arrangement includes an exterior component as part of its Upper School facilities.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Athletic Programs include Karate, Volleyball, Flag Football, Wrestling, Soccer, and Basketball. Karate is offered year-round with scheduled sessions (for example, Tue/Thu 12:45pm–1:30pm). Art Club, Mandarin Club, and S.T.E.M. Club are also offered as Creative & Academic Clubs. Registration is open for the 2025-2026 school year.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
S.T.E.M. Club serves Grades 2–4 and meets on Thursdays, offering hands-on science and technology projects to foster inquiry and problem-solving. It emphasizes experiential learning and collaboration in STEM topics.

Arts & Creative
Art Club serves Grades 1–6 and meets on Thursdays, exploring different mediums and techniques. A supply fee of $40 applies and a monthly fee of $35 is charged.

Cultural & Language
Mandarin Club serves Grades 1–8 and meets Mondays and Wednesdays, providing conversational immersion and culture with Claire Li. The club costs $70 per month.

Social & Hobbies
Athletic programs include Karate (All Year) for ages 4–15, with schedule Tue–Thu 12:45pm–1:30pm and a market-rate price range; Volleyball (Ages 5+; females) on Wednesdays, $33/month; Flag Football (Grades 1–3 spring; 4–8 fall) on Wednesdays, $33/month; Wrestling (Grades 4–8) on Wednesdays, $33/month; Soccer (Ages 3+) with varying days, $30/month; Basketball (Grades 1–3 in fall; 4–8 in spring) on Wednesdays, $33/month.

Leadership & Professional
Upper School features Bilingual Leadership, developing independent learners prepared for world-class universities; it currently serves grades 6–11 and expands annually through 12th grade.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Sports and clubs promote physical fitness, teamwork, and personal development. Activities include Karate, Volleyball, Flag Football, Wrestling, Soccer, and Basketball, with year‑round or seasonal offerings and varying registration fees.
Languages

Language Provision
Spanish and English are taught through the Spanish/English Immersion track for Grades 1-10. Mandarin and Spanish are taught through the Mandarin/Spanish Immersion track for Grades 2-5 and 7-8. Ages served range from Early Childhood (2 years old) through High School. The curriculum uses project-based learning that integrates Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

Bilingual Teaching
Spanish/English immersion is offered for Grades 1-10. Mandarin/Spanish immersion is offered for Grades 2-5 and 7-8. Mathematics is taught in Spanish until Pre-Algebra, then transitions to English. A homeschool/hybrid immersion option with limited Spanish (Grades 1-10) and Mandarin immersion (Grades 2-5, 7-8) is available.

Immersion Programs
Language Tracks include Spanish/English Immersion (Gr. 1-10) and Mandarin/Spanish Immersion (Gr. 2-5, 7-8). Curriculum uses projects that integrate Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies according to Common Core standards. Mathematics is taught in Spanish until Pre-Algebra and then in English. A homeschool/Hybrid option provides limited immersion in Spanish (Gr. 1-10) and Mandarin (Gr. 2-5, 7-8).
Admissions

Admissions
01 Inquire. Fill out the Charleston Bilingual Academy Inquiry form. There is no charge to fill out this form and no commitment to enroll. This starts the enrollment process for families to learn about CBA and plan next steps. 02 Interview & Tour. After submitting the Inquiry form, an email invitation is sent to schedule an interview and tour with the Head of School. The Main Tour starts at the Main Campus, with separate tours for Early Childhood at the FBC Campus, Elementary at Holmes Avenue Campus, and Upper School at Centerpoint Church Campus. 03 Apply. After your tour, the admissions office invites you to submit a formal Application form. To complete the packet, provide school references and records; if applicable, provide a report documenting your student's performance (academic and behavior) along with the parents' good standing with prior schools; complete the Post-Tour Questionnaire within 2 business days; submit the application fee via FACTS Management (EC: $30, Grades 1-5: $50, Grades 6-10: $75). 04 Review & Status. The admissions committee reviews the application packet and contacts families with next steps. All families are notified of status regardless of the decision. 05 Enrollment. If accepted, a student's spot is reserved for 2 business days. Enrollment is completed via the FACTS family portal: submit student records and birth certificate; submit SC-DHEC immunization or exemption forms; review the Parent-Student Handbook and pay the non-refundable down payment. 06 Shadow Days & Wait Pools. Shadow days are required for students in Grade 2 and above. Wait pools do not carry over to the next year.

Scholarships
SC ESTF Program Education Scholarship Trust Fund: Eligible families may receive $7,600 per year per child for 5K through 10th Grade (expanding annually). Visit Palmetto NavigatEd for details.

Waitlist
Wait Pools: Wait pools do not carry over to the next year.
School Events
The school has not added events
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