Our Story

I doubt I need to convince you that Christian education options are in short supply.  As a math educator of 10 years in both our public school district and then at the university level, I became a mom of four who was suddenly thrown into homeschooling after the Covid-19 pandemic sent my elementary-age students into a virtual platform created by our local public school district. 

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Now, please don’t misunderstand – we have always loved our public school district, the faculty, staff and community.  Even before I stepped out of the classroom and into our home classroom, I had noticed there were no Christian school alternatives to public school within a 20-mile radius of our community.  Those Christian schools that do exist, have long waiting lists and higher tuition than our family income could justify.  Having taught in the public high school, I recognize the limitations facing excellent Christian teachers in the public school and watched many (including myself) leave the classroom because they felt ineffective and overwhelmed.

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Also, please don’t hear me say homeschooling isn’t a wonderful, God-honoring option for your family.  It just isn’t a viable option for every family.  As I would say when asked how homeschooling was going in my home, my four students absolutely thrive homeschooling, but their mother? Not so much.  Parents who are homeschooling well are literally my heroes.  But my heart as an upper-level math educator missed the sarcastic, funny, wonderful season of the high school and college level youth.  Not to mention, teaching a 1st grader to read made me want to throw in the towel on the whole homeschooling thing.  Thank goodness she can now read, and read well, in spite of my lack of ability.  Our God is a gracious God to me.

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So, I ask, is the Lord calling you to plant a Christian school in your community?  He was absolutely and persistently nudging my heart to consider just that. 

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My encouragement to you:  There is immeasurable reward in stepping out in faith and obedience, doing your homework, seeking counsel and support from your church and community, and taking the plunge to build something the Lord will use to impact this next generation of young men and women.

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How do you start something of this magnitude?

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Suggestion #1: Pray over your community and speak to your local church leadership.  Pray this first step provides a team of advisors and co-laborers.

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Our Experience:  Begin with prayer, listing out your network and asking for help and expertise.  Become flexible and teachable.  Ask questions about curriculum, the community’s needs, and find people who are willing to give you their time or support financially.  Never ask for more than you are willing to pour in yourself.

My first major roadblock came in the form of indecision.  Does our community need a homeschool co-op or a traditional private school or something else?  That’s when my nerves got the best of me, and I went and met with my church pastors.  It’s the first of my list of answered prayers which I’ve kept in my Bible and added to ever since. (This list of God’s provisions is now 4 pages long and growing.  I highly recommend keeping record of answered prayers.) 

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I walked into that meeting an emotional mess.  My hope was that my pastors would give me permission to quit the whole thing.  But they didn’t.  They heard something on my heart that gave them an assurance this was what I needed to continue to pursue with the church’s support behind me.  So, I went back to the drawing board.  Or more literally, the Excel spreadsheet.

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Suggestion #2: Put major visionary plans in writing.  What is the name and logo of your school?  Where will it be located?  Will you be a non-profit or for-profit?  Will you be a ministry arm of your local church or separate?  What curriculum will you use?  What is your goal opening date?

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Our Experience:  After doing my research, I decided against foundation as a non-profit.  Spend some time on this question and do your homework.  One thing I have always had a peace about is that I didn’t want this school to become dependent upon financial ties that came with requirements that would threaten our long-term existence for financial reasons or place expectations on our fundamental values or mission.  We are founded as an LLC with an s-election.  The priority has always been financial independence and self-sufficiency.  We rent the church space and are a separate entity in terms of financial support, insurance, and tax purposes.  We also established a non-profit arm for donors who need tax-exemption.  That fund serves as the school’s emergency fund with the long-term intention of providing student scholarships. 

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You are more than welcome to ask more about why we chose this route, because in our region this is atypical for private Christian schools which are mostly non-profit ministry arms of the church where they meet.  I knew I needed to be absolutely sure of this decision before moving forward.

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Secondly, we chose to establish a hybrid Christian school versus a co-op or fully traditional Christian school.  Our school hours are 8am-2pm Monday-Thursday with Flex-day Fridays.  Our flexible schedule maximizes each classroom minute without putting a heavy homework load onto the student at home.

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Suggestion #3: Prepare to learn new technological platforms or enlist someone willing to build your website, logo, social media and other digital marketing.

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Our Experience: When we first publicly announced Gowensville Christian School, the response was tremendous.  We began with fund-raising into our non-profit arm and building a network of potential teachers and student families.  As answered questions and founding values were developed, we posted them online.  Social media and the website have been key in sharing our vision with the community.  This is where the Lord took the stage to provide above and beyond for our needs.  I pray the same experience for you from your good Father and through your local community.

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Suggestion #4: Lay out your basic budget needs and decide on a tuition amount.  Get as many sets of eyes on this plan as possible and build in a lot of buffers for expenses you may not have considered.  Seek quotes on curriculum, gradebook and transcript software.  Find the balance between salaries offered and student tuition.  Lean into generosity and gratitude every opportunity you get.  There is reward in prayerful stewardship during this step.

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Our Experience:  We chose a hybrid model where all our teachers are part-time.  This has resulted in a dream-team of teachers who prefer the part-time commitment which will allow balance for home-life and time-flexibility.  We also budget for end-of-the-year bonuses as we know our teachers are adapting their curriculum to our unique hybrid schedule.  We want to acknowledge and honor the work they put into our new program outside of the classroom.

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Suggestion #5:  Write lots of personalized thank-you cards and follow up with donors and founding student families with updates and answered prayers.  Drive your entire circle of friends crazy with how much you brag on each way the Lord is working in your students, their families, your staff, and your own personal life.  Lean into gratitude as your fuel when you hit roadblocks and conflict.  And never forget – you aren’t alone.  You have your good God, you have your support network, and you have your list of answered prayers.

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Our Experience:  When people ask me how school is going now that we are finishing up our founding year at Gowensville Christian School, I answer with both hands open.  The Lord keeps pouring out, and we keep doing the next thing He calls us to do.  These students are growing by leaps and bounds, not only academically but more importantly in godly character.  And I get a front row seat to see it all.