From 3 students to 26: How God blessed the Centerville Christian School and its homeschooling ministry

Towards the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the Centerville Christian School, Tenn., was considering closing their doors when their enrollment decreased from nine to three students and their teacher relocated to a new school. Yet, despite these obstacles, the school took a leap of faith.

The following school year, Sheila Jones, the new school principal, started an outreach homeschool program to invite students from the community. Since then, school enrollment has grown to 26 full-time students and 70 homeschool students who regularly attend their weekly events.                                         

Jones, who had been a teacher for 23 years, was originally unsure if returning to the profession was the right thing to do. However, after lots of prayer, she felt called to take the position.

“I have never, ever regretted that move,” said Jones, who is affectionately known by her students as Mama J.

After taking on her new role as principal, Jones began making small changes like implementing a new agricultural program. In addition, Jones noticed the large number of families who chose to homeschool their children. Rather than placing stress on the parents to place their kids in the school, she chose to start a program to help involve homeschool families. 

“I think one thing that's really important is that our schools do not see homeschoolers as prospective students,” Jones said. “Homeschooling is an art in itself... we should never make our Adventist families feel guilty for homeschooling their children.” 

What began as a small endeavor has grown tremendously, linking the community with the church school.                                        

Held every Wednesday at noon, the Homeschool Day Program starts with a picnic lunch, followed by recess and then chapel. Jones leads out in singing and Pastor Floyd Harmon shares a Biblical lesson.

“The lessons are always very inspiring, and we keep on thinking about them and discussing it during the week,” said Maria Freeman, a mom of one of the homeschool students. 

Following chapel, a guest speaker enthusiastically educates the kids about his or her career. In the past, the kids have heard from a variety of professionals such as a nurse, military personnel, a mechanic, a truck driver, and a missionary. 

In addition, the school hired a music teacher who conducts two sessions of choir practice to prepare for future performances. To finish the day the kids are divided into “tribes,” led by volunteer parents and church members, to participate in science or art classes.                                                     

“After staying at home for the pandemic our twins were very shy and this has been the perfect opportunity for Christian socialization,” parent Crystal Doren said. “It also lets us see how the school works and helps decide if the grade school will be a good fit for our family.”

If any school is interested in starting a homeschool day program, Jones recommends conducting a poll in their respective community to evaluate interest. Furthermore, she emphasized that support from the local church is crucial. 

“If a church wants to do something like this, they're going to have to support the teachers,” Jones said. “There's just no way they could do it otherwise.” 

Jones has not only experienced help from her church family, but all three churches in her local district. For those trying to implement a similar program in their school, Jones recommends starting with small changes and recruiting several dedicated volunteers.    

“It's amazing what God has done [for us], because now we have 26 students and 70 homeschool students. It’s just unbelievable,” Jones said.