Passersby may have done a double-take this week when passing Fellowship Church on Mount Pleasant. A large sign that says Fellowship Christian Academy NOW ENROLLING has been installed roadside.
FCA is a new ministry of Fellowship Church, under Pastor Starr Hornsby and under the direction of Principal Jill Gaspard. Gaspard, a mother of seven with a teaching background in both public and private schools as well as homeschooling, says this school has been a dream in her heart for years.
“As a homeschool mom, I couldn’t meet all of their needs, and the community doesn’t have any other options close by for smaller classroom environments,” she says. The class size at FCA will between five and 10 students, and the curriculum will be Christian-based.
“The school’s values are integrity, excellence, and truth,” Gaspard says, “with a heavy emphasis on excellence. This is a very rigorous curriculum that focuses on the whole child and developing them for life. It is college preparatory, but it will prepare them for whatever they choose to do,” she says.
Tuition will be between $7000 and $7500, and they are now enrolling for the 2023-2024 school year. The sixth and eighth grade classes are filling up quickly, Gaspard says. There are about 25 children enrolled, and they must reach a minimum enrollment of 50 students to begin. Total enrollment will be capped at 100.
To begin, classes will be held in the left wing of Fellowship, where Sunday school classes are. Eventually, Gaspard says, they will add on to the building.
For more information, visit their website.
Principal Jill Gaspard