After completing its first semester, Centertown Christian Academy is going strong and looking forward to continued growth.
Operated at the old Centertown Elementary, the school originally leased the property with an option to buy. They were able to purchase the property earlier this month. Says Pastor Jerry Smith, the school founder, “We want people to know we’re here to stay. We’re thankful we were able to buy it.”
With eight students and five qualified teachers, the academy offers a unique learning experience tailored to each child.
Said school administrator Billy Cunningham, “We will perform a diagnostic test on every student in every subject. This will allow us to start them out with the appropriate material. Just because they are a fourth-grader doesn’t mean they will be started on fourth-grade math. They could be higher or lower.”
The school uses curriculum from Accelerated Christian Ministries. ACE curriculum is used in 3,500 schools in America, and in 140 countries. It is not denomination based, only Bible based.
Smith said students who have gone through the ACE curriculum have traditionally produced high ACT scores. He said colleges are looking at ACT scores more than anything else when determining who to accept.
 “We have children graduating from our public schools who don’t know how to read,” said Smith, who has been a pastor for 53 years and has a master’s degree in Religious Education. “Children who are slow and in need of more attention are not pushed along with our program. We allow them to work at their own pace which caters to high-achieving students too.”
Cunningham says students are given 30-page workbooks and will complete about 12 workbooks a year depending on their pace. Students have to take a test and show mastery of one workbook before advancing to the next.
Under the ACE program, students set goals each day and work toward achieving that goal. If they reach their goal, there is no homework. If not, the remaining work is required to be done at home.
The school calendar mirrors that of the Warren County School System. Cunningham said that is best because some students may have a sibling in the public school system and the same calendar is most convenient for families. Hours will be from 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. with 180 days of instruction.
Smith says he has been encouraged by the reception the new school has received. He says the most common question he has received thus far is about the school’s accreditation.
“Everyone asks if we’re accredited,” said Smith. “We will be, but we can’t get accredited until after our first year. There are things you have to do to gain accreditation that you can’t do unless you’re in school. We have to have students here first.”
There is a one-time, non-refundable $100 application fee and monthly tuition is $200. Monthly tuition decreases by $25 a month for each additional child from the same family.
The adjacent gym remains operational with basketball goals and inflatables and is available to rent for parties and events.
For more information on Centertown Christian Academy or gym rental, call 931-939-5001. They welcome new students for the 2015-16 school year and appreciate any donations for the school.