Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Justin Hunter
Jasper’s Ridgeline Fellowship Church recently announced the opening of Wonder Christian Academy, set for Fall 2023.
The school’s mission statement reads, “We are focused on nurturing supernatural wonder, each child’s God-given, authentic expression & a creative educational experience, while empowering our students to change the world.” Children will be encouraged to spend time in God’s creation while learning about prominent artists, composers, foreign languages, science, and the Bible.
Allison Hunter will serve as the Director of Education; she holds a teaching certificate in the state of Alabama and a bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Education. Allison has been teaching for six years and says that she is a “nontraditional teacher.”
“I have a varied background in teaching. I’ve taught in different capacities, whether it’s directly in public education or in nonprofits that partner with public education. Teaching is just something that I’ve always loved,” she says.
Britton and Haley Creel, pastors of Ridgeline Fellowship, felt God leading them to start the school and began planting a seed in Allison, who serves as the church’s Children’s Director alongside her husband, Justin.
Through much prayer and guidance from the Lord, Wonder Christian Academy was born. Allison says the school hopes to serve families who wish to homeschool their children but are unable to.
“Those families are the target of our school – parents who want to homeschool their kids and who want them to be in a slightly traditional, individualized, Bible-rich environment. I think several families in the area fit that description,” she says.
The school will be located in the heart of Downtown Jasper to easily accommodate students from all around Walker County. Renovations are currently underway to ensure the building is ready for the upcoming semester.
All Wonder students will be learning from My Father’s World, a homeschool curriculum that is well-suited to a classroom setting. Allison will serve as the head educator, along with a teacher’s aide, and says she expects her role to evolve as the school grows.
Students in K3 through sixth grade are currently being accepted, although Allison says the school hopes to expand to students from Nursery through eighth grade. Registration is open until July 1st, 2023, and while spots are filling quickly, there is still time for new students to register.
“We have been really leaning into the Lord throughout this process, and we’re excited for what’s to come!” says Allison.
To learn more about registration, classroom schedules, curriculums, and Wonder’s mission statement, visit https://wonderchristianacademy.com/. WL
