New private Christian school opens in Clinton
By Randy Bell
Clinton’s Pinehaven Presbyterian Church has gotten City approval to host a new school for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. At the August 4 meeting, the Board of Aldermen granted the church’s request for a conditional use permit to serve as the home of Paideia Christian Academy during what a church deacon described as an “incubation” period.
“We currently have about forty-two students and are still doing enrollments,” says Matthew Metcalf, a member of the church who serves as president of the school’s board.
“We are aligned and have a great relationship with the elders and deacons of the church, but we are an independent governing board,” Metcalf says. “We are a tenant in their space, because they’re not using it much during the school day; so it’s a good, efficient use of their square footage.”
According to Metcalf, Paideia (pronounced py-DAY-ah) is a Greek word which refers to training children in all aspects of life.
“Most of our families are coming from a home-schooled background, although that’s not required,” he says.
The school will hold classes only three days a week.
“The kids will meet Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with a group of students who are their classmates under the supervision of a trained teacher. And then they’ll have essentially a four-day weekend every week to be home with their families.”
“So, Fridays through Mondays, the kids can get to pursue whatever the family deems best, whether that’s books of their own choosing or extracurriculars like dance, sports, camping or community service as well,” said Metcalf. “We want to let the parents dictate how to best use their time Fridays through Mondays.”
Metcalf says they expect to outgrow the available space at Pinehaven Presbyterian.
“We definitely want to be there for one academic year through May of 2027,” he says.
But, as Paideia Christian looks to enroll more students, eventually including those of high school age, it’ll be seeking a larger place to call home.
“We are actively looking for other like-minded churches or facilities in the Clinton area that might be able to support our growth to maybe closer to one hundred students in the future,” Metcalf says.
Another goal is to receive accreditation.
“We are members of the Association of Classical Christian Schools, which is a large, nationwide, global network. We will be seeking accreditation with them, but that will take a few years. So, that’s our game plan.”
He says Paideia Christian families will technically register as home-schooled but will indicate that they’re delegating the instruction to a private academy.
