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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

A group of community members wanting to offer an additional educational option in Clanton have formed Liberty Christian Academy.

The school is set to open fall of 2023 with four-year-old preschool classes and kindergarten to second grade.

Discussion on starting a school began when Thomas Mims, who is board president, began talking to friends at church about educational options and wanting to have something else available for his young children.

“Nothing is wrong with the (public school) system we have,” Mims said. “We have great teachers in this community, but we wanted a little more and something more Christian-based and that foundation.”

A lot of research and planning has taken place since 2020 to get the school to this point. Many members of the board have business or finance backgrounds and one is an educator.

Mims said community members have given a lot of feedback, and business leaders have been supportive through donations. (Liberty Christian Academy is a 501c3 nonprofit.)

Debbie Jones, board treasurer, said there have been several conversations and prayer about whether the group should proceed.

“We just felt like God was calling us to do this, and that there was a great need in our community to have an option for parents,” Jones said.

Jones and Mims said the group has also received ideas and suggestions from local educators and private Christian schools in the region.

The project also required faith.

“You have to step out and trust that we can’t do this all on our own that God is going to carry some of this, for us and he is going to point us in the right direction,” Mims said.

Liberty Christian Academy will operate as an independent, nondenominational school. Mims said the school will be “welcoming to everybody.” It will lease space from New Life Church in Clanton on Lay Dam Road. By locating in Clanton near the interstate, the school hopes to be centrally located.

Additional grades are expected to be added in the future. Jones said the goal is to add another grade each year.

Enrollment and tuition information is available at lcalions.org or by emailing info@lcalions.org. Some students have already enrolled for the coming school year. Class size will be limited to 18 per class, Mims said.

The school is pursuing accreditation through the National Christian School Association.