SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Children won't spend their afternoons staring at computer screens when classes begin Aug. 5 at Faithful Roots Schoolhouse. Instead, after a morning of reading, math and other academics, they'll head outdoors to feed chickens, care for pigs, tend gardens and learn life skills in a setting designed to make learning as hands-on as possible.

The school, located at 1535 Old Tusculum Rd., grew from a search for something Jessica Mitchell said she couldn't find.

"We wanted something different," she said. "We wanted something smaller, with Christ at the center. We just didn't really have anything like that in Effingham County."

The private Christian school will open its doors with kindergarteners and first graders, offering an educational model that blends traditional academics with gardening, animal care, food preservation and biblical instruction. Organizers say the school is designed to give students a strong academic foundation while teaching life skills they'll carry beyond the classroom.

Tuition for the 2026-27 school year is $9,400 per student. The school will begin with a small enrollment and is approved to serve students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Mitchell, who has been a registered nurse for the past 10 years, said the idea came as she and her husband considered educational options for their oldest son, who is entering kindergarten.

"He went to preschool and loved it there," she said. "But then I just didn't know what we were going to do."

From idea to reality

After talking with other local parents, Mitchell realized other families were also looking for the same type of education. While researching possibilities, she discovered a Christian farm school in Virginia operated by a former public-school teacher. She and other supporters traveled there to see the concept firsthand.

"We loved it, loved it, loved it," Mitchell said. "We came back and said, 'We're going to do this.'"

From there, the project moved quickly.

The school received county approval in May, leaving only a few months to renovate the building, prepare classrooms, enroll students and hire staff before opening day. Mitchell, who said she believes God called her to start the school, credits her Christian faith for bringing the project together.

"Opening a school is no small thing," Mitchell said. "But He has either placed the right people in our path or just made something happen. It is truly His work here."

The school has approval to serve kindergarten through fifth grade, although Mitchell said the first year will focus only on kindergarten and first grade. Although the school is approved for up to 15 students, she wants to start smaller this year.

"We're not trying to be the biggest school," she said. "We're trying to be the right school."

Learning by doing

Each school day will begin with traditional academics before shifting outdoors after lunch. Students will help feed and water animals, clean pens, work in the garden and learn practical skills such as cooking and preserving food.

Mitchell believes those activities teach far more than farm chores.

"They're going to learn responsibility, work ethic and stewardship," she said. "We don't want to just prepare them for the next grade level. We want to prepare them for life."

Meet the teacher

Leading the classroom will be Lisa Cobb, whose background combines years of teaching with a passion for homesteading.

Cobb began teaching as an 18-year-old substitute teacher and has worked in education in a variety of roles throughout her career. One of her favorite positions involved helping individuals with disabilities learn workplace skills through B&B Care Services. She later founded Homesteaders Classroom, where she teaches children and adults practical homesteading skills.

When she learned about Faithful Roots, she said the opportunity felt tailor-made.

"I love teaching," she said. "I love Jesus first and foremost, and that I get to do both is absolutely a joy for me."

Her experience teaching gardening, animal care and self-sufficiency made her an ideal fit for the school's philosophy.

"It's part of homesteading. It's who I am," she said.

Cobb summed up the opportunity simply.

"Everything that I love is right here: children, Jesus and homesteading."

Mitchell said finding the right teacher was one of the most important pieces of opening the school.

"She has so many years of teaching experience," Mitchell said. "She's very familiar with gardening, tending the animals and with children of all ages."

Faith at the center

Faith also will be woven throughout the school day.

Students will participate in devotions, memorize Bible verses and learn biblical principles alongside their academic lessons. Mitchell said caring for animals and gardens also provides opportunities to teach stewardship and responsibility through a Christian perspective.

Beyond the classroom

Many of those activities will take place on the adjoining Onyx property, where the school's animals are housed. The campus also includes a community building that organizers hope to use for some of the school's life-skills lessons as schedules allow.

Stephanie Santos, director of philanthropy for Onyx, said the campus is intended to complement the school's mission.

"The animals are actually on the Onyx property," Santos said. "Some of the life-skills classes will be over there."

Santos said students also will use the property as an outdoor classroom, giving them opportunities to connect science lessons with hands-on experiences.

"When they're doing their science stuff, and if it's about growing things, or maybe it's about fish, or something about animals, they'll go over to the Onyx to do that kind of stuff," she said.

Parents weigh in

Parents who have enrolled their children say that approach was exactly what they had been seeking.

"When we started looking at schools, we weren't just looking for a place to educate them; we were looking for a place that would help shape who they become," said parent Liz Carlson.

Carlson said her family was drawn to the school's hands-on learning, small class sizes and Christian foundation.

"We wanted our girls to be more than just another student in a classroom," she said. "Above all, the biggest reason we chose Faithful Roots Schoolhouse is Jesus. We wanted a school where faith isn't something that's separated from education; it's the foundation of it."

Taylor Conner said the school's outdoor environment also appealed to her family.

"As a mom of a boy that's all boy, I felt that a normal school day of sitting in a classroom all day while it's beautiful outside just wasn't right for us," Conner said. "We prayed on it and God answered."

Childhood outdoors

Technology will play a limited role.

Mitchell said students will not use tablets or computers during the school day. Instead, after completing their academics, they will spend afternoons working with animals and learning through hands-on experiences.

"We want them to enjoy childhood," she said. "We're going to have fun."

Looking ahead

Although the school is beginning with only a handful of students, Mitchell hopes to add grade levels gradually in the coming years, making sure each step is taken carefully.

For now, her greatest hope is simple.

"I want the children to be excited to come to school every day," she said. "If they walk away knowing that they are rooted in Christ, and they enjoy learning, then we're doing it right."