A school experience that mirrors the values a family teaches at home can make all the difference. As the Clarke family made a home in Fredericksburg after a career’s worth of moves with the U.S. Marine Corps, they sensed a growing need to find such an environment for their son, Joseph.

“I had started to realize how much I wanted my children to grow up learning about God not just at home, not just at church, but also at school,” said Desiree Clarke, who moved to Virginia in 2013 with her husband, Staff Sgt. Joseph Clarke, and their children just before Joseph’s retirement from the Marine Corps.

The Clarkes first began looking at Fredericksburg Christian School when their son Joseph was in second grade. They were drawn to the Spotsylvania County school serving preschool through 12^th grade because of its Christ-centered curriculum, small class sizes and strong teacher-student relationships. But they thought a private school was out of reach for their family’s budget, so they resolved to save up, with hopes that they could send Joseph to FCS for high school.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education for children across the United States, Desiree Clarke said she felt an urgent need to make a change.

“We prayed and prayed, and we learned that we could apply for financial assistance,” she said. “God made a way, FCS made a way, and our son started in fifth grade” for the 2020-21 school year.

Within the first two weeks of school, Desiree Clarke said she saw a complete change in her son.

“He was excited about school again. He loved his teachers, and we felt the same way,” she said. “From the moment we got the first phone call from the school to set up the interview, I was blown away by the caring. It felt like church, like a welcoming, loving, caring place.”

In an academic year when many schools struggled even to open their doors, Clarke said she was very happy with Joseph’s academic progress, and that the school offered strong support and communication with parents.

She watched as the supportive environment built up her son’s confidence, and encouraged him to try new things.

“He tried football for the first time, and the coach just welcomed him with open arms, eager to teach him a new sport,” Clarke said.

The Clarkes feel they have found a home for educating their son through his high school years. And they plan to send their younger son to the school next year when he turns 3.

Desiree Clarke urges parents to trust their gut when it comes to seeking the right educational setting for their children, and to never assume that a private education is out of their reach.

“Kids are in school all day, and they spend more waking hours with their classmates and teachers than they do with their parents during the week, so finding the right fit is just so important,” she said. “The dedication that FCS has to really growing these young men and women into caring, loving, righteous citizens—I just can’t speak more highly of the school. We count our blessings every day.”

To learn more, visit FredericksburgChristian.com.