Planning Has Begun For The Opening Of A Local One-Room Schoolhouse

Pictured is Shelley Starkey with Roy Feek at the 2023 Homestead Festival

Former public schoolteacher, Shelley Mitchell Starkey, and her husband Chris, along with a board of trustees, have started the process for opening a one-room schoolhouse in Barbour County.

The idea for the schoolhouse was inspired by country music singer, Rory Feek who opened the Hardison Mill Schoolhouse on his farm just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Last year, the Starkeys had the opportunity to visit Feek’s farm for his Homestead Festival and to learn more about the schoolhouse.

Since announcing the plan for opening a similar school in Barbour County, nearly 100 families have reached out asking for their children to be added to a list of interest. In its initial years, the schoolhouse plans to serve between 16 and 20 students from kindergarten through 4th grade, and as the students grow, so will the grade levels.

The goal of the private school is to provide a high-quality curriculum that focuses on the basics of the core subjects, to incorporate mentoring from community members, and to teach its students how to utilize the resources God has given them to be capable and successful in life. Its mission is to create an educational experience that promotes lifelong learning, while cultivating an environment that centers around Christ, community, and character building.

Families, teachers, and community members interested in learning more about the school are invited to attend a meeting on Tuesday, February 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arden Community Center. This will be the first meeting where families will officially complete paperwork for their children to begin the school registration process, which is slated to open the fall of 2025.

For more information about the schoolhouse or to RSVP for the meeting please contact Shelley Mitchell Starkey at 304-266-1630 or shelleystarkey25@yahoo.com.

The schoolhouse will admit students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.