Our Home Education Story, The Jones Family

Our own home schooling journey began back in the mid 1970s. Julie had earned 
a B.A. in English Education with a minor in History and Bible at Baylor 
University before she and Pat were married. After several years of teaching at local 
middle and high schools in the Pensacola area (Pat is a native), they moved 
to Mississippi. Julie earned a M.S. in English/Guidance and Counseling, and Pat 
earned a B.S. in History Education from the University of Southern 
Mississippi. Julie taught English at the community college there for several years, but 
after starting a family with the birth of Cori in 1971, she soon came home to 
be a full time mom. Mary Beth was born five years later, and Cori attended 
public school in Tennessee until forth grade. Julie spent every evening teaching 
Cori her basics and homework. Meanwhile, Mary Beth developed strabismus 
(lazy/wall eye) at two years old. At the time, many of our friends encouraged us to 
consider home schooling her to avoid the stigma and harm of her being exposed 
to ridicule at school. During a short period of time, we read Raymond and 
Dorothy Moore's books Home Grown Kids and Home Spun Schools and heard them 
interviewed on Dr. Dobson's radio program Focus on the Family. As Mary Beth turned 
six years old, with several years of preschool studies at home with Mom, we 
officially launched our home education program by incorporating as a private 
school (Fellowship Christian School) in Tennessee.

At the time, home education was not popular or really even considered to be 
an education alternative. There were no home education laws on the books, 
because most states had not formed statutes governing home education. Many of our 
homeschool friends were taken to court over their right to home school. 
Needless to say, we did not publicize the fact that we home educated our children! In 
fact, the kids remember hiding when people came to the door, not answering 
telephone calls, and not telling anyone about our school program for several years!

By this time, Tricia had joined the family, followed by Daniel and Sarah. By 
1985, when we moved back to Florida, all five were being home educated. Cori 
entered high school, and during her senior year we enrolled her in one of the 
only schools issuing diplomas to home schooled students at the time, Living 
Heritage Christian Academy in Texas. Umbrella schools had begun to pop up all 
over the country by the 1990s. An organization of private home schools, FCCPSA, 
contacted us to start a school, but since we had young children, we felt it was 
best to focus on the task at hand until they were older. Dual enrollment in 
local colleges started as Mary Beth and Tricia were finishing high school. 
After observing and hearing several godly young people who spoke at a seminar we 
attended and at the encouragement of family friends, we enrolled in ATIA, the 
Advanced Training Institute of America.

Over the next several years, our children were able to be involved in several 
ministry opportunities with ATIA. One of the most invaluable experiences that 
they had was from 1995-1997 when Mary Beth, Tricia, and Cori worked at a 
juvenile rehabilitation center in Indiana as trainers for several years. Daniel 
spent time at the Eagle Mountain cabins in Arkansas as well, followed by a year 
street preaching in London and outreach missions in the Philippines.

As our children grew older, more and more we were called upon to share our 
home schooling experience and knowledge with the local community. Julie held 
home education workshops for Globe Missionary Evangelism missionaries in the late 
80s, and gave curricula workshops to the local support group, WFHESL, for 
many years in the 90s. She also did private consultations and testing for dozens 
of families in the local area before we were given the opportunity to take 
over CIAS. Christian Institute of Arts & Sciences was started in 1997 by Rocky 
and Lynn Clement. Due to some health difficulties, they needed someone to take 
over the school, so they approached us. By the fall of 1998, Cori had developed 
a Handbook, and CIAS started to grow. What came to us in one file box is now 
the CIAS that you know today. 

What is CIAS? CIAS is a private school for home educate students. We keep 
records, issue report cards, administer achievement tests, and offer curricula 
consultations and accountability.  We have offered tutoring lessons and various 
classes for eleven years now, producing above-average test achievement test 
scores and high stanines. Mrs. Jones is also a National Institute of Learning 
Development (NILD) therapist.

Do you have a high school student? We offer college preparation for our high 
school students, help for college applications, dual enrollment preparation, 
ACT & SAT preparation, and scholarship information. We walk eligible student 
through the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship program as well, so that the 
process is hassle and problem free!  We want to help make the matriculation of our 
students into college as smooth and successful as possible, so we offer 
academic planning, CPT prep help, transcription of credits, and counselor 
recommendations. Most people do not know that if you are not enrolled in a private home 
school and are registered with the local county school board, that upon 
completion of high school, you do not receive a high school diploma. High school 
diplomas are becoming more important, as students are having a more difficult 
time being accepted into universities. Our graduates receive accredited diplomas 
and transcripts which follow them into university systems. We are proud that 
our transcripts have always been accepted into every university or college 
that our graduates have applied to. Many of our students are members of honor 
societies, including the National Society of High School Scholars, Who's Who 
Among American High School Students, the National Honor Roll, and many community 
college honor societies.  We have also had several National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

Two years ago, we celebrated the ten year anniversary for CIAS, as well as 
graduated the 100th graduate. Many of our graduates are now college and graduate 
school alumni, and are successful wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, business 
men, accountants, entrepreneurs, photographers, journalists, artists, 
musicians, college professors, missionaries, ministers, counselors, therapists, and a 
host of other careers. We pray over each of them, knowing that with God's 
blessing on their life, all things will work for their good, and the dreams that 
God places in their hearts will be established far beyond what they can imagine.

We enjoy partnering with you in the Harvest of your children's souls. We want 
to see them flourish and become workers in the Harvest themselves!

Blessings to you and yours!