Calvary Murrieta Christian School Is Permanently Closed, But The Church's Academy Perseveres

Unlike the brick-and-mortar campus that closed this spring, Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy continues to operate today.

"We're still here," said Kelly McClintock, the academy's assistant director. "Registration is open."

Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy functions as a full-service private school satellite program for homeschooling families with kids in grades K-12. The academy is part of the Calvary Chapel ministry. Calvary Chapel Murrieta is located at 24225 Monroe Avenue, and the academy is situated in an office next door.

The academy handles families' annual private school affidavit filing, maintains permanent records, and provides a legal exemption from compulsory public school attendance.

Tuition and fees at Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy are currently about $1,000 per academic year, with monthly payment plans available.

McClintock expects between 80-90 families will be enrolled in the 2026-27 school year, and she's busy planning for it. On Tuesday, several Associated Student Body Council members were in the academy office working on events.

There's a lot to do to prepare for the upcoming year. Church teachings guide the academy's mission, and learning takes place at home instead of traditional classrooms, but McClintock says in-person functions fill the school-year calendar and keep the student body and their families connected.

While critics of homeschooling argue it limits exposure to diverse viewpoints and can isolate children from mainstream society, McClintock dismisses the critique.

The stereotype of a homeschooled kid being reclusive and unsocialized does not apply at Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy, according to McClintock.

"Not at all," she said. "There's a healthy balance [for parents] between letting go and being involved."

Planned field trips, parties, holiday celebrations, workshops, and volunteer groups are among the Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy opportunities to socialize outside the home.

McClintock knows what it means to homeschool a child. All four of her kids graduated from the academy and have launched lives post-homeschooling. One child is a Temecula business owner, another an attorney, and two are Baylor University bears.

She's a proud mom and wife, but she remembers the angst she felt when her kids approached their high school years. As a homeschool parent, she questioned whether her own academic rigor was advanced enough to ready them for college.

Homeschooling can be a lot of things, McClintock explained. Her daughter was concurrently enrolled at a community college while she was still a young teen at Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy.

"She knew that's what she wanted," McClintock said. "It's different for everyone. Homeschoolers can go with their own level of learning."

Clearly, McClintock is a believer in the Christian homeschooling model. She began actively volunteering at Calvary Murrieta Christian Academy when her first-born attended kindergarten there, and she didn't stop. She finally became an employee of the school in 2022.

"I just want people to know we are here to support families — and the community," she said.