Mars Hill is not a school in the conventional sense of the word. It is a community of homeschooling families who receive highly structured tutelage from qualified tutors while continuing to oversee their students’ education at home. Administratively, a Headmaster oversees the selection of tutors alongside department heads in each major area of study, and ensures that the school remains faithful to its purpose.
Mars Hill has ultimately been established to develop an educational philosophy and help parents fulfill certain goals in educating their children. Mars Hill is not the best fit for every student. However, for the students it is designed to serve, we believe it is a uniquely powerful opportunity. Through experience, we have found that certain students struggle to succeed at Mars Hill and may be better served through more traditional homeschooling or public/private school. For students with certain developmental delays or identifiable learning difficulties, irregular or unreliable parental oversight, or whose lifestyle at home is unstructured and often disrupted or distracted, Mars Hill can end up being more of a hindrance than a help.
Students
Students must take responsibility for their own education. It is not the job of Mars Hill tutors to convince students of the importance of their class. Students must be willing to become self-motivated. Perpetual instances of late homework, lack of preparation, or unsupportive attitudes in class are indicators that the student likely does not truly desire to be a part of the program.
Parents
Mars Hill requires almost as much effort as traditional homeschooling, especially in the younger grades. Although tutors provide the academic material, parents must closely monitor study, completion of assignments and overall comprehension of the material. The management of the student’s education is the responsibility of the parent. Parents must be aware of the material students are covering in class. However, parents do not need to understand the material themselves.
Mars Hill Classes
Each class a student attends is an individual agreement between that tutor and the parents. Mars Hill works to find the best tutors possible. All tuition goes directly to the tutor. Administrative costs are covered by other means. Issues concerning a particular class should be addressed with the tutor of that class. If there is a situation that needs attention from another person, please contact Headmaster Ben Hughes.
Tuition
Tuition checks are to be made out directly to the tutor of each class. The tuition for the 2025-2026 school year for each class will be $400 for the year, or $200 at the beginning of each semester. If you have five classes, you will write five different checks each semester.
Tuition Policies and Procedures
Registration
There is a $50 registration fee for each child. A registration form will be sent after the interview process has been completed and your application has been accepted. (Please do not send any money with your application. It is not due until class registration.)
Mars Hill Cooperative
The cooperative aspects (responsibility of the parents) include:
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Parents will sign up for jobs at the beginning of the year.
Organization
Mars Hill was birthed in 1993 as a ministry of Lexington Christian Fellowship to its own and other like-minded homeschooling families, and remains under the final authority of the ordained leadership of LCF. It is operationally led by Headmaster Ben Hughes along with an administrative Board, approved by the ordained leadership of Lexington Christian Fellowship. The current board of Mars Hill consists of:
Ben Hughes (Chair)
Kate Flannery (Vice-Chair)
Michele Dunham (Secretary)
Andy Martin (Tresurer)
JP Barlow
Kenton Sena
Department Heads work with the Headmaster and Board in overseeing academic affairs (i.e. course content, textbook section, and tutor candidacy).
We are working to build a community of families with similar philosophies of education and Christian discipleship in the local church and at home. We also seek to provide spiritually and academically qualified tutors to promote excellence in all areas of study. We meet with tutors to promote common care for the students as well as a growing integration across disciplines.
Application
Application must be made before registration. Email Marshillky@gmail.com for more information on applying.
The application process is designed to:
- Help parents determine if Mars Hill is suitable for their student.
- Help students determine if they are suited for Mars Hill.
- Help existing members of Mars Hill determine if the potential student understands and desires to be a Mars Hill student.
Steps:
- Submit an email to Mars Hill Administration
- Submit an application package to Mars Hill Administration.
- An interview will be arranged with the student and parents.
- Upon mutual agreement of parents, student, and Mars Hill leadership, the student may then register for classes.