According to TheBestSchools.org, Mansfield Christian School is one of the 50 best Christian high schools in the nation.
TheBestSchools.org is an independent organization that provides in-depth rankings among many different schools and programs. In compiling the list for the 50 Best Christian Schools, the organization used the following criteria: co-educational day schools (no boarding schools); academic excellence; extracurricular richness (fine arts, athletics, social activities, etc.); geographic and demographic diversity; and Christian faith taken seriously.
Those compiling the list took into account reviews by parents and students, said TheBestSchools.org website. The website added, “We thought that geographic and demographic diversity was important to this list because we wanted to highlight the best in Christian secondary education across America.”
In other lists compiled by TheBestSchools.org, such as “The 50 Best Public High Schools in the U.S.,” a premium was placed on academic excellence and rigor; however, the website says that the “overriding” concern for families with students at Christian high schools is to provide a “rounded education that gives due respect to academics but refuses to idolize it, instead always holding faith at the center.”
Superintendent Cy Smith commented, “I do think we prioritize the biblical worldview and we do prioritize taking our faith seriously, so it was great to see that was a big piece of [TheBestSchools.org] article.”
Weekly, Mansfield Christian students attend one-hour chapel services that incorporate praise and worship, along with a message from a faculty or community member that focuses on a specific theme. “We pick themes every year based on what we think our students’ needs are because we survey them and we find out what they’re interested in or what they may be struggling with—things that they want to talk about that are relevant to their faith,” said Smith.
After the presentation, students break up into small groups for a time of reflection and discussion about the theme.
Every student is also required to take a Bible class. Smith said, “All of the teachers are pretty experienced in making sure their curriculum is taught from a biblical worldview.”
In addition to the emphasis placed on spiritual growth, Smith said the school excels academically.
“We’re really pleased academically with how our kids are performing on the ACT and OGT,” he added.
He also highlighted the extra-curricular activities and noted, “It’s hard to be disappointed with how well our soccer team finished, placing state runner-up last year.”
“Those are nice plusses and the fine arts programs are doing well,” he said.
Having been a part of MCS for the last 23 years (seven years as superintendent), Smith said he’s witnessed positive changes over the years, including an increase in the number of post-secondary course offerings. He noted that there are also more specialized classes to meet students’ needs and much more of a college connection now than there ever was.
He said, “We’re continuing to expand our curriculum, and we still want to see continued growth in academics and enrollment.”
Smith said enrollment has been stable for the last couple years, “but we’d still like to see it grow,” he said.
One of the most notable changes Smith has witnessed at the school, he said, is that “Kids are much more open with their faith, I think, in the last 10-15 years. They’re very excited about their faith and a little bit more transparent about their faith…There has seemed to be more and more kids who want to be here for the right spiritual reasons, and they really want what we’re offering in chapel and Bible classes. They’re very passionate and committed to their relationship with Christ and they want that to be part of their school-life.”
Smith said the school was notified about its placement on the 50 Best Christian Schools list in early August.
“It’s quite an honor, although there is a little added pressure,” he said. “We really appreciated the acclaim and the publicity, but there does come some pressure to make sure we’re getting better every day.”
“One of our core values is excellence and the behavior that goes along with that is ‘make it better.’ So we always want to be challenging ourselves and our employees to make it better. This is wonderful, but it’s not a stopping point by any stretch,” said Smith.
“One of our core values is excellence and the behavior that goes along with that is ‘make it better.’ So we always want to be challenging ourselves and our employees to make it better. This is wonderful, but it’s not a stopping point by any stretch,” said Superintendent Cy Smith.
