Colleen Hroncich
A third-generation teacher, Julie Christensen left the classroom in 2010 when her son, who was neurodivergent, needed more support. She began homeschooling while doing education-related writing. It gave her a whole new perspective on education. “In my professional life, I was going around the country and looking at really good schools with a lot of different models,” she recalls. “And then at home with my children, as a homeschooler, I was able to try a lot of things that I was never able to do in public school. And lo and behold, they worked, and my kids flourished.”
When the family moved from the Denver suburbs to rural Utah, Julie looked around and didn’t see any educational options. “I just kept hearing stories from parents, particularly for kids with special needs, just about how their needs were not even remotely being met,” she says. “And I thought, ‘My children are almost out of high school, and I miss the classroom. Boy, I wish I could offer something.’” Then the state created the Utah Fits All education savings account, and she decided it was time to act.
Julie opened Horseshoe Mountain Village School last fall with 14 children in grades K‑6 in an outbuilding on her property. She thought it was going to fail, but she wanted to give it a try anyway. Within months, they outgrew the space and moved into a historic city-owned building that once served as the town’s original schoolhouse. This year, they have almost 50 students with plans to grow.
At Horseshoe Mountain, two foundational ideas drive everything: happy kids are those who can learn, and teachers can only give what they have. As Julie sees it, “If teachers are happy, then they create these happy, engaging classrooms where children thrive and learn.” But she adds, “Happiness is not the same as being entertained, of course. We want children to be engaged, excited, and learning.”
The day begins outside, letting students ease in naturally. Then they move inside for a morning gathering, which includes prayer, poetry, songs, stories, and a discussion about the day. After that comes “scholar hours,” where students dig into history, geography, reading, math, writing, and science.
The school follows a Charlotte Mason approach. “Our foundational tenets are reading and discussing good books and time spent in nature and relational learning,” Julie explains. “When you have that kind of a foundation, any child can thrive and succeed.”
Horseshoe Mountain keeps its classes intentionally small—maxing out at 14 students with two teachers—and deliberately diverse. Julie estimates that around half of the students come in with a diagnosis, some challenges, or are academically under grade level. “We mix it up,” she says. “I think they’re aware that maybe they’re all at different levels, but it doesn’t really matter because they see how one child might be behind in reading, but they can put an engine together.” And because they’re so small, they can really individualize and work with children who need some extra help.
Julie loves the lunch and recess break because it’s a time for all ages to mingle together. Afternoons are for what they call occupations. “We have an art and a music teacher who come, but we also have just lots of things in the classroom that the children know they can get out—games and a ton of art and craft materials,” she says, noting it’s the kids’ favorite time of the day.
A beloved tradition, Thorns and Roses, closes the day. “They each get to go around and share what a thorn was during the day and what a rose was,” says Julie. “They love being able to share. I think they love being just heard.” For the staff, it’s an opportunity to stay informed about any social issues that may require their assistance or to consider any necessary changes.
Fridays have Adventure Club. “We either go on a field trip somewhere or we have somebody come in,” Julie explains. “The entire town is in the National Historic District. So history is a huge part of it. Agriculture is a big part. There are a lot of artists, writers, and professors who live here. So it’s a really rich community.”
Flexibility is key. Some families choose full-time, five-day schedules. Others opt for part-time attendance paired with homeschooling. “Academics are one piece of our program,” Julie notes. “We’re looking at the holistic development of every child.”
The new ESA has been instrumental in making the school accessible. “Ninety percent of our families use the Utah Fits All,” Julie says. “We have a couple of families that utilize some other scholarships and a couple that pay out of pocket.”
Julie isn’t standing still. She plans to add a middle school starting next year and, eventually, a high school with hands-on learning. “I’d love to be able to have an orchard and a garden and a greenhouse and a little market where our high schoolers could do some entrepreneurial kinds of things,” she says.
Asked what advice she’d give to others dreaming of starting their own school, Julie doesn’t hesitate: “Don’t be afraid of failure. Start small—just do it.”