Saying the school has outgrown its current location capacity, Jefferson City-area parents and educators are trying to raise $8.3 million to build a new River Oak Christian Academy.

Former Mizzou quarterback and former Jefferson City Jay star Kirk Farmer, who chairs the capital campaign, says enrollment has accelerated. Farmer tells 939 the Eagle that there’s a growing demand for Christian education in Jefferson City.

“We’ve got 140 students, we’re at max (maximum) capacity and we’re having to turn away kids,” Farmer says.

River Oak Christian Academy was founded in 2006. It’s a non-denominational Christian school and serves students from Cole, Callaway and Moniteau counties whose parents are active in more than 30 area churches.

“We are going to try to build a new school for these kids and really turn this program, River Oak Christian Academy, into a legitimate elementary school with a nice campus where kids can call their home,” says Farmer.

River Oak Christian Academy is located on Jefferson City’s Wildwood drive: it currently serves students from pre-kindergarten to seventh grade. Farmer says the new school will be built on 15 acres of land that’s been pledged to the school.

“And I think, Jefferson City, I think the demand is there to have really good education not only in the public schools because I do believe in a good public education. But also in these private schools too,” Farmer says.

River Oak Christian Academy is opening enrollment for eighth grade in January, to round out the middle school expansion.