Teacher Feature: Meet Mrs. Renee Henry
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What’s Your Story?
I grew up in Garland, Texas, a city just north of Dallas. For college, I attended a liberal arts school called Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas. It was here where I met my husband, Branden Henry. We first moved to Clinton in 2009 when Branden started attending Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) to study Marriage and Family Therapy. The plan was to finish the program and return to the Arkansas Delta where we had lived before moving, but God had other plans. After much prayer and seeking counsel, my husband and I decided our family would not be returning to Arkansas after Branden graduated from RTS. We would stay in Mississippi. We would make the Jackson area our home, our community. Gladly and without reservation I claim Mississippi as my home state.
When we moved to Clinton, I was a stay at home mom with three children and only a few months away from having our fourth baby. During this season we were living in the RTS townhomes, surrounded by other moms and many, many other children. We formed friendships here that helped me cultivate a love of relationships in a diverse community. Living in the RTS townhomes was a very special experience for our family. We were fortunate to live in a community with other families that were very different from ours. Our four children made friends with other children who were from different parts of the world, including Canada, South Africa, Portugal and China. I made friends with other moms who helped support me as we raised our children together.
During our time at RTS my family attended Redeemer Church in Jackson, Mississippi. It was here that my spiritual soul was nourished and the sweet taste of grace began to take root in my heart. The Young Mom’s Bible Study was a weekly balm to my spirit. The older women leading the mom’s group quickly became mentors and friends. At Redeemer, I found that my gifts and talents could be used by singing in the choir and leading worship on Sundays. My children grew in hearing the word of God preached each Sunday and my two daughters participated in Sister Cooks, a mentorship program for young ladies, led by older women and youth in the church. My oldest two children took part in Mission to Broadmoor and helped clear and clean out old houses in the neighborhood to be renovated for new families. I first heard the talk of a Christian school opening on our campus while attending Redeemer Church.
My husband began working as a therapist at The Shepherd’s Staff in Flowood. My children went from homeschooling with me as their teacher to attending Clinton Public Schools. During this time the talk of a Christian school opening on our church campus became a reality and I was given a wonderful opportunity to teach art and music to the students who attended.
Why Do You Choose to Serve at The Redeemer’s School?
I loved teaching music and art. I loved teaching at the Redeemer’s School. I loved being a part of the mission The Redeemer’s School was founded upon, “a strong commitment to providing an academically excellent Christian education and environment, thus preparing children through the Christian world and life view for future leadership and service in the city of Jackson and beyond.” I loved that teaching at The Redeemer’s School was not just for the sole purpose of getting a good education, but it was, in fact, teaching the whole child. These children are our future. It was important to me that the children be taught and nurtured and given opportunities to succeed academically, emotionally and spiritually. One of the most amazing things about teaching music and art was being able to teach students how to use these creative outlets to express themselves in appropriate ways. I never knew I would love teaching so much. I taught art and music for the first two and half years The Redeemer’s School was open.
Mrs. Henry and students before she and her family moved to Arkansas
And then, my family moved.
My husband had an opportunity to work at an inpatient counseling facility out-of- state. After much prayer and lots of counsel, we decided to move our family to a rural part of Arkansas. It was one of the hardest decisions we as a family have ever had to make. We chose to leave behind our friends who had become more like family. We left our church home, where we served our neighbors and were spiritually supported. I left behind my dearest students at the Redeemer’s School and my children left behind their great schools in Clinton. We left so much behind … and it was hard.
Four years later, God called us home. That’s right, in the summer of 2020, in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, God brought our family back to the Jackson area to live, to love, and to serve those in and around our community. Mississippi is our home. The Lord made a way for me to come back to The Redeemer’s School as the Second Grade teacher. God was gracious to me and gave me another opportunity to love, nurture, teach and help grow the children of the Jackson community who attend The Redeemer’s School. I am honored to be a part of this school and to be able to see my previous students mature and grow.
Although things are a bit different since moving back (social distancing, masks, and teaching virtually), much is the same. Redeemer Church is still our place of worship and The Redeemer’s School is still loving, caring, and educating the children and families in our community.
What’s Your Hope for Your Students?
I still love teaching. I love seeing my students learn and I love watching their curiosity and concern about the world around them. I see my students and their families as the future and the time I spend with them is valuable, important and meaningful. My hope for my students is that they would see themselves as valued, loved, and capable of having dreams and aspirations. They are the future leaders of our community and I get to be a part of their lives.
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