Our History
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The Founder of Jubilee was Pat Schaefer, a public school teacher of many years.
There’s no better way to learn about Jubilee than in Pat’s own words: I was raised in a family of four girls near Shelbyville, TN. When I entered a classroom for the first time, I knew immediately I wanted to teach. So teaching was a goal when I graduated from Shelbyville Central High in 1970 and Middle Tennessee State University in 1974. |
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In 1974 the federal government began Resource classrooms all across the nation. I knew nothing about children with diverse learning needs, but once I started working with them, I fell in love with my students. I returned to MTSU to get my Masters in special education.
My teaching years around Shelbyville included K-6 at Wartrace and Normandy schools and preschool program at East Side School for 8 years.
I’ve been honored to be selected a finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year, Excellence in Teaching Award from University of Tennessee, Bedford County Teacher of the Year, and District Level Teacher of the year in 1988-1989.
In 1989, I married the love of my life, Harold Schaefer, and moved to Murfreesboro. Mitchell Neilson Primary gave me a Resource position in which I worked with the gifted program until 1992.
I was also honored as Upper Cumberland Teacher of the Year in 1991. During this time MTSU opened the Center for Dyslexia. I was selected to be trained for one semester in the field of dyslexia, by Dianne Sawyer, director of the program. This instruction completely changed my philosophy on how to teach reading.
During the next year I become the Educational Coordinator at Cason Lane Academy. This was no ordinary school, because all children had opportunities to build and strengthen themselves academically, physically, and emotionally without having to be labeled as learning disabled. Cason Lane was a wonderful setting where I continued to acquire new skills and techniques to assist children in learning.
During this time God placed a burden on my heart. I felt He wanted me to work with students who didn't fit into public education. With sadness in my heart, I left public education behind forever. I decided that I would tutor whomever God sent to me to teach. I wouldn't, however, advertise! To my surprise, students began to call.
With more demand than I could handle myself, I recruited teachers to help. This arrangement also became a way for teachers to still teach and be able to stay home with their small children. Soon we had a full blown tutorial taking place in my home! Jubilee Tutoring was up and running!
God always supplies what we need. In 2001 we needed more room so we purchased a much larger home in order to accommodate the students.
We also realized we needed a program that could assist with students’ educational needs outside of public education. So we launched a 4-hour a day, 4-day a week program! Jubilee Academy was born!
What an exciting time for me because we had the day program in the morning and the tutoring in the evenings. After several years of being in separate locations, the tutoring services and day program are now housed in our current location.
As I look over my life , I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family and I’ve had the privilege of working with children and adults who needed to be taught in a variety of ways. I love seeing them develop self esteem and courage, as well as learning skills they never thought possible. Above all I’ve been blessed by those wonderful families that I have worked with. Life is good when you recognize the Giver of all gifts.
Sadly, Mrs. Pat passed in December of 2020 due to complications from Covid. Her legacy lives on as her daughter, Ashley Fleming, assumed ownership in 2019 to continue the vision of Jubilee that was created by her mom. We are blessed to continue to serve the children and families in our community.
My teaching years around Shelbyville included K-6 at Wartrace and Normandy schools and preschool program at East Side School for 8 years.
I’ve been honored to be selected a finalist for Tennessee Teacher of the Year, Excellence in Teaching Award from University of Tennessee, Bedford County Teacher of the Year, and District Level Teacher of the year in 1988-1989.
In 1989, I married the love of my life, Harold Schaefer, and moved to Murfreesboro. Mitchell Neilson Primary gave me a Resource position in which I worked with the gifted program until 1992.
I was also honored as Upper Cumberland Teacher of the Year in 1991. During this time MTSU opened the Center for Dyslexia. I was selected to be trained for one semester in the field of dyslexia, by Dianne Sawyer, director of the program. This instruction completely changed my philosophy on how to teach reading.
During the next year I become the Educational Coordinator at Cason Lane Academy. This was no ordinary school, because all children had opportunities to build and strengthen themselves academically, physically, and emotionally without having to be labeled as learning disabled. Cason Lane was a wonderful setting where I continued to acquire new skills and techniques to assist children in learning.
During this time God placed a burden on my heart. I felt He wanted me to work with students who didn't fit into public education. With sadness in my heart, I left public education behind forever. I decided that I would tutor whomever God sent to me to teach. I wouldn't, however, advertise! To my surprise, students began to call.
With more demand than I could handle myself, I recruited teachers to help. This arrangement also became a way for teachers to still teach and be able to stay home with their small children. Soon we had a full blown tutorial taking place in my home! Jubilee Tutoring was up and running!
God always supplies what we need. In 2001 we needed more room so we purchased a much larger home in order to accommodate the students.
We also realized we needed a program that could assist with students’ educational needs outside of public education. So we launched a 4-hour a day, 4-day a week program! Jubilee Academy was born!
What an exciting time for me because we had the day program in the morning and the tutoring in the evenings. After several years of being in separate locations, the tutoring services and day program are now housed in our current location.
As I look over my life , I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family and I’ve had the privilege of working with children and adults who needed to be taught in a variety of ways. I love seeing them develop self esteem and courage, as well as learning skills they never thought possible. Above all I’ve been blessed by those wonderful families that I have worked with. Life is good when you recognize the Giver of all gifts.
Sadly, Mrs. Pat passed in December of 2020 due to complications from Covid. Her legacy lives on as her daughter, Ashley Fleming, assumed ownership in 2019 to continue the vision of Jubilee that was created by her mom. We are blessed to continue to serve the children and families in our community.