Over the past three years, Fresno Christian has lost various teachers and staff due to budget cuts, higher-paying career opportunities and retirement. Because of this, many of their former students have raised questions regarding their whereabouts: Where are they now? How are they doing?

Tom McEntee, Scott Falk and George Freeman are some of the fairly recent losses to the school. And now, several years later, they discuss their current lives.

Tom McEntee:

For seven and a half years, Tom McEntee worked as an English teacher, Bible teacher and drama instructor on campus. His passion was to serve God, and instructing young people at a Christian school was an ideal way to carry out his ministry, he says.

“Being a teacher and having the freedom to make it revolve around Jesus was special,” McEntee said. “The kids know and respect that.”

McEntee’s unemployment came as a shock to him. In 2008, the dwindling economy forced the school to let go of many beloved teachers, and McEntee was one of them.

“I went through four months of unemployment,” McEntee said. “But it’s easier to say, now that it’s over, that God is in charge. I understand why that had to happen. It was a surprise, but I got through it.”

McEntee now serves as an employee for the Palomar Christian Conference Center (PCCC), a popular local camp in northeast San Diego. This organization works alongside various churches to create a Christ-centered camping retreat.

“With economic downturns come spiritual upturns,” McEntee said. “Now, I’m in a thriving ministry where lots of people are coming to God. I get to work 200 yards from my house, so I get to see my family. I also get to see the Lord work in amazing ways.”

McEntee’s father, David, and brother, Paul, are also former teachers of the school. David, previously a science instructor, now teaches physics at Central High School in Fresno. Former band director Paul currently lives in Idaho, where he continues to teach music to students.

Scott Falk:

Scott Falk taught on campus for 15 years, serving such positions as junior high science teacher, high school Bible teacher, leadership supervisor, campus pastor, computer teacher and JV baseball coach.

“I loved the kids, the people I worked with, leading chapel and being involved in student activities,” Falk said.

When administration let him go, he found the pain of the loss difficult to handle.

“It was one of the hardest things of my life,” Falk said. “When you love something deeply and you lose it for a number of reasons that you don’t understand, it’s hard.”

Now, Falk is employed by the Institute of Technology in Clovis as a professor of speech, psychology, ethics, English and computers. Though it was a huge transition, he says he enjoys his job for many of the same reasons that he loved the Fresno Christian.

George Freeman:

George Freeman worked at the school for 28 years. Over this course of time, he taught physical education, general math, pre-algebra and various Bible courses. He also coached girls’ tennis, helped run a lunch snackbar and was the junior high Dean of Students.

“I really enjoyed the Christian atmosphere,” Freeman said. “People used to tell me all the time that FCS students were not prepared for the ‘real world,’ but FCS is the real world. These students may not fit in with the perceived world, but that is because we, as Christians, are meant to stand out.”

Freeman currently works for Kingdom Ministries, a prayer and counseling center located in Fresno.

“I get to watch Jesus do great and wonderful things every day,” he says. “I pray with people and train people how to pray with people.”

Though Freeman struggled after being let go from the school, he saw it as necessary for the school’s operation in a tough economy. He feels no bitterness toward administration, and trusts that God will guide him through all of life’s hardships, he says.

“When I got laid off, I had to go around and ask people for money, which wasn’t easy,” Freeman said. “Every month, I still come up $600 short and I still need help paying off these debts.”

Despite the struggles, Freeman strongly believes that this is part of God’s plan for him. By doing this, he trusts to find joy and purpose through these hard times.

Though missed by numerous students and staff members on campus, McEntee, Falk and Freeman continue to live their lives in other occupations.

“We are thriving in our new occupations enjoying the blessing and provision of our Savior,” Freeman said. “The Lord has taken care of us.”

For more information, e-mail McEntee, e-mail Falk or e-mail Freeman.

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