SELLERSBURG — Rock Creek Christian Academy may be losing religion as it switches over to a public charter school in the fall, but it will be gaining a lot more programs for students.

Principal Sara Hauselman said the school has about 160 students in grades kindergarten through 12. For the fall, Rock Creek Community Academy, as it will be renamed, already has 313 signed up. The maximum for the building is 395.

“Kindergarten is filled and has a waiting list and so does fifth grade. There’s a couple classes in the elementary that just have one or two spots left,” Hauselman said, adding that most the openings left are in the middle- and high-school grades.

The school was approved for the charter in January.

“I’m really not surprised that it’s filling up this fast,” Hauselman said. “What I’m surprised at is that we haven’t done any more paid advertising since we had the three-week open enrollment. We haven’t advertised any more, but people are coming in every day. It’s word of mouth.”

She hopes to get 395 students enrolled by the beginning of this summer. She said with more students, the school will be able to offer additional programs, such as more college-level courses, band and sports.

“We have an excellent music program in the elementary [level], but there hasn’t been enough students wanting band in the middle and high school for me to offer it,” she said. “I think music is an excellent thing for kids. It looks like we’re going to offer it.”

She also hopes to add cross country, track, baseball, softball and elementary basketball to the school’s sports offerings.

Hauselman said she didn’t see this  day coming.

“Not after what I’ve seen in the last three or four years, I wondered,” she said, referring to the uncertain future of the school then.

But now, the school is growing and even holding on to most of its children.

“Most of our students we have now are coming back — 98 to 99 percent of them. It’s that much,” Hauselman said. “It makes me feel really good, because usually we have a higher turnover than that. Even though people said it’s because of money [before], you always wonder if that’s what it is, but it looks like that’s what it was,” she said, referring to tuition, which won’t be an issue as a charter school.

Hauselman said her enrollment goals won’t stop once she reaches capacity. She said she is already looking at portable buildings.

“Eventually, our plan is in year three to have 483 students,” she said. “We might have to expand ... We’ll see what happens.”

She said those interested in learning more about the school or enrolling can call the school at 812-246-9271 or stop by.