New charter, private school openings in question

A year-round charter school that was scheduled to start classes in Greenville this summer now has no opening date scheduled.

Greenville Preparatory Academy, which announced in May 2023 that its opening would be delayed until the 2024-25 school year, has not been approved by the state Board of Education.

The board in February approved a half dozen new charter schools to open in 2024 in Craven, Cumberland, Henderson, Mecklenburg and Wake counties. A DPI spokesperson said Greenville Preparatory Academy has no pending application.

“Greenville Prep withdrew from the planning process, which means they are no longer slated to open and must reapply for an application if they wish to open in the future,” said Ashley Baquero, director of DPI’s office of charter schools division of standards, accountability and research.

In a letter to parents, Greenville Preparatory Academy confirmed it would not open in July 2024, its second reported opening date.

“Despite our best efforts, we have encountered unexpected challenges in securing an appropriate temporary facility that meets school code requirements and is large enough to house our school for the time it would take to build our permanent facility,” the letter reads. “… Please know that we have done everything within our power to open this school for the Greenville community.”

Since the release of the letter, both the website and social media accounts for Greenville Preparatory Academy have been disabled, and signage has been removed from the proposed location at 3404 N.C. 43 North, a site formerly planned as SpringShire Retirement Community.

Rising Phoenix, senior-adult living community also planned for the site, continues to advertise on its website, risingphoenixnc.org, that it will be “part of the Greenville Intergenerational Community which includes Greenville Preparatory Academy.” The nonprofit could not be reached by telephone or email.

Two former administrators for Greenville Preparatory Academy were listed in promotional material for Greenville STEM Academy, a private school that initially announced plans to open in August.

The state Division of Non-Public Education reported this spring that no school by that name had filed the required notice of intent for opening a private school. Operated under the state Department of Administration, the division oversees and monitors all home and private schools in North Carolina, ensuring they remain in compliance with state law.

Greenville STEM Academy’s website now indicates its opening has been delayed until August 2025.

“Unforeseen delays involving the building we secured for 2024-25 have forced us to recalibrate our timeline,” the statement reads. “Despite our best diligent attempts, we have not been able to find an alternate facility.”