New Greer private school aimed at kids who need specialized learning and care

Reported by: Megan Fitzgerald for Greenville Journal

A new faith-based, inclusive private school will soon open its doors in downtown Greer for children of all abilities and backgrounds. 

Selah Grey Academy will serve students in kindergarten through 8th grade who require a specialized learning environment. Robyn Smith, the founder and executive director of Selah Grey Academy, said the school is designed to help students with higher needs who often fall through the cracks in traditional academic settings. 
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“Our theme for the school is that every child is seen, loved and celebrated,” Smith said.

School background

The new private school is part of the Selah Grey Foundation, a local nonprofit organization founded by Smith in 2020. The foundation was created in honor of her daughter, Selah, who was born with a rare genetic condition called Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome.

Smith’s daughter started attending the Meyer Center for Special Children in Greenville when she was three years old. She graduated from the special education school in May after completing second grade, the program’s final grade level. When determining her daughter’s next steps, Smith realized there were few educational options in the area that could meet her needs. 

To fill this gap, Smith decided to start her own therapeutic school to serve children with disabilities like her daughter. Selah Grey Academy will also welcome children from foster care and adoptive backgrounds, along with the siblings of enrolled students.  

“You see so much success when you put these kids in an environment where they are affirmed and where they’re given opportunities to try and fail,” Smith said. “We don’t want to put any limitations on these kids but try to give them the tools to see how far they can go.”

Chad Prashad, a board member of the Selah Grey Foundation, helped Smith secure a location for the private school at the Grace Church campus at 133 E. Poinsett St. in downtown Greer. He also provided a $520,000 grant to help cover Selah Grey Academy’s first-year expenses. 

Thirty students from across Upstate South Carolina will start school at Selah Grey Academy on Aug. 11.

Inclusive environment

Individualized learning plans will be established for each student attending Selah Grey Academy based on their specific needs. The school will utilize the curriculum standards established by the South Carolina Department of Education. A certified teacher and a teacher assistant will oversee each classroom of 10 students. 
Students at Selah Grey Academy will also have access to on-site therapeutic services, including:

• Speech therapy
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• ABA therapy
• Music therapy
• Art therapy
• Mental health counseling

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“This takes a huge burden off of the parents,” Prashad said. “You don’t have to leave in the middle of the school day to go to those appointments and then come back. We can provide all of those on-site.”

Selah Grey Academy is expected to expand into a K-12 program for the 2027-28 school year. The school plans to establish a diploma and certificate track for its future high school students. Smith said the goal would be to help the students set themselves up for success after graduation.

Other future plans include setting up student sports programming, creating work-based learning opportunities for high schoolers and establishing a special academy to support parents of students with disabilities.   

For more information, visit selahgreyacademy.com.
To view the original article, visit Greenville Journal.