Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley Bailey.
Hi Kelley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As Director of Enrollment I am so excited to share about Greer Preparatory Academy in Taylors, SC!
Greer Preparatory Academy was founded in 2024 with the idea of providing additional educational opportunities to our community and to establish a feeder school to Greer Middle College Charter High School. Greer Prep’s mission, similarly to GMC’s, is to “produce well-rounded students using a proven Classical Instructional Model and curriculum, Core Knowledge, through collaborative, engaging, and character-building learning experiences.” Our Executive Director, Jimmy Armstrong, along with our Board of Directors saw a need in our community and rose to the challenge.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like developing any new school or institution there are of course bumps along the way. We started the 2025-2026 school year with 150 6th and 7th graders. Finding a location that would meet the State Department codes as well as DOT codes was quite a challenge. Several options unfortunately fell through leading the 150 students to take over a wing of Greer Middle College while their school was being built. Adding that number of students and staff to an already established and bustling school of course came with challenges and struggles but everyone has adapted so well and rose above what it could have been. Additionally, our building has taken a bit longer than expected to be move in ready but is tentative to have occupancy by May! Our Blazer Family, both GMC and Greer Prep, are excited for this new adventure in a beautiful new space. This location will also provide a home to our highly successful Track and Field Team and Soccer Teams.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Greer Prep is returning to the basics of education. Our teachers are teaching without the reliance on technology. Students are learning from their teachers and not Chromebooks or other devices. Our teachers and students are more engaged in real conversation and learning collaboratively. Because we are community service minded our families are connecting to our community in such a positive way. We truly believe it takes a village to raise a child and in our case a school(s) so it is our duty, responsibility, and privilege to give back to the community that is raising and supporting us.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
If luck is similar to hard work, determination, focus and a positive attitude then we have the best luck. We are lucky in that families in our community are buying into what we are establishing with this new educational opportunity and are just as excited as we are to see what the future holds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greerprepacademy.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greerprepacademy/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greerprepacademy
