our community: GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Beyond the Three Rs
By MISTY BROWNING
72
G
Small-Town Private School
Grows Rapidly
oing into its eleventh school year, Grace Christian
Academy has grown by leaps and bounds in the
community.
The school got its start in Garner, with one student,
when Phil and Mary Ann Rapp, a local cutting-horse
family, wanted Jody McGlothlin (who is now the school’s
owner) to homeschool their son so he’d not only get
an excellent education, but have the freedom to attend
cutting horse shows.
“Phil is president of the NCHA and was consider-
ing homeschooling their son. They had done one year
of public school and it wasn’t for them. They had hired
a nanny to travel with them, but wanted to be able to
take him with them when they travel to some shows. I
agreed and set up school and quickly expanded,” said
McGlothlin. “I started to have a waiting list and didn’t
have people leaving, so I finally agreed to hire an addi-
tional teacher, and when I did that I brought in more