Eleven years ago our oldest son was in 8th grade, and we were facing a life-shaping decision: where should he go to high school?
We considered everything—school size, academics, opportunities for advanced classes, and whether he’d be able to keep playing the sports he loved. Like most parents, we weren’t just looking for a good school. We were looking for the right fit.
Up to that point, our son had attended traditional public schools, but in upper elementary and middle school he’d been part of a special focus program with only about 75 students per grade. He thrived in that smaller, more engaging environment where learning went deeper.
Our zoned high school had a strong reputation, but the incoming freshman class would be around 600 students. While there were academic opportunities, the size felt overwhelming, and making a team—especially baseball—would be extremely competitive. It just didn’t feel like the best place for him.
So, we decided to take a chance and enter the lottery for our local charter high schools.
When we found out he got into Greenville Technical Charter High School (GTCHS), it truly felt like we had won the lottery—because in many ways, we had.
What we didn’t realize at the time was just how much that one decision would shape our entire family.
The school turned out to be everything we hoped for and more. Our other two sons followed their older brother there. My husband now coaches two of the school’s teams, and after nine years of volunteering on the parent board, I eventually joined the staff as a teacher.
One of the first things that stood out to us was the size. With fewer than 150 students per grade, the school feels personal in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it. Teachers know their students. Students know each other. Our boys never felt lost in the crowd—they felt seen, known, and supported. Even with its smaller size, the school still offers fine arts, sports, and a wide variety of clubs, with opportunities for students to create their own.
We also came to appreciate the flexibility teachers have in the classroom. While they follow state standards, they have the freedom to be creative in how they teach. That freedom shows up in more engaging lessons and a deeper connection to the material.
The academic expectations are high, which is something we valued. As a mastery-based school, students must earn at least a 75% to pass a class. That creates a culture where students take their work seriously—and where that effort is the norm, not the exception.
One of the unique aspects of GTCHS is its partnership with Greenville Technical College. Because the high school is located on the college campus, students can walk to their college classes and learn alongside college students.
Our two older sons each graduated high school with more than 50 college credit hours, and our youngest—now a senior—is on track to graduate with two associate’s degrees. That head start made a significant difference as they went on to universities. Our older sons were able to complete engineering degrees in four years, while also adding minors and exploring other interests. Just as importantly, they had already learned how to navigate college-level expectations and advocate for themselves—all while still having support at home.
All three of our sons chose internships for their senior capstone projects, gaining valuable real-world experience and insight into potential careers. In some cases, it confirmed their direction; in others, it helped them rethink it. Either way, it mattered.
Sports were an important part of their experience as well. Our boys are runners and baseball players, and while they may have been able to run at our zoned school, making the baseball team there would have been unlikely. At GTCHS, they had the opportunity to run varsity cross country earlier and play baseball all four years. They didn’t go on to compete in college, but they gained something just as meaningful—the experience of being part of a team and staying active throughout high school.
Now, we’re in our tenth and final year of having a son at GTCHS, and it’s hard to imagine this chapter coming to an end. We’ve watched the school grow, face challenges, and continue to improve. Realizing our time there is winding down has been bittersweet.
But in an unexpected and meaningful way, it’s not quite the end for me. When a position opened that was a perfect fit, I stepped into a new role as the College Seminar teacher, supporting students who are taking college classes—something that has been such a defining part of our own family’s journey.
Choosing a charter school was one of the best decisions we made for our family—and we never looked back.