The Shining Rock Classical Academy Board of Directors accepted the resignation of School Director Ben Butler during a Sunday night emergency board meeting. His resignation is effective immediately.

When Shining Rock Classical Academy opened in 2015, the public charter school was hailed as a victory for local proponents of school choice and promised to provide an academically rigorous, comprehensive college preparatory curriculum.

Shining Rock Classical Academy leaders want to add high school grades to their growing charter school, but they’re just not sure now is the right time.

Shining Rock Classical Academy administrators have their hands full preparing for the school’s third year, expanding to eighth grade, accommodating up to 100 more students, improving student performance and searching for property for a future high school.

Shining Rock Classical Academy will be able to construct an outdoor classroom on its campus this year thanks to a $10,000 grant from Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina — the state’s leading parental school choice advocacy organization.

The Town of Waynesville’s area increased by 2.82 acres last week with the annexation of a parcel at 1023 Dellwood Road that Alderman Gary Caldwell said was “part of our growth.”

The future site of Shining Rock Classical Academy at 1023 Dellwood Road isn’t in the town limits of Waynesville, but that hasn’t stopped the Lake Junaluska Assembly from asking town aldermen to annex the parcel so it can receive municipal services.

Shining Rock Classical Academy leaders were hoping students would start classes this year at a new campus on Dellwood Road, but a delay in getting the modular classrooms installed forced them to change the plan. 

While Shining Rock Classical Academy students are already out of class enjoying their summer vacation, school leaders are busy assessing the charter’s first year and already planning for students’ return in August.

Shining Rock Classical Academy is considering legal action against a modular building company for not being able to honor its lease agreement with the charter school.