Colleen Hroncich
When Jennifer Granberry found out during pregnancy that her youngest son would likely have Down syndrome, she and her husband immediately started thinking about what his future would look like. “We want him to have the best life that he can have. And we want him to have the same opportunities, as best he can, that everybody has,” she remembers thinking.
From early on, Jennifer and her husband were intentional about finding an environment that mirrored their family’s faith and values—a place where people would “see him for who he is. First and foremost, as somebody in God’s image and capable and loved and cared for, as well as getting an education.”
However, finding the right educational environment proved far more challenging than they had ever imagined. After her son thrived in a private Christian preschool with support, the family began searching for a kindergarten placement. Unfortunately, most Christian schools they approached weren’t prepared to accommodate a student who needed extra support. “It was definitely disheartening and frustrating for us because we just were having all of these doors closed,” she recalls.
By April of what should have been their son’s kindergarten year, they were out of options. They got involved with a group that was looking to open a Christian school that could support special needs, but it suddenly fell through when the leaders decided not to proceed. Jennifer’s husband walked in moments after she learned the school wasn’t opening. She greeted him saying, “The school is closing before it even opens. We don’t have any place for Zane. Do you want to start a school?”
He asked if she was serious, and she admitted she didn’t know. “But we don’t have any other options for him,” she added. He suggested she reach out to the consultant who had been working with the other group. The consultant, who was with Concordis Education Partners, was thrilled to hear from Jennifer. Helping Christian schools support students with special needs is one of the main services Concordis offers, and the consultant agreed that that type of school was needed in Jennifer’s area.
After a couple of meetings with Concordis, it was clear that their visions were aligned. “It was really the reason why God was closing all of the other doors for us,” says Jennifer. They signed a contract to work together to get the school up and running. Concordis provided a framework and step-by-step guidance while leaving the big decisions to Jennifer and her husband.
Arrows Christian Academy opened in 2023 with 25 students and three teachers. Today, the school serves 40 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with about a third having special needs, including dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and developmental delays. The school caps learning groups at twelve students and aims for three or four kids who need more individualized support and attention in each group.
The structure is intentionally flexible. Core academics take place three days a week, from Tuesday to Thursday, with all subjects taught simultaneously, allowing students to progress between levels based on mastery rather than age. Days start with chapel, followed by math, science, and reading/writing blocks with movement breaks built in. Afternoons include Latin or cognitive training, PE, and an integrated humanities block covering Bible, literature, history, and art.
For families who want a four- or five-day schedule, Arrows offers additional options. Enrichment days on Mondays include activities such as cooking, coding, chess, and pickleball. On Fridays, which are half days, kids work with aides in even smaller groups for tutoring, catching up, or working ahead, depending on what they need.
Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) and tax credit scholarship programs have played a crucial role in making this unique school possible. “It definitely makes it more feasible for kids and feasible for our school to be open,” Jennifer notes. Without it, many families simply couldn’t afford the specialized support their children need.
The school now has a waiting list for students with special needs. “We either need more teachers and more space to add classrooms, or we need people to leave. And so far, they haven’t wanted to,” Jennifer says. “That’s a good problem to have.” Many of her current families have expressed a desire for their children to attend Arrows for high school, which Jennifer plans to accommodate. If she doesn’t have additional space by then, she just won’t be able to bring in new students. But she has faith that something will turn up. “God doesn’t want us to stay the size we’re at. It’s clear with the need,” she says.
Jennifer offers encouragement—“don’t be afraid” and “just get started”—to anyone who is considering a similar journey. “It doesn’t have to be perfect,” she says. She’s always refining things and admits there are times that can be discouraging. However, there will also be success stories that keep you going. The key is “believing that what you’re doing is going to benefit the kids and wanting to be there for them and their families.”