In most areas of life, when something isn’t working, we look for a better option. In K–12 education, though, children are assigned to public schools based on where they live—and if that school isn’t a good fit, the child is generally seen as the problem. School choice is changing that by expanding access to alternative learning environments. But educational freedom changes lives only if parents and teachers know what options exist, which is why Cato’s Friday Feature highlights the schools, policies, and organizations bringing those choices within reach.
Dr. Lisa Swinson spent years helping schools across North Carolina and beyond. She began her career as a first-grade teacher, became a school leader, worked in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Charter Schools, and eventually launched an education consulting business that supported schools nationwide. But conversations with neighbors and relatives convinced her that she needed to focus on what was closer to home.
“I was kind of like, ‘Oh, Lisa, wait a minute. How can you say you’re doing all these great things and you’re not even helping your neighbors?’” she recalls.
Families in the Zebulon and Wendell area of North Carolina were frustrated by limited educational options. Lisa decided to do something about it, opening Creative Minds Microschool in fall 2024 with seven students in grades three through six.
The school has grown rapidly. Today, Creative Minds serves 53 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with additional families on a waiting list. The school operates in a former school building on a church campus, giving students spacious classrooms and room to grow.
A renovation project involving the church and town will provide access to a community center with a gym, auditorium, and additional rooms, along with an improved playground. Once renovations are complete, Lisa expects the existing school building to accommodate approximately 100 full-time students as well as some part-time students.
Despite the growth, Lisa is committed to maintaining the individualized approach that makes Creative Minds distinctive. Students are divided into four multi-age pods: K–2, grades 3–5, grades 6–8, and high school. Each day begins with socialization, whether through games, puzzles, Legos, experiments, or simply spending time with friends.
Mornings focus on personalized academics. Each student has an individual learning plan, and teachers provide one-on-one or small-group instruction. Afternoons are dedicated to projects and electives.
Technology plays a supporting role rather than replacing teachers. “I would say that it is 80 percent face-to-face human,” Lisa explains. “We don’t count on the computer to teach the new concepts. We use it as either remediation or enrichment or just a review.”
Lisa recently developed her own curriculum for kindergarten through sixth grade, drawing on her teaching experience, what she’s observed in multi-age classrooms, and her students’ needs. It integrates core subjects through hands-on activities, real-world connections, and field trips. Older students use a combination of Edgenuity and live instruction.
Keeping class sizes small requires resourceful staffing. Creative Minds partners with Apprenticeship North Carolina and NCWorks to provide a two-year teacher apprenticeship program that Lisa designed. Apprentices gain classroom experience, professional development, and a certificate while NCWorks helps cover their wages. This arrangement helps the school maintain two adults in each classroom.
Affordability is another priority. Approximately 85 percent of students use North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship, with many receiving the maximum award. Without the scholarship, Lisa says, she wouldn’t be able to serve as many students or offer the same level of support.
Creative Minds actually opened earlier than Lisa originally planned because seven families were determined not to return to their previous educational arrangements. With support from The Drexel Fund, she was able to launch while allowing parents to pay what they could.
For others considering starting a microschool, Lisa offers encouragement rooted in her own experience. “I would say if it’s in your heart and it’s your desire to do it, do it scared. If you’re scared, that’s going to give you the momentum to do it,” she says. “And don’t be afraid to reach out to people.”
