Christian education was never meant to serve only some students well.
Yet many families who want a Christ-centered education for their child discover that support for diverse learning needs is limited or difficult to sustain. Some are quietly turned away. Others are welcomed, but left carrying more than they should. Many feel forced to choose between Christian school, homeschooling, or going without the support their child needs.
Christian schools feel this tension too. Most were built with strong faith and community, but not with the staffing, systems, or expertise required to serve a wide range of learners over time.
ROAR Academy exists to fill this gap, so families are not left navigating alone, schools are strengthened rather than stretched, and students with diverse learning needs can belong and grow within Christian school communities.
ROAR Academy partners with families and Christ-centered schools to provide accessible, personalized education for students with diverse learning needs, preparing each learner to be confident in all God has for them.
We believe students with diverse learning needs belong within Christian school communities—formed in faith, supported with care, and prepared for what comes next. Our mission is not about creating a separate place for certain students, but to expand access and strengthen what already exists.
ROAR Academy is shaped by a clear posture toward students, families, and schools. These convictions guide how we partner, communicate, and make decisions every day.
Faith in Christ shapes our work from the ground up. It informs how we see students, how we support families, and how we walk with schools, not as an add-on, but as the framework.
Support begins with understanding the whole student—their strengths, challenges, personality, and potential. We don’t start with systems or solutions; we start with people.
Families, schools, and ROAR share responsibility. We believe students thrive when those around them work together with mutual respect, trust, and care.
Support should strengthen a student’s connection to school life, not remove them from it. ROAR is designed to bring students into community, not set them apart.
We communicate honestly about fit, expectations, and limits. Clear boundaries are not exclusion; they are how trust is built and sustained.
Education is not only about the present year. We focus on readiness, growth, and purpose—helping students move toward what’s next with confidence.
Through a project-based learning model, students have opportunities to serve one another and their community while developing real-life skills and confidence. ROAR offers a personalized, Christ-centered approach to learning.
Students receive small group instruction tailored to their individual learning level, allowing them to grow academically, socially, and spiritually at a pace that is appropriate for them. At ROAR, we believe every student has unique gifts given by God, and we are committed to helping each learner discover, use, and grow those gifts in meaningful ways.
ROAR Academy is led by educators and leaders who bring both professional experience and personal responsibility to this work.
This is not a passion project or a one-person vision. ROAR is built with shared leadership, clear accountability, and long-term stewardship in mind—so families, schools, and partners can trust the work will be sustained with care and integrity.
Josh and Ria Thurston are high school sweethearts who share a passion for faith, education, and building meaningful community.
Josh has spent over 15 years in education, serving in charter, public, and private Christian schools, with the past decade in a variety of administrative leadership roles. He carries a deep heart for helping diverse learners thrive in a Christ-centered environment. Josh holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education, a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instructional Leadership, and a K–12 Principal’s License.
Ria was raised in an entrepreneurial home and brings creativity and vision to everything she builds. She owns a photography business and R+R Collective, a boutique rooted in purpose and faith based apparel. Since 2019, Ria has also served part-time as Admissions Director at Concordia Academy, where she is passionate about connecting families to educational environments where students are known and valued.
Together, Josh and Ria are committed to cultivating spaces where faith, growth, and opportunity intersect.
The story of ROAR Academy began in May of 2022 with the birth of our nephew, Ellis. Born with Down syndrome, Ellis immediately changed our world and our perspective in ways we never imagined. Through him, God opened our eyes to the beauty, potential, and unique gifts within every child. He also revealed the challenges many families face in finding educational environments that fully support and celebrate children of all abilities especially within Christian education.
As educators with over 20 years of combined experience, Josh and Ria had spent their careers serving students and families. Yet through this new lens, they began to recognize a significant gap. While many Christian schools excel academically and spiritually, there were limited options intentionally designed to serve students with diverse learning needs while remaining firmly grounded in biblical truth. This realization sparked a deep desire not simply to fill a gap but to see Christian education widen, grow, and expand to include every child.
In July of 2025, the Lord began to clearly reveal His vision for what would become ROAR Academy: a Christ-centered school where students are known, loved, challenged, and supported. A place where differences are embraced, faith is foundational, and every child is empowered to reach their God-given potential.
Rooted in Christ, ROAR Academy provides accessible, personalized Christian education for students with diverse learning needs—partnering with families and Christ-centered schools to prepare each learner for the next stage of life.
By August of 2025, Josh and Ria gathered with five other couples who shared the same heart and calling. Together, they began the initial planning, prayer, and groundwork for ROAR Academy, seeking God’s guidance every step of the way.
After months of faithful preparation, prayer, and obedience, a major milestone was reached. On February 3rd, 2026, ROAR Academy officially received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status marking the formal launch of the organization and the beginning of a new chapter in fulfilling God’s vision.
What began with one precious life, Ellis has grown into a mission to transform Christian education by creating a space where all students can learn, thrive, and experience the love of Christ.
ROAR Academy is supported by a Board of Directors committed to governance, accountability, and wise stewardship. Board members bring experience across education, leadership, finance, and faith-based service—ensuring ROAR remains mission-aligned, financially responsible, and prepared for long-term impact.
Together, this leadership team exists to serve families, strengthen schools, and steward ROAR’s mission with care.
Families come to ROAR Academy not looking for a program, but for a partnership.
They choose ROAR because their child is seen as a whole person, not a problem to manage.
Because they are met with listening instead of judgment.
Because support is provided without removing their child from community or faith-filled school life.
Families choose ROAR because:
For many families, ROAR is the first place where support and belonging are inseparable.
Whether you’re a parent wondering what’s possible for your child, or a school exploring how to better serve diverse learners, a conversation is a good place to start.
You don’t need all the answers.
We’re here to listen and help you think through what’s next.
