Our Founder

Dr. Jane Gardner
Kent Academy was founded by Dr. Jane Gardner in 2011. Dr. Gardner is a native of Charlotte where she attended and graduated from the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system. She earned an undergraduate degree in education and became a teacher for CMS. While serving as a teacher, she earned an M.Ed, as well as founded and operated a tutoring business. She continued to earn an Ed.S degree and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Counselor Education while maintaining her private counseling and educational consulting practice . After almost twenty years in practice and a mother to three CMS students, Dr. Gardner was drawn to create a new and different educational resource for this community.
Jane noticed that the community lacked schools geared toward the “2E”, Twice Exceptional, child. These students are typically average to above average in intelligence but also fall into a second exceptional learning category of some sort. These may include, ADHD, Anxiety (but able to operate independently in a classroom setting), reading or math disabilities, processing speed concerns, dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.
Dr. Gardner embraced the opportunity to provide an educational setting to meet the needs of these students who could survive, but not thrive in the traditional public school classrooms.
Jane started Kent Academy 12 years ago. It is a private school designed to educate students Kindergarten through 12th grade who would flourish in a smaller, more personal school setting. Our K-8 program is fully accredited, and our High School Co-Op meets all required NC standards. Our mission is to provide a small school environment with an individualized and integrated curriculum at a more affordable price.



