Parents of children who attend Shepherd Academy on Matt Highway in northern Forsyth County will be noticing some changes this spring, as the school joins the Primrose Academy franchise program. The school is currently in the process of becoming a Primrose franchise location, and will be changing the name soon. 

Primrose Academy President Steve Clemente says the franchise gives the school, which won awards in The Best of Forsyth 2019 as Shepherd Academy, the best of both worlds.

“(Owner) Mark (Shepherd) has the support of our resources and training in the latest in early childhood education, allowing his team to focus on the children,” Clemente said. 

Shepherd said the name may be changing, but the staff members are expected to be the same.

“We’re blessed to take care of a bunch of wonderful children,” Shepherd said, “and we have an amazing staff.”

The new Primrose School of Cumming-North as it will be called has been open since 2015, and currently serves about 150 north Forsyth families. 

The Primrose School franchise program began with a country school in Roswell in 1982 before beginning its franchise program in 1990, according to Clemente. The program currently has around 400 Primrose franchisees nationwide. Primrose School of Cumming-North joins two other franchise locations in Forsyth County — Primrose School of Cumming-East, and Primrose School of Cumming-West.