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Our story · Nuestra historia

A school born from a family's dream.

Sol & Son opened its doors in Franklin in August 2025 — a Christ-centered, two-way immersion micro-school built so families in these mountains wouldn't have to drive hours for a bilingual education.

Meet the founders · Los fundadores

The Parrish Family.

David and Kelsey Parrish both hold Bachelor's degrees in education, and met during their time teaching at Highlands School. Over the course of their careers, they envisioned a different future for their own children and others in the community. Kelsey left the school system to stay home and homeschool her boys, and David left to become the youth and young adult pastor at Community Bible Church, Highlands.

Kelsey's background in dual language and bilingual education led her to dream of her children being in a bilingual school — and Macon County had no resources for young children at the peak of their language-learning abilities. Their love for the Hispanic community and culture, along with their love of Christ and desire to raise children in His name, led them to found the first Christian bilingual microschool in Macon County.

Read Kelsey's full bio →
Our mission · Nuestra misión

To partner with parents to raise up community bridge builders for the Kingdom of God through Christ-centered, dual language immersive, intercultural, experience-based education.

What we're built on · Nuestros pilares

Three values, all centered on Christ.

Biblical Character

Biblical character building woven through every subject and every day — not a class, but a way of being together.

Authentic Community

An intentional school community that reaches in and out into Macon County & beyond.

Cultural Diversity

Authentic immersion in Hispanic cultures from around the world, while connecting to our Southern Appalachian home.
Our staff · Nuestro equipo

The people your child will know by name.

Our teachers and leaders bring roots and classroom experience spanning the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain, and the Dominican Republic — plus music and art taught in ASL.

9educators & leaders
PK–2grades for 2026–27
Ed.D.on the team
2025the year we opened

Kelsey Parrish

Director · Co-Founder
🇺🇸 Franklin, NCEN · ES

Kelsey is originally from Franklin, NC. She has her BA in K–12 Spanish Education, which she received from WCU after studying abroad at the Universidad de Cantabria, Spain. She has experience teaching as an English teacher in a Christian bilingual school in the Dominican Republic, as well as years teaching ESL and Spanish as a World Language. Read her full bio →

David Parrish

Financial Director & Family Pastor · Co-Founder
🇺🇸 Franklin, NCB.A. Education

David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education specializing in English Language Arts, and is husband to our Director and co-founder, Kelsey Parrish. He is passionate about children’s, youth, and family ministry as well as education. David taught in public schools for nine years, where he taught English and coached soccer, and served as Youth Pastor for seven years at Community Bible Church before stepping into his role this year as Associate Pastor of Franklin First Assembly of God — overseeing family ministry and serving as the bridge between the church and Sol & Son. Two days a week he teaches high school American Literature at Franklin Christian School while serving day to day at Sol & Son.

Dr. Sarah Campbell

Founding Board Member · Curriculum Committee
Ed.D.EN · ES

Dr. Campbell is an experienced educator and multilingual learning specialist with over 15 years teaching ESL, Spanish, and Adult Education — leading ESL departments, developing curriculum, coaching teachers, managing ESL compliance, and serving as a Spanish-language liaison for families. She holds an M.A. in Second Language Acquisition, an M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, and an Ed.D. in Language, Culture, and Literacy Education. She also teaches continuing education courses for educators through Fresno Pacific University and regularly presents at national conferences such as NCTE, TESOL, and ICLCLE.

Sylkia Chique Figueroa

Curriculum & Assessment
🇵🇷 Puerto RicoM.A.Ed

Sylkia holds an M.A.Ed from the University of Phoenix specializing in teaching language learning and children with special needs. Her experience includes educational research, serving as an assistant principal, teaching English and literature, and providing educational therapy and evaluations. She lives with her son in Puerto Rico and travels back and forth, assisting and training our teachers virtually as well as leading training in Charleston, SC. Sylkia oversees curriculum and assessments.

Ina-Cristina Bultron Fonseca

Kindergarten
🇵🇷 Puerto RicoEN · ES

Ina-Cristina is from Carolina, Puerto Rico, where she spent the past 10 years as a K–3 teacher at the Christian school her mother founded. She has her BA in Teaching, and before that obtained her Master’s in Social Work, spending many invaluable years as a Family Counselor and advocate for children. She made the move to Western NC as her daughters prepare to attend college in Sylva.

Sheena Hughes

Music Teacher
ASL · EN20+ years

Sheena brings more than 20 years of experience in schools, along with six years homeschooling her two boys. She teaches music and signs in ASL.

Evelyn Cardenas Cervantes

1st – 2nd Grade Teacher
Coming soon

Full bio coming soon.

Enedina Torres Mendoza

Pre-K 3 – 4 Teacher
Coming soon

Full bio coming soon.

Carol Ann Bowers Bates

Art Teacher · ASL
ASLComing soon

Full bio coming soon.

+

Join our team

We’re growing a grade a year. See open roles →
Guided by experience · Con guía

Our Mentoring School: Charleston Bilingual Academy.

We didn't start from scratch. Sol & Son is guided by our Mentoring School, Charleston Bilingual Academy — an established two-way immersion school whose model, curriculum, and hard-won experience shape how we teach.

For Franklin families, that means a young school with a seasoned playbook: an immersion model refined in real classrooms, and experienced dual-language educators to lean on as we grow.

What we believe · Lo que creemos

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Psalm 119:105

Sol & Son is firmly rooted in the affirmations of Scripture. Our full Statement of Faith is published openly so every family knows exactly what we believe and teach.

Read our full Statement of Faith

The real introduction happens in person.

Come walk the halls, meet these teachers, and see what a Christ-centered bilingual micro-school feels like.

Book a tour