Leman Academy of Excellence plans to open a new school in Oro Valley for the next school year.
Dr. Leman created one Pre-K through middle school charter school in Marana and Sierra Vista with a philosophy of being kind, respectful and encouraging one another.
"We don't take excuses from anybody, we have high expectations," said Dr. Leman. "We believe in vitamin E which is encouragement, and we believe in vitamin N which is no."
The school has a classical model approach. Students will learn Spanish in kindergarten, Latin in third grade, and logic in sixth grade. Dr. Leman says the school is seeing high test scores.
"Our school is premised on the fact that we are all learners and we draw out of kids what they already know. There are no worksheets at Leman, if I saw worksheets and my kid was going to that school I'd be gone in a second," said Dr. Leman. " I want kids to be critical thinkers."
"You just find a joy of learning with these scholars that I haven't seen before with others," said Emily Svenson, a second-grade teacher. "We are teaching interesting things and we are basing is off of what our scholars are interested in so we have a theme with what we are teaching."
Parents say their child enjoys school so much, they don't want to miss a day.
"She loves coming to school every morning she hates to miss school and again for me as a mom that is really tremendous that she really wants to be here and she thrives when she is here she is excited," said Faith Mathews, a mother.
Dr. Leman says there is not one student on campus that doesn't feel loved.
"If you can say that about a public school, that's pretty cool...its fun to be here," he said.
Open enrollmentfor the new Oro Valley school starts Thursday and goes until January 6th.
