ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new school built specifically for students with special needs celebrated its grand opening in Oro Valley Tuesday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community open house at its new campus on West Magee Road.
It's the third campus for Legacy Learning Community, an Arizona Department of Education-approved private special education school, and its first in the Tucson area. The organization already operates campuses in Show Low and Concho.
CEO Shad Housley said the idea for Legacy Learning Community started with a conversation years ago with a mother who had just learned her child had special needs.
"We were founded on the principle that we want to walk side by side with the parents in helping to educate their child, to help them essentially be the architect of their own future," Housley said.
Housley, who was born and raised in Cochise County, said he wanted to bring that mission back to Southern Arizona. After looking at options around the region, he said Oro Valley was the right fit.
The new campus will serve students in kindergarten through 12th grade, with enrollment capped at 30 students — a deliberate choice, Housley said.
"By keeping it small, keeping it intimate, our staff... are specialized," Housley said. "They understand the needs of the students, and they can keep the environment where it's conducive for all the students' learning."
Housley said that small scale matters especially for students with autism, who can be sensitive to overstimulating environments. Staff paraprofessionals at the school are trained as registered behavior technicians, and the campus also provides occupational and physical therapy on-site as needed for students' individual education plans.
For two brothers who've spent the last five years at the same school, the move to Legacy means starting a new chapter together.
"Mostly, I'm excited about that it's a new school, and mostly we can do different stuff and other things like that," the older brother said.
His younger brother, Leo, said he's looking forward to it too.
"It's like fun," Leo said. "We've been going to the same school for five years... and I'm just so excited to be in his class."
Leading the campus is Dr. Samantha Molitor, who spent years teaching special education in both public and private schools before stepping into the director role. She said that classroom experience will shape how she supports both students and staff.
"I want it to be a place where people want to go," Molitor said. "Because once they want to be there and they feel supported and feel welcomed, you get to grow, and that growth is so important."
Tuesday's open house also featured refreshments from the Tucson Special Eats Dessert Truck, a business founded in 2022 that provides employment opportunities for individuals with special needs.
Legacy Learning Community officially opens for classes August 5. Housley said the Oro Valley campus still has room to enroll, and families interested in touring or applying can reach out directly to the school. If the campus reaches capacity, he said a waitlist will be available, and Legacy will consider opening additional sites in the area if demand grows.
Enrollment information is available at legacylearningcommunity.org.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
