Arizona, with more school choice than any other state in the U.S., is home to 580 charter schools with over 230,000 scholars in attendance. As a parent, you desire your children to be prepared for the rigors of high school studies, graduate from a good college and find a rewarding career. Perhaps you would like to see how Arizona’s charter schools can fulfill your dream.
Charter schools are public schools; they’re funded by the same means as traditional public schools. Differences from traditional schools lie between the curricula taught, the student-to-teacher ratio, and the focus of the school’s missions and values. Some emphasize a STEM education, some focus on the fine arts, and others emphasize college preparation.
Leman Academy of Excellence’s focus is on the classical education model. Based upon the traditions of Western culture, wherein the subjects of study are integrated into a rigorous form of learning, scholars of Leman develop critical and independent thinking.
To further explore what Arizona’s charter schools have to offer your children, let’s take a closer look at their academic structures. Here, we will examine:
- Academic Rigor and Curriculum Design
- College Readiness Programs
- Career-Oriented Learning
- Extracurricular Activities and Leadership Opportunities
Academic Rigor and Curriculum Design
All charter schools in Arizona are required to meet educational standards set by both the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools and the Arizona State Board of Education. Charter schools are thus required to meet all state academic standards and are held to higher academic standards than traditional public schools.
At Leman Academy of Excellence, scholars develop a body of knowledge and critical thinking skills utilizing the trivium of classical education. Three stages of learning are embodied in the trivium: the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages.
Within this model, Leman’s K-8 scholars extrude the factual information they absorbed in the grammar stage through a process of higher-order thinking skills; e.g., comparing and contrasting, analyzing and synthesizing, evaluating and creating. Scholars are well-prepared at Leman Academy for the rhetoric stage of the trivium.
College Readiness Programs
Charter high schools in Arizona prepare their scholars for college and beyond. Scholars often earn dual credits in charter schools with college-level courses. Having been immersed in a strong academic program, advanced placement classes, and preparation for college entrance exams, graduating scholars are ready to master higher education.
In addition, charter schools offer counseling to help their scholars discover scholarship opportunities and to guide their choices of colleges and universities that are good matches for their career paths.
Career-Oriented Learning
In addition to college preparation, several of Arizona’s charter schools are focused on learning trades. For example, Applied Technologies is an innovative career and academic charter high school. In this setting, scholars learn in one of ten Career and Technical Education Academies (CTE), which allows scholars to pursue studies in areas such as business and finance, aviation, technology, and health services.
With an emphasis on teamwork, problem-solving, and communication, scholars in career-oriented charter schools are prepared for real-life challenges in their chosen careers.
Extracurricular Activities and Leadership Opportunities
While your children develop their intellectual skills in academic classes, you’ll find them developing strong social and community skills via their school’s extracurricular activities. Arizona’s charter schools have many activities to choose from. Exploring their interests and talents, scholars find chances to excel and lead in activities such as athletic competitions, musical ensemble participation, debate clubs, language clubs, and community service activities.
Furthermore, scholars find real-life outlets and experience for the kinds of activities they will engage in their chosen career paths; e.g., those who want to go into the study of law will find persuasive argument preparation in the debate club. A scholar who wishes to make cello performance a career will flourish in the school’s orchestra. Another, wanting to work with information technology, will find a rewarding experience in the school’s IT organization.
The Leman Academy of Excellence Alumni and Parents
If you’re looking for a charter school for your child that will prepare him or her for a rewarding high school, college, and career experience, look no further than Leman Academy. Here is what past scholars of Leman have to say:
“Leman is wonderful, and we genuinely love the admin and teachers we have had. We would absolutely recommend Leman to anyone going somewhere else, and definitely wish there was a high school so we never had to leave.”
From parents:
“We like that the teachers tailor to the child’s academic abilities and that they partner
with parents in helping scholars succeed.”
Conclusion
An Arizona charter school may be the solution to your child’s education choice. It provides in-depth curricula that extend beyond that offered in traditional public schools, has lower teacher-student ratios, and prepares scholars for high school, secondary education, and careers.
Leman Academy of Excellence, with its classical education model, creates scholars with exceptional intellectual abilities and fosters a lifelong learning approach for its scholars.
Explore The Leman Academy of Excellence in Arizona as a pathway to comprehensive education for your child.