Surprise, Ariz. charter school opens its doors with hefty waiting list

PHOENIX — As most kids are checking off their lists, gathering their supplies and packing their bags in anticipation of the beginning of the school year, students at the Legacy Traditional School in Surprise, Arizona are wrapping up their first week of classes.

Aaron Hale, Executive Director of the back-to-basics charter school, said the school year is off to a good start, despite opening just this fall.

Approximately 1,300 students are enrolled, but there are still nearly a thousand students on the waiting list, according to Hale. And, he added, it is not just students wanting to be part of the school.

“We had a huge outpouring of demand from teachers in the Surprise area who wanted to come teach for us because of the opportunities, because of the different curriculum we provide and the higher standards that we hold our students to,” Hale said.

Hale said the school focuses on reading, writing, and math, but Legacy Traditional students can also opt for special tracks in physical education or music performing arts, starting as early as the third grade.

This is the ninth campus in the group of Legacy Traditional Charter schools, totaling about 10,000 students. The Surprise campus has students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Hale boasted that the roll-out of this latest facility in Surprise has been the smoothest yet, crediting what he calls the “amazing staff.”

KTAR News’ Sharon Mittelman contributed to this report. 

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