Second grader Hayden Drake, center, listens with peers during lessons on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Denise Embry's class at The Leadership School, St. Louis County's first charter school. The school, located in Pagedale, currently serves kindergarten through second grade. Embry nicknamed her classroom the "Obama House of Excellence."
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Renada Chandler, a tutor with Smart Kids, Inc. gathers kindergarteners on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in the common room at The Leadership School in Pagedale. Chandler was conducting reading and language assessment exercises with the group to gauge their academic levels. The Leadership School, which is St. Louis County's first charter school, currently serves kindergarten through second grade, but will add a level each year to reach grade eight.
Kimberly Townsend, founder and executive director of The Leadership School in Pagedale, celebrates the opening of the first charter school in St. Louis County, on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
Students sing their school song, "I Wanna Be a Leader," at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first charter school in St. Louis County, The Leadership School, on Wednesday, September 7, 2022.
Peyton Lloyd, a second grader at The Leadership School, settles into her seat on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, during an opening ceremony at St. Louis County's first charter school. The school, located in Pagedale, currently serves kindergarten through second grade.
Kimberly Townsend, founder and executive director of The Leadership School, located in Pagedale, listens on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, during an opening ceremony at St. Louis County's first charter school. The school currently serves kindergarten through second grade but hopes to add a level each year to reach grade eight.
Second grader Hayden Drake, center, listens with peers during lessons on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Denise Embry's class at The Leadership School, St. Louis County's first charter school. The school, located in Pagedale, currently serves kindergarten through second grade. Embry nicknamed her classroom the "Obama House of Excellence."
Kimberly Townsend, founder and executive director of The Leadership School, located in Pagedale, listens on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, during an opening ceremony at St. Louis County's first charter school. The school currently serves kindergarten through second grade but hopes to add a level each year to reach grade eight.
Peyton Lloyd, a second grader at The Leadership School, settles into her seat on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, during an opening ceremony at St. Louis County's first charter school. The school, located in Pagedale, currently serves kindergarten through second grade.
Renada Chandler, a tutor with Smart Kids, Inc. gathers kindergarteners on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in the common room at The Leadership School in Pagedale. Chandler was conducting reading and language assessment exercises with the group to gauge their academic levels. The Leadership School, which is St. Louis County's first charter school, currently serves kindergarten through second grade, but will add a level each year to reach grade eight.
