Driven by Standards

In 2023, Suley Cortes, our program’s Creator and Director, faced a pivotal decision as her son prepared to enter Kindergarten. Disheartened by the lack of empathy, quality care, and appropriate student-to-teacher ratios in schools, she sought a nurturing educational environment that would truly support her child’s growth. After careful consideration, she identified two viable paths: finding an academic institution that matched the standards of LeadAZ Private School or choosing to homeschool him.

Driven by her passion for education and community well-being, Suley approached the LeadAZ Board of Directors with an innovative proposal to expand their Middle and High School program to include elementary education. Through months of collaboration and refinement, the board embraced this vision. Today, we proudly celebrate the completion of Judy’s Tots’—named in honor of Judy Kashiwagi, the Kashiwagi family matriarch—inaugural year. Together, we are building a hopeful future for our children.