🌱 Charter School · Kindergarten – Grade 8 · Central Phoenix

Every Child is Capable, Competent & Ready to Learn

Creative Thinkers. Inspired Doers.

Phoenix Modern is a learner-centered charter school in Central Phoenix, operated by Valley Learning Foundation of Arizona. We place student agency, curiosity, and joy at the heart of every learning experience.

Enroll Your Child Support Our Mission Our Mission & Vision

📍 200 E Mitchell Dr
Phoenix, AZ 85012

About Phoenix Modern

Rooted in Wonder. Built for Growth.

Our Mission

"To support a diverse community of learners in developing the skills, mindset and character that best prepare them for positive, healthy and productive engagement in the world."

Our Vision

"A community of learners driven by an innate sense of wonder, where children experience joy and loving relationships, and the learning approach is designed to support a lifetime of growth."

✨

Wonder Spark curiosity and exploration through open-ended discovery

❤️

Love Every learner feels seen, heard, and supported as an individual

🌟

Joy Learning is a joyful journey through play, projects, and discovery

🌱

Growth Whole-child development across academics, personal, and social dimensions

Our Educational Philosophy

A Learner-Centered, Whole-Child Model

Phoenix Modern rejects the one-size-fits-all "batch processing" model of education. Instead, we place student agency, curiosity, and intrinsic motivation at the center of every learning experience.

Learner Agency & Self-Direction

Students make meaningful choices in how they engage with content, take on real responsibilities, and explore their passions within structured academic frameworks. One-on-one accountability coaching develops self-awareness and executive function.

Mastery-Based Progression

Learners earn mastery-based badges reflecting deep learning and perseverance — only awarded after demonstrating a challenging set of criteria at mastery level. No learner advances before genuinely internalizing core concepts.

Whole-Child Development

Our framework encompasses four domains: Academic Skills, Wellness (emotional intelligence and physical health), Processing (critical thinking), and Wayfinding (resilience, adaptability, and decision-making).

Mixed-Age Learning Communities

Multi-age studios (K–1, 2–3, 4–5, 6–8) reflect research showing children learn powerfully from peers at different developmental stages, enabling natural differentiation without stigma.

Curiosity & Experiential Learning

The Quest program delivers immersive, interdisciplinary, learner-driven projects in science and social studies — challenging learners to solve real-world problems and connect academic content to their community.

The Guide Model

Teachers are called "Guides" — a deliberate choice. A Guide's role is to design the conditions in which learners discover, construct, and apply knowledge themselves, rather than transmitting information directly.

Our Learning Environments

Multi-Age Studios

Phoenix Modern organizes learning in multi-age studios rather than traditional single-grade classrooms. Each studio is designed to meet learners developmentally and build increasing independence and rigor.

Kindergarten – Grade 1

Foundations Studio

Focuses on early literacy, numeracy, and independent learning habits. Learners build the foundational skills — reading, writing, and math reasoning — through structured programs and learner-driven Quest experiences.

BookwormsTakeoffAmira LearningLexia Core5IXL

Grades 2–3

Primary Studio

Emphasizes reading comprehension, written expression, and mathematical reasoning. Learners engage in sustained academic work for a minimum of two hours daily, deepening mastery and collaborative learning.

BookwormsTakeoffAmira LearningLexia Core5IXL

Grades 4–5

Elementary Studio

Increases academic rigor and promotes leadership and responsibility. Learners engage in a minimum of three hours of focused academic work daily, with emphasis on complex text analysis, written communication, and collaborative problem-solving.

BookwormsTakeoffIXLAmira LearningLexia Core5

Grades 6–8

Middle School Studio

Prepares learners for high school through rigorous expectations and increasing autonomy. Focus on critical thinking, evidence-based writing, and application across disciplines with clear college and career readiness goals.

ZearnCommonLitIXLQuest Projects

How We Teach

Three Core Learning Approaches

Every day at Phoenix Modern weaves together three interconnected learning experiences designed to develop the whole child.

🏋️

Learner-Driven Academic Workshops

Structured learning blocks where learners work at their own pace using advanced adaptive tools to earn mastery-based badges. Guides use real-time data to adjust individual learning plans weekly.

🔭

Experiential Learning Through Quests

Immersive, interdisciplinary, learner-driven projects in science and social studies. Learners investigate real-world questions, collaborate across age groups, and present findings to authentic audiences.

🤝

Character & Community Practice

Daily Circles and mixed-age collaboration build listening, perspective-taking, conflict resolution, accountability, and civic identity — developing the whole child, not just academic skills.

Students collaborating at Phoenix Modern

Our People

Leadership & Governing Board

Valley Learning Foundation of Arizona is governed by a five-member board with complementary expertise in nonprofit management, education, finance, charter school operations, and curriculum oversight.

Interim Board Chair

Jessica Weissbuch

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and nonprofit executive with 15+ years of experience. Founder and Executive Director of Brave Trails, a nationally recognized $2M nonprofit. Expertise in internal financial controls, board-level fiscal transparency, and capital campaigns.

Interim Board Vice Chair

Aaron Harris

Strategic executive with 16+ years in enterprise growth, operational modernization, and performance governance. Currently leading national revenue strategy for LetterStream and founding partner of Tandem, an AI-enabled growth architecture firm.

Interim Board Secretary

Shannon Gallagher

Operations executive with 15+ years in mission-driven organizations including education and EdTech. Co-founder of a charter high school that grew into a six-school network, with expertise in state reporting, student recruitment, and internal controls.

Board Member · Finance

Larry Curran

Entrepreneurial education leader and finance executive with 30+ years of experience. Former Arizona State-Licensed School Operator. Manages nearly $500M in private credit with deep expertise in USFR, risk management, and internal controls.

Board Member · Academic Liaison

Jessica Taylor

Experienced educator, instructional leader, and former charter school governing board member. Founding member of Phoenix Modern's instructional team. Holds an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from ASU and is pursuing a Master's in Montessori Education.

Executive Director

Nikol Carlson

Innovative education executive with 6+ years of leadership experience. Currently serving as School Director at Phoenix Modern, transitioning to Executive Director under VLFA with full-time, daily, on-site leadership. Holds an MA in Educational Leadership and background as a Special Education Teacher.

Get In Touch

We'd Love to Hear From You

Whether you're interested in enrollment, have questions about our programs, or want to learn more about Valley Learning Foundation of Arizona, we're here to help.

📍

School Address 200 E Mitchell Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85012

✉️

School Email discover@phoenixmodern.org

📬

Foundation Email ValleylearningfoundationofAZ@gmail.com

🏫

Grades Served Kindergarten – Grade 8

📋

Authorizer Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS)