Chris Lehman

Chris is the founding principal of the Science Leadership Academy, a progressive science and technology high school in Philadelphia, PA.

In 2006, the National School Board Association named Chris one of "20 to Watch" among American administrators.

Chris has spoken at educational technology conferences all over the world, including the Building Learning Communities conference, the 2007 National Educational Computing Conference, the Philadelphia Area Educational Technology Conference, the 2006 K12-Online Conference, the International Conference on Technology and Education and at LinuxWorld, and he has worked with schools and districts in the U.S. and England as a consultant.

Chris received his B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania and his M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Chris is the author of the education blog Practical Theory: http://www.practicaltheory.org

Mission and Vision of the Science Leadership Academy

"How do we learn?" "What can we create?" "What does it mean to lead?"

These three essential questions form the basis of instruction at the Science Leadership Academy (SLA), a new Philadelphia high school opened in September 2006. SLA is built on the notion that inquiry is the very first step in the process of learning. Developed in partnership with The Franklin Institute and its commitment to inquiry-based science, the SLA provides a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum with a focus on science, technology, mathematics and entrepreneurship. Students at SLA learn in a project-based environment where the core values of inquiry, research, collaboration, presentation and reflection are emphasized in all classes.