Founders Classical Academy’s new building will include two science labs, a lunchroom and classrooms for students in higher grades. Founders Classical Academy’s new building will include two science labs, a lunchroom and classrooms for students in higher grades.[/caption]

Founders Classical Academy on Leander Drive has begun construction of a new building that school leaders said they hope to see finished in 2015. The building will have two new science labs and new classrooms for students in higher grades as well as added parking and landscaping for the campus.

The full-time classical charter school opened Aug. 25 on the former Summit Christian Academy property in Leander. Founders ended its first semester with about 480 students and long waiting lists for almost every available grade from kindergarten to 10th grade, Headmaster Dr. Kathleen OToole said.

Students have adapted well to the charter schools emphasis on classical education, she said. Students in early grades are taught basic learning and grammar, then study logical tools in middle grades and move to rhetoric and composition in higher grades.

Classical education asks a lot of students, OToole said. But we have found that they love the challenge and that they can often accomplish more than they expected when the bar is high and they have the support of their teachers.

OToole said the school may add grade 11 in 2016 and grade 12 in 2017. The school is run by Lewisville-based Responsive Education Solutions.