“Before attending Lumos, our son was very withdrawn, shy, insecure, nervous, and even refused to sing out loud in church, despite being an excellent singer. He never invited friends over to our house and had always hated attending school. In addition, he struggled academically at school a great deal. Since attending Lumos, he has a strong group of friends with which he interacts frequently; he feels more confident in his schoolwork, HATES missing school, and even performs in musicals, as well as doing a stand-up routine at last year’s high school graduation! Lumos has been life-changing for our son!”

- Lumos Parent

“Lumos Arts Academy has been the biggest blessing for our son. he was in the public school system through junior high and just didn’t quite fit in with any of the clicks and struggled with self-confidence because of it. Not to mention the overfilled classrooms with overwhelmed teachers in the public schools make learning difficult. Lumos changed all that, and he found his “squad.”

So, not only does the student environment, full of creative and open-minded kids, make a huge difference, but the teachers are also amazing. The teachers encourage the students to be themselves and be inclusive, and the communication from the teachers to the parents about academics is also outstanding.

My son has improved greatly academically, creatively, and with his self-confidence. He loves going to school every day, and that tells me everything. Thank you, Lumos, you’ve changed our lives for the better, and that is priceless.”

-Lumos Parent

“I’ve been to several schools throughout my life and a lot of them held the same lack of care, especially when it came to special needs students like me. The staff at Lumos, however, were so passionate, patient, and understanding. I owe my graduation to those qualities as it led teachers to really pay attention and help me when I needed it. And not just me, it was always clear how much they cared about each student and it honestly still amazes me.

On top of making sure each student was succeeding the teachers, and especially the principal and founder, worked very hard to make school engaging as well. It was easy to learn as classes were fun and exciting most of the time. We were also given so many opportunities at Lumos, everything from amazing field trips to even letting students design merchandise and other things for the school itself.

I myself actually helped design “The Giving Tree” sign the school displayed the entire time I was there. And maybe even after. And I still own Lumos shirts that other students designed. Everyone who started this school worked so hard to make it anything other than a “typical” school.

And it paid off, being the school I had the best memories and warmest feelings for after trying dozens of others. I know I’m talking it up quite a lot, and I’m not sure how much it might have changed since I was there, but this is where I was happiest and learned the most. And where I was able to plan a course for the rest of my life. I suppose those are really the most important things in the end.”

-former Lumos student

“Where do I begin? My daughter was going to a school called Eduprize & was doing really well till her junior year ended. She was seeing changes & things happening in the school that were causing a lot of anxiety. I really did not know where to turn because I was not going to put my daughter in a public school. I then heard about Jim Lee opening up a school in Mesa called Lumos! I was super excited because I knew my daughter did not want to go to full online schooling & she did not want to go to a public school either. She loves to participate in school activities along with helping out in the school.

Lumos could give my daughter the opportunity to now do online schooling plus be in a school environment. We were now ready to make the leap to see how she would fit into this new school. During this time she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes & was scared to give herself shots in her stomach & leg. The school was able to get her a 504 plan in place & allowed me to come every day & several times a day to give her shots until she was comfortable. This was so amazing & made her feel so at ease during this rough time in her life. The school even put together classes for the teachers about type 1 diabetes so they could understand what to do in an emergency situation. Each classroom was small enough so the students were able to get the attention that was needed to be successful.

Alexis also knew the assistant principal who they hired from her old school & so him going to Lumos helped make her decision an easy one. He was truly amazing & loved each student he interacted with. Long story short my daughter was able to participate in things she would not have done in a public school & I am so grateful she was able to experience that. She graduated with a GPA of 3.7 & got a 4 yr scholarship to NAU. She is currently in her junior year getting a degree in Micro-Biology!”

- former Lumos Parent

“Lumos is such a welcoming and inspiring place for students to learn and grow and forge friendships. My children have flourished attending school here and they thoroughly enjoy the arts and academics blend with their amazing and caring teachers. We love Lumos!”

-Current Lumos Parent

“Lumos Arts Academy is a truly magical place.”

“It is the perfect combination of nurture and challenge so kids can be successful. The staff is wonderful. It's a place where a student can thrive and express themself in their own way. They're very inclusive and open-minded. Lumos honors the children's developmental stage, but they are also a part of the entire community. They get a chance to know the students and teachers from all grades; you don't have to be in a teacher's class for them to know you and vice-versa. My granddaughter and grandson found their perfect fit here. Thank goodness! I wish we had known about it since they started kindergarten. However, the public school certainly gave them an example to measure it by and appreciate it. Going to Lumos gave them a solid foundation and a level of confidence that just keeps building. One of the most significant changes I saw in my grandkids was developing into self-advocating, confident students. Most significantly, they became students who knew how to navigate when not knowing all the answers. They morphed into someone comfortable asking questions and seeking help when needed. The relationships with their teachers, honest feedback, and encouragement truly impacted them as students and as a people. The positive role models and the school environment have been instrumental in them becoming even better people. I could certainly go on, but I'm trying to keep this short, so I'll "just" end with a Godsend, and thank you very much.”

-Lumos Grandparent

“Great performing arts school that is inclusive for non-neurotypical kids!”

-Lumos Parent

“Lumos Arts Academy was the biggest blessing and smartest decision I’ve ever made for my son. The teachers are fun, smart, innovative, and patient; they were true heroes thru the 20-21 school year that was such a nightmare for students and parents at other schools. They made everything seem normal to our students. My son loves his teachers and classmates, he’s made amazing friendships, and his self-confidence has skyrocketed! The owner and administrators genuinely care for the students and the school. I highly recommend Lumos to anyone looking for an alternative to the public school system.”

-Lumos Parent

“This school pushes the creativity that is innate in each child rather than stifles that energy! Singing, music production, drama, painting, photography, and video! All the kids love and brace each other, and the staff is heaven-sent! You can tell they love these kids! I am so grateful my son goes here, and he loves it!”

-Lumos Parent

“I love how Lumos works with your individual child's needs. They make the classes fun for the kids. My child actually wants to go to school. Thanks to the teachers and staff for making a difference!” 😀

-Lumos Parent

“We switched our kids to Lumos because of school closures last year, and it has been by far the best thing we have done. My kids have made more progress than they did at their past school and actually love going to school. The teachers and staff make kids feel valued and capable of achieving their goals.”

-Lumos Parent

I love this place. Quality instruction. Wonderful staff!

-Lumos Parent

"Lumos has been able to create a superior level of education that could not be duplicated anywhere else! Our 15-year-old has grown so much at Lumos; he can be himself in an atmosphere that is so positive and uplifting. He is learning, growing, and coming home happy and excited about school. The staff is phenomenal; they go above and beyond!! I'm sure there will be a waiting list for next year, so I would highly recommend inquiring now. Take a tour and meet the staff. You can't help but smile here, and you can feel the happiness!!"

-Lumos Parent

“I have so many great things to say about Lumos Arts Academy for so many reasons. My son started attending Lumos in 2018 at the beginning of his 7th-grade year. At the time, he was in a large population junior high in the public school atmosphere. He had attended public school his entire grade school experience. Still, after realizing that he needed to experience school in a smaller atmosphere with more one-on-one attention, we decided to give Lumos a try based on his individual needs. One of the best decisions I’ve made for my son.

The administration and staff at this school have been excellent in every aspect, from teaching my son the correct grade-level curriculum, offering classes that teach life skills and mentorship programs that guide them through real-life application. I have recommended and will continue to recommend Lumos to those people I come in contact with that require this type of school experience for their child. It has changed both my child’s life and my own, for the better.” 

- Lumos Parent

"We love you, Miss Robin because you are so caring and make learning fun. You are so patient with Hudson even though he gets distracted. You are also caring and passionate about teaching. Hudson has learned more in half a year at Lumos than he did a full year in kindergarten at public school. It's amazing how you help Hudson with exactly what he needs to learn, and you meet him where he is academically even though you have other students. Thank you for taking the time to help him and me any time! You are so thoughtful and sweet to send Hudson notes and check in on our family and see how we are all doing! I am so thankful for everything you have taught Hudson. Thank you!! Hudson misses you, and we hope you will be his teacher next year."

- Lumos Parent & Elementary Student

“Mr. Murray is so welcoming and always tries to make us feel good while we learn!”

- Lumos Middle School Student

“Ms. Horvath, Thank you!! You’ve pushed me to do things that I didn’t think I would/could ever do, like getting 50% Math Edgenuity done in one month! Thank you again. From me & all other students and staff that you’ve influenced, I say, “THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, all the time, work, and energy, that You use to help us succeed. Love you.” 

- Lumos High School Student

"It been three years, and we have been there since the beginning. Not to say that it hasn't had a few bumps in the road being a new school, but it has been mostly great too! The vision they have for this school is coming together, and it gets better every single day. The communication with parents and children makes it OUR school. My child has grown so much in confidence and character being around staff and friends who care. I can't wait to see how this school evolves in the years to come! I wish this were an option when I was a kid!"

-Lumos Parent

“My grandson has been going to Lumos and his grades have never been better. Thank you”

-Lumos Grandparent

“My daughter’s been attending Lumos Arts Academy since last year. We are so happy to be part of the Lumos family. The staff cares about my daughter and her overall development.”

-Lumos Parent

“My daughter goes to Lumos. I know the staff genuinely care for her. I also know that she is in a safe place that encourages all the students to develop positive character traits and to be kind to each other. It's so nice to have a small school option available.”

-Lumos Parent

“We love the small class size, awesome teachers and staff, and the amazing programs they offer, such as digital art and digital music. My daughter loves this school.”

-Lumos Parent

“The leadership, staff, and their vision are truly amazing. This is a place where character matters, art matters, and most importantly- KIDS matter!”

-Lumos Parent