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Founder Spotlight: Justin Lessek

Justin Lessek served as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator in Chicago; DC; and Santiago, Chile, before launching The Sojourner Truth School, Washington’s first secondary public Montessori school. The school’s whole-child approach will place as much attention on personal development and emotional wellness as traditional academic development. Throughout Justin’s career he has led successful initiatives in competency-based learning, personalization, blended learning, and biliteracy, and he brings a dedication for innovation to his work at Truth. Justin is passionate about creating inclusive, fluid learning environments that reimagine the relationships among students, teachers, and school itself.

Justin was a CityBridge Resident in 2019.

Truth is a Montessori middle school and high school that fosters student-led classrooms, enables students to engage in meaningful work with real-world applications, and offers a close-knit community where students pursue justice and practice stewardship.

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