. >> reporter: more interesting, and according to chris lehmann, s.l.a.'unding principal, much more rewarding. >> when you get away from the front of the room, right, you actually end up being able to spend more time with the kids, not less, and we need to create those spaces, we need to make sure that... that there are teachers who can connect with the kids, who can, mentor the kids, who can be that role model for them in their lives in incredibly powerful ways. >> reporter: s.l.a. has 500 students grade nine through twelve. lehmann founded the school in 2006 in partnership with the franklin institute, a museum of science and technology. an expert on education technology, lehmann has been honored with numerous awards including the prestigious mcgraw prize, which he received in october. >> it is our belief at s.l.a. schools should be cathedrals, that schools should be places of incredible passion and not just what happens in the hallways in between classes, but actually places where kids can't wait to be. >> reporter: but lehmann and his cathedral of learn