Academies of Math and Science

In 1994, Co-Founder and Academies of Math and Science (AMS) CEO, Tatyana Chayka, emigrated with her family from Uzbekistan during the dissolution of the USSR. During her initial years in the United States, she searched for a school that could offer her son the education she wanted for him. Not being able to find schools that were right for her son, in 2000 she decided to scratch her own itch and with partner Sergey Shayevich, founded the Academy of Math and Science.

Her vision was to create a school which offered a superior education in mathematics and science while still incorporating foreign language, music, and art. Mrs. Chayka intended to build a program that she wished her son could have had, one where he could take guitar lessons, perform science experiments, and receive professional art instruction without having to have his parents pay for each of these activities. The initial year was tough. With only 30 students during the first year, it was unclear whether or not the school would make it to year two.

During this difficult trial, Cathy Lund with the Walton Family Foundation paid a visit to the school and saw what Mrs. Chayka had seen – a vision of a successful school model. Through perseverance, hard work, planning, and a generous contribution from the Walton Family Foundation, Tatyana Chayka's vision was realized – the school finished a tremendous first year and produced excellent results for the new students.

Mrs. Chayka and the AMS team, fortunately, did not stop with one school of 30 students in Tucson, but have since opened another campus in Tucson and two more in Phoenix.  The network now serves 2500 students and is ranked among the top-performing charter networks in the state of Arizona; in fact, AMS Prince was named the 2016 AZ Charter School of the Year. A key difference between AMS and other networks is AMS’s mission of only opening schools in underserved neighborhoods, the ones most in need of high quality educational programs.

A central guiding question has continuously propelled AMS to move forward and keep growing: “If not us, then who will do this work?” AMS plans to continue to grow as long as there are communities in need of high quality educational programs. AMS’s growth and continued success is possible because of a team effort from families, AMS staff, and many others outside the immediate AMS team including organizations such as A for Arizona, Arizona Charter Schools Association, New Schools for Phoenix, the Walton Family Foundation, Charter School Growth Fund (and its consultants and partners who have helped the network formulate its growth plan), the program offices behind the federal and state Charter School Program grants, the many dedicated Governing Board members, and dozens of individual AMS supporters and partners.

Our success is and will always be a team effort.

Change and growth excite us, while diverse and innovative thinking inspires us to produce amazing results for children. 

Arizona Charter School of the Year

AMS was named the Arizona Charter School of the Year by the Arizona Charter Schools Association.

Career Advancement

We’re growing by 30% each year and have regular opportunities for promotion and career mobility.

 At AMS, we believe in empowering great talent through great culture.  As we grow by roughly 30% each year, we are seeking intelligent, data-driven staff eager to uphold the same academic excellence that made our school in an A-rated Charter School. We hire the most motivated, passionate educators - not necessarily the most experienced - and we love to promote from within!