10News Leadership Award Winner Jim Leiner

10News honors Jim Leiner for creating Pioneer Day School, a school that caters to the needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Leiner is the founder, teacher and executive director of Pioneer Day school. The school started as a private school in 2003, and received its non-profit status in October 2005. In addition to Leiner’s financial contributions, donations have helped to fund the school. Pioneer Day School is a certified, state-approved nonpublic school; hence, the teachers can take the students outside the boundaries of school to attend events and expose them to social situations.

Leiner formed the Pioneer Day School after coaching a boy with ASD and found that there was a severe lack of individualized special education in San Diego. This school focuses on helping the students acclimate into society by developing their confidence and social skills. The school keeps their student-teacher ratio low (the maximum intake is 24 students) to ensure that the students are receiving undivided attention and to enhance their succession.