EAST WENATCHEE — Connor Lester was four years old at his first piano recital. He played “Eensy Weensy Spider” with a box under his feet to keep his legs from dangling off the bench.

That same year, he learned to play chess and read books. As other families in the neighborhood registered their children for kindergarten, Connor’s parents searched for a school that could keep up with him.

“It was almost ludicrous what we would have done to him if we forced him to go into that environment,” his father Don Lester said. “We were making jokes about music class, when the other kids are banging sticks, he’ll be playing Mozart.”

The Lesters studied dozens of home-school curriculum options and enrolled him in Washington Virtual Academy, an online school. WAVA is funded by the state as a public school, so everything is free. WAVA sends boxes of books, worksheets and supplies to supplement his work online.

His mother, Cindy Lester, said she admires home-school families who teach their children outside of the public school system. She felt she needed more guidance.

“I like the structure,” she said. “I like to make sure he has that every day. I know he’s not missing anything that he needs to know.”

While Don works as an engineer, Cindy stays home to help teach Connor and guide him through the WAVA curriculum.

Everything Connor needs is in the dining room of their home — a sprawling computer desk, a tall bookcase of academic games and books, a piano and a table.

School starts at 7 a.m. He spends two hours on language arts, then math every day.

A few days a week, he studies science, art and history.

After school, he practices piano with his mom and chess with his dad. He also plays at the park, goes to the YMCA, and joined a chess club where he can talk to other children.

Connor only recently started feeling comfortable when the other children ask him, “What school do you go to?”

“I tell them, ‘Well, I’m home-schooled’ and then they ask me a bunch of hard questions,” Connor said.

“Like ‘You don’t ever have to work,’ and ‘You don’t ever have to go to school’” his mom said.

“Yeah, I just tell them, ‘Oh well guess what, you’re wrong,’” the boy said. “They don’t know what home-school is like because they go to a regular school.”

WAVA requires students to finish a certain amount of school work each month, and in most subjects Connor is ahead.

Now 8 years old, he’s working on third-grade math, art and history.

A state-certified teacher, Gerry Davis, calls Connor and his mom weekly to check his progress and talk about the work samples they send him.

“We send e-mails to him and he’s also my friend,” Connor said. “He gives me a little pop quiz on my stuff.”

Connor lights up when it’s time for science and history. He loathes spelling, although he’s an excellent reader. He is an average second-grader in spelling, which used to worry his mother.

Davis helps with that, too. He referred Cindy to a Web site, www.SpellingCity.com, where Connor can play fun spelling games and build his vocabulary.

While other kids take winter, spring and summer breaks, Connor continues his studies. In summer, he works for an hour or two a day.

“He’s competing globally, not just with kids down the street,” his dad said.

“One of the big problems with public school is that they’re out a lot of the year. Those are all instruction days that we’re not losing.”

Cindy and Don are still studying other programs and classes for Connor. For now, they’ve ruled out a traditional classroom.

“There are problems with public schools I’m not inclined to tolerate,” Don said.

“He has no idea what a bully really is. He’s never had to deal with one. And schools are very driven by the lowest common denominator.”

Maybe when Connor is older, he’ll enroll at the local high school, where he can take higher-level classes, drama or sports, Don said.

“Every year we have a serious discussion, especially when spring rolls around, about whether we’re going to enroll in the next thing,” he said.

“He will at least complete elementary this way, and then, who knows?”