Welcome to LEADPrep
LEADPrep creates a dynamic space where education is engaging, not one-size-fits-all, for all learners to be seen, heard, valued, and thriving. LEADPrep is an innovative middle/high micro-school where teens thrive in our collaborative, experiential, and learner-centered environment.
Learner-centered
Personalized student learning at all phases: now and for what’s next
Experiential
Cohesive, hands-on curriculum for engaged problem-solving
Accountable
Empowered students developing agency to drive their own learning
Demonstrated
Voice and choice in assessing and showcasing mastery
Getting the right “fit” is our top priority. Our model allows for diverse learners, including gifted or learning challenged, to thrive.
Education is not one-size-fits-all.
DIVERSITY. EMPATHY. EXPLORATION.
Our intentionally diverse, multi-age student population celebrates differences and provides a safe community of voice and choice in exploring real-world concepts, while pushing for self-growth and accountability.
Quick Facts
Founded: 2013
Grades: 6–12
Teacher/Student Ratio: 1/5
2 campuses: Seattle / Kirkland
Annual Service Learning Trip
Community-Based Fridays
Accredited through NWAC-AdvancED
NWAIS Candidate School
Non-Public Agency (NPA)
501C3 Nonprofit
Interdisciplinary A/B Schedule Blocks
Flipped Learning Certified: Level-I
The Challenge Ahead
The challenge ahead for all students is imminent and multi-faceted. Will your child be prepared to succeed? Here are some eye-opening stats and facts that you may find interesting about your children’s future.
What Makes LEADPrep Different
Four Unique Offerings Set Us Apart
Leadership
Inspiring and
Motivating Action
We believe that leadership is an important life skill. That’s why our curriculum is designed to weave in lessons that develop communication and speaking abilities, decision-making skills, and most importantly, the confidence to explain ideas and inspire others. Along the way, our students learn an ethical leadership style that encompasses self-knowledge, self-advocacy, wellness, and valuing the dignity and worth of others.
STEM
Building Critical Thinking Skills
By Doing
At our alternative private school, we integrate the four subjects of STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — into a cohesive and hands-on curriculum. Students use design thinking for anything from building robots to producing films. We help our students find their interests and passions in a fun way that broadens their horizons, creating a mindset to problem-solve for the future.
Flip Lessons
Trading in Hours of Homework
for Active Learning
Instead of students toiling over hours of reading and memorization, LEADPrep flips homework on its head.
Our students watch videos at home each night prepared by our educators to preview the lessons for the following day. This enables students to apply concepts and engage in the subject matter in a focused and direct way in the classroom.
Bridge
Diving Deep to Make
Interdisciplinary Connections
At LEADPrep, we break down the walls of discrete subject learning, enabling our teachers and learners to explore relevant links across our curriculum. By breaking down these artificial barriers we dive deep to explore a theme, concept, or problem to synthesize learning across subjects and make real-world connections.
Our Experiential and Interdisciplinary Approach
Improved Learning By Doing
Students learn better by seeing, doing and making connections. At LEADPrep we combine subject blocks to allow for natural connections between ideas and concepts across different disciplinary boundaries. Our students actively engage in problem solving, with an emphasis on social justice. In both group projects and individually, students grapple with finding solutions to real-world issues for meaningful learning. We dedicate Fridays and three full weeks to experiential outings and “service learning” such as building schools in Nicaragua, cooking and serving at a homeless teen shelter, planting trees, and much more.
What Students are Saying
they make sure we know our stuff before we move forward
“The teachers don’t follow a herd mentality. They work with the individual instead of just the whole class. They don’t stress about working in only one way and say there is no other option, instead they work with us and make sure we know our stuff before we move forward. LEADPrep is more fun in general.”
What Parents are Saying
[our son] is thriving and learning now
“With LEADPrep, it was night and day. Our son works at his own pace, towards goals set by him under the guidance of teachers. We are so happy that he is thriving and learning now, rather than struggling in public school because he can’t keep up. At LEADPrep, you know right away if there are any concerns and the teachers step up to help where needed and keep us informed.”
What Parents are Saying
the best school year he’s ever had
“My son told me it’s the best school year he’s ever had, and that’s great coming from a 9th grader!”
What Parents are Saying
for the first time, he really enjoyed going to school
“Thank you, Maureen, for all the great work and effort you and the rest of the teachers provided to our son. It made a huge difference, and for the first time, he really enjoyed going to school.”
What Parents are Saying
the LEADPrep teachers appreciate my son's gifts
“The faculty and staff at LEADPrep have embraced my son’s unique style of learning from day one. Rather than stifle his individuality and squelch his inventive thoughts and dreams, the LEADPrep teachers appreciate my son’s gifts and encourage him to study the subjects he enjoys in the way he learns best.”
What Students are Saying
you actually have a chance to talk to your teachers
“It’s really nice that it’s a small school because you actually have a chance to talk to your teachers. Homework stress is a lot less. Also, it starts later and it’s nice not having to get up at the crack of dawn. People are nice and don’t judge you.”
What Students are Saying
I don’t feel stressed when I walk into school each morning
“I can work at my own level, not just at grade level. There are a lot less people than my other school and that makes it a lot easier. I don’t feel stressed when I walk into school each morning. The teachers are very nice. They are not at all strict compared to my other school. We have lots of breaks. I don’t have to worry as much about my homework compared to the other school.”
What Students are Saying
the teachers support my passion
“I love the fact that LEADPrep is a small school with personalized learning. I only have homework I need, not busy work. The teachers support my passion for history and always encourage me to get further into it.”
What Parents are Saying
We have been thrilled with our decision
“We are now seeing a happier, more confident good student in our daughter. The things we were concerned about (a smaller school, missing out on dances, etc.) turned out to be a non-issue. She now has time for extra-curricular activities and the homework battle is gone. It’s been a great experience and I cannot express enough what an impact LEADPrep has had on our family. We have been thrilled with our decision.”
What Parents are Saying
[LEADPrep] has brought the twinkle back to our boy’s eyes
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping our son rediscover how bright and capable he is. We were just ‘wow’d!’ by his performance on the Compass test. Even more important than grades on paper…our son is extremely proud of himself. The entire LEADPrep staff has brought the twinkle back to our boy’s eyes. Thank you.”
Meet Our Educators
Maureen O'Shaughnessy
Founder, Executive Director
Maureen is a trailblazing school administrator and mother of three. Her master’s and doctorate focused on educational innovation. She is thrilled to use her experience and passion for personalized learning and academic success to innovate and lead this non-traditional, creative school. Hobbies include travel, exploring, and singing to the car radio.
Terry Risdon
Director of Learning & Science Teacher
Terry is a certified science teacher and mother of one. Her education is in Zoology, Ecology, and Secondary Education. After teaching briefly in public schools, Terry found her heart’s calling while homeschooling her son through high school in addition to teaching many other homeschooled students and students with special needs. In her spare time she can be found gardening with native plants, swimming, and watching birds at her backyard feeders.
Jessica Isakow
Kirkland Campus co-ordinator & Science Teacher
Born and raised in South Africa, Jessica is new to the PNW. She studied Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management before finding her passion in education and teaching. She is a qualified secondary teacher specializing in biology and science. She loves working with students in small learning environments where she can really get to know each child on an individual level. In her spare time, Jess usually has her nose in a book, playing word games or finishing a puzzle. Nerd Alert!
Jacob Janin
Humanities / English Teacher
Jacob is new to Seattle. Born and raised in Eugene, OR, he received his B.A. in philosophy at Whitman College. After living in Ghana and working at a small orphanage/voluntourism NGO, Jacob moved home and served as a third grade and support services aide and middle school P.E. teacher at Portland Jewish Academy. In his spare time, Jacob enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, listening to audiobooks, playing ultimate frisbee, and watching basketball.
Casey Ikeda
Humanities / History Teacher
Casey is a Seattle native and is excited for the opportunity to give and support his community. Casey received his BA in History at the University of San Francisco. After graduation he stayed and work at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center designing cultural programs for elementary school students and seniors living in the neighborhood. In his free time, Casey enjoys playing Ultimate frisbee, hiking, snowboarding, and binge watching Netflix series.
Rob Nightingale
Humanities / Leadership Teacher
Rob found his passion for working with children at a summer camp in upstate New York, where he led children through a multitude of tasks – ranging from kayaking to songwriting, while providing emotional support for children struggling being away from home for the first time. From there, he began working in an elementary school special education classroom in Florida, where he found the joys of working with neurodiverse children. In 2015, Rob moved across the country, taking a month long road trip from Florida to Seattle while camping at all the national parks he could along the way. He has spent the past four years working as an ABA behavior technician, providing one on one support both at home and in the classroom for children with autism as young as three and as old as eighteen. In his free time, Rob loves noodling on guitar, paddling his canoe, and snoozing in his hammock.
Mansi Sorathiya
STEM and Middle School Math Kirkland
Lindsay Spangler
Seattle Campus Coordinator & Science Teacher
Lindsay is a transplant to the PNW, born and raised in Virginia. She received a B.S. degree in Environmental Resource Management from Virginia Tech. After moving to Thailand for a year to teach English and Science, she found a passion for education. She worked at a private non-profit school for autism after her travels abroad, and eventually made it out to Seattle as an environmental educator with Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. She loves inspiring youth to recognize the importance of protecting the environment, and the communities within it. In her spare time, she usually escapes to the mountains for camping and hiking. She also enjoys learning new instruments and music.
Tor Sacco
Seattle Math/Physics Teacher
Tor is born and raised in Bellingham, and graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in Mathematics for Secondary Education. During his time at Central, Tor did some private tutoring and was a paraeducator for an alternative, self-paced high school for students that struggled with traditional school structure. After graduating, Tor moved to Seattle to begin a career with LEADPrep. When moving to Seattle, Tor was excited about having access to more parks, indoor climbing, Uwajimaya, and being within five minutes of salt water.
Fernanda Postare
High School Spanish Teacher
Fernanda is a Spanish teacher who was born and raised in Argentina. She got her BS degree in Education and has been teaching for 16 years, not only in elementary but also in HS. Fernanda lived three years in Spain, where she worked in different schools as an ESL teacher as well as a Spanish teacher as a second language. Teaching and taking care of her students is her passion. In her free time, Fernanda takes ballet and modern jazz dance classes. She has been dancing since she was a child.
Chris Wilkey
Art Teacher
Chris was born and raised in the Southeast. He got into education during his time attending music school at Florida State University, where he started teaching music lessons to children and adults. After graduating, Chris moved to South Korea where he taught elementary school students English as a second language. Upon returning to the United States, Chris became a tutor and mentor to high school students in Florida, before moving to Seattle in early 2020. Chris is an artist and musician who enjoys sharing the gift of artistic expression with his students. When he is not working on music and art projects, Chris also enjoys cooking, working on motorcycles, and exploring other cultures through travel.
Get in Touch
LEADPrep
Kirkland Campus
316 Fourth Avenue South
Kirkland, WA 98033
LEADPrep
Seattle Campus
Phinney Neighborhood Association
6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy
Executive Director
maureen@LEAD-prep.org
425-298-6451
