Welcome to LEADPrep
We are a team of educators, innovators and mentors – close-knit and energetic – shaping tomorrow’s leaders at our small (we will cap at 49 students) alternative private school in Kirkland, Washington. We have a 6th-10th grade campus opening in Seattle fall of 2017. We are wholeheartedly committed to seeing all students realize their passions and potential. Our innovative and dedicated approach prepares them to embrace their bright futures.
Quick Facts
Founded: 2013
Grades: 6–12
Location: Kirkland, WA
Teacher/Student Ratio: 1/8
501c3 Nonprofit
Accredited through NWAC-AdvancED
NWAIS Subscriber School
Annual Service Learning Trip
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
Great Leaders are Made,
Not Born
We believe that leadership is one of the most important skills in life. That’s why our curriculum is designed to weave in lessons that develop communication and public 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 both self-knowledge and valuing the dignity and worth of others.
STEM
Building Critical Skills for
High-Demand Careers
At our alternative private school, we integrate the four subjects of STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — into a cohesive and hands-on curriculum. From building robots to computer coding, we help our students find their interests and passions in a fun way that broadens their horizons.
Flip Lessons
No More Hours of
Homework!
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 at school. The below video shows excerpts from actual flip lessons we use at LEADPrep.
Bridge
Helping Graduates
Find Their Way
At LEADPrep, we know that the journey after high school is a complex and critical one. In order to best prepare our students, we guide them through a customized process with personality and career assessment, SAT prep, college visits, and guest speakers from various fields. We also monitor and support them during a six-month “bridge” period after graduation.
Our Experiential Approach
Improved Learning By Doing
Students learn better by seeing and doing, so we dedicate Fridays to experiential half-day outings. Our activities include “service learning” such as travel to Guatemala, cooking and serving monthly at a homeless teen shelter, planting trees, and more. 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.
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
[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
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
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
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 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
[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.”
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 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 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.”
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
Head Teacher Kirkland
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, making baskets, and reading murder mysteries.
Jodi Walter
Head Teacher Seattle
Travis Koster
Digital Media
Travis is our Leadership & Digital Storytelling instructor and serves on the LEADprep Academy Board. Travis works to create strong ties within the Seattle Community as a digital media producer and educator. Travis sees digital media as a means to promote positive change globally. He works to deepen the knowledge base surrounding digital storytelling, film making and civic engagement through digital content creation and education. He is the co-founder and Creative Director of Cherry Street Films.
Kanani Koster
Digital Media
KANANI is an Urban Educator and Digital Storyteller, with a B.A. in Liberal Studies and M.A.Ed. in Urban Environmental Education from Antioch University. Kanani is currently earning her MFA: Arts Leadership Program at Seattle University. She also is curently serving on Crosscut’s Young Professional’s Board.
Her strong belief in experiential hands on learning and a passion for filmmaking and the Arts led to her Digital Storytelling. Kanani values Digital Storytelling as an equitable and engaging way for youth to become empowered media makers. Her belief that media is a reflection of our culture has inspired her pedagogy in creating critical thinkers who can create more representative and authentic narratives. She is the co-founder and Educational Director of Cherry Street Films.
Nito Flores
Spanish
Nito is an LA native who has taken the opportunity to teach abroad and in Seattle. Having tackled other languages, he creates interactive classroom experiences merged with long-term interests. Aside from teaching, you can find Nito on the dance floor with combing his Latin flare with his hip-hop moves and the occasional step routine.
Dave Lundry
Humanities
Lauren Bonvini
Math
Lauren is the lead math teacher at LEADPrep and a math and science tutor after school hours. She was a biology major and mathematics minor at Mount Holyoke College and spent two years in a PhD program at Dartmouth College for ecology and evolutionary biology before deciding that a career path in higher education was not a great fit. After working in genetics and psychiatry labs in NH for a few years and tutoring part time, she decided to move west with her to pursue tutoring full time in the Seattle area. Her passion is convincing students who have been discouraged in math that they can accomplish what they used to think was impossible! When she’s not teaching, she’s probably snuggling with her rescue cat, riding her rescue horse, rock climbing, taking photos, or backpacking, almost always with Möbius the math dog in tow.
Möbius
Math Dog
Möbius is Lauren Bonvini’s middle-aged rescue mutt (5/8 German Shepherd, 1/8 Rottweiler, and 1/4 mystery according to his genetic test). He was 6 years old, completely untrained, and a total wild child who was completely new to city life when Lauren rescued him. With some very dedicated training, he has become a model dog citizen of Seattle. He loves people of all ages, backpacking trips, saving rocks from drowning in streams and lakes, shredding tennis balls, and never-ending games of fetch. One of his favorite things is acting as the math therapy dog at LEADPrep, providing a calming presence to help prevent students from getting stressed out about math!
Straton Spyropoulo
Teacher Kirkland
Straton has lived in Seattle for over 25 years, but his Washington, D.C., roots still show. He has taught adults software and hardware engineering, and tutored math and science since he was in high school. He sings, reads Shakespeare aloud, dances, sometimes including his middle school daughter.
Get in Touch
LEADPrep
316 Fourth Avenue South
Kirkland, WA 98033
Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy
Executive Director
maureen@LEAD-prep.org
425-298-6451
