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 with purpose: now and for what’s next
Experiential
Cohesive, student-directed curriculum for discovery, passion and purpose
Accountable
Empowered students developing agency to drive their own learning
Demonstrated
Voice and choice in assessing and showcasing interest to 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 Wednesdays 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 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 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
[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 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 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 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
Thank you
“Thank you for your unwavering support of our son at LEADPrep through his many ups and downs—never giving up on him and leading him to his high school diploma!”
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 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.”
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.
Christi Trimble-Kreutz
Operations Manager
Christi is a proud mom of four kids, 2 dogs, and 2 cats. She has a soft spot in her heart for unique educational opportunities. Between them, she and her two younger kiddos have 4 alternative school experiences, spanning preschool thru high school.
Drawing on her varied career and life experiences, Christi’s goal is to provide the background support needed to make it possible for the other staff members to thrive in their roles and fully utilize their talents.
In her free time, Christi enjoys reading, spending time with family, friends & pets, traveling to sunny destinations, designing spaces, furniture, decor & gifts and engaging in various areas of activism.
Terry Risdon
Curriculum Development
Terry is a certified middle and high school science educator with a special interest in biology. She has taught science classes in Texas public schools, homeschool co-ops, and for seven years at LEADPrep, joining the faculty in its second year. She has been married for 35 years and is the proud mother of an adult son. Although officially retiring in 2021, Terry is consulting as a curriculum specialist and mentor for teachers. She can be found native plant gardening, birdwatching, and learning to play the piano in her spare time.
Rob Nightingale
Humanities / Leadership Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
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.
Melanie Casco
Campus Logistics / Spanish Teacher, Seattle
Melanie is originally from Houston, Texas and made the leap to the PNW in the winter of 2021. She received her Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin – Hook ‘Em! Melanie has worked with children and youth since college ranging from tutoring to assisting youth in life transitions, working with families with an immigrant background, and mentoring college students. She joined the LEADPrep family officially in 2022! She enjoys spending her free time with her pitbull, Kiwi, and her cat, Jupiter. She can be found in the mountains hiking, paddle boarding on the gorgeous lakes around Washington, or at home enjoying the rain with her pets.
Fernanda Postare
Campus Coordinator / Spanish Teacher, Kirkland
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.
Becks Lopez
Math Teacher
Originally from Southern California, Becks got her B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Marist college, located in New York before moving to Seattle where she got her M.S. from the University of Washington. She has over 10 years of experience working as an educator for students of all ages and abilities. Becks enjoys using real life applications of mathematics evident in her work as a research assistant for the National Science Foundation, US Air Force Research Laboratory, and the Argonne National Laboratory. As a first generation American, she is fluent in Spanish and passionate about her culture. When not sharing her love for mathematics, she can be found hiking with her dog, Horchata, or on a mission to try every coffee shop in the Pacific Northwest.
Nick Ackermann
Science/STEM Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Nick is originally from New Jersey where he got his Bachelor of Science. After getting his MA at Montclair State University, Nick worked as a science teacher for 13 years at both public and private middle and high schools. At the Liberty Science Center, he worked as a STEM enrichment specialist where he led lab activities and facilitated the ‘Live From Surgery’ program. Nick loves basketball, bowling, and trivia nights with his wife, and can be found at beard and mustache competitions that raise money for local charities.
Josh Allen
Math / Special Education Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Josh was born and raised in Gallup, NM and moved to Seattle in 2017. He graduated from Western Governors University with a degree in Elementary/Special Education. Josh has seven years of experience in education in different roles ranging from substitute teaching to working as a paraeducator in a resource classroom. During his freetime, Josh enjoys photography and explores Washington to catch the right photo.
Anna Cunningham
Junior and Senior Advisor / Co-Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Anna Cunningham is on track to graduate from the University of Oklahoma in May of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in social work. Her long-term goal is to become a licensed clinical social worker and begin working as a therapist for children and adolescents. In the meantime, she plans on dedicating herself to the academic success of the students of LEADPrep!
Emma Kirk
Middle School ELA / US History Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Emma is a Washington native from Whidbey Island. She has been working with kids for almost 7 years and spends her summers as a camp counselor. When she’s not in the classroom she’s out and about with her husky Koa, and on rainy days she is curled up reading a book.
Kester Limner
Art Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Kester is a professional illustrator and comic book artist. She received a BA in Studio Art from Seattle Pacific University and completed the University Scholars program–a cross-disciplinary study of philosophy, faith, and sciences. Kester leads contemplative music and meditation at St. Andrew’s Seattle, an LGBTQ affirming Episcopal church. She is also a life-long neurodiversity advocate for children, teens, and adults. Kester has decades of lived experience supporting people with executive function and sensory processing issues, as well as other medical and learning disabilities. Neurodiversity includes ALL people, because everyone is unique, and we create diversity with our differences!
Jesse Long
Photography Teacher, Seattle and Kirkland
Jesse is a PNW native who found his passion for teaching and photography at Occidental College when he began taking weekend photography trips and helped lead backpacking photography trips for MS/HS in Death Valley. After completing Seattle Central’s Commercial Photography program, he started an International photography company working with International schools. He became drawn into education from working with all these schools and earned his teaching certification from George Mason in 2006. Jesse has spent 20 years in his photography business and is very excited to teach photography again. His hobbies include playing some bad guitar, board games, puzzles, and cards. Jesse is always in search of the best burger.
Danyella Nightingale
Registrar and Special Projects
Danyella first joined the LEADPrep team as the Remote Coach, assisting students who needed to learn from home, and is eager to step into the Registrar role. In 2015, she landed in Seattle after a month-long road trip from her home state, Florida, and has put down roots here ever since. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, going to concerts, and camping.
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
For admissions inquiries please schedule a call.
(425) 298-6451
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