From great to growth: casting seeds of change

LEADPrep Academy is an accredited micro-school serving 6th through 12th graders at two campuses. Except for now (you know, the pandemic).

Every day—since the very first day schools closed—LEADPrep provides students with a full-day schedule. All of them. At home. School starts at 9:00 am. Teachers run online classes, assign in-home learning activities and science projects using common household stuff. They individualize lessons, helping students manage screen time as well as ups and downs. SINCE DAY ONE!

These students are progressing in their studies. They initiate peer-to-peer activities during break time. As people, they’re learning how to keep on growing under adverse circumstances.

Great for LEADPrep students and parents, right?

Founder Maureen O’Shaughnessy, EdD has even bigger plans. She has a clear and deep vision, a successful demonstration of her educational model (LEADPrep) and the drive to grow her ventures so more students experience their “great” in life.

At the same time, LEADPrep faces growth challenges. There’s room for more students. Marketing is on a shoestring budget and the school relies heavily on word of mouth referrals.

Maureen has a two-pronged approach to move the needle on LEADPrep’s growth. She is working with the school’s board to increase local visibility via social media and other approaches. Just as important, she’s building momentum around the ideas and methods that make micro-schools effective.

In 2019 Maureen published her book on how to create a micro-school and founded the MicroSchool Coalition. She formed a strategic partnership with a philosophically similar organization, the Flipped Learning Global Initiative (FLGI) and LEADPrep earned FLGI Flagship School designation. She writes monthly articles for their international online magazine, FLR. On May 5, 2020 she launched the Education Evolution podcast, an interview series featuring innovative solutions to persistent problems in our education system.

As of May 2020, LEADPrep is offering several full scholarships to high school students ready to start immediately or in the fall. The school wants to support as many students as possible with relevant education during this chaotic time.

Maureen is casting seeds in many directions. Scholarships, board and parent engagement to support LEADPrep directly. Third party verification of her school model. Thought leadership initiatives reaching national and international audiences. The strategy is: stakeholder engagement + thought leadership = future growth.

bdub relations will check back with Maureen in 2021 on progress. I’m betting LEADPrep will be full and Maureen will have new allies in her education evolution!

P.S. Check out the school and scholarships at LEADPrep’s website.         

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