Monday Message
Learner Spotlight: Stephenson Family
The iLEAD Exploration learners in the Stephenson family transitioned to homeschooling only a couple of years ago but have been customizing learning and pursuing their dreams ever since! Tahani (15) Taaliah (11), and Tahlil (5) exude this month’s SLO of optimism. Each of these learners holds great hope about their futures and an unshakeable confidence that they will achieve their goals.
While in middle school, 9th grader Tahani explored an interest in law and criminal justice using the iLEAD online mock trial class and by seeking mentoring from a relative who is a lawyer. Last fall, she signed up for the first course in the administration of justice track and challenged herself (and succeeded!) in getting an A on every single assignment. She is now working hard on the second course as well as other college courses and is optimistic that she can earn her associates degree in justice administration before she finishes high school. She also loves sewing and fashion design and is shown here with a dress she sewed for her mom while modeling a shirt she made. In the picture below, her sister is modeling a matching pant set. All of these beautiful outfits were designed and made at iLEAD vendor Ms. Sylvia’s sewing studio. Tahani also enjoys acting and loves the way iLEAD has allowed her the flexibility to explore and follow multiple dreams at once.
Taaliah, 6th grade, shown here modeling an outfit her sister made and holding an alligator during a family road trip, transitioned to homeschooling this year at the start of her middle school career. Before she left her brick and mortar school, she had already made a list of activities she wished to explore. She is excited to have more freedom to continue working at track and field, pursue acting like her older sister, and sample gymnastics classes. Taaliah also has a long list of books she wants to read.
Kindergartner Tahlil is excited to learn to read this year. He works very hard on his academics and pushes himself to master numbers and letters as quickly as possible. He loves science and Legos and is hoping to take a Lego robotics class soon.
Learner Spotlight: Lila Inman
Optimism is the way you see and think about what is happening around and to you, looking for good in each situation. Optimism describes iLEAD Exploration learner, Lila Inman!
Always smiling, Lila is a 5th grader who approaches life with joy, sweetness, and perseverance. At a young age, Lila discovered that she has dyslexia. Some areas of learning have been hard for her. However, she perseveres by devoting multiple hours a week to receiving additional tutoring and remains hopeful in the face of her dyslexia. With her positive outlook and hope for her future, she has grown in her academics and extracurricular activities.
One of her favorite activities is dance. Lila has been dancing for two years and spends multiple hours, three days a week perfecting her dance. She has a goal this year of perfecting a quad pirouette. Lila is also a very talented crafter. She loves to sew, crochet and create. She is an out-of-the-box thinker and can easily improvise when she is crafting. She has knitted coffee cozies, sewn bags and created many other beautiful pieces.
Lila’s joyful, persistent, and upbeat outlook on life inspires those around her. Lila’s joy and positivity can be seen and felt as soon as you meet her. 
Online Educational Resources
We’ve Got Mail!
This week, we would like to encourage learners of all ages to write a friendly letter to someone who needs encouragement. This is the perfect time to get back to basics, catch up, and connect with one another the old fashioned way. Below, you can see some of our iLEAD learners that have already started developing their pen-pal relationships.
Here is a template to help you get started:
FriendlyLetterTemplateSpring MAP Testing
Although state testing has been cancelled, spring MAP testing will continue for all learners in grades K-10. Learners take the MAP test in their own home at a time convenient for each family and their EF. Think about what time of day your learner will feel their best and if they would prefer to work through the whole test with a break in between or whether they prefer to break it up over a couple of days. Please find a time in the coming weeks to schedule this test with your educational facilitator.
For more information, watch this introduction video to learn about MAP testing (Powerpoint here). You can also visit NWEA.org/Parent-Toolkit.
Learner Spotlight: Grace Gilroy
When you think of a learner who exemplifies the notion of what a homeschooled 10th grader might look like, you think of Grace. She thrives in this environment and strives for excellence in all that she does! Not only is she a talented dancer, spending countless hours in the ballet studio, but she also loves to perform on stage and beams in front of an audience. Grace has performed in the Nutcracker, Hansel and Gretel, and will be in Cinderella this Spring. Dancing fills Grace’s heart with so much joy! Not only does Grace thrive in the dance studio, but she is also an amazing scholar! She puts forth so much effort in both areas, proving that hard work pays off.
Grace would love to attend the University of Nebraska when she graduates in 2022. We have no doubt that Grace will continue to find success in all that she does. It is part of her character and embodies who she is to the core.
“I know the price of success: Dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright
Educational Resources
Here at iLEAD, we have a family first approach to learning. During this virtual time, we want to further support you by providing you with some more free online resources. With changing schedules, we hope these help enrich your day!
Storyline is an incredible site that offers videos of picture books being read by actors and actresses. They have a wide variety and it is a wonderful resource to utilize from home!
Teacher Created Materials is curated by teachers is proud to offer these FREE teacher-approved resources for at-home learning! These materials are designed to help learners solidify educational concepts.
Terra Arts is offering free virtual lessons that address core content and include worksheets and teaching guidance.
Pobble 365 offers an incredible technique for encouraging kids creative thinking, story telling, and grammar basics. Each day a photo/painting is displayed along with questions to help develop the creative thinking process. They often provide a story starter based on the image, as well as ways to develop literary devices such as personification, and how to “fix”/edit sentences.
Kennedy Center Artist in Residence, Mo Willems, is offering daily live drawing “doodle” classes! Classes are at 10:00 a.m. but can be streamed later in the day as well! Mo Willems is the author/illustrator of several children’s series.
The Cincinnati Zoo is bringing the zoo to you via Facebook live.
National Geographic offers resources and student experiences that can be adapted to all grade levels and subjects.
Virtual Field Trips allows you to explore the world without leaving your home.
Planets for Kids is a free astronomy website for kids who are curious about the stars and planets.
Sciencing is a site that offers easy science project ideas for kids of all ages.
Code Wizard HQ offers free coding websites, classes and apps to help kids interested in coding.
Storytelling in a Box is brought to you by Disney Imagineers. Hundreds of career disciplines around the world share how they use a wide range of skills – from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering – that all come together to create immersive experiences. Imagineering in a Box allows you to explore different aspects of theme park design, from characters to ride development, as you design a theme park of your very own.
National Honor Society (NHS) Application for 2020-21
More than just an honor roll, the National Honor Society (NHS) recognizes high schoolers who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. The NHS’s primary goal is not only to prepare students for university, but also for life. It engages learners in service projects, leadership development, scholarship searches, and career exploration.
The following is a note from our current iLEAD Exploration’s NHS president, Mary Miller:
“NHS is one of the most amazing groups you can join in high school. Every year we get the opportunity to complete 10 school service hours and 10 independent hours. This gives us a chance to meet students throughout the school and serve your communities. In NHS, we learn how to successfully serve our school, meet other high school students, and become tech-savvy. Personally, I joined the NHS because I was super excited to meet other high school students. It has taught me time management, helped me brainstorm service projects, and even helped me apply for college! If you meet the requirements, I highly encourage you to apply for the NHS.”
Learners may apply if:
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They are currently in 9th, 10th or 11th grade;
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They have been enrolled with iLEAD for at least one FULL semester;
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They have a minimum GPA of 3.0;
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They can commit to five hours of individual service projects in their community and five hours of school service projects (volunteering at school events, two hours of ASB, helping EF at park days, curriculum library and so on) for each semester; a total of 20 hours per school year;
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They are able to meet virtually once every month with the NHS team.
Applications for next year’s NHS membership are now being accepted until April 15th. To apply, click here. For any questions, please contact your EF or email us at highschool@ileadexploration.org.
MAP Testing Window is Open
The MAP (Measured Academic Progress) testing window is now OPEN! Your EF is ready to set up those dates and times that work best for your family’s schedule.
Schoolwide Learner Outcome
- You will find book lists here and here that inspire positivity in young learners
- Big Life Journal and the blog Moments a Day present activities to help learners develop positivity
Free Online Educational Resources
Have you visited our Free Online Educational Resources section located on the HUB lately? This awesome resource, collectively created by iLEAD’s educational facilitators, provides a host of free online educational opportunities for homeschoolers across multiple subjects and grade levels. We hope that you enjoy browsing this feature the next time you log into the website!
Learner Spotlight: Corban and Deacon Barnett
iLEAD Exploration learners Corban and Deacon Barnett are so different and yet these brothers both exude optimism, each with his own brand of it. Older brother Corban is a confident kid who never doubts his ability to do anything and he certainly never stops until he gets it right. He tried for a year to master a forward flip on the trampoline. He never got frustrated and didn’t give up until he had it perfect. Younger brother Deacon always sees the good in every person. As his family says, Deacon has “never met a stranger that wasn’t a friend.” Always hopeful to make a new buddy, he joyfully includes anyone in every activity that he does.
Corban (5th grade) and Deacon (3rd grade) love listening to audiobooks and dancing to music every morning. They enjoy doing flips and tricks on the trampoline, playing with neighborhood buddies and riding around the neighborhood on their hoverboards and crazy carts.
Corban adores both cooking and baking and reveals his creativity through producing new and exciting recipes. He also greatly enjoys writing short stories based on books that he has read as well as filming and editing movies for his YouTube channel. Deacon loves to use his imagination to build and is often found designing and constructing miniature golf courses in the backyard. He also adores making music and has created a number of one of a kind songs using GarageBand on his iPad.
In addition to a full workload at home, both boys enjoy taking art, writing, PE and science classes at a local learning center. When they are not participating in academics, both boys can be found learning new tricks in their acrobatic trampoline classes, or acquiring new techniques in their parkour classes.
FREE ONLINE RESOURCES FOR HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS
At iLEAD Exploration, we are happy to provide learners with high school curriculum and online vendor suggestions, both of which can be purchased using instructional funds. We also have a variety of free resource suggestions for our high school families. While this list is non-exhaustive, we hope you find it helpful. These resources are available through the Hub on our website when you log into your account. The results can be narrowed down by subject and grade level. A few of our favorites are MITOpenCourseware, KhanAcademy
Challenge of the Week
In case you missed the very informative CAASPP parent webinar last week, here is the link to the Powerpoint that was presented: CAASPP Parent Information Webinar 2020. At the time the video was created, March testing was available, but that is not the case now due to the cancellation of in-person meetings.Learner Spotlight: Jaidynn Watson
iLEAD Exploration learner Jaidynn Watson always sees the bright side of a situation even if the initial outcome isn’t always favorable. She is open to new experiences because she believes that there is always something new that can be learned.
Jaidynn, 6th grade, loves to participate in a wide variety of sports and activities. Her current favorite sport is standup paddleboard racing. She loves competing, especially in open water races. She took 1st place in her division during Pacific Paddle Games last year, one of the largest annual SUP contests, which was a very memorable moment for her. She has sampled many different sports and activities including basketball, soccer, gymnastics, ballet, dance, parkour, karate, jiu jitsu, kickboxing, swimming, and skateboarding.
Jaidynn loves science and has spent much of this school year studying marine life. Additionally, she is taking a math class that is above her current grade level and she has risen to the challenge with a strong understanding of the subject material. Being a part of iLEAD allows Jaidynn much flexibility in pursuing her passions. She can hit the skatepark in the morning when it’s empty or surf when the waves are good. She can also study the ocean and marine life in hands-on, in depth life lessons by visiting the beach regularly. She is grateful that being a learner with iLEAD allows her such flexibility that she is able to thrive in both her studies and sports.
SLO: Optimism
This month’s SLO (Student Learner Outcome), optimism, focuses on a positive outlook on life. As you watch this video, think about how you can turn failures into learning opportunities and whether your willingness to take on new challenges helps to create strong relationships with others.
March 14 is Pi Day
March 14 is Pi Day. It is observed on March 14 since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π. Don’t let the sound of the name fool you: Pi Day does not commemorate the sweet, baked circular treat (though it is circular-related). It is the official day of the Greek letter symbolizing the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, pi, also known as 3.14159265359… Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π.
Here are some fun ways to incorporate learning and to celebrate Pi Day. Don’t forget to enjoy your favorite fruit pie, meat pizza, or pot pie!
Challenge of the Week
Physical fitness testing is underway! If you are in 5th, 7th, or 9th grade, now is your time to show that you have “Too Much Grit to Quit” by participating in iLEAD’s physical fitness testing! Please contact your EF right away for more information.
Another very important way to demonstrate your grit is by “Opting In” for CAASPP testing! These yearly summative assessments are for learners in grades 3-8, 11, and some learners in grade 12. Testing will be at various locations throughout April and May. Your EF will be sending you the sign-up parent letter this week! Participating and trying your best on the test will be very helpful for our school, so thank you in advance! Your support makes a huge difference, and iLEAD truly appreciates it!
Panorama Education Survey Has Begun
Our family survey has begun and will be closing in two weeks.
Don’t miss this chance to share your feedback. Your input is critical as we work to make iLEAD Exploration as effective as it can be as we focus on each child’s mastery of core content, social-emotional growth, deeper learning, and leadership. If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please check your email (including your spam folder) for the survey email from Panorama Education.
You may complete the survey online using a computer, tablet, or smartphone by clicking on your individualized link in your email that we have on file for your family.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@ileadexploration.org.
Learner Spotlight: Kennedy Gravitt
Kennedy Gravitt meets every challenge head-on with an optimistic attitude, making her a great example of this month’s SLO: Optimism. 
This hopeful and confident iLEAD Exploration third grader has been homeschooled since kindergarten and has always been a very driven, agile, and fun-loving kid. She learned to walk at eight months and hasn’t stopped blowing her parents away with her abilities, drive, determination, and grit. She learned how to surf at age six, excelled with parkour and free-running, has grown immensely in her basketball skills, all while becoming an incredible little motocross racer. Kennedy is small in stature, but that seems to trigger something in her that makes her work ethic and drive that much stronger.
Kennedy has dedicated herself to honing her motorcycle skills and has participated in many different race series. As trophies and awards added up, her confidence and excitement for the sport also grew. Her races were based primarily on age and the size of the motorcycle, and for most occasions this meant she was the only girl in her race. Never daunted by a challenge, Kennedy always cheerfully rises to the occasion. As her confidence grew, she expressed an interest in racing in front of the biggest stage for motocross — Supercross — and her eyes were set on that goal.
Her parents did some research on the requirements to request an invitation to the coveted KTM Junior Supercross challenge. Each race selects only 15 kids throughout the world to race. After a few months of nervously waiting, Kennedy’s family received a phone call announcing that she was chosen as a competitor for the Anaheim 2 Supercross race at Anaheim Stadium! This was a dream come true for her (and her dad), and the whole family was beaming.
The month prior to her big race, Kennedy participated in a three-day camp with PanicRev, which is an intense training program. She continued to practice and prepare for the Supercross race. The day of the race came and her family was ready to watch Kennedy do what she loves, competing against 14 other kids (all boys) from New Zealand, Great Britain, British Columbia, Minnesota, Kentucky, Montana, and California. It was a busy day from beginning to end. Multiple track walks, photo opportunities, tours through the KTM factory semi, practice laps, meeting professional racers, autograph sessions (for the kids). After an awesome day of practice and fun, Kennedy put on her gear, complete with a brand-new hot pink 6D helmet, and hit the starting line ready to race. With 40,000 fans cheering wildly, it was a day, experience, and memory that will be forever cherished. Her family is so proud of Kennedy’s work ethic, accomplishments, humility, and overall confidence and grit. Way to go, Kennedy!