Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
- Vince Lombardi

At Lead Academy, we understand that there are no shortcuts to success. Therefore, old-fashioned hard work will be a cornerstone of the school culture at Lead. Our approach will include research-based practices of both the traditional and contemporary sort. The instructional program at Lead can be summed up by the following practices:

High Expectations
Lead Academy holds to the belief that ALL students can learn, regardless of circumstance or background, and we make no excuses for lackluster academic or behavioral performance.

More Time
Allowing for more time in the classroom has proven to translate into higher pupil achievement. In an effort to increase learning opportunities for students, Lead Academy employs an extended instructional day, Saturday School and a mandatory two- to three-week Summer Session in order to provide more time on task for our students. Why more time?

     —–>View a sample schedule.

Commitment to Motivate
Lead Academy faculty and staff have the mandate to make school meaningful, relevant and fun for our students. Every instructor must produce lessons that activate students’ intrinsic motivations as well as create classroom environments that facilitate this outcome. To this end, every student is expected to embrace hard work as a part of the educational experience.

Mission Driven
Lead Academy is committed to fulfilling the aims of its mission. Our duty to develop the seven key areas of our Leaders requires a persistent focus on results. Standardized test scores along with objective goals set for each of the seven key areas will be assessed regularly in order to ensure that students are prepared for lifelong success.

Empowering
On every level, Lead Academy stakeholders are empowered to make decisions specific to their experience. Administrators, teachers, parents and students are all given a measure of freedom to shape the educational experience as it pertains to them. Therefore, Lead Academy will uphold a commitment to engage a high-quality staff in decision making, including the opportunity to influence the learning program at the school.

The instructional framework of Lead Academy does not single out a particular instructional strategy, but rather allows for more creativity in instruction by lengthening students’ time in school. We encourage the use of a variety of productive teaching methods, provided that the teaching is student-centered, differentiated and relevant.

Lead Academy will assist South Carolina in reaching academic excellence. We have a long-term focus that begins with establishing high expectations for all students, engaging students and their families in a long-term commitment to high school completion and postsecondary success, and implementing activities that highlight and promote strong, positive attitudes toward schoolwork and career planning. Moreover, we believe that our educational model can have profoundly positive effects on communities as a whole. As neighborhoods and communities seek out answers to social ills such as gang violence, high drop-out rates and rising unemployment among segments of the population, we are convinced that the answer can be found in innovative educational models.