LEAD Academy

Hey Lead Families, Just a reminder that there is no school tomorrow, December 17. Students will return from winter break on Monday, January 3. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday break enjoying time with friends and family.

Good Afternoon Lead Families, I hope everyone is having a restful weekend. Please see the information and updates for the coming week. We will celebrate spirit week this week Dec. 12-16. Please see the attached flyer for directions on each day. If students choose not to participate in spirit week, students should wear their Lead uniform. Congratulations to our students of the month. Maddison Westfield K5: Maddison always shows her leadership skills among her peers. She helps her friends when in need and she holds them accountable to help them become leaders as well. She stands for what she believes is right by demonstrating integrity and curiosity in our class. Suri Laos 3rd: Suri has shown tremendous leadership skills already this year! She is always ready to lend a helping hand and does not shy away from asking questions. I appreciate her ability to show integrity to others and hold them accountable to do the same. She shows great interest in learning new things and faces challenges head on. You will usually find her with a smile on her face and a warm hello to start the day! Alejandro Castro-Rojas 6th: Alejandro is an extremely kind and hard-working student. He treats classmates with respect and gets along with everyone. I also appreciate his perseverance, especially when given difficult tasks. He will ask questions and problem solve until he completes a task or understands a concept. He will not stop until an assignment is done to the very best of his ability. Alejandro is a true example of what it means to be EPIC. Crew This week in Crew, students will finish out discussions centered on appreciation and having an abundance mentality for December. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your student is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. We are in need of uniform bottoms. If you have gently used pants in navy, khaki, or black, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Safety concern All parents are encouraged to use the car line for drop-off each morning during arrival and not the parking lot. It is extremely hazardous for students to walk across the street unsupervised from the parking lot, and using the crosswalk slows the traffic flow down from arrival. We understand that you may need to park in the parking lot and get out to visit the front office, but the parking lot isn't to be used as an alternate car line. During arrival, we use one lane. Please stay in the drop-off lane until traffic begins to move. Passing or attempting to pass other cars is very dangerous to student safety and could cause car accidents. All students must be ready to get out, with their bookbags, when they arrive. A reminder from our handbook: Students are not allowed to have headphones (wired or Bluetooth) or smartwatches at school. Cell phones should be off and inside students' bookbags during the school day. Winter break is December 17-31 To listen, learn, & collaborate, any stakeholder wishing to snag some time with Mr. Baker can sign up for open office hours on any platform of your choosing by clicking the link. https://calendly.com/cubaker/meet Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a great week!

Good Morning Lead Families, I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend. Please see the information and updates for the coming week. The week of December 13-16 will be spirit week. Please see the attached flyer for directions for each day. Crew This week in Crew, students will continue discussions centered on appreciation and gratitude. Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your student is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Fun Friday Fund Friday will be Friday, December 10. Fun Friday is an opportunity for students to live out our EPIC habits of leadership through original, Lead created games. Much like DRESS DOWN DAY, all attire worn on Fun Fridays must be school-appropriate. Lead Academy Enrollment! If you are a current family interested in your student attending Lead Academy for the 2022-2023 school year as a K5 student, please visit our website at https://www.myleadacademy.com/page/enrollment to sign them up! Safety concern All parents are encouraged to use the car line for drop-off each morning during arrival and not the parking lot. It is extremely hazardous for students to walk across the street unsupervised from the parking lot, and using the crosswalk slows the traffic flow down from dismissal. We understand that you may need to park in the parking lot and get out to visit the front office, but the parking lot isn't to be used as an alternate car line. During arrival, we use one lane. Please stay in the drop-off lane until traffic begins to move. Passing or attempting to pass other cars is very dangerous to student safety and could cause car accidents. All students must be ready to get out, with their bookbags, when they arrive. The spread of COVID 19 in our state and county is substantial, ongoing, and not contained. We strongly encouraged the continued use of masks every day. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has updated its COVID-19 guidance for schools as well as its School and Childcare Exclusion List. The updated guidance and exclusion criteria provide that students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student and were wearing a face covering during the exposure time are excluded from the definition of a close contact and therefore do not have to quarantine regardless of whether or not the infected student was wearing a face covering. To listen, learn, & collaborate, any stakeholder wishing to snag some time with Mr. Baker can sign up for open office hours on any platform of your choosing by clicking the link. https://calendly.com/cubaker/meet As always, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We appreciate your continued support.

Hey Lead Families, Tomorrow will be dress-down day. Students can pay $1 to come out of uniform. Parents, please be mindful that dress-down day is a fundraising effort. Students should not be out of uniform if they choose not to participate in the fundraiser. All students must still be in school-appropriate attire. This means there should be NO HOLES in pants, there are to be NO CROCS or SLIDES, and that any message communicated on their clothing, either through explicit language or artwork or through suggested humor, should be school appropriate. The money will be collected at the front door as students enter. On Monday, December 6th, Lead will be hosting Junior Boys Basketball Tryouts for grades 5th-6th from 5:45 pm - 7:00 pm. Tryouts will be at First Baptist Church of Greenville 847 Cleveland St. Greenville, SC 29607 Players, please have athletic clothes, Indoor gym shoes and water. Parents. Please sign the waiver form and have your player bring it with them to tryouts. Please reach out to Coach Keller at wikeller@myleadacademy.com if you have any questions. https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1709667/Tryout_Flyer_-_Junior_Boys_Basketball.pdf

GivingTuesday is an opportunity to support the organizations making a difference in the community, and in people’s lives. Fittingly, on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, GivingTuesday inspires people world-wide to express their support and thanks to others. We ask that you consider investing in the students at Lead Academy. To give you some perspective on the incredible impact of your support, your gift will go towards: Technology and Curriculum materials, furnish our new building, scholarship school uniforms, support the arts and athletics. To give today please visit https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YFSXNURRWHDH8 #GivingTuesday

Good Morning Lead Families, I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving break. Please see updates and information for the coming week. Crew This week in Crew, students will discuss appreciation through having an attitude of gratitude. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your student is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Dress-Down Day This Wednesday, Dec. 1, will be dress-down day. Students can pay $1 to come out of uniform. Parents, please be mindful that dress-down day is a fundraising effort. Students should not be out of uniform if they choose not to participate in the fundraiser. All students must still be in school-appropriate attire. This means that there should be NO HOLES in pants, there are to be NO CROCS or SLIDES, and that any message communicated on their clothing, either through explicit language or artwork or through suggested humor, should be school appropriate. The money will be collected at the front door as students enter. Winter MAP Testing Students will winter MAP test beginning Monday, Dec. 6. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) is a nationally-normed, computerized test. It assesses students in the areas of math and reading and allows our teachers to identify specific areas of strength and areas for improvement. Our Lead staff will use this information to create and prepare differentiated instruction on each student's ability level in both reading and math. To listen, learn, & collaborate, any stakeholder wishing to snag some time with Mr. Baker can sign up for open office hours on any platform of your choosing by clicking the link. https://calendly.com/cubaker/meet As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We appreciate all of the continued support.

Hey Lead Families, Just a reminder that Nov. 24-26 are school holidays. I hope everyone has a fantastic break!

Good Afternoon Lead Families, I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Please see the information for the coming week. Please look for progress reports to be sent home tomorrow, 11/22. At Lead Academy, we assess and give feedback on student work through Mastery Based Grading. In Mastery Based Grading, grades are viewed as a tool for communicating student progress towards a standard. Instead of a traditional 0-100 scale, we use a 1-4 scale to communicate where a student is in relation to a standard. Our grading system aims to help students understand that growth and mastery of the skill is what matters, more than just a grade in a gradebook. If you would like to order fall pictures, please visit the link. https://my.lifetouch.com/mylifetouch/?utm_medium=email%e2%80%8b&utm_source=ExactTarget%e2%80%8b&utm_campaign=PPD_F21_Po15_US%e2%80%8b&utm_content=hero#/?utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PPD_F21_Po15_US To listen, learn, & collaborate, any stakeholder wishing to snag some time with Mr. Baker can sign up for open office hours on any platform of your choosing below. https://calendly.com/cubaker/meet As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. We appreciate all of the continued support.

Hey Lead Families, A couple of reminders: We will have Fun Friday tomorrow. Fun Friday is an opportunity for students to live out our EPIC habits of leadership through original, Lead created games. Much like DRESS DOWN DAY, all attire worn on Fun Fridays must be school-appropriate. Make-up pictures will be tomorrow. This is for students who missed the first fall picture date. Student who need to take make-up pictures will wear their normal Lead uniform or alternate black Lead polo shirt for pictures.

Good Morning Lead Families, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying your weekend. Please see the upcoming dates and information for this week. Crew This week in Crew we are continuing discussions about The Growth Mindset. The growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your attitude and abilities. Students will discuss what it means to step out of our comfort zone and into the courage zone. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your students is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Fun Friday Fun Friday is rescheduled for this Friday, Nov. 19. Fun Friday is an opportunity for students to live out our EPIC habits of leadership through original, Lead created games. Much like DRESS DOWN DAY, all attire worn on Fun Fridays must be school-appropriate. Progress Reports Please look for progress reports on November 22nd. At Lead Academy, we assess and give feedback on student work through Mastery Based Grading. In Mastery Based Grading, grades are viewed as a tool for communicating student progress towards a standard. Instead of a traditional 0-100 scale, we use a 1-4 scale to communicate where a student is in relation to a standard. Our grading system aims to help students understand that growth and mastery of the skill is what matters, more than just a grade in a gradebook. Make-up Pictures Make-up picture day will be Friday, November 19. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a great week!

Hey Lead Families, Unfortunately, due to staffing shortages, we are postponing tomorrow's Fun Friday to next week, Nov. 19. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thanks

Good Morning Lead Families, I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Please see the events and information for the coming week. Crew This week in Crew students in K-8 will continue discussions about The Growth Mindset. The growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your attitude and abilities. Students will discuss what is in our circle of control. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your students is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Fun Friday We will have FUN FRIDAY this week. Fun Friday is an opportunity for students to live out our EPIC habits of leadership through original, Lead created games. Much like DRESS DOWN DAY, all attire worn on Fun Fridays must be school-appropriate. Congratulations to our students of the month! Zion Mortis: Zion Mortis is such a joy to teach! I can go to assist another group of students and always know that he will be doing what has been asked of him...every time. He is always willing to help others, whether through collaboration during small-group time or sweeping around the classroom. He has grown tremendously in two of our LEAD core values--perseverance and empathy. When faced with a difficult task, he doesn't accept defeat as an answer. He leans in and gets it done. Keep rockin' it out, Zion! Kaylee Dean: Kaylee works really hard to understand new concepts. She always tries 100% of the time. She is alert, focused, and never afraid to ask questions in class to help strengthen her understanding. She leads by making sure her group members are on task and is always there to answer any questions that she can. Every afternoon she asks me if there is anything that she can do to help me out and make my day easier. She definitely embodies the pillars of LEAD Academy! Marley Moss: Marley is always willing to put forth her best effort even when tasks that are given to her are difficult. She consistently demonstrates integrity by always demonstrating honesty, respect, and responsibility. Marley completes every assignment given to her and she is always willing to help her peers when they are having difficulty with a skill or concept that comes easily to her. She embodies the characteristics of a LEAD Academy student every day. Progress Reports Please look for progress reports on November 22nd. At Lead Academy, we assess and give feedback on student work through Mastery Based Grading. In Mastery Based Grading, grades are viewed as a tool for communicating student progress towards a standard. Instead of a traditional 0-100 scale, we use a 1-4 scale to communicate where a student is in relation to a standard. Our grading system aims to help students understand that growth and mastery of the skill is what matters, more than just a grade in a gradebook. Make-up Pictures Make-up picture day will be Next Friday, November 19. Jackets As we approach colder weather, I want to remind everyone of our uniform policy regarding jackets. Only Lead Academy jackets may be worn inside the school building. During colder weather, heavier non-lead jackets may be worn outdoors only. Lead Academy uniform jackets/hoodies (dark gray design with logo) and may be worn Monday-Thursday. Falcons athletic jackets/hoodies may ONLY be worn on Fridays. Any Lead Academy jacket may be worn on Fridays, including apparel from prior years. Exceptions to the jacket policy may be made on very cold days as deemed appropriate by the administration. Covid 19 is ongoing, widespread, and not contained. In an effort to keep students in person and mitigate the spread of the virus, I strongly encourage all students to wear a mask to school each day. I hope everyone has a great week, and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Good Afternoon Lead Families Reminder that tomorrow will be DRESS DOWN DAY. Students may come out of uniform for $1. All students must still be in school-appropriate attire. This means that there should be NO HOLES in pants, there are to be NO CROCS or SLIDES, and that any message communicated on their clothing, either through explicit language or artwork or through suggested humor, should be school appropriate. The money will be collected at the front door as students enter. Thanks and I hope you have a great evening.

Good Morning Lead Families, I hope everyone had a great weekend. Please see the information for the upcoming week. Thank you to everyone who signed up to attend the Book-a-palooza. Unfortunately, this event had to be canceled due to the weather. Due to the cancellation, we are extending our bookfair. The book fair will remain open Monday and Tuesday of this week. We will be open from 3:45-4:30 for parents to come in and shop. Masks are required for parents. They must pick up their student in the car line and park before coming in. Crew This week in Crew students in K-8 will be discussing The Growth Mindset. The growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your attitude and abilities. Students will discuss the difference between having a growth mindset vs. having a fixed mindset. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your students is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Jackets As we approach colder weather, I want to remind everyone of our uniform policy regarding jackets. Only Lead Academy jackets may be worn inside the school building. During colder weather, heavier non-lead jackets may be worn outdoors only. Lead Academy uniform jackets/hoodies (dark gray design with logo) and may be worn Monday-Thursday. Falcons athletic jackets/hoodies may ONLY be worn on Fridays. Any Lead Academy jacket may be worn on Fridays, including apparel from prior years. Exceptions to the jacket policy may be made on very cold days as deemed appropriate by the administration. Arrival During arrival, we use one lane. Please stay in the drop-off lane until traffic begins to move. Passing or attempting to pass other cars is very dangerous to student safety and could cause car accidents. Please have your student ready to get out, with their bookbags, when they arrive. It is safest for students to use the passenger side (side closest to the curb) to unload. If you need to park and get out, you must pull around and park in the parking lot. Dress Down Day This Wednesday, November 3rd will be DRESS DOWN DAY. Students may come out of uniform for $1. All students must still be in school-appropriate attire. This means that there should be NO HOLES in pants, there are to be NO CROCS or SLIDES, and that any message communicated on their clothing, either through explicit language or artwork or through suggested humor, should be school appropriate. The money will be collected at the front door as students enter. The spread of Covid 19 is ongoing, widespread, and not contained. In an effort to keep students in person and mitigate the spread of the virus, I strongly encourage all students to wear a mask. As always, please communicate any questions that you may have. We appreciate all of the continued support.

The Scholastic Book Fair has been extended through Tuesday of next week. The Book Fair will be open from 3:45-4:30pm on Monday for parents to shop. Students must be picked up in carline and masked are required for adults who come.

Hey Lead Families, Unfortunately due to the weather, we are cancelling our Book-A-Palooza event on Thursday. We hope to reschedule this event to a future date. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Good Evening Lead Families, Please see the information for the coming week. Book-A-Palooza On Thursday, October 28 from 5:30-7:30pm at Lead Academy, we will be holding our first ever Book-A-Palooza! This event is part of our first annual Lead Reads week and our book fair. The Book-A-Palooza event is meant to bring our Lead families together and celebrate our students, their learning, and the benefits of reading. To adhere to COVID guidelines and create a safe environment for all families, we are asking that families sign up so that we can create smaller groups and allow each family to participate in each part of the Book-A-Palooza event. We will have three different stations, which families will rotate through: Sign-Up Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f49ada72fa2fac61-bookapalooza Crew Students in K-4 will be having discussions about Curiosity which is one of our EPIC character traits. Students in 5th grade will continue discussions around their personal mission statements, students in 6th grade will continue discussions about seeking to understand, and 7th and 8th grade students will continue discussions around being proactive. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your students is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. I hope everyone has a great week, and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

ATHLETICS ANNOUNCEMENT: Our basketball tryouts (both girls and boys) for today have been canceled due to a gym rental conflict. They will be moved to Monday, October 25th from 4:00-5:30 at First Baptist Church of Greenville (847 Cleveland St. Greenville, SC). Eligible Participants: Middle School Boys- 7th-8th Grade Middle School Girls- 6th-8th Grade If you have any questions, please email our Athletic Director, Will Keller (wikeller@myleadacademy.com).

Hey Lead Families, A few reminders: Fall picture day is tomorrow, October 22nd. Students will wear their normal Lead uniform or alternate black Lead polo shirt for pictures. Report Cards Please look for report cards to be sent home Today, October 21st. Chromebook insurance fee is $30. The information below was included on the Chromebook agreement with the beginning of the year paperwork, and the Student Chromebook Assignment sheet that each student received went given their Chromebook. "The $30 Chromebook insurance fee must be paid by the last day of the first quarter, October 15, 2021. First quarter report cards will be held until this fee has been paid." Thanks, and please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Good Afternoon Lead families, I hope everyone enjoyed their fall break! Please check out the upcoming events and updates. Book-A-Palooza On Thursday, October 28 from 5:30-7:30pm at Lead Academy, we will be holding our first ever Book-A-Palooza! This event is part of our first annual Lead Reads week and our book fair. The Book-A-Palooza event is meant to bring our Lead families together and celebrate our students, their learning, and the benefits of reading. To adhere to COVID guidelines and create a safe environment for all families, we are asking that families sign up so that we can create smaller groups and allow each family to participate in each part of the Book-A-Palooza event. We will have three different stations, which families will rotate through: Games: Carnival games will be available where you can win tickets and be entered into our raffle drawing that will take place every 15-30minutes Book Fair: Our Scholastic Book Fair will be in our new library! Come buy a book for your next rotation “Reading Under the Stars” Reading Under the Stars: Bring your blanket, sit on the soccer field, and read a new or an old book with your student! Please take this time to enjoy a free hot dog plate and purchase a snow cone from Kona Ice! Please use the link to RSVP for your start time. Please only sign up once, using either the link below or the QR code from the flyer. The sign up form will be open until October 20th. Please be sure to sign up by the deadline! Sign-Up Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f49ada72fa2fac61-bookapalooza Crew This week in Crew, our K-4 students will discuss Integrity, one of our EPIC character traits. These discussions will include building trust, being honest, taking responsibility, and how to be a model. Students in grade 5 will discuss beginning with the end in mind, students in grade 6 will discuss seeking to understand through speaking honestly, and students in grades 7-8 will discuss how to be proactive. Crew begins each day at 7:45, so it is vital that your students is at school on time. We encourage these Crew conversations to continue at home, so please ask your students about these Crew topics. Fall Picture Day Fall picture day will be Friday, October 22nd. Students will wear their normal Lead uniform or their alternate black Lead polo shirt for pictures. Lead Academy Enrollment! Our K5 enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is open. If you have a future kindergartner or know someone interested, please visit our website at https://www.myleadacademy.com/page/enrollment for more information. Applications are open now for families that are interested in enrolling for immediate openings in grades K-8. If you know someone who is interested, please visit https://www.myleadacademy.com/page/enrollment for more information or to sign up now! Report Cards Please look for report cards to be sent home on October 21st. At Lead Academy, we assess and give feedback on student work through Mastery Based Grading. In Mastery Based Grading, grades are viewed as a tool for communicating student progress towards a standard. Instead of a traditional 0-100 scale, we use a 1-4 scale to communicate where a student is in relation to a standard. Our grading system aims to help students understand that growth and mastery of the skill is what matters, more than just a grade in a gradebook. DHEC Update The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has updated its COVID-19 guidance for schools as well as its School and Childcare Exclusion List. The new guidance and exclusion criteria provide that students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student and were wearing a face covering during the exposure time are excluded from the definition of a close contact and therefore do not have to quarantine regardless of whether or not the infected student was wearing a face covering. This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting. Thanks, and I hope you have a great day. Please reach out if you have any questions.